“I don’t want to hear about it.” He snarled and continued toward the back door.

“I’m just saying.” Alex continued. “If you ask me-”

Angel spun around. He was ending this now. “You’re an annoying ass. And no one’s asking you, so just drop it.”

Alex laughed at that. But put his hands up in the air and walked away. Angel stormed through the hallway toward the back entrance of the restaurant.

Truth was, he’d choked up a hell of a lot in the past two days himself. He was glad Sarah had left now, because he sure as shit didn’t know how he’d be able to handle seeing her at school. She might be in love with someone else but his feelings for her hadn’t changed at all. They were still every bit as profound as they’d always been. Add to that, the raw emotional turmoil he was now carrying, and he knew seeing her again would be brutal.

The phone had been ringing the whole time he was walking. Anxious for a break from his thoughts he answered the phone just inside the back door.

“Moreno’s, Angel speaking.”

“I, uh, just wanted to say goodbye.” Sarah’s voice was a whisper.

Angel felt his windpipe being squeezed. Could this day get any worse? He froze for a second. He said the only thing that came to his muddled mind. “You’re leaving early.”

He heard her take a deep breath. “Yeah, no sense in sticking around.”

Of course not. That was the final blow. His heart could take no more. “Be happy, Sarah, goodbye.” Enraged, that his voice cracked on the last word, Angel didn’t wait for her to reply and hung up.

*

Sarah stared out the bus window at the last California sunset she’d be seeing for a long time. She’d added yet another reason to be mad at herself.

Besides the fact that she’d never forgive herself for hurting Angel, she had topped it off by going against her better judgment calling him. She couldn’t help herself. When Valerie mentioned she’d just got off the phone with Alex and he said Angel had just got there. She knew she had a better chance getting a hold of him there than on his cell and she longed to hear his voice just one more time before she left. She’d had the preposterous notion that it would give her closure. Instead it only intensified the agony.

His voice was so icy and bitter. Nothing like what it once had been. His distaste for her now was what hurt the most. He’d never look at her the way he once had and the pain was devastating.

Sydney didn’t know she would be in Flagstaff tonight. Sarah had asked him to meet her at the bus stop tomorrow afternoon. When she spoke with him that morning he was still feeling terrible about the whole thing and thought maybe if he talked to Angel he might get through to him.

Before today she might’ve thought it a good idea. A tiny part of her was still holding on to the belief that Angel’s love for her would help him accept her relationship with Sydney. But with the knowledge that Angel had moved on so quickly and was already meeting up with Dana, Sarah lost all hope. She’d obviously been in denial all this time.

Tomorrow was a big day. If Sydney knew what her plans were he’d insist on going with her. But this was something she needed to do on her own. She’d already reserved a hotel room to stay in Flagstaff for the night.

She still had at least three hours before she arrived. She tried to nap but couldn’t. Valerie lent her a book on the power of thought, and positive thinking. She closed her eyes, put her head back, and tried to think of happier times.

She remembered the day she met Sydney, the heavy kid in the cafeteria at her elementary school. She’d seen him before that day but she was so shy she would’ve never dreamed of talking to anyone that didn’t talk to her first. Besides, by that point, Sarah had stopped wanting to make friends anymore. She never knew how long she’d be in the same school.

Sydney had sat across from her that day and just started talking. Sarah offered him her fries when she saw he finished his and he took them. He claimed he had friends but he didn’t care for the playground, it was too hot. So, he preferred to hang out in the cafeteria instead.

It wasn’t long before Sarah found out the real reason he had no friends. His weight was a big issue. The kids made fun of him relentlessly. He brushed it off like he didn’t care. But she could see it hurt him and now she knew even better. She was so glad now that she’d been there for him. In hindsight it was like something had brought them together. They needed each other.

Someone behind Sarah sneezed loudly and brought her out of her memory. She frowned. She’d finally been able to think of something other than her heartache. Valerie had been right. This was working. But the best part is she’d begun to doze off. She closed her eyes and tried to think of happy thoughts again. For the first time in days Sarah got some sleep.

CHAPTER 23

The restaurant stayed busy all day. The week before Christmas always was that way, with a lot of the local businesses holding their company Christmas parties there. It kept Angel busy, though did little to jolt his ominous mood.

He never realized how many songs had to do with lost love and broken hearts, until now. He’d found himself switching the channel on his car continuously. Sometimes abruptly turning it off all together, thoroughly disgusted with the lump in his throat.

He’d finally turned his phone back on only to find it loaded with unheard messages and texts. Not all were from Sarah, but he cleared them all anyway. Angel wasn’t about to chance inadvertently hearing Sarah’s voice or reading a partial text of hers. Even that was too painful.