When The Day Met The Night

56

"Thanks" Rian says and walks away. All I want to do is grab her and kiss her and tell her to come back to me. But I can't do that, she has moved on and I should too. I just can't get myself to fully get over her. I thought I was over her, I really did but seeing her everyday makes me wish we were together again.
Ryan comes next to me and places a hand on my shoulder.
"The one that got away" he sighs looking from her to me.
"Yeah." I match his sigh and walk back to the stage with him.
"But maybe she isn't. You love her right?" he asks.
"With all my heart" I say.
"Then get her back. Why aren't you guys together in the first place?"
"Because I thought we weren't meant to be. Remember? But we are. Because if we weren't I wouldn't be so heartbroken. I should have known then that relationships go through trials and tests and if you can work past them then that's what really matters."
"Where did those words of wisdom come from?" He asks.
"My therapist."
"You have a therapist?" He asks in awe like it's taboo.
"Yes. Ever since Rian and I broke up. I mean I'm heart broken. He said that it wasn't that we weren't meant to be it was that we weren't trying hard enough to be"
"Wow. So what are you gunna do?"
"Get her back some how." I sigh.

After a lot of thinking I know what I have to do.

I knock on Rians door and suck in a breath as Delilah answers.
"Brendon." She says with a smirk. "She's in here, in the bathroom." She moves away from the door and lets me come in. I take a seat on Rians bed and wait for her to come out.
"I'll...be back" Delilah says slyly and leaves the room. The door opens and Rian comes out in her pajamas.
"Hey D-" she almost says and stops when she sees me. "Brendon, what are you doing here?" She asks, dropping her arms to her sides.
"To talk to you" I tell her.
"Well if we're doing that, let me go first." She starts. "I fucked up when I left you 2 months ago. I loved you and was just so messed up about what happened. I wanted you to come chase me but I realized that, that was childish of me. I was gunna stay in Michigan but I wanted to see if there was still a chance with you and when you turned me down I was devastated, but I can see you're happy with Ryan now." She sits down next to me.
"Ri- I'm not with Ryan. We're just friends" I almost laugh. "I came to explain something to you. I am so in love with you. I want to spend forever with you and I hate that I didn't get back together with you then. And now all I want to do is spend the rest of my life with you. Wherever we are, whatever we are doing. As long as I'm with you, I don't care." I tell her.
"So what are you asking?" She smiles.
"For us to go back, and just be together like how it was. Before all of the bullshit." I offer.
"Of course Brendon. I thought you'd never ask." She tears up. I lean over and kiss her. "For a minute there I thought you were proposing." She laughs.
"No" I snort. "I won't be doing that again."
"Wait, what?" She asks. "You never want to get married again?"
"No, I mean-I spent 10 years with Sarah. We were married for 8. I thought she was the one and she wasn't and it ended messily. I just don't want it to happen again."
"I can't believe this. You never want to get married?! Brendon I want to get married. And if you don't want to get married than I...I don't think this could work out." She stands up.
"Rian come on, marriage isn't even that big of a deal"
"I've always wanted to get married. Brendon I love you but if you can't marry me than I can't be with you. I'm sorry" she tells me. "And if we can't be together than I can't be your photographer"
"Rian, come on. Please don't do this to me-to us" he begs.
"Tell me there's more this relationship than just being together and I'll stay"
"Of course there's more. I'm in love with you."
"Marriage?"
"I...I don't know. I didn't think I'd get remarried."
"I can't stick around for "I don't know". I'm sorry. Can you leave? I'll be gone in the morning but just please leave"
"Rian please don't" I beg. I can't believe we can't be together because of something so stupid.
"Go" she orders and I get up, walking glumly out the door.
"So this is it? Because I won't marry you, you won't be with me?"
"I'm sorry" she sighs and shuts the door in my face.