Since Forever Ago by Olivia Besse Read Free Book Online

this.”
    “No, I’m not,” she adamantly replied, grabbing for the bag of popcorn and shoveling some into her mouth. “I’m really not,” she repeated, a few crumbs falling from the corner of her lips.
    In sharp contrast to the self-assured orations she had delivered to anyone who would listen, Riley was, in fact, still quite fazed. She had spent the past few weeks experiencing the exhilarating highs and crippling lows of being on the emotional rollercoaster in regards to her feelings about Noah, and it just so happened that this moment was one in which she had hit an absolute low.
    There had been days when she would triumphantly brush off any depressing memories from the six years that she had spent with him, applauding herself for being so mature and blasé about the whole situation. You’re all grown up , Riley had said in awe to herself as she perused her closet for cute outfits that she would don on future dates. You really have turned a new leaf , she had thought proudly while shoving mementos from their relationship into the garbage can in her room.
    Then there had been those nights on which absolutely hated him, cursing his very existence as she looted all of the cabinets in the kitchen in search of every last bag of junk food on which she could get her grimy paws. Why did smartphones have to be invented? she had silently warbled, gripping a Snickers bar between her teeth as she cyberstalked her asshole of an ex-boyfriend. I’m sorry, I didn’t know what I was doing! she had pleaded with the universe while ripping open trash bags in search of the photo of her and Noah at Disneyland on their third anniversary. Please bring him back!
    “Get a grip, dude,” Liz said with a look of disgust on her face, ripping the bag out of Riley’s hands and crumpling it into a ball. “He was a lying, cheating asshole. Get over it.”
    “So much for being supportive, huh?” Riley cried out pathetically. “I’m so lucky to have a friend like you!”
    “I’m not going to support this ,” Liz replied with a frown. “ This is unhealthy.”
    “You don’t get it!” Riley wailed as she fell over onto her pile of blankets. “We had a connection! I still don’t really get it!”
    Liz merely stood there, watching Riley’s theatrical performance with a bored look on her face before unraveling her snack bag ball and inhaling her own handful of Kettle Corn.
    “We were doing so well. And we were together for so long . I just don’t understand how he could do that to me.”
    “He’s a terrible person,” Liz said matter-of-factly. “You know, you should be happy that this happened sooner rather than later.”
    “But why did it even have to happen at all?” Riley squeaked back.
    Liz let out a tired sigh as she hopped onto Riley’s bed, playfully nudging her friend’s head with her finger. “Everything happens for a reason,” she chirped out in a saccharine voice, prompting Riley to let out another depressing groan.
    “I hate it when people say that,” she bemoaned loudly. “People only say that when they don’t know what else to say.”
    “Well, I don’t know what else to say,” Liz admitted with a laugh.
    “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Riley muttered out as she propped herself up against her headboard. “I guess a part of me just thinks that this is temporary. That he’s going to come crawling back, look me in the eye and tell me that he isn’t happy now.”
    “Did you just quote Michelle Branch?”
    “That once he hears that I’m dating and smiling and laughing, he’ll see how well I’m doing without him and... want me back. That he’ll realize his mistake and snap out of it.”
    “Snap out of what ?” Liz cried out. “Dude, he cheated on you! Why are you putting him on some fucking pedestal?”
    “You don’t get it, Liz! No one’s going to ever be able to understand me like Noah did!”
    “That’s the thing,” Liz groaned out. “He didn’t understand you. You said it