Romancing the Rebound

31

୨𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚢୧

Kicking someone out is never a fun task. It always gets messy. Feelings are hurt, things that shouldn't be said are said, and a couple of things are thrown. At least that's my experience.

Since it's not a fun thing, you kind of have to find the little things to entertain yourself while the exhausting task sorts itself out. It goes slowly and painfully, but it ultimately does end. You just have to wait for it.

My source of entertainment is the fact that when I get to the house and begin the process, Veronica spends the entire time completely unaware that she has some lipstick on her tooth. That's amusing for a good long twenty-five minutes before I get bored of it and it becomes unsatisfying. At that point, I warn her just so she wipes it away awkwardly.

The entire thing lasts for about two hours. A lot less than I expected, to be honest. A few more things are broken that I didn't expect, but I guess it's okay. It ends up being pictures in frames I don't want anymore anyway. I think the cut down time is due to the fact that I already have a number from Skylar for a lawyer that I guess can help me with what I need. Veronica hates that shit, so she calms down pretty quick when I mention it.

Interestingly, at the very end she pauses and turns to me. She watches me for a long moment before she frowns and finally asks the question I half expected. "Are we really doing this, Danny?"

Her voice is soft and sad. Unsure and a little afraid. Even after hearing such emotions along with the defeated look I'd normally give into, I don't even feel my shoulders soften. There's no urge to reach for her and at least give her a goodbye hug. I sort of just feel...indifferent about it. About her. And I know I've been saying I hate her, and she's done so much wrong by both me and Logan, but it still surprises me.

I expected this to be harder than I thought. So much so that I told Skylar I'd just call her when I was finished instead of letting her come with me like she offered. I didn't want her thinking I wanted Veronica back just from whatever way I might look at her. I thought this was going to be harder. I thought I'd feel more.

Is it wrong that I don't?

"I would've understood."

She watches me in silence for a long time. "Understood what?" She eventually whispers.

"If you'd just told me." I chuckle and shake my head. "Recently. After I proposed, even. If you'd just told me that you think you made a mistake at any point in time." I smile a little and shrug softly. "I would've understood. It'd have killed me—But I would've survived. And maybe in time we could all be friends like we always have been."

Tears slip down her cheeks as she stares. "I'm really sorry, Danny." Her voice breaks as she weakly offers me an apology she's given a thousand times by now.

I shake my head though. "You're not sorry." I decide. "If you were sorry, you wouldn't have let things get as far as they have." I reason. "You wouldn't have ruined friendships, you wouldn't have tried to ruin a relationship, and you wouldn't have caused Logan problems that he still refuses to admit exist." I insist. Genuine ache crosses Veronica's face at that. I think it's the first time I've seen it this entire time.

She actually is in love with him. I don't know why I thought she wasn't. She nuked our entire relationship and friendship for him, but for some reason I still didn't quite believe it.

"I am sorry." She whispers, still insisting.

"Prove it." I challenge. "Stop fighting fights you know are wrong. Just let it go."

She doesn't say anything for a long minute. Ultimately though, she takes a deep breath and nods softly. "Okay." She whispers, voice breaking in the middle. She nods again as she reaches down for her suitcase on the floor. Soon, we're going to have to figure out how the hell we're going to get her things out. For now, all she has is her suitcases.