I shake my head, stuffing my hands in my pockets. “It only takes one crazy person to hurt you.”
We near her mom’s car, and I look at it with sadness. That car has been a part of our lives forever. Mr. Vogel took great care of it for his wife, and Felicity drove it all the time in high school.
“You’re not wrong. I remember this time—” Felicity stops when I turn my gaze on her, her face registering something I’m not even aware of.
“What?”
She shakes her head, a sad smile on her lips. “Nothing. It was…nothing.”
We stand there in silence for a few seconds, her rubbing her hand over her arm and me wondering what the hell I should say.
“Well…” She clears her throat, and when she looks to me, I can see the telltale sign of tears in her eyes. “Thanks for walking me.”
The words are spat out, and her steps move her quickly to the car. Before I can think of anything to say or do to stop her, she’s already got the engine turned over and is pulling away from the curb.
But really, what can I say that won’t just cause a bigger fight?
“Thanks for coming back and rubbing it in my face that you’re successful and didn’t need me for an ounce of that part of your life.”
Yeah, no.
Felicity and I are over. It is time I got that through my head.
6
felicity
This town never changes,and yet, as I walk through the streets of my hometown, it is completely different than what it was like when I was growing up.
Life in a bigger city, where I was surrounded by people who wanted to use my fame to climb their own personal ladders, changed a lot about who I was. I was no longer open to every single person I met. I was closed off from most, hiding to get away from what I thought were people who would always stab me in the back.
It was a sad life, one I have next to no desire to get back to.
I take in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, welcoming the slight sting of coolness that’s settling in over the mountain as fall covers it. School is back in session, work has resumed, and summer is now gone.
It is my favorite time of year.
One that holds memories of getting excited for things to come. School dances and Halloween, seeing friends at school all the time, and going out for bonfires when the weather wasn’t too bad.
Holidays are on their way with cozy mornings curled up next to a fire while reading a book, playing guitar, or writing music.
I smile at just the thought of it.
As I walk, I think about what’s going to come for me.
What did I want?
I want people to respect me and my music. I want to not be a stepping stone for people to use to get their own fame.
What did I want?
I want a safe home, one that is filled with love and comfort. One that I want to come home to every day instead of the one that I dread returning to.
What did I want?
I want love and affection from someone who really cares about me. Not the kind that’s faked, not the kind that’s staged for its own agenda. Real, genuine love that can’t be bought.
My eyes catch on a house at the far end of the block. It’s shaded by two big maple trees on either side of a long sidewalk that leads to the front door. The leaves on the trees are starting to turn a vibrant red. There’s a driveway to the side that’s concrete and needs repaired. The siding on the house is missing pieces, and the front door is partially held up by plywood.
