A few days later, I find my grandfather’s liquor stash in the pantry. I’m not one for getting wasted or even that drunk, but The Ex has been calling as if she were a bill collector and I owe her a ton of money. She’s relentless. She texts me good morning and good night every freaking day even though I’m not responding at all. I’m kind of sick of it all. If she’s got so much time to bother me all damn day that means she has to be single. Good. I hope Luke dumped her.

Besides the stupid shit going on with The Ex, my training has come to a grinding halt. I popped a bike tire on a tree root while riding in the back yard today. I’d only had half an hour of practice this morning and then it all went to shit. Plus, the old guy next door came over to bitch at me for riding a bike too early in the morning, so I’m kind of all-around pissed. I pour some whiskey into a glass and take it outside where I build a fire as soon as the sun sets.

Tomorrow, I’ll drive two towns over to where there’s a motorcycle shop that has a replacement tire for my bike. I checked the town ordinances and since we’re so far out in the country and not in city limits, there’s not a damn thing the old man next door can do about it. I’ll ride my bike whenever I want. Seven in the morning isn’t too early, especially on a week day. He can kiss my ass.

Part of me does feel like shit because the last thing I need is to have the neighbors hate me, but I have to train my ass off this summer and they’ll have to deal with it.

The fire crackles as I sit here and stare at it, drinking from my whiskey. This is either really chill or really pathetic. I’m not sure which. I should have some friends over or something so it feels like I’m not just some sullen loser sitting around by a fire contemplating all the places in his life where he fucked up.

The whiskey warms my insides and takes off the edge. I’ve been pissed all day pretty much, and it feels good to relax. Tomorrow I’ll get my bike fixed…it’ll all be okay. I just need to chill.

When my phone rings, I’m about to lose my shit, but then I see my mom’s name on the caller ID. It’s a welcome change from seeing The Ex flash across my phone screen.

“Hello?” I say, hoping I don’t sound drunk.

“Jacey,” she says, which makes me roll my eyes. My name is Jace. Jacey is the ridiculously juvenile baby name she has for me. Only moms can get away with that kind of crap. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good, Mom.” I lean back in my chair and stare at the sky. “What’s up back at home?”

“Nothing much. Just wanted to check in and see how you’re surviving being all alone there.”

I laugh. “I’m not alone. I have my dirt bike.”

“Honey, I know that girl hurt you but you can’t let it make you sulk.”

I stiffen. “I’m not sulking, Mom. I’m over that bitch.”

“Are you, though?”

I hate how her voice is all soft and sweet like she’s afraid she’ll hurt my feelings. Since when am I some baby that needs to be handled with kid gloves? “I’m pissed about being kicked out of the races, Mom. That’s all. I don’t give a shit about that girl anymore. You don’t need to worry about me.”

She sighs into the phone. “If you say so. I just worry about you.”

“You don’t need to worry,” I say, trying to sound convincing. “My life is all better now. I promise.”

When we get off the phone, I’m not sure she believes me. I know she cares about me and all that motherly crap, but it really makes me wonder how pathetic I must look like moving all the way out here after a breakup. Honestly, it’s not because of her. It’s just not. I’m here for me. I am totally over The Ex.

My phone rings a little while later. It’s her. I don’t know why, but I stand up and put the phone to my ear.

“What?”

There’s a long silence, probably because she wasn’t expecting me to answer. “Hello to you, too,” she says in that voice of hers. The one I’ve heard so many years of my life, and it never used to sound awful but now it’s just the worst. “It’s about time you answered my call, Jace.”

“You should learn to take a hint,” I say, keeping my voice level. She won’t get any emotions from me.

She scoffs. “Don’t be rude. I just want to talk to you. I’ve missed you a lot.”

It’s hard not to laugh out loud. “I don’t care what you feel.”

“Jace! I said don’t be rude! Look, it’s been five months, okay? A lot has happened since then and I just want to say hi and tell you I miss you. I really think we could be good together.”

I exhale slowly. “You should have thought about that before you fucked that dude.”

I don’t say his name because he’s not worth it.

“Jace! Come on! Stop being stupid! Where are you? Let’s go to dinner or something and talk.”

I’m feeling pretty damn vindicated that she has no idea I’m not still in California. “Stop calling me,” I say. “I don’t want to hear from you again, or I swear I’ll break this phone in half.”

It’s a little dramatic, but at this very moment, I believe it. I’ll throw the damn thing into the fire. I am so done with this girl and all the bullshit she’s put me through. I hang up and don’t wait for her answer.

It feels pretty awesome to have told her off, though. Tomorrow will be a better day.