Highway of Broken Dreams

Story Submitted by Ron:

Ah, there was Amanda.  I was enchanted from the first day we met, in my hometown in Wisconsin.

She was beautiful and easy to talk to.  Whatever I said, she listened to with sincere interest.  It was wonderful, perfect.  Except, she had a boyfriend - Mark.  Amanda and Mark were an item, and he seemed like a nice enough guy, so I didn't try to get in the way.  And besides, she and her family were moving to Utah shortly, so it would all be moot anyway.

But I was smitten, and desperate times call for desperate measures.  Coincidentally, my sister was moving to Utah too, just a few weeks after Amanda left.  I devised a plan where I'd drive my sister to Utah to help her move, spend a few days there, and during that time, find Amanda and tell her how I felt. 

As soon as I ditched my sister at her new place in Utah, I went and found Amanda.  We hung out all afternoon, went to a little amusement park that evening, did dinner, and had a great time.  I brought her back home, and we talked for a while.  At some point during our talk, she swore off Mark and said that she'd be my girlfriend.  She even agreed to drive back with me to Wisconsin.  Everything was falling into place.

We talked all night and decided to hike up the side of the mountain and watch the sun rise.  As we lay there, hot air balloons lifted off in the valley, and we watched them fly around and land.  It was all just perfect.

Until we got back and got the message that Mark was getting on a plane the next day to visit.  Still, Amanda and I spent the whole day enjoying each others company.  But I could tell some anxiety was setting in, and as we parted ways that night, she told me that she hoped things would work out between her and Mark.  I was crushed.  The next day I had promised to head up to Bear Lake with my sister and friends for the weekend, and Mark would be spending all that time with Amanda.

The Bear Lake trip was agonizing.  When I got back, would Mark and Amanda have worked out their differences?  Would she still like me?  How would it all turn out?  I didn't know, but I did know Mark was with Amanda all that weekend, and I was not, and I was miserable. 

When the trip ended, I rushed over to Amanda's place and, there, walking down the street, was Mark and Amanda, hand in hand.

I had lost, but I wasn't done losing.  The next day, I had planned to head back to Wisconsin, possibly bringing Amanda back with me, to stay for a little while.  But Mark had flown down on a one way ticket.  He needed to be back in Wisconsin, and he needed a ride.  As long as I was already headed back...  "Yes," I said to them, "He can come."

That night, as I was getting ready to spend a nice, quiet evening on my sister's sofa, just me and my depressing thoughts, Mark knocked on the door.

He said, "There's no room at Amanda's.  Can I spend the night here?"

I pulled out a cot, the only place for it in the small apartment was right next to the couch, where I was sleeping.  Right there, my arch nemesis, sleeping by my side like we were the best of friends.

The drive back was 22 hours long, straight through.  I drove for much of it, and there, in the back seat, were Mark and Amanda, all nice and cozy.  I couldn't imagine a worse torture for my broken heart.  My brilliant plan had worked, there she was, riding back with me to Wisconsin, and right back into the arms of the man she loved.  Who wasn't me.