didn’t even think about anymore. The thought of her not in his life hurt. He couldn’t imagine not having his very best friend not beside him. She knew him in ways no one else did. She understood him, his family.
Jack quickened his pace. He needed to outrun the impossible decision. He found himself running along the sidewalks of the town. He knew he was about two miles from the house. He kept pushing himself though. If he stopped he was afraid he would be swallowed up by his thoughts. He turned and headed towards the house, afraid of getting stranded if he pushed himself too hard. He just had to make it back to the house.
He tried to focus on his stride, knowing that he couldn’t make the decision quickly, it would be impossible. He would have to think long and hard about it as much as he didn’t want to. He wanted both of them in his life. Jack noticed that he was starting to sprint as his thoughts went from one thing to another. His feet were matching the pace of his thoughts. He slowed down and thought about the movement in his body. He did mental checks on each part of his body. Breathing was heavy but even, legs were slightly burning, feet, one in front of the other. He felt himself starting to slightly wear out. He kept pushing himself though. He no longer wanted to focus on his life, whose heart he was going to break, he just wanted to concentrate on continuing to put one foot in front of the other and staying vertical.
The house finally started coming in view about ten minutes later. He was still a good half mile away. His breathing was a lot heavier as his body was protesting against him. Left foot, right foot, breathe. It echoed and repeated in his head. He focused on the end of the drive. It was starting to come into focus.
He wondered if Kenleigh was home. He wondered if he was running towards her. His focus was no longer on the road. His thoughts back to Kenleigh. Could he live without her? He told himself earlier that he couldn’t live without her, but in reality, yes he could. Yes, he could live without his best friend. The answer was so loud in his head he lost his footing. He felt himself start to fall towards the pavement. He then focused on his feet. They were failing to catch him. He stuck his hands in front of him and caught himself right before he face-planted. He propped himself back up on his feet and bent over trying to catch his breath, but found that he couldn’t. Was it a sign that maybe he couldn’t live without Kenleigh?
He stood about a quarter mile from the driveway. He stared at it as he stood straight up and put his hands behind his head. He needed water but he left the house without thinking about that. He started walking towards the house. Deep breath, deep breath , he thought to himself. He tried to focus on his steps but the answer still echoed in his head.
Can I live without her? Yes. Do I want to? Jack thought about it. Did he want to live without her, the girl that befriended him in middle school, despite their parent’s friendship? The one girl who really understood him? No, he didn’t want to live without her. Kenleigh was a constant in his life.
He reached the driveway. He couldn’t bring himself to go up though. He didn’t feel very accomplished in his run, but he walked slowly up it anyways. It was almost as if he dreaded going back into the house, as if he were going to be trapped if he stepped inside. Is that what he felt with Kenleigh? That he was trapped, that he was obligated to say? Jack shook his head. He sat in the entry way outside, facing down the drive. He stretched his legs out and folded over. He dropped his head even further, his hair fell into his eyes. Jack swiped the hair back. He needed a change, that’s what he needed. He decided on change. What that entailed, he had no idea.
SEVEN
Paxton sat in her living room staring at her Christmas tree. This would be the first
Jack quickened his pace. He needed to outrun the impossible decision. He found himself running along the sidewalks of the town. He knew he was about two miles from the house. He kept pushing himself though. If he stopped he was afraid he would be swallowed up by his thoughts. He turned and headed towards the house, afraid of getting stranded if he pushed himself too hard. He just had to make it back to the house.
He tried to focus on his stride, knowing that he couldn’t make the decision quickly, it would be impossible. He would have to think long and hard about it as much as he didn’t want to. He wanted both of them in his life. Jack noticed that he was starting to sprint as his thoughts went from one thing to another. His feet were matching the pace of his thoughts. He slowed down and thought about the movement in his body. He did mental checks on each part of his body. Breathing was heavy but even, legs were slightly burning, feet, one in front of the other. He felt himself starting to slightly wear out. He kept pushing himself though. He no longer wanted to focus on his life, whose heart he was going to break, he just wanted to concentrate on continuing to put one foot in front of the other and staying vertical.
The house finally started coming in view about ten minutes later. He was still a good half mile away. His breathing was a lot heavier as his body was protesting against him. Left foot, right foot, breathe. It echoed and repeated in his head. He focused on the end of the drive. It was starting to come into focus.
He wondered if Kenleigh was home. He wondered if he was running towards her. His focus was no longer on the road. His thoughts back to Kenleigh. Could he live without her? He told himself earlier that he couldn’t live without her, but in reality, yes he could. Yes, he could live without his best friend. The answer was so loud in his head he lost his footing. He felt himself start to fall towards the pavement. He then focused on his feet. They were failing to catch him. He stuck his hands in front of him and caught himself right before he face-planted. He propped himself back up on his feet and bent over trying to catch his breath, but found that he couldn’t. Was it a sign that maybe he couldn’t live without Kenleigh?
He stood about a quarter mile from the driveway. He stared at it as he stood straight up and put his hands behind his head. He needed water but he left the house without thinking about that. He started walking towards the house. Deep breath, deep breath , he thought to himself. He tried to focus on his steps but the answer still echoed in his head.
Can I live without her? Yes. Do I want to? Jack thought about it. Did he want to live without her, the girl that befriended him in middle school, despite their parent’s friendship? The one girl who really understood him? No, he didn’t want to live without her. Kenleigh was a constant in his life.
He reached the driveway. He couldn’t bring himself to go up though. He didn’t feel very accomplished in his run, but he walked slowly up it anyways. It was almost as if he dreaded going back into the house, as if he were going to be trapped if he stepped inside. Is that what he felt with Kenleigh? That he was trapped, that he was obligated to say? Jack shook his head. He sat in the entry way outside, facing down the drive. He stretched his legs out and folded over. He dropped his head even further, his hair fell into his eyes. Jack swiped the hair back. He needed a change, that’s what he needed. He decided on change. What that entailed, he had no idea.
SEVEN
Paxton sat in her living room staring at her Christmas tree. This would be the first
Similar Books
