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Chapter 8.

A/N-
I AM SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED. I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THE DOUBLE UPDATE TO COME!!

"What the hell are you doing here?" I whisper-yelled at Zach.

"I came to see you. I needed to see you" he whimpered. I felt the pain in my chest intensify.

"Well you've seen me, now leave. I don't want to see you ever again. Whatever we had, we had, it's gone. I'm done with you, now please leave" I pushed him away and he grabbed my wrists, pulling my arms around him.

"I know you want me to stay, Marie. You're just upset I hurt you" he stated confidently. I pushed him away.

"No, I want you out of my life. It is time for me to move on from some winter break fling. You weren't worth tears, you weren't nearly getting my best friend grounded for life. You're worth nothing to me, now leave before I call Renee's dad" I watched as he walked down her spiraling stairs, I could tell he was upset, but he needed to leave.

I approached the living room and I saw Renee curled up in a ball on the couch. She had been crying.

"What the hell did he do to you?" She and I both asked at the same time. I waved at her as to go on and tell what happened.

"They came by because we were ignoring them. Cooper said he wanted to be in my life but I just couldn't do it. I don't feel that way for him. There's nothing holding us together anymore, and quite frankly meeting Landon for ice cream and tea the past couple of nights has helped me realize I didn't need Cooper. I have a boy willing to drive to make sure I'm secure and holding up well without lame excuses!" I nodded in reassurance.

"I just don't understand why they felt any sort of need to come by. They live two hours away, did they think we'd see them and everything would be okay?" I tilted my head upwards.

"All I can say is I'm glad we had the experience, but even more glad that the experience is in the past. Did I tell you that Landon wants you to join us and his friend for fro-yo tonight?" Renee smiled.

"You know what? I would kill to join in on this. What's his friend's name?" I sat back on the couch.

"Jason. He's super sweet and funny. I have gotten to know him from the frequent third-wheeling dates with the two of them. They play so much Xbox it is surreal!" She giggled.

As soon as Renee finished telling me about Jason, we went up to her room and got ready. Neither of us wear makeup or anything so it didn't take very much time to toss on a pair of jeans and a cute top with our shoes. I looked at my outfit in the mirror hanging on her closet door. I admired the fact that these jeans looked great, and my black flowy tank looked awfully nice with this purple cardigan and my white Vans. My hair was natural, as always. Renee was wearing her usual outfit: bootcut jeans, a grey v-neck, her black zip-up sweater I bought her for Christmas and her grey Vans.

"How does your mom feel about Landon?" I asked Renee as she pushed her braid behind her ear.

"I mean...she said she has liked him since they met after opening night of the play. She thinks he will be so much better than Cooper was for me!" She bellowed throughout the room.

"At this point, I think a dog would have treated you better than that jackass ever did" I shoved her aside from the vanity as I proceeded to fix my waves.

It was around 8 when Landon and his friend walked into Renee's.

"Renee, where is your mom? I bought her some flowers and Reese's!" Landon took off towards the kitchen, assuming she was there. Renee followed after him.

I looked this friend up and down. He was the furthest thing from ugly. He had lengthy hair, but it was hardly noticeable due to the curls he had. He had beautiful caramel brown eyes. He was wearing the three-quarter sleeved t-shirts all boys are wearing now, with a pair of khakis, and a pair of black Nikes to match the top. Style??? On par, well done, Jason. I looked at him again, smiling. "I am Marie!" I reached out to shake his hand.

He grabbed my hand, firmly shaking it. "I am Jason, it's nice to meet you! You have really pretty hair and eyes, Marie" he smiled at me. I felt the temperature in my cheeks rise. This hardly happened.

"Are you guys acquainted? Can we leave?" Landon asked.

As we piled into his car, I realized I was sitting in the backseat of his car with a beautiful boy that seemed sweet.

"Renee, I can't believe your mom loves me that much. I never knew I was 'the sweetest boy' she has ever come across!" Landon reached across the center console, squeezing her hand.

"You're good for me, that's why. You're smart and you know where you want to go in life. She loves that!" I began to zone them out.

"Marie, do you mind me asking, where along the lines of these sixteen years you've been alive, did you experience heart break?" For the first time ever, my chest did not ache.

"I experienced it over two months ago. It was the worst winter break experience. I am beyond happy I have been blessed with the opportunity to experience something new with someone else" I smiled at him. He reached across the seat to grab my hand.

"Is it okay if I hold your hand?" He questioned.

"It is more than okay, Jason!" And in that moment, I did not feel anything for the horrible boy Zach.
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A/N- how do you feel about this??.. I am in love with the new path it is following.