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All I Have To Give Chapter 7 The rest of that week was hectic, but school finally ended. I had thought, and thought, and thought some more about Bret. I decided I wanted to break up with him, I took Nick�s advice, make myself happy. But, then I thought of my family. They�d be so disappointed in me for breaking up with him, or would they? Wouldn�t they just want me to be happy? I didn�t know. I decided to take that chance, and I was going to call him the next day, but the evening before, he called me and asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner, just the two of us, to celebrate school getting out. He said we could go anywhere in Florida I wanted. It was so sweet how he asked me! I was pretty sure it was just school pressures that had been making him act that way. I picked a cute little French restaurant in Orlando and we drove down there. He was the sweetest thing on the way down. We were flirting and laughing, just like old times. Then he told me something I hadn�t remembered, that day was our three-year anniversary. Whoa. Three years with one guy, wow. So, this was an extra, extra special night. When we arrived, he kept telling me how important I was to him, and how much he�s enjoyed these last three years. I was yelling at myself on the inside. How the heck could I have been thinking about breaking up with this sweetie?! He really cared about me and he had just been busy in the last few months. All relationships had rocky parts, right? Tonight was our night, and only our night, and nothing could get in the way. He told me so. A few minutes before we were going to order, his cell phone rang. I tuned the conversation out and concentrated on my menu and ordering. I had heard him talk on that thing so much, I almost didn�t notice it anymore. Besides, I could give him a few minutes, we had the rest of the night to ourselves and nothing could spoil it. Can you tell how excited I was? Very. I could almost feel my love for him coming back. �Shelby? Shelby?� Bret brought me out of my reverie, by snapping his fingers in front of my face. �Huh? Oh, yes?� I asked, looking up and smiling at him. �I�m sorry, but we�re going to have to cancel tonight.� EXCUSE ME?! �That was dad and there are some new clients�� there was absolutely no way I was going to listen. We hadn�t even ordered yet, not even our drinks, and he was already canceling. Why couldn�t his dad just tell those clients to buzz off until tomorrow morning? Why couldn�t his dad have handled them? Why ruin OUR night? Why? ��I�m sorry. So, let�s go.� He stood up and started putting his coat on. I followed him in his manor. �Um, Bret, are we gonna reschedule this?� I asked in a quiet voice. I was hurt, very, very hurt. Three years is a long, long time. I had given three years of my life to him, and he canceled our anniversary supper for a business call from his father. It was unbelievable. �How about next Friday?� he asked. �I can�t. I have important plans with close friends.� �Cancel them. We�re more important.� I couldn�t help it. My mouth hung open. �Cancel them?� I asked incredulously. �Cancel them? We�re more important? How can I cancel something important, a tradition, because we�re more important, when you can�t even cancel a business call from your father on our 3-year anniversary? Bret, do you realize how incredibly hurt I am right now? We haven�t been on a date for a long, long time, and on this one, we haven�t even been here for 20 minutes, not even ordered our drinks when you�re canceling. How can you do that?� I asked, sadness dripping from my voice. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. �Bret, if this important party that�s next weekend would have been this weekend, I would have canceled to be with you. Three years is a long time ya know. But we�re here, and you get some dumb call from your daddy and you cancel, without even asking me. Business hours aren�t even on anymore! But you�re still running back home, forgetting about an important night that many, many, many couples don�t get to have.� I was so mad I spun on my heels and walked out of there crying and not waiting for him. I got in the limo and Jack turned around, shock evident all over his face. �Shelby! What are you doing out here so early?� I teary-eyed faced him. �He canceled! His dad called and he canceled. Did you know today is our three-year anniversary, and he canceled before we even ordered. Then he asked if we could reschedule for next weekend, well I have important plans I do every year, and he said cancel them, we�re more important. How uncaring is that?� I was crying, really crying by now. I could hardly talk. �Aw, Shelby, I�m sorry. That boy has really got to learn many things.� �I think he needs to learn things he may not be able to learn.� Bret got in then, and I saw Jack give him an evil eye, I wanted to smile and thank him, but I was too depressed and mad. Bret tried to tell me �how important� the client was, but I just yelled, �More important than us?!� and he didn�t answer. I guess I had my answer. Right then I didn�t want to talk to Bret, the only thing I could think of doing was call Nick. I know it might be late where he was, but I needed to talk to him. He always consoled me. As I got out of the limo when it arrived at my house, I turned to Jack and smiled. �Good-night Jack,� I said nicely, then I glared at Bret and slammed the door behind me. I raced up the stairs to my room and picked up the phone and dialed Nick�s cell phone number. I couldn�t cry nicely anymore, I was sobbing. �Hello?� Nick answered very groggily. �Nick?� I sobbed. �Shelby!� he exclaimed and he sounded very awake. �Shelby! Hun, what�s wrong?!� �He canceled!� �Who canceled? Shelby, calm down, deep breaths, and explain to me from the start,� his voice was so patient, not mad at all for waking him up, and he seemed really concerned, even though for all I knew he could be half way across the globe. �Sorry for waking you up, but I had to call you,� I started. �It�s alright, I don�t care.� I started from the beginning and told him the whole, entire story, from what people were wearing to what I felt. It took a long time, but he listened patiently and not interrupting. �I really thought he was going to be that sweet guy again, but he did that! I didn�t know someone would actually do that. That only happens in stories, not real life,� I finished. I heard Nick sigh and lay down. �I wish I could tell you something new to do, but I�ve been telling you what to do for a long time. He doesn�t deserve someone as great as you.� �Actually, earlier today I decided to break up with him, and I was going to tell him tomorrow, but then he called. I wanna break up with him, but my family loves him so much! And he helps us all the time and has gotten us out of tons of very hard spots.� �I hate to be blunt, especially in a time like this, but would you rather maybe end up getting married to him and be unhappy for the rest of your life just because you�re family�s been going through some hard times? I know you wanna help your family, but you need to be happy too, or do you wanna break up with the guy, make yourself happy, and let your family get over it and they will because they love you and want you to be happy?� Well, when he put it like that� �Thanks Nick, I owe ya big time,� I said gratefully. �No ya don�t, what are friends for?� �I�ll see ya next Friday. Bye.� �Bye.� When I hung up, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. What did I do to deserve Nick??Next: Chapter 8 |