Broken Fairytales (53 page)

I nodded a few times
. “I don’t want to think about it either
,” I said, not sure I could say much else without breaking down.
There were a lot of things I didn’t want to think about.

God, how I would miss him. I fought with everything in me to keep it together,
but
knowing I would never see him again
, it was just too hard
. I wanted more than anything to just have one more perfect day with him, but I knew it wasn’t possible.
He’d already made up his mind that we weren’t right for each other, and that was that.
Plus he had more i
mportant things to focus on than a girl who fell
way too hard
for him
when she should have known better.

“It really was a great summer,” he said then, his teary eyes meeting mine. “
I’m so grateful that I got the chance to know you. You are truly a special person, Emily Cole, and I hope you find what you’re looking for, once you realize what that is.
Just don’t lose sight of who you are – remember that.
”

I nodded as t
ears flowed down my cheeks
. H
e released my hand and set it back in my lap
. I couldn’t stop the tears
from falling
. I knew in
that moment just one thing I wanted, but it was slipping out of my grip. Out of instinct, and because I wanted to do it one last time, I reached up and cupped his cheek with my hand. He leaned into it, closing his eyes for a beat, as if letting some of his pain go for a just a few moments.

“You’ll get through this, Zack. You’ll be okay,” I said, hoping he would see I was right.

He nodded a few times
but didn’t respond. I wanted to tell him he could call me, but I didn’t think he’d want
to do that. I didn’t think he’d want to see me again.
He came by to see me to tell me goodbye, and he meant it
.

“Please take care of yourself
,” he said
softy
,
before he leaned down to kiss me one last time
, pressing his
lips firmly against mine for a
few seconds before he pulled away
.

Then
he
walked off t
he porch to his motorcycle that was parked at the end of our driveway. I watched him ride away, and w
hen he finally disappeared, I let the tears fall
again
, my whole body shaking as I cried uncontrollably on the front porch wishing I could turn back time.

To be continued . . .

Look for
Buried Castles
, the
continuation
Zack and Emily’s story
, out in Fall 2012.

Thanks so much for reading
Broken Fairytales
.
I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it and developing the characters that helped bring the story to life. It is
my
third
novel, and my first foray into the
Mature
YA Fiction. My
other
novel
s
,
Just Watch the Fireworks
and
Aftershocks
are
also available in e-book format online.

Books have always
had a big
part in my life, and I probably spend
way
more time
reading
that I should, engrossed in the stories that keep me captivated. In addition to books, I have a serious love for the Florida Gators and the Boston Red Sox
, I am addicted to fashion, and I never go anywhere without my iPod
. Give me a grande non-fat vanilla latte from Starbucks and chips and queso from Tijuana Flats, and I am a happy girl.

I am a total sucker for romantic comedies in all forms, because at the end of the day I just want to laugh and see some really great people fall in love. When those stories are mixed with an awesome soundtrack, it just doesn’t get much better than that.

You can read more about me online at:
http://www.goodreads.com/monicaalexander

I listen to music constantly
, so
inevitably
songs have a way of working themselves into my stories, but this was even truer with
Broken Fairytales
since music was an underlying theme all throughout
the book
. Below is a playlist of the songs I hear when I
read the book. Of course, I had to leave out the Liar’s Edge songs because, as much
as I wish they were a real band
with real songs, they’re completely fictional. I can’t write music to save my life, and my
guitar skills are even worse, s
o imagination will have to suffice for those songs, but all others are below are real.
Some
songs
I referenced in the book itself
, some Zack played,
and others are just ones that
I felt fit in nicely with story. Enjoy!

Disloyal Order of the Water Buffalo – Fall Out Boy

This Too Shall Pass – OK Go

Move Along – The All-American Rejects

Glimpse – Liar’s Edge

Panic Switch – Silversun Pickups

Brick By Boring Brick – Paramore

Paradise – Coldplay

Welcome to Oblivion – Mayday Parade

Sidewalks (Acoustic Version) – Story of the Year

All That I’ve Got – The Used

Architects – Rise Against

Paint it Black – The Rolling Stones

Hotel California
–
The Eagles

Shake it Out – Florence + the Machine

Yellow Ledbetter – Pearl Jam

Heart-Shaped Box – Nirvana

Just Like Anyone – Soul Asylum

Monster – Skillet

I’ve Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth – Fall Out Boy

Good Girl – Carrie Underwood

Runaway – Mat Kearney

Never Let Me Go – Florence + the Machine

Fall Away – Liar’s Edge

Halo – Haley James Scott

Only Girl (In the World) – Rihanna

Love Like Winter – AFI

Regret – Liar’s Edge

Something Beautiful – Needtobreathe

The Great Filling
Station Hold
up – Jimmy Buffett

Under a Paper Moon – All Time Low

Thank You – The Little Heroes

Mysterious Ways – U2

Heavily Broken – The Veronica

Jump – Liar’s Edge

Waiting for the End – Linkin Park

Let Me Go – 3 Doors Down

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