Allow yourself to grow

 Lizzy was ready to come home. With a little help from her brother, she would have her own apartment now. It just wasn't right to move back in with Liam. Of course, she hadn't exactly told him any of this. They were doing good to daily text each other about the little things. 

She'd tried to keep in touch with him through the awesome video game he texted about daily. Hoping it would open a new door. And it did, but not with Liam, with someone else.

Keir was helpful with the game. He helped her learn all the know-hows of the game and somehow she had more fun with him off line than online. He liked to chat too. They were on the phone a lot. And there were the video chats too.

She mentioned this to Valentina who she still kept in touch with. They'd spent summers together at the bakery and with the pandemic and all, it felt great to nurture their friendship. Of course, Val had no information about Liam. "I don't think he remembers me," Val said about Liam. Besides, she hadn't seen him in so long. "I wasn't sure he was even around anymore."

Lizzy recalled how she loved Liam at first sight, but he was hard to know. She never had a clue what was on his mind. "I guess he was just my first love, and you know what they say about first love."

"No, what do they say?" Valentina asked.

"Oh, Val. You know, very well. Ollie broke your heart," Lizzy remembered.

"Does this mean, you'll break Liam's heart?"

"Don't say things like that," Lizzy winced, thinking she could eat a whole tub of chocolate ice cream about now. It was making her nervous about her move. But she'd worked so hard these months with strength training and diet. She couldn't give that up.

"But I do know, Keir lives in town, and it'll be fun seeing him in person," Lizzy doubted they dated. She was happy to be on her own.