No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

or sandwiches. Since we’re in a small town there weren’t too many in my class, but the ones who came over loved it.

“Looking good.” I hear from behind me and I shiver, and not in a good way, on top of the feeling of throwing up.

I turn to find him. The once love of my life. The one who I thought I’d marry, who I’d follow to the ends of the earth.

That wasn’t the case. But, I can see that the years have been kind to Hawke. He looks even better now. No wrinkles like the rest of us have, and his hair is still dark brown, not a strand of gray. And he looks pretty fit.

“Hey.” I wave awkwardly, not sure what to say after not seeing one another in this many years.

“You’re back?” He asks, seeming surprised to see me in one piece and right now if I could, I would punch his face.

“I am.” I answer him matter-of-factly.

“Just passing through?” Hawke questions.

“Nope, I’m home for good,” I reply with a tight smile.

He nods like I’m nothing and walks off. That hurts since I loved him my whole life. His ass is nice and tight in his wranglers and it really cements the fact life isn’t fair.

We had it good. He was the one who made me live out of my comfort zone and try new things. I fell and I fell hard for the rodeo king. But before long I told him I was leaving and I found out how much I really meant to him. Or rather, how little I did.

Chapter Four

Sienna

Fifteen years ago . . .

I graduated and now I can blow this town. I hang my cap and gown in my closet and throw on some jeans and a t-shirt, and head out to talk to Hawke about what happens after school, what happens now that I’ve graduated. We’ve been so busy with finals we haven’t had much time to talk.

He’s sitting on his truck in his front yard. Ava and another girl are sitting with him.

“Oh good, you’re both here,” I say softly.

“What’s up?” He leans over and kisses me swiftly on the lips.

“I’m joining the military,” I whisper.

There’s nothing but silence until Ava’s friend, not mine, starts laughing.

“You? You can’t even run a mile in gym class.” The girl chuckles.

“That’s what basic is for.” I look to see what my best friend and boyfriend think.

“Sienna, do you really think this is good for you?” Ava asks.

“I think it will be,” I say.

“Okay, well, I support you and your happiness.” Ava nods.

“Well this was fun while it lasted,” Hawke says.

“What?”

“I’m not following you if that’s what you think. This, us, it was fun while it lasted. We all knew it would end sometime,” he snaps, like he doesn’t even give a damn about what I just said.

“I love you,” I state, ready to pour my heart out to this man and fight for our relationship. He might think he can just close the chapter in our book, but no, not now, not when I’m making such a huge sacrifice for our country. Not when he’s my soulmate.

“I don’t,” he sneers and takes Ava’s friend’s hand, tugs her to him until she’s toppling over Ava and forces a kiss on her lips. I stand in disbelief at what’s happening before my eyes, until the tears come, and suddenly all the fight I had in me dissipates in thin air. I turn and run as fast as I can hearing Ava screaming my name, but I don’t stop, and I certainly don’t look back. I can’t believe this, but more than that, I can’t believe how love can hurt.

Chapter Five

Sienna

Present day . . .

Seeing him brings up memories I don’t want to remember, not even the good ones. Five years later after all of that, and I’d have not only a couple deployments under my belt but a new puppy and a kitten.

I’ve found that guys don’t want to date military girls. I’m not sure for their reasoning behind it, but I’ve tried those dating apps and once I say I’m in the military, the guys stop talking to me. They just completely ghost me, which is fucking insane. And hurtful at times. I mean if you don’t like someone, have the balls to say it, just don’t ghost. It’s a dick move. As for the guys online, I guess it’s because I don’t need them to come kill a spider for me, that I’m not good enough because I can stand up tall and handle my own. Or maybe it’s because I can kick their ass. I snicker to myself, getting a good laugh out of that one. Or maybe it’s because I’m a little bit bigger than other girls. Some would say fat, I say pleasantly plump.

At the end of the day, I don’t know what it is, but I won’t let a man make me feel inferior. I walk back over to my dad and he pays. We head out to the car, again, stopping to talk to everyone who realizes I’m back. Oh, what a joy.

I turn when I see Ava coming out of the store and she’s holding hands with Hawke. My stomach burns with anger, betrayal, and worst of all . . . heartbreak. It’s crazy how all these years have flown by and I still have feelings for him. Yet here in this Walmart parking lot, my life is shattering all over again.

“Sienna?” My mom looks at me with concern.

“Let’s go home, please,” I’m practically begging.

Now that I think about it, I should’ve seen this coming. I don’t know why I thought that he’d wait for me. Although, a part of me wishes he did. But for Ava to do this to me, knowing that I still loved him, that’s downright cruel.

She always talked about him when I talked to her. I should’ve seen through my clouded lovesick haze to