"What do you mean? I barely see you once a week! It's like we're in a long distance relationship when you're only a couple exits away!"
"I know." Guilt sank in. It's true. She's never managed her time any better than she currently was, but she's also never had this many priorities before. "That's why I don't think going any further is a good idea. I can barely see you at this frequency--let alone any more than that."
He was in shock, complete disarray. His jaw hung open for a while before he let out, "I can't believe this!" He immediately drew back. He normally had really good control of his emotions. What was she doing to him?
She knew he didn't want to get upset. She knew she was pushing him too far this time--for his own sake.
His pride, though a little hurt, wasn't going to get in the way this time though. She couldn't run away like this. He wouldn't let her.
She knew he didn't want to get upset. She knew she was pushing him too far this time--for his own sake.
His pride, though a little hurt, wasn't going to get in the way this time though. She couldn't run away like this. He wouldn't let her.
"Babe, listen, we're both young and trying to figure this out and--"
"I'm just so tired. I can't cut anything else out of my life right now, so you just have to go. I don't know how to juggle all these things and just... please," she begged. She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She didn't want to argue. She didn't want to watch him suffer anymore. She didn't have the energy. If they had continued the conversation only a little more, she would have lost track of her point and he would have convinced her to stay.
But he stood there a second too long and watched as she turned and walked away.
Helpless and hopeless.
Helpless and hopeless.
---
It killed her. More than it did last week when she told him to let her go. More than when she walked away. More than when she cried herself to sleep. It killed her, but she'll get over it. Or, so she told herself. It was only temporary and she'll have more time in the long run to focus on her other priorities. She laid there in the silence, just watching the shadows of the clouds inch across her bed through her window. She laid there for what seemed like eternity. This would be the first weekend she wasn't seeing him in months. She was wasting time--time she could have spent with him--but this'll be over soon. She knew this was counter-intuitive. This was her mourning period and she'd get over it soon. Soon, things would be okay again. Soon, she kept repeating.
Bzz, her phone convulsed. Almost instinctively, she reached. Before she knew it, she was reading his words:
"Meet me at the library by your house when you're ready."
It wasn't a demand, but it wasn't a request either. She felt some sense of urgency. What did "ready" mean anyway? Was he just waiting there indefinitely until she showed up? What was he thinking? He spoke as if everything was the same, as if they were still together. It made her question reality. Did they not just break up last week? She looked around to make sure it wasn't a dream. Nightmare. Whatever. Yes, there were used tissue papers scattered all over her room. Yes, her eyes were still puffy from crying that she could barely open them. Yes, it hurt when she pinched herself. But the pain was incomparable to the lulling ache inside her chest.
Her body no longer felt limp. A flurry of emotions pulsed through her body. She was so happy to hear from him. She was so angry that he was making it difficult to escape his gravity. She was so excited to see him again. His crow's feet. His waddle. His touch. Him. She grabbed her pillow to muffle her screams. Exclamations. Whatever. She hated that he still made her feel this way.
The next few minutes were a blur. She couldn't remember much, but before she knew it, she was standing in front of the library with her backpack. Why did she bring a backpack? She stepped through the sliding doors and froze. There he was on the bench, waiting for her. He wasn't idle on the phone like he usually was. His hands clasped and hunched over deep in thought, he didn't see her when she first walked in. He looked like he was praying, but for what? He was just an innocent participant. She was the one that should be asking for forgiveness.
She stood there, watching him the way he watched her every time they were together.
---
"Can you not?" she remarked uncomfortably.
"No, I can not not," he knew double negatives irked her. She rolled her eyes and turned to him.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"Nothing. Just watching you. I feel like I never see you enough, so I'm taking in as much as I can while you're still here." He grinned.
"Oh my god. I see you at least once a week!"
"I know," he said appreciatively, "But it's never enough. I will never get enough of you."
---
It's true that he didn't see her when she first entered, but a moment later, he knew. He felt her presence in other ways--whether it be the familiar scent of her perfume or the sound of her uneven footsteps. He could never forget.
The next few minutes were a blur. She couldn't remember much, but before she knew it, she was standing in front of the library with her backpack. Why did she bring a backpack? She stepped through the sliding doors and froze. There he was on the bench, waiting for her. He wasn't idle on the phone like he usually was. His hands clasped and hunched over deep in thought, he didn't see her when she first walked in. He looked like he was praying, but for what? He was just an innocent participant. She was the one that should be asking for forgiveness.
She stood there, watching him the way he watched her every time they were together.
---
"Can you not?" she remarked uncomfortably.
"No, I can not not," he knew double negatives irked her. She rolled her eyes and turned to him.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"Nothing. Just watching you. I feel like I never see you enough, so I'm taking in as much as I can while you're still here." He grinned.
"Oh my god. I see you at least once a week!"
"I know," he said appreciatively, "But it's never enough. I will never get enough of you."
---
It's true that he didn't see her when she first entered, but a moment later, he knew. He felt her presence in other ways--whether it be the familiar scent of her perfume or the sound of her uneven footsteps. He could never forget.
He grabbed her hand like nothing had changed and dragged her to the self-help section, where he pulled out a time management book and presented it to her in all its glossy glory. Before my brain could stop my body from following him, I heard myself reading the title aloud: "Making It Worthwhile." I looked up at him, his hand still held in mine.
"We're not over yet. We're not over until we've read and studied all the time management books we can find--until you realize you can always make time for the things that count. If you wanna end this, you're gonna have to find a better reason than time."
I stood on my tip-toes and kissed him. It was one of those kisses that evolved into a smile halfway: an awkward kiss-smile limbo. But a limbo that I didn't mind because I was happy. Because he makes me happy. And that's all that matters now.
