PROLOGUE: (flashback)

"Kendall wait! You know I never meant to hurt you," I hear Mark yell after me as I run away. I hear him try to follow, but I just run faster. I can already feel the hot tears streaming down my cheeks and I won't let him see me like this, I won't let him think he is worth a single one of my tears. I am dying just to get in my car and get out of here. I feel my breath becoming labored and my body becoming numb. Even though it's mid august I feel like I'm turning into a block of ice, frozen and lifeless just like Mark's heart. When I finally reach my car I'm barely able to function. My whole arm is shaking as I try to put the key in the ignition and get the hell out of here. His words echo in my head,
"I'm sorry I lied to you," he said
"When did you lie to me," I asked taken aback.
"Every time I said I loved you," he whispered.
After what feels like ages I get the car started and I pull away seeing Mark running towards me in my rearview mirror. I drive a safe distance away and then pull over and break down. So this is what it feels like to have your heart completely ripped out of you and shattered.

ONE: Kendall
"Kendall your Mom is on line one," shouts my assistant Kathy.
"Ugh tell her ill call her back," I reply.
"Kendall I really think you should take this."
I immediately feel tightness in my chest. Kathy knows how crazy my mother is and she would never subject me to talk to her unless something was wrong.
"Put her through," I say softly.
There's a click and then I hear my mom doing her crying breathes and my worry becomes full blown panic.
"Mom is everything okay?!"
"Oh Kendall its your father, he's gone," she choked out.
These are the exact words I have been dreading to hear for the past year. A year ago my father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. My whole family was devastated, but my dad being the happy go lucky guy he was would try to make jokes. He would say "Isn't it ironic, I spend my whole life diagnosing and treating cancer the best I can and now I get it." I guess being an oncologist he had seen enough terminal patients to be able to take it lightly, but I couldn't.
"Kendall sweetie are you there," my mom asks.
The sound of my moms voice brings me back to earth and I manage to ask, "When did it happen?"
"He went this morning, he wasn't in any pain I promise," She said. "He went out with his sense of humor of course," she continued with a teary laugh.
This made me laugh in response, "Of course he did."
An hour and a box of tissues later my mom says she has to go and call my cousin Bailey to tell her the unfortunate news. Right before she hangs up she tells me the funeral is next Thursday, 3:00pm, at Pine Grove central park. Those last two words stop me in my tracks. She deliberately left this for the end. Even though it's been 4 years since Mark ripped out my heart, going to Pine Grove is still too painful. I really believed Mark was the love of my life, but he didn't feel the same.


TWO: Mark
"Oh Mrs. Stevens I'm so sorry to hear about Mr. Stevens but I don't think me being at the funeral would be a good idea," I say into the phone receiver. I haven't seen Kendall Stevens in 4 years and seeing as how we parted I don't think that showing up at her fathers funeral would be good for anyone. I finally hung up with Mrs. Stevens by making a half meant promise that I would consider coming. She insisted that Mr. Stevens would have wanted me there; he had always considered me his son. Just as I had always considered him a father, after all he literally was one to me after my dad died.
Kendall Stevens and I met in Miss. Make's kindergarten class. She sat across from me at our table and one day she stole one of my crayons. I got mad and asked her to give it back, but even back then she was as stubborn as a rock. After she took another one of my crayons I tackled her. The teacher made us sit away from the rest of the class until we could get along and be friends and we hadn't been apart since, that is until 4 years ago.
We were exact opposites but inseparable. Kendall was sporty, tough, and a dreamer. I however was shyer, but happy to indulge her dreams. We had been together through thick and thin and I thought we would always be there for each other, but I guess I'm only to blame for why we're not. I remember in 10th grade my dad was in a terrible car accident and was in the hospital. My mom was a complete wreck, and I didn't know what to do. I called Kendall at midnight from the hospital and told her everything and started to cry. Twenty minutes later I saw Kendall, my white knight, running down the hospital corridor before crushing me in the biggest hug. She stayed with me all night, talked me through my worries, and told me no matter what she would be there. Around four in the morning the next day my father was proclaimed dead. Kendall held me while I broke down, and that was the moment I knew I was in love with her and always would be.