Another Goodbye - Snippet

Another Goodbye

"Please, stop." He pleaded as they reached the top of the spiral staircase.

"What?" She asked, walking in ahead of him and putting down the pile of books she was carrying on the table.

"I cannot fight any longer." He looked at the floor.

"But we aren't fighting." She says not moving from where she was a few steps away from him.

"I am." He says, walking past her and sitting cross-legged on the table next to where she was standing. He rests his face in his hands and pretends to admire the wooden cupboard in front of him.

She starts moving the books around.

As she places each book into one of the three separate piles she had created, "I've been a horrible friend haven't I." She asks rhetorically.

Yet he answers, "I'm not one of those people who stick around if they don't feel welcome."
She suddenly stills. He continues, "No. You're not a horrible friend. You're not an amazing friend either. But we both have our problems. Yet you accept me as I accept you."

"Do you truly believe that?" She keeps all the books down.

"If I didn't I wouldn't be here." He turns on the table to sit facing towards her.

"Do you think we should be more?" She asks.

"I did, for a while." He nods sadly.

"And now?"

"Now I know for sure."

"Then why don't you ask me again?" She asks.

"Because I know you would say yes."

Her heart flutters but she doesn't show. "And?" She asks.

"I don't want it to be like before. I never want us to have another goodbye." His eyes turn stony with the memory of their past.

"I don't think we will." She says softly.

"How do you know?" He asks not wanting to sound too hopeful.

"Because at the end of the day after everything is said and done, I'd still go looking for you."