The Oracle Rebounds by Allison van Diepen Page B

we try to make it last longer, we will change it. Now it is beautiful. Let it always be that way!
    I hope you understand, my lovely Kayla. You are one of the most captivating people I have ever met.
    Benoit

    I stare at the email.
    Tears flood my eyes, blurring the words on the screen.
    I’m in shock. How could he do this when we connected so well? It doesn’t make sense. If our two weeks together were as great as he said they were, why not give our relationship a shot?
    Wasn’t I worth it?
    It’s so unfair. Despite the heartbreak I went through with Jared, I managed to open myself up to someone else—only to get shot down again!
     
    Hours later, I’ve pulled myself together thanks to the latest season of Dexter on DVD and some Frosted Flakes. Luckily, Mom and Erland aren’t home. I don’t want them to see me like this. Knowing Mom, she’ll blame herself since she arranged for Benoit to stay with us.
    There is only one thing left to do: calculate my newest rebound equation.
    How long did we go out? Well, he was here for two weeks, and we were pretty much together the whole time. So let’s say fourteen days.
    Now the equation:
    14 days divided by 8 = 1.75
    + 30 because he dumped me = 31.75
    Do I fantasize about getting back together? No!
    Do I think it’s for the best? No!
    Total: 31.75 days before I can have another relationship.
    That’s ridiculous! That’s half of my rebound equation with Jared, and we were together almost six months.
    I play around with the equation, but it’s no use. Because I got dumped after a short period of time, my own rebound equation has screwed me over.
    No way. I’m not going to let this happen.
    I realize I should have made up some rules to go along with the rebound equation: (1) The rebound equation only applies to relationships that last over one month. (2) Do not calculate a new rebound equation while you are still in an old one.
    Which is what I did. I dated a new guy before the time allotted from my first rebound equation was up, and now I’m paying the price!
    I call up Tracey. As always, she makes sympathetic listening noises. Then she says, “It’s really not so bad.”
    That is not what I need to hear right now. “It is . I really liked this guy. I think I was partly in love with him!”
    “I know. I understand why it hurts. But it doesn’t sound to me like you’ve been dumped.”
    “Of course I have! He basically said he has no interest in keeping in touch with me. How is that not being dumped?”
    “Being dumped is when someone who can be with you chooses to break up with you. In this case, Benoit couldn’t be with you so he decided not to keep the relationship going. Remember Anthony? Maybe you don’t, because you were ten at the time.”
    “I remember. He’s that British guy, right?”
    “Yeah. I met him when Corinne and I were backpacking through Europe. We managed to hold it together for a year. We only saw each other three times after that first summer and that’s because he had a job and a little spare money. It was hard, Kayla. A lot of phone calls, a lot of tears. I’ve always wondered if it was really worth it. I think we should have left it at those initial ten days in London instead of trying to drag it out. It didn’t work.”
    “At least Anthony gave it a chance. Benoit didn’t even want to try.”
    “Think about it. How often would you have been able to see him? Once a year? You don’t have any money to fly to France.”
    “I was willing to work extra shifts at Eddie’s for him!”
    “Look at it this way. You weren’t dumped, you werediscontinued. He knew it would be too difficult to continue the relationship, so he thought he’d save both of you a lot of pain and end it now.”
    She makes it sound so logical, but my emotions rebel. “If he never intended to keep the relationship going, he shouldn’t have let us get so close!”
    “I’m sure he didn’t mean to mislead you. Neither of you planned for this to happen,