Light in the darkness

11. The hardest goodbye

It's been a week since Alice came to the Construction site to talk to FP and he still didn't get over it. It was something so unexpected, but it felt so damn right, like nothing else he had experienced in the past years. All he could think about was her lips, rosy cheeks, and ocean blue eyes, but also the sorrow, fear, and tears. He could still feel her presence, her energy, her soul right next to his.

He left her without saying goodbye. He was about to leave the town for a long time and did the same thing she had done nearly six years ago. He knew, that she had done it in the worst possible way, but how could he pretend, that he forgave her when he didn't?

With his mind still spiraling around Alice, FP tried his best to pack everything he needed for the ride into the bag. It was hard to gather the thoughts when all of his clothes were lying far-flung around the whole room.

Maybe it wasn't a huge bedroom, but still, he spending most of the time searching for a pair of socks, he had thrown under the bed or a favorite t-shirt, that suddenly disappeared from his sight for some unknown reason.

It was hard for FP to leave, it truly was. Riverdale was the town, he had spent a beautiful time in. He had found his very first best friend as well as his very first love. But he had no other choice if he wanted to forget about Alice, had he? FP sighed tiredly and glanced around the empty room. It was all a little bit too much. He could already feel the emptiness in his heart, the feeling of guiltiness taking over him. It was his home and now he was leaving it behind with everything else in his hometown.

He reached to his nightstand to grab the alarm clock Fred had given him as a present right after he signed the employment contract with Andrews Constructions. He knew him way too well and knew, that it had always been hard for FP to get up early so the gift seemed to be perfect, and it was.

Suddenly the shiver went down FP's spine when he reached for the grip of the tiny drawer. He knew way too well what was hidden inside and hesitated a little before he opened it.

There it was. The beautiful old frame with a familiar photo inside. Photo of him and Alice. She was cuddled into his chest while he was holding her close sitting on the shore of Sweetwater River, watching the sunset. It was one of the most magical moments he remembered. The scent of her vanilla shampoo, her warm body next to his. He remembered all of the kisses, her soft giggles, and love. The love filling the air every single time he was around her.

He was ripped out of his thoughts as soon as he heard steps towards the room. Without a doubt it was Gladys. He put the frame into the bag and placed a hoodie on it so that it was fully covered.

FP stood up from the bed and tried to stay as calm as possible when he heard her opening the door. Although he knew, that Gladys was the one walking into his bedroom he wondered that maybe, just maybe it was the woman of his dreams. That maybe it was Alice.

As soon as he felt the smell of cigarettes melted with the familiar scent of whiskey, he had no doubts, it was Gladys. She sneaked her arms around his waist from behind and pressed a sloppy kiss on his neck.

"How is packing going, handsome?" She asked, grudgingly letting go of FP, so that he could reach the t-shirts that were lying somewhere in between the widely spread socks.

"What do you say for a quick break, huh?" FP swallowed when he heard Gladys's seductive whisper, her hands already tracing his back under the flannel he was wearing.

If Gladys would've come to him and started to tease him like this about a week ago, FP wouldn't even have to think twice. He would have just picked her up and threw them onto the bed. But how could he have sex with Gladys when his thoughts were spiraling around Alice and Alice only? How could he melt into Gladys's chapped lips when he wanted to taste Alice's plump ones? She was the only woman he was thinking about since the very first time he saw her on the Andrews porch after the years of being apart.