Chapter 6

The whole drive back to the hotel Shannon kept thinking about what Alexis had told him. Instead of going to his own room he walked over to Jeff's. Finally, after a couple minutes of waiting the door to Jeff's room flung open.

"We need to talk" was all Shannon could say as he walked past Jeff.

"All right" Jeff said looking slightly confused at his best friend.

"I've been thinking a lot about Alex lately. Why did she leave again?"

"She didn't belong with her family. She couldn't take the crap anymore." For the first time Shannon noticed Jeff could not look him in the eye.

"Jeff, tell me the truth and don't say you did because you can't look me in the eye." Jeff just stared at Shannon in shock. No one had ever figured out he was lying.

"Um, well, it is my fault Alex left." He waited for Shannon to say something, but when he got no response he went on. "The day that Alex left I had been talking to her mom. Wait, okay, I guess it sort of started before we left that August. I was falling in love with her, but her mom kept telling me that there was nothing for the two of us. I didn't believe her because Alex was going to college on a softball scholarship. Then when she got hurt and I found out she wasn't going anywhere I started thinking. Her mom kept telling me that I should just forget about her because she wasn't going to do anything with her life and all she was doing was looking for an easy way to live her life. Her mom's words kept echoing in my head and I couldn't escape the thoughts of what she said being true. Then I met Courtney and the rest is history. I had no idea that Alex was listening to my conversation with her mom. She ran in, yelled at her mom and then she yelled at me. She ran to her room and I tried to explain but she wouldn't listen to me. The next thing I know she had left. She wrote me a letter explaining why she left." He pulled a worn out letter from his back pocket. Shannon hadn't realized how much he read that letter.

Flashback (Almost 4 years ago)

"Hey Mr. Hardy, come to pick up your mail?" Jeff nodded his head. "Here you are Mr. Hardy. Have a nice day."

"Thank you" Jeff said walking out with his mail. He flipped through the usual fan letters and bills until one particular envelope caught his eye. He stared at the envelope for a couple minutes before he opened it. It just had his name on the front in very familiar handwriting. He tore the envelope and began reading.

'Dear Jeff,

This past week has been hell for me. When you left in August, I thought there was something more happening between us. I finally realized how much you meant to me and not just as a friend. I fell in love with you. It broke my heart when you left because I was afraid of what might happen to you in the ring, but I was so proud of you. You are…were…are important to me. When we talked on the phone I forgot about everything that was going on back home. You made me forget my problems. As soon as I found out that you were coming home I was ecstatic. You can ask Shannon or Tracy or any of the guys. You were all I talked about for two weeks. When I saw you in the airport last week, my heart literally skipped a beat. When I was in your arms I felt like there were no problems in my world. Then you introduced Courtney and my heart sank. It didn't break because I thought there still might be a chance for us. But as the week went on I could feel my heart breaking piece by piece until it crashed to pieces this morning. When I heard you talking to my mom I thought I would die. Hell, I wanted to die. You were the reason I kept going day after day. You were my reason to live. But I knew I couldn't bring myself to die so I figured I would just leave. I don't know where I'm going, but I am getting as far away from my family, from Cameron, and from you. I HATE the person you have become. We have always been close, but you have just pushed me away. You have definitely changed and not for the better. Take a good hard look in the mirror and open your eyes Jeffrey. No one knows you anymore and that is what hurts me the most. I will ALWAYS LOVE YOU JEFF HARDY, but it will never be for the person you have become. My heart is here in Cameron and with you, but I can't live a lie. I can't keep pretending that everything is fine. Have a great life and don't ever forget me because I will NEVER forget you.

Sincerely and with all my love,

Alex'

Jeff couldn't believe what he was reading. He ran to his car and drove as fast as he could to the Jacklin residence. When he got to the door he noticed that there was no one home, but he knew exactly where the extra key was hidden. When he got in he booked it up the stairs and up to Alexis' room. As he opened the door memories of their childhood came flooding back. That was when he realized everything had changed. He took his cell phone out and dialed Alexis' number. After a couple seconds he heard a ring coming from the bed. As he walked over he saw Alexis' phone and a picture of the two of them a couple weeks before he left in August. On the back of the picture Alexis had written: 'I knew you would come. I will never forget you and never stop loving the guy in this picture.'

Jeff was shaken from his thoughts by Shannon's fist connecting with his face. He fell back onto the bed. Shannon walked out of the room without saying anything. A couple minutes later he walked back in with a bag of ice.

"I'm sorry Jeff." He said as he threw the bag at him.

"Don't be sorry Shannon. I lied to you for 4 years. I deserved it."

"You're right Jeff, but I didn't hit you just for me. Why would you lie to me?"

"I don't know Shan. I didn't want to believe that I was the real reason that Alex left. I was a jerk to her and I felt horrible. I wish I knew where she was. I want to apologize and tell her how I actually felt."

"What do you mean?"

"I loved her so much, hell, I still love her. Courtney and I broke up that next day. I thought Alex would call. I would have told her everything. I would try and explain how much I wanted to be with her. I screwed up really bad, didn't I?"

"Yea, you did."

"I don't know what to do Shannon."

"I can't tell you what to do Jeff, but I can ask you to come to breakfast with me tomorrow. I want to try and help you take your mind off of Alex. I know it is hard for you, I know how much you cared for her." Jeff looked up at Shannon. "Jeff, are you going to be okay?"

"Yea, eventually, but I will. We should go to bed. And I will definitely go to breakfast tomorrow. Where are we going?"

"Let's go back to that diner. They had amazing food!"

"All right, that sounds good. The waitress seemed really nice."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought about any other girl like I thought of her. She made me, I don't know. I didn't totally forget about Alex, but I didn't think about her as much. I thought the waitress was kind of familiar too."