Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

That Sounds Like A Bigger Regret

Viv paused for a second, the winced, "There's more complications then that?" She seemed rather surprised.

I rolled my eyes, "You're not helping," I hid my face in my hands, already regretting talking to anyone about it.

"We'll figure this out, don't worry," Viv quickly tried to calm me down, "Start by telling me who this is maybe," she suggested.

I let out a very nervous laugh, shaking my head.

"Okay," Viv tried to support me with the very little information she had, but I could see the stress bubbling underneath, "Why don't you think she likes you back?"

I shrugged, "I just don't think she does, it doesn't make sense for her to."

"And why's that?"

I took a moment to think about why I had this deep-rooted belief that Hunter would never like me back, "She doesn't seem like someone to like someone like me."

Viv scoffed, "Who wouldn't like someone like you?"

I thought of how best to phrase it, "Someone who is like an adventure."

"What? She likes adventures?" Viv tried to set the facts straight.

I shook my head, knowing it sounded strange but clueless at how else to word it, "She's an adventure."

Viv sighed, her eyes met mine and I felt it all fall into place in her mind, "It's Hunter, isn't it?"

I looked away, not having the confidence to confirm it, yet not wanting to deny the fact.

"Okay," Jill breathed, my silence being a conformation of her theory, "Well I'd love to say that I didn't see it coming but-"

"You did," I finished off her sentence rather bluntly.

Viv nodded, running a hand through her hair, "I don't know what to say Jill," She admitted. 

"Tell me what you honestly think," I responded, knowing it for well could break me.

"I think that Hunter loves you, I see it in the way she looks at you and she feels safe but that girl would run circles around you for the rest of your life," Viv explained rather metaphorically.

"What does that mean?" 

Viv ever so slightly shook her head, "It means that I think you're great, I think Hunter is great but I don't see how you'd ever be on the same page. And to be very honest, I think you're playing with fire and you've never been good at getting burnt."

I raised my eyebrows, surprised with the truth in Viv's words. In no way was she being rude to Hunter, she was right. I think Hunter was the most fiery person I'd ever met, this bright flame surrounded her and it was probably a reason I'd been so drawn to her at first, but I didn't know how to deal with fire as I was the exact opposite.
Hunter lived life at a million miles an hour, I liked to take it slow yet there were times when we both were at peace, just strolling through life together. 

So Viv was right, we shouldn't make sense but somehow we did.

"I don't know Viv, it seems to work," I shrugged, not knowing what else to tell her.

"You two do seem happy together," she commented.

"We are," I immediately answered, it wasn't even a question. 

Viv's next question caught me slightly off-guard, "Then why don't you take that jump?"

"Because what if I ruin what we already have?" The thought scared me, the idea of loosing Hunter terrified me.

"You'll never be certain but what if it worked out? And if you don't try, you'll never know and spend forever wondering. That sounds like a bigger regret to me."

I huffed, patting Viv on the back, "Never known you to be so philosophical," I partly joked, overwhelmed by the messages behind her words. 

"I'm going to guess I did a good job," Viv grinned. 

"I'm not sure if we figured it out but I've got a lot to think about," I sighed, knowing she'd only left me with more questions and almost a bigger problem but perhaps I was a step closer to the resolution. 

"I hope whatever happens, you end up happy with it Jill," Viv smiled.

"I do too," I chuckled, knowing that if my decision went the wrong way it could be the biggest mistake of my life, "And can we keep this between you and me?"

"Of course," Viv assured me, "No one else will know a thing."

I was thankful to have a friend like Viv, she'd always been there for me over the years. "We better get back to the table," I suggested.

"They'll be missing us," Viv laughed.

As I walked back into the room I saw a sight which had been the last thing I expected. My eyes widened, questioning where to look first, as my heart immediately sped up.

It seemed like I'd walked from one situation which seemed scary enough, into an even more dramatic one. 

Exactly the fire I'd never known how to deal with.