Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Slipping on Heart Shards ❯ The Rest of My Life ( Chapter 4 )

It was comforting to sit and watch the sunrise. Sunrises had always been her favorite and she had always hated that she'd grown to associate a sunrise with him. She'd only ever come out to watch sunsets in the past, but now… Now she was happy. It wasn't fair to herself at all that she had deprived herself of doing this for two years.

 

But now she was there, sitting on the beach as the sun rose over the horizon. She didn't even feel his presence that much anymore, and with the rising of the sun, realizations surfaced; realizations that she hadn't had to think about in a long time.

 

He must have sensed something in her because he asked, “What's on your mind?” Oh, what a complicated answer she had for him.

 

“A lot of things,” she whispered, drawing her knees up to her chest. “You know what I realized about a year ago?”

 

He must have known it was a rhetorical question because he didn't say anything.

 

“I've come to accept the fact that I don't want to get back with you. Not really. I always wanted you to be happy, but I always wanted you to be happy with me. And I guess that eventually, I started to truly want you to be happy with someone else.”

 

She fell silent, thinking of what else she wanted to say. She was grateful that he kept quiet because she wasn't sure how she would react to anything he said.

 

“I miss you. I miss going to those parties with you, hanging out with you, laughing, talking, just enjoying life with you.” She paused for a moment. “But when I think back on the memories that are clearest of those times, that I cherish most, they aren't when we were being all boyfriend-girlfriend; they were the times that we were friends. The times where our friendship meant more and was more than anything else.”

 

It was after a few moments of silence that he responded. “Are you saying you just want to be friends?”

 

She looked at him, a smile on her face. “No. I'm saying that I want my friend back.”

 

“But that's the same-”

 

“No, it's not. Think back, Ryan. When we were friends, were we ever just friends?”

 

He looked at her as those words sunk in.

 

“I'm not saying that you have a second chance, but I'm not saying you don't. What I am saying is that I want us before we started dating. I want the flirting, the teasing, the companionship, because it was during that time that I knew you best. If the friendship goes somewhere, then it goes somewhere. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But I want my best friend back.”

 

He sat there and thought for a moment, figuring out what that meant for the two of them in the future. “Are you going to get mad if I try anything, though?”

 

“Did you try things then?”

 

He smiled then, realizing everything she was asking. “So you want that back, exactly as it was?”

 

She smiled and nodded.

 

“I can do that.”

 

*

 

The reception was beautiful. They decided on a black tie affair, everyone dressed in tuxes and gowns. Candles were littered around the entire area, offering light in places the moon and stars couldn't illuminate. The dance floor was uncovered and the weather could not be more perfect. It was everything she ever wanted.

 

After the first couple dances, the two found themselves talking next to one of the tables, graciously left alone.

 

“You look beautiful,” he whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.

 

She smiled in return, tugging on his jacket. “You don't look so bad yourself.”

 

He grinned, that charming boyish grin she had always loved seeing. The song changed, shifting their mood just a little. She waited a few seconds. “You wanna dance?”

 

He glanced around quickly. “You sure that's okay?”

 

“Why the hell wouldn't it be?”

 

He flashed the grin again, holding out his arm. She took his arm and they walked to the dance floor. “You did a wonderful job with setting up this wedding,” he whispered as they started dancing. “It's perfect.”

 

She beamed. “Thank you. I wasn't sure if everything was going to work out, but I'm really glad it did.”

 

“Would you be up for decorating another wedding?”

 

“Another? Who's getting married?” Her eyes widened. “Are you going to finally ask her?!”

 

He feigned annoyance. “Finally? What are you talking about?”

 

“Ryan, please. You two have been dating for as long as me and Christian-”

 

“Christian and I,” he corrected.

 

“No, me and Christian. You aren't with him.”

 

He rolled his eyes and smiled, spinning her around.

 

“Anyway, you've been dating her as long as me and Christian have been talking,” she continued. “And it's not like you can say you're not looking for anything serious. I know you, Ryan, and I know better than to believe that bullshit.”

 

He grinned before leaning down, putting his mouth right against her ear. “When you get back from your honeymoon, I'll show you the ring I bought her.”

 

Her squeal forced him to jerk his head away as his ear started ringing. He was abruptly pulled into a hug that stopped their dancing immediately. He glanced around before whispering again. “Okay, now act like I just told you what I bought you as your wedding present.”

 

“Is this why you told me what you got us yesterday?” she whispered.

 

“Yes.”

 

She squeezed again before pulling away. “Thank you,” she said a little louder. Her eyes were tearing up. “Thank you, so much.”

 

A man walked up to them, a small smile on his face. “What are you doing Ryan, getting my wife to yell like that?” His smile widened as he said the word “wife”.

 

“Just sharing a surprise,” he replied, giving up his hold of Jesse to allow her to step into the arms of her new husband.

 

“I told you she'd like the gift,” a woman said, walking up to the trio and putting her arm around Ryan.

 

“Thank you, Laura,” Jesse said, still smiling. “You shouldn't have done that.”

 

“We don't have to,” Laura teased. “I don't have a problem taking it back and finding something we `should have done'.”

 

“No, that's okay,” Jesse replied quickly, making the guys laugh. “We'll suffer.”

 

Laura smiled, leaning into Ryan's side. “Alright, dear, I want to dance. Let's go.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the newly wedded couple further onto the dance floor.

 

“They are perfect together,” Jesse said, watching the two start to dance.

 

“Eh, I guess,” Christian shrugged behind her before spinning her around and pulling her into a dance, “but I know who's even more perfect together.”

 

“Well of course. There's no better match than my parents.”

 

He laughed. “True, but I was thinking of a younger couple.”

 

She smiled, staring at him. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.” He leaned down and kissed her, keeping it short and sweet even when she tried to prolong it. “Not here,” he teased. “We have a room to do that in.”

 

“And more,” she replied.

 

He groaned. “Oh come on. I was doing so good not thinking about that.”

 

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

 

“Hell no. I've been thinking about it all day.”

 

She laughed and kissed him again. They danced in silence for a few moments, content just staring at each other. It felt good to her, dancing in the arms of the love of her life, knowing her best friend was doing the same. She'd been waiting for so long for this moment and just couldn't believe it was actually happening.

 

“What are you thinking about?” he whispered.

 

She looked at him for a moment. “You.”

 

“Why? You have the rest of eternity to do that.”

 

“And I want to start now.”

 

He knelt down, getting to about eye level with her. “I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

 

She smiled as her eyes watered up.

 

“You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not.” He flashed a smile. “I'm never letting go of you.”

 

A tear slid down her cheek. “You better not.”

 

He slowly brushed his lips against her cheek, lightly kissing the skin and catching her tear. “My wife,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “Mine for the rest of my life.”