Final Score

 A couple of days later and I'm back on the field for our weekly game. I re-tied my laces and began stretching. Running during the week has done me well with kickball—my game has improved.

Girl from Irish Pub trotted across the field towards me. "Hey, Sarah! Guess what? Statham and I ran a 5k this morning and I had my best time since college! Statham must have gotten into racing because he grabbed all of these flyers and told me we're doing those races!"

"That's great!" I cheered, but inwardly I groaned. I am thrilled for her and her time, and I'm even more thrilled she wanted to share the news with me, but I am over Statham. I am of the mindset that I'd rather he not exist right now. Snip, snip and cut him out of my life. He's treating me like shit and I think people would be appalled if they knew the whole story—that he came on to me, slept with me and then vehemently denied it while ignoring me—but I can't tell anyone. I just have to suffer silently and pretend like it's okay.

I stood up and brushed the grass off my little red running shorts. The ones Statham flirted with me over. It didn't help matters that we were playing his team today. I turned around and looked at my team. I saw the Leader, Girl from Irish Pub, First Baseman and the Tattooed Boy. I smiled. These are my friends.

"Where's Clemson?" wondered Girl from Irish Pub as she checked out the other team.

"He's out of town at a bachelor party," I answered automatically.

She studied my face, surprised I knew the answer.

The game began. In addition to Clemson being absent, Statham also declined to show. I was grateful and was really able to enjoy myself. It showed. The Tattooed Boy kicked a line drive and I began running from second to third base. The other team caught the ball with the intent of getting me out, but the ball had dropped beneath my feet. If I put my foot down, I would have gotten myself out. Instead I did a classy windmill maneuver, swinging my arms as I tried to balance myself on one foot mid-run and then hopped over the ball as if it were a bad dance. My team laughed hysterically. We beat Statham's team, finishing our regular season ranked higher than his.

Immediately after the game Girl from Irish Pub phoned Statham, "Yeah, we beat you. Are you coming to meet us?" Ugh, it's like he's everywhere.

We headed to the crawfish boil. I met up with an old classmate. As he and I laughed over tales from high school, I saw Statham approach. With his ex-girlfriend in tow. Oh my god.

I shot him a look.

"We're trying to be friends," he said.

"Mmm hmm."

"I can see you don't believe me."

"That's because I don't." The way she was touching the back of his arm proved him to be a liar.

"Look, I'm kind of an expert in this area," I told him. "You can't be friends with people you have loved."

"Then I'm glad I never told her I loved her," he answered.

My mouth dropped open, "Seriously?"

"I take that kind of thing seriously."

In that moment, I was glad that Statham was forever tarnished in my mind. If he didn't love the girl after a year, he had no business being with her. Just like Christopher had no business being with me. Statham says the right things and tries to play up the nice-guy act, but he isn't. He's a snake. I see it now in the treatment of his ex-girlfriend.

He and his ex sat at the table adjacent to me. I felt the energy being sucked out of me. I didn't want to be there anymore. I didn't want to be so close to the situation anymore. The past month has been exhausting and mostly not fun. This isn't me. I am better than this.

I looked at my phone. I wanted to be around people that loved me. And I knew just the girl. She's my South Carolina bestie and she was in town this weekend. Best of all, she gets me because we discovered each other through our blogs. She knows my whole messy story and still accepts and loves me. She was exactly what I needed.

I need you, I sent her.

Come here, lover, she sent back.

I stood up from the table and walked straight out the door, saying goodbye to no one.