Page 39 of My Favorite Girl

My heart races, needing to find whatever Ally left me. There has to be some explanation for her behavior. Some misunderstanding that’s about to be cleared up. She wouldn’t leave me like this. There’ll be a plane ticket with my name on it waiting on my bed.

She wouldn’t just leave.

I excuse myself and enter my room. And there it is, an envelope on my bed. I rip the paper open, searching for that plane ticket. A handwritten letter waits for me instead.

Dan,

This thing between us has grown out of control. When I received the scholarship acceptance letter, I realized something that scares me.

I’m in love with you, Dan.

I love you so much it hurts. Having you in my life is the best thing that has ever happened to me. But I can’t be in love with you. Our relationship is wrong in every sense and sooner or later someone will discover us. I can’t bear to think of what others would say. My mother and Josh would be disgusted. If this leaked to the public, it’s not only our lives that would be impacted. The family reputation would be destroyed. Forever Families would never recover.

I’ve had a lot of time to think during the past few days, and I’ve come to the realization that I will never stop loving you if we continue the way we are. I’m accepting the scholarship in Paris as a chance to start fresh, where I can try to move on with my life.

I’m sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. You deserve a proper goodbye in person, but I knew I could never make myself go through with this plan if I saw you again. I knew you wouldn’t let me go, because I think maybe you love me too. You need to let go of me, Dan. We both need to move on from each other.

Please, don’t follow me to Paris, and please don’t contact me at all. When I return, I promise I’ll return as your friend and sister and nothing more.

Please don’t hate me for doing this. And please, destroy this letter as soon as you’ve read it. No one can ever know about us.

Ally,

xxoo

My chest is in agony as I read the letter. My lungs constrict and I can barely breathe. Her reasoning is understandable, and yet I’m angry. So fucking angry at Ally for leaving like this after everything we’ve been through and all that I’ve done for her. The worst part is I never got the chance to tell Ally how much I love her.

I’m about to scrunch the envelope but realize something else is inside it. I pull it out, finding the Queen of Hearts card I gave Ally. Words are written across the black card in white ink. Ally’s handwriting.You’ll always be my person.

The words burn my eyes. My chest aches like nothing I’ve ever felt before. She said she’d never let go of this card.

Fucking liar.

I love her. Yet I hate her for being a coward and running away. How could she do this to me. Tous. I kick my bed frame, swearing and clawing both hands through my hair.

My phone beeps with a text message. I check it, foolish for hoping it’s from Ally.

Felix

Bro, you left the party. Get back here. Booze and pussy makes everything better. Promise.

Fuck. I need a distraction from how much this hurts.

I place Ally’s letter and the Queen of Hearts in my bedside drawer and stand from my bed, leaving my room and heading straight back to Felix’s apartment where I can drink and meet a new girl who helps me forget all about the one who has ripped my heart straight from my chest.

TO BE CONTINUED