I Won't Say I Told You So

"Go ahead...Say I told you that you would do something like this and leave," Hazel mumbled, shifting her bag on her shoulder and looking everywhere but at me.

"There's no need to, you already know," I replied, my voice emotionless, drained.

Hazel nodded, her light brownie-blond hair falling in her dull brown eyes. "Good bye Jerrick."

I didn't respond but waited for the thunk of the door telling me that she was gone.

Only then did I sink to the floor, head in my hands. Only then did I allow myself to cry. Only when I was alone did I think about her.

I felt myself drifting to sleep when I heard the annoying ring ringing of my house phone.

Grudgingly, I pushed myself of the floor, steadying myself with the counter and reach for the phone resting on the plain kitchen wall.

"Hello?" I grumbled, running a hand through my dark brown hair.

"Jerrick? Are you okay? Uh, the guys and us girls want to go have a barbecue and camp out at the site for the weekend. You wanna come?" A female sing-song voice asked quickly.

I recognized the voice as Syria, my best friend since we were kids and I tried to sound enthusiastic for her.

"Oh hey Syria. I'll tell you what's wrong when I get there. Uh what time are we gathering?" I asked, hoping I sounded lively.

"I'm going there by myself at 1:30ish to set up," she said and I imagined her clumsy self as she tries to set things up.

I let out a hoarse laugh. "I'll come then and help out."

Hearing a sigh of relief, Syria said "Thanks J."

"No problem. See you soon." I waited for Syria to say good bye for hanging up.

I glanced at the clock, and saw it was noon.

Hazel left at eight...I almost felt like crying again but held it in. Crying never did anyone any good.

Slowly, I made my way toward the bathroom, trying to think of something other than Hazel.

My mind wandered to why we held our bbqs and such at the camp site. The guys and I had bought the piece of land a few years back when we decided that we needed a place to just chill and drink beers and laugh with no apparent reason.

I smiled despite my grief, my train of thought coming to a halt as I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was greasy and messy, my face in a desperate need of a shave.

I smelt my armpits and came to the conclusion that I need a shower badly.

...

Half an hour later I was clean and ready to leave the house.

I had one foot out the door when the phone rang for the second time. Scowling, I turned back and answered the phone.

"Hello?"