Chapter3
Go Away
____________________________________
“Yes?”
“Well, my friend has a friend who’s sick and well he feels stupid about something he said to his friend and he said it because he’s scared that his friend might die and he doesn’t want to hurt again like when he lost his other friend a few years back. What should he do?”
“Well he should say he’s sorry.”
“But he doesn’t want to!”
“So, he’s a guy, guys never want to apologize but they have to or else they’ll go through life miserable.
“And to me it sounds like he’s making himself miserable by not apologizing. Nobody ever wants to hurt, but it’s a part of life. You lose people and it hurts. That’s the way it is.
“To me it sounds like this guy is hiding from life.”
“I am NOT hiding!”
“I never said you were! We are talking about your friend.”
“Never mind.”
“Zac?”
“What do you want? Are you going to apologize for calling me stupid?”
“Not just yet.”
“Well then I have nothing to say to you.”
“Please Zac? I need some advice.”
“Fine, but because you haven’t apologized I am not going to give you all of it.”
“Fine. Should I apologize to Madeline? I mean I did it so I wouldn’t hurt so much if she died, but I don’t feel any better. Why should I apologize? Even though because I wanted to feel better?”
“Well, you should apologize because she is your friend and you were a jerk. Also, would you want her to die hating you? Well mad. Plus you don’t really hate her! You said you weren’t her friend and that’s true-“
“I am too!”
"No you aren’t!”
“Yes I am!”
“Just let me finish! Geez! As I was saying, you aren’t her friend, well you don’t want to be, you want to be her boyfriend. You love her in a different way than Ike and me.
“What would Grandma say to you about you hurting someone you love? ‘Making yourself stop hurting by hurting someone else isn’t making yourself stop hurting at all’,” He was quoting grandma, “ ‘Trying to avoid pain by dispensing’ it’s just not right Tay. She loves you but not in the way you love her, or maybe she does and I just can’t read it. All I know is Ike didn’t even pick up on your crush.”
“Zac you are wise beyond your years.”
“I know that! It’s just I don’t like to show that to anyone but Maddie and I think I just slipped!”
“Sorry Zac!” Tay yelled as he grabbed his coat and ran out the door.
“Zac, where did Tay go?”
“Nowhere.”
“Oh, ok.”
“Maddie?”
“Go away Taylor.”
She was calling me Taylor! Everyone is calling me Taylor! I should get a career in ticking people off!
“Yes, Taylor, you should.”
“Huh?”
“Nothing. Sorry.”
“Maddie, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I was being stupid. I didn’t mean what I said. I am a jerk and you have every right to hate me. I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me.”
“Tay, didn’t they tell you?”
“Yes, but you aren’t going to die!”
“Tay, how do you know that?”
“I don’t but I believe that you will. If you believe you will!”
“Tay, you’ve always been an optimist. I don’t think it’ll work though.”
“You have to! Please! I-I-" He started crying.
____________________________________