“It does?” His eyes took on a sheen. I reached for his hands, and he let me take them in mine. I squeezed gently.
“Yes. Ronny just because I don’t love you like that anymore doesn’t mean I didn’t ever love you. You don’t get to take that back. I did love you, and that song, just like you, will always have a special place in my heart.”
He nodded.
“I kind of feel the same way,” he sighed, pulling his hands away. He raised them to his hair and ran his fingers through the mess on top. “After that last fight with Tate. That night he recorded you. Something in me snapped. We fought, and then I went home and thought about everything. You, me, him. It was all so fucked up. I couldn’t do it anymore. I wasn’t even sure what I was fighting for anymore. You had already made your decision.”
I cringed, thinking of what Tate had done. It was mortifying. I let him talk to me and do things to me that wasn’t... me. It was like he had turned into a totally different person and in response, so had I. Ronny waited for me to look back up at him before continuing.
“I sat fuming for days before it finally hit me. I had spent months stoking my fury because I couldn’t acknowledge that it was sadness I was feeling. I wasn’t angry with you, I was heartbroken and I didn’t know how to handle it. I’ve never been truly in love with someone before you and the realization that it was over hit me. I couldn’t understand things.”
Oh Ronny. My heart cried for him. My own eyes started to well up with his words.
“I thought long and hard about the things I had done. The things he had done in retaliation. I don’t blame him, honestly. Leaving the journal out for me to find, that phone call of you two... together. I get it. I couldn’t say I wouldn’t do the same. Hell, I’m not proud of it but I used to throw our sex life in his face every chance I had. I kind of deserve it.”
I blinked. What?
“But regardless, I realized then that it was time. Things were escalating and not getting any better. I could fight with Tate over and over again and it wouldn’t bring you back to me. I had to let you go. So, here we are.”
“Here we are,” I repeated back to him. He lips twitched upwards a hair.
“I want you to be happy, even if it’s not with me.”
I was speechless. The silence stretched between us before his body relaxed and he opened his arms for me to fall into.
“Come on, I mean it. I know that if you stayed with me out of pity, I wouldn’t be happy either. So let me let you go.”
“Oh, Ronny,” I sighed and hurried to hug him. He wrapped his arms around me. I didn’t want to let go and didn’t. Eventually he patted me on the back and started gently nudging me away from him.
“I want to remain friends,” he chuckled. “You’re a great person, and extremely talented. I know it’s going to be hard to shift back to how we were before we started dating, but I look forward to being your friend again. If you want that.” He looked more nervous than he had all night. I smiled, letting him relax.
“Of course! I want so badly for us to still be close. Despite my relationship with Tate, I won’t ever forget or regret my relationship with you. You’re one of my best friends. I can’t just drop you out of my life.”We hugged again and for the first time in a long time, I felt a real connection with Ronny.
He called the driver back and we climbed into his car quickly. My back was damp from the light fountain spray, making the car ride slightly uncomfortable.
“Are we going home now?” I asked, looking out the window again. I was starting to recognize some streets.
“I am. After I drop you off. Your night’s not done yet.”
I turned my head towards him and cocked it to the side. What? Ronny’s face took on a look of amusement.
“I’m not the only one who needs to apologize for my behavior,” he said and then pointed out his window. I peered out and my stomach filled with nervous, excited butterflies. We had just pulled into the plaza where Hitcher’s, the bookstore Tate had bought in his attempt to win my heart back was. It had done the trick, although he never really lost my heart at all. As we grew closer, I saw a slim, familiar figure standing outside the dark building. My heart skipped a beat.Tate.
The car stopped right in front of him. He walked over before I could open the door and he opened it for me. He peered in, nodding to Ronny. Ronny waved at him, giving him a genuine smile. It was a small one, but an honest one. Which meant more to me than he knew. I hugged Ronny one last time, whispering “Thank you.” In his ear before climbing out.
Tate and I stood side by side as the car pulled out of the parking lot and headed for Ronny’s home. Only when the car was out of sight did he reach for my hand. They locked together comfortably, as if our hands were meant for each other’s.
“I take it your conversation with Ronny went well?”
“It did. I think we’re in a good place.”
“Good, because it’s time we get there too.”
I peered up at him with curiosity.
“It is?”
He nodded, and then turned halfway. He motioned with his empty hand towards the dark building behind us.
