Jeremy nervously brushed his hair dreading his date with Melissa. Tonight he was going to break up with her. She was going to arrive in fifteen minutes and he had no idea what to say to her. Suddenly he heard violent pounding on the front door. He quickly gave himself the once over and thundered down the stairs. He threw open the door, "Are you okay Melissa?" he asked but saw that it was Jessica. Her face was tear stained and she looked awful.
"Oh, Jeremy!" she cried. "The most horrible thing has happened and I have no one else to turn to."
Jeremy sighed and led her in. "What's wrong?"
"Me and Liz had this huge fight," Jessica choked out. "It was horrible. It was about everything and Elizabeth ended it basically saying she didn't want to see me ever again. And the worst thing is, she isn't even going to the same college as me!"
Jeremy cleared his throat, "That sounds pretty bad. How are you holding up?"
Jessica sighed and looked at him, "It hurts so much, Jeremy. In all kinds of ways. I'm angry at her, at myself and I just wish I had someone there to hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay. But you have no idea how alone I am."
Jeremy looked at her sad face and a wave of emotions ran through his body. He tried to fight the urge to just reach out and wrap her in his arms. But he couldn't. Not tonight.
"God, I'm so selfish," Jessica said startling Jeremy. "I mean, I never asked how you are."
"I'm okay. I'm going to break up with Melissa." He hadn't met to tell her that but the words just kind of slid out.
"Tonight?" Jessica asked amazed. "Why? I thought everything between you guys was wonderful."
"It is." Jeremy said quietly. "But something happened. I know Melissa wants us to go to college together here in California. But I just go this letter from the University of Arizona's archeology program. I got accepted into this prestigious program where you study intently at excavation sites and take college courses at all different university's around the country and the world. I was planning on going with Melissa to college but now that I've been accepted into this program, it's way to big of an opportunity to give up. And I don't want to just leave Melissa. It'll be to painful. So I'm going to end it now. Make her think that I'm this huge jerk, so the pain will end."
Jessica looked at him in shock. "Congratulations. I think you should accept, but why hurt Melissa? Don't you think she'll understand?"
Jeremy nodded. "It's her dream for us to go college together. Trust me it's easier this way."
Jessica nodded. "I should go." Jeremy agreed and as she got up to leave Jeremy couldn't help but look at her retreating figure.

Elizabeth walked through the mall after her shift at Sedona. All she wanted to do was get home and collapse in front of the television. She slowed down though because right outside the music store she saw Conner. Alone. She hadn't talked to him since their fight the other day. She felt bad and didn't want her and Conner to be enemies. They had the same friends and classes and it wouldn't help anyone if they hated each other. She bravely walked up to him, "Hey."
Conner turned around surprised to see her, "Hello Elizabeth."
They stood there a few second awkwardly and Elizabeth let out a nervous giggle, "God this is hard."
Conner gave a half smile, "Yeah."
"I just wanted to say, I don't hate you and I want us to be friends," Elizabeth said softly.
Conner smiled, "Me too. I felt bad the other day, I didn't really mean it. I guess I just hoped that we still had a chance."
Elizabeth nodded. "I know. Well I should go. I'll see you around."
"Yeah," Conner said nodding as he watched Elizabeth walk away. "You can count on it."

"That was fun," Melissa said smiling as they sat in Jeremy's room after returning from the movie.
Jeremy nodded. So far he hadn't been able to tell her and he had to admit he was stalling. Melissa was so happy tonight and he didn't want to ruin her good mood.
"But we always have a good time," she said hoarsely and leaned in and began to kiss him. Jeremy's body took over and he began to kiss her back. As the kiss became deeper Melissa and Jeremy fell back into the pillows on his bed. Jeremy had to admit that Melissa was a great girl and he loved being with her. He didn't want to hurt her but it was better to do it now then ruin Melissa's life later. She would want them to stay together even though they would see each other at holidays. But he couldn't do that to her. He felt Melissa tug on his shirt and un-tuck it. Jeremy knew what Melissa wanted but he didn't have the energy to pull back. He let Melissa kiss him and he pushed all his thoughts out of his head. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her passionately. As the kiss became wilder Jeremy hands moved down her face and over each of her buttons undoing them. He knew he was making everything worse but he wanted this. With Melissa. And this was his last chance.

The next morning Jeremy woke up to see Melissa's sleeping figure next to him. He couldn't believe what they had done last night. And how he was going to ruin it today. She stirred and woke up. "Hey Jeremy," she murmured as she cuddled up next to him.
"Melissa," Jeremy started. "I got accepted into the archeology program I was telling you about. I'm going to have to leave in June."
Melissa looked at him with hurt in his eyes. "You mean leave, and go away. What about us?"
"I have to accept Melissa. This is my dream. And the more I think about it, it's unfair for us to be together anymore. It would be easier if we ended this now. Instead of trying to stay together and getting hurt."
"But," Melissa said
"No," Jeremy interrupted. "You deserve better. I'll be gone for like the whole year, a different place each month. You need someone who will be there with you. Someone to hold you and take out out."
"I don't care about that." Melissa said firmly.
"You will. You need more than a boyfriend who can't be there."
Melissa's eyes turned red. She stretched her body over his and grabbed her bra that was draped over the lampshade. She began to put it on. "I'm...I'm gonna go."
Jeremy grabbed her arm and pulled her back in bed. "I'm sorry Melissa. You know how much I...I love you," he said knowing it was true. He did love her. "It kills me to do this."
"Then don't go!" Melissa said angrily. "Stay with me. How do you know what's right for me?"
"But if you think about this Melissa. With your head, not your heart, you know it's right."
"What do you want me to do? Pretend it's okay? Don't love you? I can't help it," she said crying. "I want my college life to be with you."
"I don't." Jeremy said softly.
"What?" Melissa said hurt. "You're breaking up with me. I can't believe this is happening. How could you do this to me? Make love to me and then just throw me away."
"I didn't want to hurt you," Jeremy said. "It's hard for me too. But it's better this way. You may not see it now, but you'll realize that it's the right thing to do."
Melissa got up and started putting her clothes on. "I never want to see you again," she said sobbing. Jeremy reached out to grab her put she jerked away and ran out of his room. Jeremy felt horrible. He knew he had done the right thing but he still felt like a dog.