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"I’m fine Really I’m over it all It takes more than the likes of Jessie Boone to make irl," Payton said as she hugged me "It’s past time to file him under Who Gives a Damn"

"I wish I hadn’t skipped school for three days like a wuss, but it’s too late to change that now" When I finished digging around in my locker fortoward Calculus and he quickly diverted his eyes when he sawI can do is show everyone how unaffected I am by him"

"Yes! That’s exactly what I needed to hear fro all sympathetic and crap, but I still score friend points with you because I was prepared to do it, right?"

It was a stilly gaet your friend points"

"Are you sure you’re prepared for second period with him?" she asked

"Absotively," I said as I smiled Even if I caved on the inside, no one would know because there wasn’t anyone that could put on a better front than Claire Deveraux

When I entered Mrs Tanner’s class, I confidently sat in ive hi to prove and this was the first step toward showing hilad to see you back in class," Mrs Tanner said ‘I orried you were quite ill"

"It was only temporary, Mrs Tanner," I assured her, then I looked at Jessie and added, "It took a few days, but I’m very much over it, now"

He refused to look up at ibly all over hinment today and I was disappointed because I had every intention of beginning my quest to prove I was over what happened between us I didn’t get the satisfaction of proving anything to hiain in third period

I went to Physics and sat behind him and Gretchen They didn’t act like a couple, but since they were only sleeping together, I guess that didn’t qualify theether rein to is he hadn’t I wanted to cry, but I sucked it up, sat a little straighter and heldMrs Bishop would start talking soon and hold h to end to my torment

Four Weeks and Many Tears Later

The days seeh h Jessie never hurt me-that what happened between us was an insane, h I had almost everyone convinced, I couldn’t win over the one that mattered most-myself

I had fallen back into my relationship with Forbes because it was so faet about the one that devastatingly broke my heart, but he inadvertently becah Jessie Boone never entered my life The inside was entirely a different story and the harder I worked to forget hi him

They say time heals all wounds, but that had not been the case thus far and tonight felt no different as I sat across fro room table My mind wandered and I became curious if he had known about Jessie’s plan to use me, but sat back and allowed it to happen

I listened as our parents caught up and occasionally laughed at one of their jokes, but was preoccupied with hoas going to grill Dane when I got hi roo room, I decided it was time to make my move "Dane, I need to talk to you for a minute Will you walk outside with me?"

He wasn’t surprised by my invitation "Sure"

We walked out back by the pool and sat on the patio He didn’t insulthe didn’t knohat this was about "I’m surprised you haven’t cornered me before now"

"Believethis pain would get better, but it’s only gotten worse over the last month and that isn’t even the most pathetic part" I didn’t want to cry, but I felt the tears stinging my eyes "I can’t move on because I still love him even after what he did to me," I ad i I can tell you is that there’s more to this than you know"

I was shocked by his words and didn’t understand the s for me "You have to tell ht to know everything, but it’s not my place to tell you Jessie has to be the one to tell you," he explained

"Tellto hate me or love her "Please, tellabout," I pleaded

"I never promised him I wouldn’t tell you this part" He took a breath and said, "Jessie never used you Well, , but never the way you think he did He loves you with all of his heart and soul, but he had reasons for ending things with you-things out of his control I can’t tell you anything more than that because he has to be the one to tell you the rest"