Brenna got out of the pool and went over to the patio table as the phone rang a week later. She quickly dried her hand off and picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Hey. It’s Drew.”

“Oh, hi. How’s it going?”

“Fine. How bout you?”

She picked up her towel and started to dry off her body. “Fine.”

“What are you up to?’

“Nothing really. I was swimming.”

“Can I come over for a bit.”

“Sure.”

“Okay. Right now?”

“Sure. Give me twenty minutes to shower.”

“Sure. I’ll be over at like two?”

“Okay.”

“See you then.”

“Yep. Bye.” She hung up the phone and began to walk towards the house, drying herself off as she went. It had been a few days since she had talked to Drew and his call had actually surprised her. It would be nice to see him again though and it wasn’t like she had anything else to do. Trace had finished his last final exam the day before and he and Justin were out looking at cars all afternoon. She had been so busy with getting everything ready for the party and now that she was done, she didn’t know what to do with herself.

Upstairs, she took a quick shower and changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She pulled her hair back into a messy bun and then went downstairs and to the kitchen. While she waited for Drew to get there, she cut up an apple into slices and read the newspaper.

A few minutes after two, she heard the front gate buzzer sound and she got up and pressed the button to open it. She went to the front door and opened it, waiting for him to get out of his car and come over.

“Hi.”

He smiled. “Hey.”

She went into the house and he followed, shutting the door behind him.

“Are you the only one here?”

“Yeah. Justin and Trace are out looking at cars.” She rolled her eyes as she led him into the kitchen. “Like Justin really needs another car.”

Drew laughed. “Yeah.”

“Do you want something to eat or drink or anything?”

“Uh…no, I’m fine.”

“Okay.”

“Hey, can we talk?”

She looked over at him. “Okay.”

He ran his hand over his face. “Okay.”

She watched him for a second. “About…?” she asked, smiling at his silence. Her smile faded when he looked up at her and she saw the expression on his face. “What?”

“I think that…I think that this might not be working out.”

“This?”

“Us. You and me. Going out.”

Her heart dropped in her chest. “Oh,” she said softly.

“It’s just…we don’t really see each other anymore and when we do it’s just not the same. You know what I’m talking about.”

She slowly sat down on a chair by the table. “I know.”

“And I just think that maybe…maybe we’re not right for each other and maybe there’s no point to drawing this out anymore.”

She could feel her eyes burning a bit as a few tears welled up in them. She eventually nodded.

Drew came over and sat by the chair near hers. “I’m sorry, Bren. I really like you. I think you’re great. But I don’t think you and me are right for each other.”

She blinked a few times and one tear fell down her cheek.

“Shit,” Drew said softly, picking up one of her hands and squeezing it. “Don’t cry, Brenna. I don’t want to make you cry. Tell me if I’m just running my mouth. I mean, I’m not by myself in this thinking, am I? Do you agree with any of this?”

She wet her lips and slowly nodded.

“I’m just thinking that why not end things and find people who are better suited for us. And if this isn’t going anywhere, is there really any point to drawing it out?”

Slowly, she shook her head.

“The past three months have been great. Don’t get me wrong. I’m so glad Kate introduced us and I think you’re so awesome. But I don’t wanna be the guy who holds you back from meeting someone who’s better for you than me.”

She reached up a hand and wiped her cheeks and then swallowed.

“I still want to be your friend cause I like you. You’re fun. And I’m serious about that. I’m not just saying that I still want to be friends to make either of us feel better.”

She nodded.

“Say something, Bren,” he said softly. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to make you upset but I don’t’ know what else to do.”

“I guess I just wasn’t expecting this,” she whispered. “Not today.”

“I’m so sorry.” He moved forward in his chair and hugged her. She closed her eyes as his arms went around her and a couple tears slipped down her cheeks. She didn’t move and he hugged her for what seemed like a long time before he pulled back.

“I should probably go, huh?”

She slowly nodded.

He stood up. “I’m sorry, Bren,” he said again and then he was walking towards the hall. “I’ll see you later.”

She nodded again and stared at her hands as she listened to him walk down the hallway and then leave, the sound of the door shutting echoing through the house. Once she was sure she was alone, she felt her tears really start to fall and she leaned her head forward, resting it in her hands.

“Are you driving tonight, or am I?” Trace asked later that day as he and Justin arrived home from car shopping.

“Uh…whatever. You pick.”

Trace smiled. “You can. I feel like getting drunk tonight.”

Justin smirked at his friend. “Wanna leave at like nine?”

“Sure.”

“Bren’s gotta come tonight. I’m gonna go find her and convince her.”

“Okay.”

Justin went up the stairs two at a time and to Brenna’s room. He knocked on her closed door. He thought her heard her voice and he slowly opened the door and looked inside. The lights were off but he could make out Brenna laying in bed, facing towards him. Her eyes were open and he went fully into the room and shut the door behind him.

“Hey, are you going to sleep?” he asked softly, going over to her bed.

“No,” she whispered.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he examined her face as he sat down on the space between her body and the edge of the bed. “Are you alright?”

She gave a small, mirthless smile. “Drew broke up with me.”

“What? Home come?”

She pulled the blankets up under her chin and a couple tears fell down her cheeks. “It just wasn’t working out.”

“I’m so sorry, Bren. Are you alright?”

She shrugged. “I knew it had to happened eventually with the way things were going. I just wasn’t expecting it today.” She sniffed and some more tears fell.

He really didn’t know what to say. He had thought Brenna and Drew’s relationship had been pretty solid. Instead of saying anything, he simply sat there and watched her. She was crying harder and he really didn’t know what to say. Finally he figured something had to be said.

“I thought you and Drew were doing good.”

“I never saw him and I never talked to him anymore,” she said, her words a little hard to understand because she was crying. “And when we did see each other it was too forced.”

“Oh, Brenna,” he said softly, bringing up one hand to wipe off her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. You don’t need this.”

She drew in a shaky breath and exhaled in a burst of air. The only noise for a while was her crying.

“It shouldn’t hurt this much,” she finally whispered.

“Break ups always hurt,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it was a good break up or a bad one. They still hurt a lot cause it feels like you’re being rejected.” He bit his lip as he watched her tears fall again. “It’ll get better,” he whispered, wiping away her tears again. He leaned down and gently brushed his lips across hers, hoping he could help her calm down. “You’ll be okay.”

She nodded and pulled out a hand from under the blankets to wipe her cheeks, bumping her hand with his that was still cupping the side of her face. He pulled it away and reached over to grab a Kleenex from a box sitting on the floor by the bed. He offered it to her and she blew her nose.

“I’d sit here and bash Drew for you but I don’t think that would help.”

She shook her head. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You still don’t deserve to have to go through this,” he said. His heart felt like it was breaking as he watched her cry. He hated seeing her upset and he knew that she really only cried when she was really hurting. “Sit up,” he instructed gently.

She looked at him with wet eyes and she pulled herself into a sitting position. Once she was upright, he pulled her into a tight hug. She began to cry again, resting her head on his chest. She felt so small and he cradled her against him, stroking her hair and slowly rocking her back and forth. She was so upset and it was beginning to occur to him that maybe it was because of something more than Drew.

“Is it just Drew, Bren?” he asked in a whisper. “Or is it something else too?”

She never raised and spoke into his shirt so he had to struggle to hear. “I thought life would be so perfect away from Shelby Forest and it was. And now it’s not.”

“Life’s not perfect anywhere, Bren. Shit happens. I’m just sorry it had to happen to you.” He pressed his lips to the side of her head. “Are you regretting coming out here with me?” he asked, fearing her answer.

“No. This just sucks though.”

Her voice sounded miserable and he pulled her a little closer. “I know, Bren. What can I do to make it better?”

She sniffed. “Nothing.”

He kissed her head again. “You just need to not be thinking about this. You need to get your mind off it.”

“I can’t.”

He didn’t say anything and slowly ran his hand up and down her back. “I’m gonna be here tonight. If I order some food would you eat any?”

“I guess,” she whispered.

“Okay. Do you want something to drink? I could make you some tea or something.”

“Can you make me hot chocolate?”

He smiled. “Sure.” He let go of her and she pulled her head back, rubbing her hands over her face. She rested her forehead on her drawn up knees as he stood and went to the door. He slipped into the hallway, blinking at the sudden light, and went downstairs. Trace was in the kitchen.

“Convince her?”

Justin went over to the pantry and pulled out some hot chocolate mix. “No. And I can’t go out either tonight.”

“Why?”

“Bren and Drew broke up. She needs someone here with her.”

“They broke up? Why?”

He shrugged and poured a mug full of milk. “She didn’t really give me specifics. I think they just grew apart or something.”

“That sucks. I thought they were good together.”

“Yeah, me too.” Justin went over to the kitchen doorway and looked into the hall when he heard the front door open. Kate appeared and came towards him.

“Have you talked to Brenna?” she asked.

He nodded and put the mug into the microwave to heat up. “Yeah.”

“I can’t believe he broke up with her.”

“Did she call you?”

“No, Drew came over to my apartment like an hour ago. I’ve seriously never seen him so upset over a break up.”

“Did he saw why he broke up with her?” Justin asked.

Kate shrugged. “He just said it wasn’t the same as it was when they first started going out. He almost made it sound like it was mutual though.”

“Yeah, Brenna made it seem like she felt the same way as he did.” The microwave beeped and he pulled out the mug.

“Is that for Brenna?” Kate asked as she watched him mix in the hot chocolate powder.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll take it up to her. I want to go see how she is.”

He hesitated for a moment because he had wanted to go back up and see her, but he handed the mug to Kate.

“No marshmallows?”

“She doesn’t like them.”

“Oh. Okay.”

He watched her leave the kitchen and then turned back to Trace. “Are you still going out tonight?”

“Yeah, I might as well. I’ll call up Mike and see if he wants to come. Or maybe Kate will.”

“Yeah, probably.” He sat down across the table from Trace and within a few seconds, got lost in his thoughts as he stared out the window and into the backyard.

After showering for the second time that day, Brenna slowly went downstairs and found Justin in the kitchen.

“The Chinese food’s gonna be here in a couple minutes,” he said,. “And I got a movie ready.”

She nodded and went over to the fridge. She opened it and stared inside. “Can I have one of your beers?”

“Sure.” He sounded surprised. “I didn’t know you liked beer.”

She shrugged. “Do you want one too?”

“Yeah.”

She pulled out two bottles and set them on the counter. The intercom buzzed and Justin stood up.

“That’s our food.”

Brenna went to the entertainment room with the beer and sat down on the couch. Justin appeared a minute later with the food and he sat beside her. They ate as they watched the movie and Brenna found that she couldn’t really taste the food. She was physically and emotionally exhausted from the day. All her crying had worn her out.

After finishing her food, she put her empty plate by Justin’s on the coffee table and fiddled with the nearly full bear bottle in her hands. She raised it to her lips and took a small sip and winced as it went down.

“This is disgusting,” he said, leaning forward to set the bottle on the table. “I don’t know how you drink it.”

Justin let out a laugh and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. “I knew you hated it. I was wonder how much you were gonna choke down. Why did you want one anyways?”

“I thought it would make me feel better.”

“Won’t make you feel any better if you hate the taste.”

She leaned her head back against his arm. “It’s so gross. I don’t know how you stand it.”

“Maybe it’s just an acquired taste.” He took a sip from his own beer that he was holding. “If you want I could pick you up some of those girly fruit coolers.”

She smiled. “No thanks.”

He chuckled and propped his feet up on the table, leaving his one arm around her. “So are you gonna be up to going to Trace’s party tomorrow?”

“Are you kidding? After all the work I put into that thing there’s no way I’m gonna miss it.”

“Cool. It’s gonna be so much fun.”

“Yep.”

“I want something for dessert. We should make those brownies again.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “I refuse to bake with you. You get flour all over me and then take my socks.”

He laughed. “Okay, one, the flour thing was an accident and two, the socks had nothing to do with baking.”

“I made cookies yesterday,” she yawned. “You can have those.”

“Where are they? I never saw them.”

“That’s because I hid them in the pantry. You and Trace eat them all if you know they’re there.”

“Well, damn, Bren. That’s what they’re there for.”

She smiled as he stood up and went to the kitchen. Another yawn escaping her, she relaxed back into the couch, going back to watching the movie.