Amor

Are We Out Of The Woods Yet?

I know it's really cheesy, naming our story after a Taylor Swift song. But Liz and I really relate to this. We still don't know. Are we out of the woods yet? There's just so many problems, so many difficulties. I don't know what to do. There are people going against us, everything seems to go downhill.

"Hey, Dwight. So how's the most beautiful person in the world?" Liz asked, sliding her arms around my neck and kissing my cheek. I look up from the book I'm reading.

"I don't know, how is Sarah?" I teased her, knowing that she hates her sister. Her face turned into a mask of horror before realizing I was kidding and smacked me.

"Hey!" She said. She sat beside me on the couch. She looked at me with those puppy eyes that I can't resist, and I know she wants something.

"What do you want? Ice cream? Cake?" I asked. These were usually all she wanted.

"No, I just came to tell you that I'll be gone for a week. School trip," she said. We're in different schools and different courses, and I knew that trips like these weren't uncommon on her university.

"A week? Where will you go? It's almost winter break!" I said.

"We're going camping. Some kind of retreat for the mind and body. You can come too if you like. I'll pay for you." She said. She studies at a private school, and I always barely have any money. She knows I hate it when she has to pay for our stuff, but there's nothing we can really do. she has the money, so she pays. I just keep on telling myself that once I have money, I'll pay her. Add that to the list of people who hate me being with her, and it's really like we're in the middle of the woods.

"It's okay, you can go without me. I don't like having debts, especially to my girlfriend." I said. She just shrugged me off.

"You know that if it's for you, I'll pay it."

"Seriously, no need. I also have lots of schoolwork to finish. You can go without me. when is this?" I asked.

"It starts tomorrow. I'll be packing later, and we'll be back by next Monday." She said. She gave me a kiss on the cheek before saying goodbye. She just lives in the house across from mine, so she just walked the way and didn't need my assistance. She's pretty independent, and I like it. I just continued my reading. Soon enough, my thoughts were distracted by dragons and magic.

-----TIME SKIP-----

Liz will be leaving around noon, and I just came from the coffee shop and got her favorite cappuccino. I headed to their school since it was my vacant time. Lucky me. When I got there, sure enough, there were buses parked side by side, and I looked for her flaming red hair. I found her beside a bus talking with a guy. I hid behind another bus so they won't see me. I wanted to surprise her with the coffee. I waited until the guy would leave.

"You have to tell him. I don't want to keep it a secret anymore, Liz." The guy said.

"I don't know how to tell him yet, maybe after the camp," Liz answered. The guy left.

I was about to go on with the surprise when somebody behind me spoke.

"Hey, you." I turned around and saw that it was a guy. One of those people who doesn't like me being with Liz just because I'm not as rich as them.

I faced him. "What do you want? I only came here to surprise Liz with coffee. I'm not looking for trouble," I said.

"Oh, really? How much did it cost you, your whole week's allowance? Just leave, you cheap freak." He said. The words stung. I couldn't help it since it was true. I'd be walking back to school after this. I didn't want to show that his words hit home, so I stood straighter.

"So? Liz doesn't care about money, and she loves me. You're just acting like a spoiled brat for thinking that she'll be with you just because you have money." I said. I saw that he got affected by this. He narrowed his eyes and charged. He grabbed me by my collar and slammed me to the side of the bus. The cappuccino spilled all over my clothes.

"Hey!" It was Liz. She arrived just in time to see me fall to the floor, the coffee staining my clothes further.

"I suggest you leave before I make sure you won't be able to go with us to camp." She said, and the guy reluctantly left, and I swear I could hear him cursing me. Liz pulled me up.

"Thanks, but I could handle that," I said.

"I know you could. Look, you even stained your clothes. What is this, coffee?" She asked, giving me some tissues. I knew it wouldn't do much, but I wiped myself anyway. I'm just glad that it was iced and not hot.

"That was supposed to be my surprise for you," I said. "I bought you your favorite iced cappuccino, but it spilled when he pushed me. Sorry,"

"Don't be. That was expensive! Here, I'll pay for that. I know it wasn't cheap-"

"No, it's okay." I interrupted her. "I have to get going anyway. See you next Monday," I pecked her on the cheek.

"Okay, see you next week, bye," she said and left. I looked at my watch and saw that it was almost time for my next class. I started running all the way to school since I had no money left after the cappuccino. I arrived just in time, looking all sweaty and grimy from my coffee stains.

"Mr. Scott, glad you could make it, although I suggest you clean up first?" The teacher said. I just shook my head and took my seat.

-----Time Skip-----

They're on the way home, a friend of mine in the same school as Liz texted. She hasn't been replying to me, but I'm thinking maybe her battery died. They're camping, after all. But then how did my friend text me? I just shook off my doubts as I saw the buses coming. I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Liz went down from the bus with the guy before, and they were practically melded into one. I approached them.

"Care to explain?" I asked. Please say you're just friends. Please say you're just friends. The thought kept repeating in my mind.

"Dwight, he- he. I'm sorry. Dwight, I'm breaking up with you. I waited a few weeks, 'cause I didn't know how to break it to you." By this point, I could feel the hot tears streaming down my face. "It's just, he was always there for me. And he took care of me when we were having those hard times, you know? And he's just so kind, and he'd buy me the things I wanted-"

"So that's it?" I said, my emotions overpowering my shaking voice. I clenched my fists. "He could give you what you wanted, so you'd go with him?"

"N-No!"

"You don't have to explain. You know how I always tried my best to give you everything, even if it meant I'd have no money for a week, sometimes even a month. I sacrificed all those stuff for you, and you'll trade it all for this guy?" I pointed at him. He just raised his arms in surrender.

"I hope you'll be happy," I whispered under my breath. I turned my heel and started walking home. I knew that we were both crying, but it hurt me more. My heart felt like it shattered into pieces. I couldn't breathe. I want to get rid of this feeling, of all these problems.

Before I thought that we were both stuck in the woods. Now she pulled her way out and left me inside, lost and dying.