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Jordyn Grace and her boyfriend, Kirk, walked down the sidewalks of Main Street, lined with coffee shops, a theater, clothes stores, and restaurants, as well as the occasional single-story home, protected by a strikingly white picket fence. They had a little over an hour before the movie began, and were slowly and quietly walking down the nearly abandoned sidewalk, although it appeared to Jordyn as if Kirk had something on his mind, and Jordyn was afraid she knew what it was.

That evening had started out wonderfully. Jordyn looked stunning in her new baby blue evening gown, her imitation diamond necklace, bracelet, and anklet, and her high heeled light blue slippers. Likewise, Kirk was very handsome in his tuxedo that consisted of a navy blue jacket and pants, and a light blue shirt that matched his blue eyes and Jordyn's dress perfectly. Kirk had arrived at Jordyn's house with a box of chocolates, a book entitled "Quotes and Their Owners", which Jordyn had wanted ever since she discovered the joy of reading, a bouquet of red roses for Jordyn's mom, last week's copy of the Wall Street Journal for her dad, and a toy airplane for her little brother, Adrian. The only thing that had alerted Jordyn was the scent of perfume as she leaned in to kiss Kirk. However, when her mother walked in with a plate of chocolate chip cookies that overpowered everything with its sweet aroma, Jordyn tried to convince herself that she had imagined the smell of jasmine and sandalwood.

"So, why don't we get something to eat before the movie," Jordyn suggested, not very hungry, but wanting desperately to break the dreadful silence that filled the evening sky. The smell of Pure Poison had returned, and Jordyn's heart gradually began to sink.

"No, I'm not hungry." Silence. Then, he took a deep breath, "Jordyn, I need to tell you something. I wanted to wait until I took you home, until after our wonderful evening together, but I can't think of anything else. It's not right to wait. I have to tell you now." He said all this as fast as he could, staying as emotionless as possible, although Jordyn could see the pain in his eyes.

"What is it, Baby?" Jordyn asked, though she was certain she already knew. She was sure she'd throw up.

"You'll hate me," he informed her.

"No I won't. I could never hate you." More silence. "What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything." She hated her words and the calm of her voice. Inside, she wanted to scream. Don't bother! I already know that you're two-timing me, you jerk! However, she kept calm. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe, just maybe, there's another explanation. Maybe he was in the perfume department, shopping for my birthday present, but he got sick of the scents and thought of the book. After all, I like perfume almost as much as reading. Yeah, that has to be it! Jordyn hoped beyond hope.

"I met another girl," he mumbled, and walked further down the sidewalk.

Jordyn's heart suddenly plummeted the rest of the way down her stomach, and landed with a very unsatisfying thud. She also had a terrible headache. "Oh?" She couldn't think of anything else to say. She had known what was coming, however hard she had tried to deny it, she'd known what he was going to say. Nevertheless, his words had knocked all the feeling and understanding right out of her. She stood there, staring incomprehensively at him.

"Yeah. I'm sorry," he pleaded. "I didn't want to hurt you. Please believe me, that's the last thing I ever wanted to do!"

Then why are you?! Why can't you just love me?! That's all I want, Kirk! That's all I've ever wanted! Is that too much to ask?!

She finally found her voice. "Where'd you meet her?" Jordyn asked, with a slightly enthusiastic undertone in her voice that amazed her. However, her composure remained that of a bruised child.

Kirk looked shocked. "At work. She just started a month ago."

That explains why he "couldn't" miss work to hang out with me tomorrow, on my actual birthday.

"What's her name?"

Again, Kirk was surprised by her apparent understanding. "Her name is Jenna," he said slowly, obviously uncomfortable and confused. "Jenna Garcia. She's a student at Oceanside."

Jordyn thought for a moment. Jenna Garcia: a girl in Jordyn's grade. Jordyn knew her well. Everyone knew Jenna. She liked to pick on all the other girls and any of the boys that didn't idolize her. She's a self-centered rich kid. What could Kirk possibly see in her? Jordyn wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake the sense back into him. Instead, she asked another question.

"Do you really care about her?"

"What?" Kirk didn't seem to understand.

"Do you like her a lot?" Jordyn rephrased the question.

"Well... yes, I do. But Jordyn, that doesn't mean that I don't still care about you. I loved you. I still love you." He paused, "Just..."

"Not the same way as before," Jordyn finished his sentence. "I understand. Don't worry, I don't hate you." After a moment of awkward silence, Jordyn spoke, "I think I'll call my parents and tell them to come get me. My head hurts a lot. I need to go home and rest." Jordyn felt dizzy, nauseous, numb, and heartbroken, all jumbled into one large knot that traveled quickly throughout her entire body.

"I'll take you." Kirk took his keys out of his pocket and slowly went to open the passenger door of his Ford.

"No. Stay here. Watch the movie. I think you'll like it. That's why I chose it." Jordyn looked at her watch and realized they had been walking for almost an hour. Her feet suddenly hurt dreadfully. She sat down on a nearby bench and pulled her cell phone out of her purse. "You better go in; you'll wanna get a good seat."

Seeing that his watch said 7:20, and knowing there was no arguing with her, Kirk surrendered, "Oh...ok. I hope you feel better soon." Kirk looked as if he was going to pull Jordyn close to him and kiss her. Instead, he awkwardly turned and walked inside the theater.



"Where's Kirk? Why didn't he bring you home?" Shawn Grace asked as his wife and daughter stepped into their quaint, two-bedroom cottage home twenty minutes later.

"He's watching Sweeny Todd at the cinema," Jordyn mumbled quickly before running to her bedroom and slamming the door.

"Did I say something wrong?" Shawn asked his wife, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"They broke up," Lyndsay Grace explained. "She wouldn't tell me why."



Jordyn slammed her bedroom door merely seconds before she burst into tears. She threw herself down on her bed and buried her face in her pillow. After half an hour of sobbing uncontrollably, Jordyn remembered the book Kirk had given her. Well, just because he's a jerk, that doesn't mean I have to throw out a perfectly good book, does it? She was about to head downstairs to the coffee table, where she had left her gifts, when she glanced over at her bedside table and saw both the book and the chocolates, stacked neatly beside her lamp. She turned on the lamp and flipped off the ceiling light. I might as well have some chocolates while I'm reading, she concluded. She placed the box of chocolates beside her on the bed and opened the inside cover of the book. There, written in bold blue ink, Kirk had written the words: I love you, now and forever.

"Forever sure passed in a hurry," Jordyn mumbled aloud. She turned the page. "Introduction. This book is a collection of quotes. This book consists of quotes by the famous, the infamous, the common, and the anonymous. Whenever possible, each quote will be followed up with a short summary of the life of the author of that quote." Jordyn skimmed ahead, "Chapter 1 - Anonymous Quotes. 'Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop'."

Boy, isn’t that the truth. She laid the book on her chest. What happened? I wasn't a bad girlfriend, was 1? I gave him all the love and understanding he asked for. And more. I was totally faithful. Jordyn let the book fall to the edge of her bed, and eventually, to the floor. She thought about the last four years. Four of the best years of her life. ...the movies, the conversations, the laughter, the tears, the hugs, the kisses... Over. All over. The end. How? Why?