Chapter Forty-Nine: Cut the Ties:

Wallace didn’t know exactly where he was going. He just felt like walking. The country boy didn’t want to think about anything anymore. His grades were decent. The country boy got along with the people on campus. Some of the girls took notice of him. But it wasn’t enough for him.

What did he expect coming out here? That Julia would fall for him? She wasn’t the same girl. In fact, he didn’t really know her at all. They barely hung out when they were kids. Sure he saw her around school, but they never hung around in the same circle of friends.

Wallace stopped in his tracks.

“I really don’t have a clue, do I?” he asked himself. The country boy took a look around. He wasn’t even in the building anymore. In fact, Wallace was standing in the parking lot.

“Oh,” the country boy said.

“Wallace?” someone asked in the dark. Wallace turned his head. Rocky and his group of friends were walking up to the apartment with their drinks in hand.

“Hey man!” Rocky shouted as he pumped his fist in the air. Wallace gave him a weak wave. His neighbor raised his eyebrow.

“You okay, man?” he asked. The country boy started to speak but closed his mouth.

“Actually, no,” he said. “I am not okay.” Rocky frowned.

“What’s the matter?” he asked. Wallace looked at his group of friends.

“Well…” he said. Her neighbor turned his head.

“Hey, you guys can go on without me,” he said. “I’ll catch up.”

“Cool,” another one of his friends said. Rocky jogged over to Wallace. He put his arm over his shoulders. The country boy reeled back from the scent of alcohol.

“What’s up, man?” Rocky asked. Wallace pressed his lips together for a moment.

“I don’t know what I am doing here,” he said. Rocky frowned.

“You don’t know like… out here? At school? Or life?” he asked. The country boy looked up at him as he put up his hands.

“All of here,” Wallace said. He broke down and told Rocky about his history with Julia. His neighbor stared at him with no words that would’ve been helpful.

“Wow,” he said at last. Wallace looked like he struggled to swallow something bitter.

“And she’s still in your bed?” Rocky asked.

“Yeah,” the country boy said. They looked up at the apartment above them. As far as Wallace, she hadn’t tried to follow him out.

“So… what are you going to do?” Rocky asked.

“I don’t know,” Wallace said.

“Then why do you keep pursuing her?” he asked. “I mean… I don’t see a point anymore. You said it yourself.” The country boy took a moment to think about it.

“You know what?” he said. “I don’t really know anymore. The girl I love doesn’t really exist and I don’t really have a reason to stick around here.” Rocky patted him on the back.

“You want to drop out?” he asked.

“Not really…” Wallace said.

“Then find a reason to stick around,” Rocky said. “That’s what I’m doing.” The country boy looked even more confused.

“How am I supposed to do that?” he asked.

“I can’t tell you that,” his neighbor said. Rocky took back his arm and walked into the building. Wallace was left standing there in the middle of a dark and empty parking lot. That wasn’t much help but Rocky might be on to something.