Tanner had to jog his way after Autumn who was walking fast with her fists still clenched and her shoulders hunched over while trying to get away.
"Autumn wait!" he called out, but she just ignored him when she turned around a corner "Autumn would you stop please?!"
"What's the point?!" she suddenly snapped when she stopped to face him with her teary eyes "What the point of my life when I have none?! All I am is the laughing stock!"
It killed him to see her like this, hurt because of Dayna's awful words, and seeing her hurt was making him hurt as well.
"Look-" he began calmly "Just because of what Dayna said doesn't mean it's true."
"Don't you see?!" she sobbed "It is true! I am just a retard, I always have been, and always will be!"
"Now you see you're just doubting yourself, you need to stop letting people's words get to you. I mean what you did back in the cafe, standing up for yourself against Dayna, that was pretty brave of you."
"Yeah and we all know how that turned out" she scowled "I never win at these, not even against my own sister, everyone is so much stronger than me, and I'm just the weak follower."
At that moment Tanner began to notice that Autumn's hands were shaking like crazy, sweat was forming on her forehead, her legs were wobbling, and she was breathing heavily.
"Autumn" he held his hands out to her "You're starting to have a panic attack, you need to calm down."
But she just continued to breathe heavily, her vision was blurring, her heart was racing at a rapid speed, and her body continued to shake.
"Autumn you're scaring me right now" Tanner warned with a nervous look, "I think you need to sit down."
But all of sudden instead of sitting down, Autumn's legs gave her away as she slumped down on the sidewalk.
"Autumn!" he gasped as he reached down to grab her.
"Don't touch me!" she snapped causing her step back in shock.
He felt a stab of betrayal in his heart, he's never seen Autumn like this, yelling at him with wrath in her eyes. But after realizing what she had done, she burst into tears while pushing herself up.
"I'm sorry" he apologized with his hands up "I didn't mean to do that."
"Just forget it" she sniffed while wiping her red puffy nose "In fact, I think you should just stay away from me."
"What?" he gasped, feeling his heart drop.
"Look I appreciate you trying to help me and being my friend and everything, but I think you just made me worse. See this is why I avoid people because they always hurt me."
"Hey I'm not the one hurting you here-" he argued, "It's Dayna."
"Who happens to have been dating you when you befriended me."
"Didn't you just see me break up with her?"
"And yet none of this wouldn't be happening if you had just leaven me alone" she snapped.
"Oh you're saying this is my fault?!" he fumed.
"I'm not blaming anyone!"
Her face had turned red, he could still hear her heart thumping.
"I'm blaming myself" she muttered "For being made. Why was I made like this? Why have I been given life when there is clearly nothing for me to live for?! My whole life I've been made a fool of! I am nothing, you hear me, nothing!"
Tanner could feel his eyes welling up and pain gripping his chest, he would usually fight back his tears, but at this moment, he let them flow. And when she saw those tears of him, she felt guilt taking over as she stepped back.
"I'm sorry" she whimpered while wiping her tears away.
They both just stood there for a moment in silence, neither of them knowing what to say until Autumn finally spoke.
"I think I'll just leave" she mumbled.
"I'll drive you home" he offered.
"No" she declared "I uh- I'm just gonna call my dad."
The sound of that sent more pain to his heart, she didn't even want to me in the same car as him.
"But I do mean it when I say that you should stay away from me" she put in in a weak voice.
"But-" he began to say when she cut in.
"I'm sorry Tanner" she sniffed "But I think it's for the best in both of us. You're a great friend, but I think I prefer being alone, where no one can hurt me."
Throughout his life, Tanner had never experience heartbreak from a girl he liked, and now that he has, he could agree on how painful it was. And without saying a word, Autumn turned and walked off with her arms folded, she didn't even look back as she disappeared behind a corner. And just that, Tanner was left heartbroken.
"Hey" he turned around to see Max, and by the looks of his face, he seemed just as worried the moment Dayna walked in and ruined everything.
"What happened?" he demanded, "Where's Autumn?"
Even the sound of her name brought pain to him.
"She-" Tanner muttered sadly, "She left."
"What do you mean she left?"
"She left, and she's gonna call her dad to come get her."
"Oh," Max bit his lip "It was that bad?"
"What do you think?" Tanner frowned.
"Right" Max lowered his head "Sorry. And uh, I don't know if this is the right time for this but- I got something that might make you feel better."
"Whatever it is, show me later" Tanner grumbled, "I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone now, I'm gonna go home."
"Alright," Max sighed "But you know you gotta drop me off first right?"
"I know."
Just then he noticed behind Max that Dayna was watching them from the front of the cafe, her look was strong, and she didn't even have a hint of guilt on her face as she got into her car and drove off. Seeing Dayna hurt Autumn was the last straw, but even though he was glad he had finally ended things with her, he still lost Autumn, and she was the only girl he was ever truly in love with.
YOU ARE READING
Becoming Normal
Romance(Inspired by my own life story, well not completely) Senior year of high school is already starting off well for Tanner Gray, he's got his whole life planned out, and he can't wait to share it with his best friend and girlfriend. That is until he me...
