“I don’t know. Just riding around, I guess.”
My heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat echoing the fears I dared not voice.
“Anyway, I thought you should know,” Connie added. “Considering…”
I managed a weak “thank you” before hanging up the phone.
Even after seeing them together at the dock, part of me still held on to the belief that perhaps it was merely a chance encounter. But now it had happened multiple times, and my friends had seen it, so I couldn't ignore it any longer. The image of Jack's loving smile reflected in Ellie's shining eyes haunted me, gnawing at my sanity like a persistent itch I couldn’t scratch.”Oh, Jack,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. “What are you doing?”
Over the next few weeks, I tried not to think about Jack and Ellie. I tended to my chores, spent time with Connie and Yvonne,and even started reading again, something I hadn’t done since school let out. But no matter where I went, whispers of Jack’s new flame followed me. To make matters worse, I was Ellie’s tutor, so I had to face her almost every day. Each meeting felt like a stab to my heart, but I swallowed down the bitterness, forced a smile, and carried on with the lessons.
Every now and then, Ellie would speak of Jack—probing in that innocent, casual way of hers, unknowingly twisting the knife deeper into my heart. I tried to maintain my composure, to keep my feelings hidden behind a mask of friendly concern. After all, I couldn’t let Ellie see the war that was raging inside me.
Nights were the hardest. Lying alone in my bed, unable to escape my thoughts, the suffocating silence only amplifying the betrayal. I stared up at the ceiling, my eyes tracing the familiar patterns of the stucco as I fought back tears. But despite everything that had happened, I was determined not to let this ruin me. I was stronger than this, and I knew I had to endure.
One warm July morning, I walked to Clara’s, using the time alone to ponder if today was the day I would confront Ellie. For weeks, I had been building a fortress of courage, brick by brick, and today, as the rays of the sun gently kissed my face, it felt solid and steady. The realization that she and Jack were together had been a bitter pill to swallow, but I was determined not to let it poison me. I took a deep breath and opened the door, the chimes above announcing my arrival.
“Mornin’, Sara,” Clara greeted me warmly as I entered.
My eyes were already scanning the room for Ellie. There she was, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, engrossed in a book.
“Morning,” I returned the greeting with a weak smile before making my way toward Ellie. With every step, my heart pounded louder in my chest. I had rehearsed this conversation so manytimes in my head, yet now all the words seemed to have abandoned me.
“Hi, Sara,” Ellie said, not taking her eyes off the book. Her tone was casual, as if we were discussing the weather and not a momentous shift in our dynamic. I forced a smile, swallowed my nerves, and sat down next to Ellie on the sofa.
“Hello,” I replied, trying to match the casual air she exuded. I glanced at her book, tapping my fingers restlessly on my knee. “Are you ready to get started?”
“Do you mind if I finish this chapter first? I meant to do it yesterday, but I was out late last night. There’s some cobbler in the kitchen if you’d like to have some before we get started.”
My eye twitched at the mention of the previous night, but I nodded, smoothing my hair behind my ear. “Sure,” I said, rising to my feet. I made my way to the kitchen, letting the familiar scent of Clara’s famous cobbler fill my senses.
As I entered the kitchen, I paused, glancing back at Ellie who was still absorbed in her book.
“Can I get you a piece of cobbler?” Clara asked. She was leaning against the counter, sipping her morning coffee.
“No. I mean, no thank you. I ate before I left the house. But,” I said, dropping my voice to a whisper, “perhaps there’s something else you could help me with. I was wondering if you’ve seen Jack lately.”
“Can’t say that I have. Why do you ask?”
I hesitated, gnawing my lower lip thoughtfully. “I just… He’s been so busy lately, I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him. Which is unlike Jack.”
Clara's eyes widened slightly, her coffee mug paused midway to her lips. “I know George has been keeping him busy at the dock.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.”
“Ready when you are,” Ellie announced as she closed her book and set it aside on the coffee table.
For two hours, I quizzed Ellie on inequalities, functions, and polynomials. The numbers and patterns consumed her, providing a temporary relief from the gnawing concerns I had about her burgeoning relationship with Jack.
When we were all done, we ate lunch and spent some time on the back porch, watching the squirrels and listening to the birds sing in the trees.
“Are you enjoying your summer?” I asked, attempting small talk.
“So far,” said Ellie. “By the way, thank you for doing this. I’m sure there are a hundred things you’d rather be doing this summer besides helping me study.”
“Think nothing of it. Besides, Clara is paying me, so it isn’t all bad. How are you keeping yourself busy in the afternoons?”
For a second, I thought I saw a hint of blush in her cheeks, as if she was hiding a secret. “Oh, you know, this and that. Clara’s taken me to Dandridge a few times and to Knoxville, but mostly I piddle around here.”
