chapter twenty-three

Nick's jaw flopped open as he watched her leave. He couldn't move. He could just stare.

AJ stood up and shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you? Look what you did!" He ran after Lauren, hoping to catch up to her in time.

Nick's eyesbrows furrored in utter confusion. He flopped in the nearest chair. What just happened?

AJ returned later, panting and puffing and holding his stomach. He leaned against a chair and tried to catch his breath. He reported, "I tried to stop her but she only elbowed me in the stomach. She hailed a cab and left, man. She's really gone. The cycle continues..."

"No, this is where the cycle stops," Nick replied, staring out into space. "She's not coming back."

"What?!" the other three replied incredulously.

"Just before she and I got together, she said that we were going to fight and she was going to leave and she wasn't sure if she'd come back next time. She's not coming back. Not for me, not for Brian, not for any of us."

Nick's words sunk into everyone's heads. As horrible as it was to hear, it was true. Lauren meant everything she said.

"She was right. I do mess everything up."

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chapter twenty-four