Jamie stared at the picture in her hands, pleading with herself to regain control. The image was one of her and Zac when they had been only toddlers, with their arms around each other and Zac pressing a wet kiss to her cheek.
Everything was so messed up. Why did anything have to change? Why did she have to like him? Why couldn't they have just stayed best friends? She didn't even remember why they were fighting. The only thing that seemed important anymore was that he was gone.
Perhalps he wasn't physically gone, but in everything that mattered, Zac had left her behind. And it was time to accept that.
So, she let herself cry.
* * * *
Isaac took a deep breath before he rang the doorbell. It was difficult for him to be prepared for everything. Truthfully, he didn't have a clue as to what he was going to say. All he knew was he had to talk to Mitzi. If he didn't, he would never forgive himself.
"Isaac!" To say Mitzi looked surprised to see him would have been the understatement of the year. She looked stunned, and not particularly happy on top of that. Her eyes were red and she looked as awful as Isaac felt.
Isaac held up a hand. "Don't say anything. I don't want to put any pressure on you, I just have something that I need to say."
Mitzi nodded, stepping aside to allow him to enter. They walked in mutual silence to the living room where they stood facing each other, neither wanting to sit. It was too final for what they had been through.
"Saying that this past year has been crazy wouldn't even begin to describe it. Suddenly, everything in my life has changed. I don't even know who I was before, all I can know is who I am now. And I know that I've changed.
"I don't look at anything in the same way anymore. All this was starting to happen before I met Mary, but she did truly change my life. She kind of escallated the rate at which I grew, which is why this is particularly confusing to me. I don't understand half of what I'm feeling right now, and I don't expect you to understand what I do. All I can do right now is tell you how I feel.
"I loved Mary. I loved her with every fiber of my being, but I can't say that it wouldn't have changed. How could I predict that? If I've changed this much, how can I say I wouldn't have changed after we began dating? I can't. I did change.
"I can't predict if Mary and I would have been together for the duration, all I can say is that I loved her. And all I can tell you is that she was right, I do care about you."
Mitzi began to protest, but he quickly silenced her. "I do care about you Mitzi, and I don't want there to be any pressure. That's why I need to finish.
"I know that I'm not ready to see someone new, but I just have this feeling that when I am ready to make that move, I'm going to want you to be around."
She stared, her breath seemingly knocked out of her. He wanted her to wait for him?
"I'm not asking you to wait,"he continued,"I just want you to know that I care. I care enough that I don't want to wreck your life. Someday, I'll be ready to love again, and I hope you're still available. But don't wait for me, because I'm not sure how long that will be from now.
"Mary may have been much younger than us, but she knew so much more. Maybe it was knowing that she was going to die that did it, but she saw what we were denying."
Isaac leaned over and kissed Mitzi softly on the cheek. "We tour again tomorrow. If I never see you again, thank you for what we had. I'll never forget."
And with that simple comment, Isaac walked out of Mitzi's life, for good this time.
* * * *
"I'm going to miss you so much," Zac murmured as he hugged Lizzy. This was the last time that he would see her for quite some time. The whole family left for the airport in less than an hour, and everyone was busy taking a few moments for their last goodbyes. That's why, on this rare occasion, Lizzy and Zac were alone in the house.
Lizzy pulled away, slowly taking a step back. "No, you won't."
"What are you talking about?" Zac looked puzzled. Of course he would miss Lizzy. They had been dating for a few months, how could he not miss her?
"This is really hard to tell you,"Lizzy began, but Zac placed a finger over her lips, suddenly realizing what was about to happen.
"You're breaking up with me, aren't you." It wasn't a question, yet not quite a statement. It just was.
Lizzy nodded. "My parents and I are moving away. It's just too hard being here without Mary. We need a fresh start. As much as I care for you, I think it would only hurt me to be around you right now. I see her when I look at you."
"I think I understand," Zac said softly. "I don't want to, but I do. But I really will miss you, Lizzy," he said, pulling her into his arms once again for a last embrace.
"Hey Zac," she called, before walking out the door. "Do me a favor, would you?"
Zac nodded obediently.
"Take a look at what's right in front of you."
Confused, Zac nodded. Lizzy smiled then, satisfied that he would figure things out on his own. Zac was smarter than they all thought.