California's POV
A broken heart is like a broken rib.
You can't see it, but you can feel it every time you breathe; and I was suffocating.
My body was cold and fragile, but my mind was scolding. For the past six school hours I was daydreaming about a perfect world, one where Aaron and I made it out of CA, the cancer non existent. And a world where I left jack untouched, not craving just about every inch of me. I'm killing him and I know it, but I can't undo a thing.
Of course Jack makes me happy, but it wouldn't be fair to basically have this mythical thing hanging over his head. Aaron's dead and gone, at least to everyone else.
I've felt nauseous all day and I'm wondering now if it's from medication withdrawal. Except that doesn't make any sense, unless it was aspirin of something.
Making it back to the apartments was the hard part. I felt as if I had to barf the whole time, but since I was in my fairly new car from the summer I tried my best to keep everything in.
After unlocking the apartment door I threw my bag down next to the cart and shouted out to Bryn.
"I'm home!" I walked into the living room.
"Shit- you scared me." I awkwardly chuckled seeing Johnson on my couch.
"Bryn let me in." He stood up to greet me.
"So what's up?" I asked reaching for orange juice in the fridge.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing." His hesitation failed to fool me.
"That was two weeks ago, tell me why you're really here." I walked back into the living room falling down on the IKEA couch.
"It's about Jack-" He paused and the Orange juice got stuck in my throat.
"What do you mean?" I asked setting my cup down not wanting to choke.
"How do I say this-" He paused for an on going amount of time.
"You're ruining his life." Jack finally spoke up.
"Um.." I choked unsure of how to respond.
"Listen I love Jack, but I've got a lot of shit going on in my life right now. I tried to let him down easy-"
"You see that's the thing, Jack won't give up."
"Then what do you suppose I do?" I asked curiously.
"Move on, make him jealous."
"So basically you want me to use someone for the benefit of the doubt." My voice was surprisingly calm.
"Uh yeah." He stated as if it were obvious.
"No I can't." I shook my head slightly laughing.
"He's been my best friend for twelve years, I know him inside and out."
"Okay but that's besides the point, I won't make out with a stranger." I denied his peace offering.
"One time," Johnson stuck with his plan.
"Jesus Christ." I frowned running my fingers through my hair.
"Fine. When?" I asked still not believing the words my mouth was spitting out.
"Tomorrow night at my place. It's time to set him free." Jack stood up from the couch like it was a done deal.
"Whatever," I slightly frowned becoming a little stale.
"It's for the better," His last words killed me.
"He left already?" Bryn asked walking out of the hallway that enclosed our two rooms.
