*Landon's POV*
I waited for Caryn to come and get her stuff. I waited for days, weeks, months, a whole year went by and I heard nothing from her. I saw occasional pictures of her and Travis together since they're now officially an item, and I've seen pictures of her at some Blink concerts. Without me. It broke my heart to see her so happy without me. I wonder if she even remembers who I am. I think about that night all the time. I think of how I should've knocked on her bedroom door and apologized, I think about how I heard her cry, and I think about how she threw her key at me along with those burgers. Sometimes, I open the drawer to make sure she didn't come over when I wasn't here to take her stuff, but every time I check, her clothes are still there. I don't know why I bother checking anymore. I don't touch the clothes, and they still smell like her. I hope to come home one day and see her sitting on my couch, since I never moved my spare key, and then I'll just hug her, and I won't know what to do with myself. But that day never came.
Then one day, I was walking through the park. It was kind of cold and fall was just beginning, so the park was practically empty. I went to the lake at the other end of the park, hoping my bench would be open. It was a beautiful scenery. The bench was underneath a tree and overlooked a crystal clear lake which many people used as fishing grounds. I usually went to the bench when I needed to think about something. I finally got to the bench to find a woman sitting there, hiding behind shades and a scarf. "Mind if I sit here?" I asked. She looked up, nodded her head, and I sat down, just looking across the lake. It was weird how I couldn't see the woman's face, but I talked to her anyway, just to avoid the awkward silence. "This is beautiful, isn't it? I usually come here to think about life and other things, and lately I've been coming here a lot."
"Yeah, it's pretty nice. I haven't been here in a while. Why have you been coming here so much?" she sounded like she was trying to disguise her voice, but I just figured she had a cold, and maybe that's why she had the scarf covering her face.
"Well, there was this girl... Actually, I don't want to bore you with my stories. They're long and well, complicated."
"No, no! You're fine, go on with your story!"
"If you insist. Well this certain girl was my best friend. We did some things that I thought would take our friendship to the next level, but I said it would be a one time thing and took it literally. I was in love with her, and I still am, but I was a complete jerk one night because I found out she went on a date with Travis Barker from Blink-182, you might have heard of him, the same night we did things. I took all of my stuff out of her house, but she came home while I was in the middle of packing, and we got into a big argument. I made her cry that night, and I'll never forget it. I told her to come pick up her stuff from my house, and I figured when she came I would apologize. But she never came. I have hope that maybe one day she'll come over and we'll reconnect, but it feels like she forgot about me. I see her in magazines all the time now with her boyfriend, Travis. She looks so happy, and it makes me wonder why I could never make her that happy. I'm sorry, I think I've said too much."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure she still thinks about you too."
"That, I don't know about. But, I have a question for you. Why the scarf and sunglasses?"
The woman seemed hesitant to answer your question, but she finally replied in a normal and familiar voice, "I wear this so I'm not recognized by the paparazzi. Landon, it's me. I'm so sorry." She pulled off the scarf and pulled down the sunglasses, and it was really her. I sat there, speechless, and I felt a tear stream down my face the same time one rolled down hers. She's still beautiful, and I still love her.
"Caryn!" I hugged her and never wanted to let go. We were both hysterically crying and whispering apologies into one another's ears. "Can we talk somewhere more private? Like maybe we should go to my house where you can finally pick up your stuff so it's not there to torture me anymore."
"Landon, I'm so sorry. I've wanted to go and pick up my stuff for so long but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I figured you threw it all out, and plus I don't think Travis would be too happy if he found out about this, so let's keep it a secret, okay?"
"Alright, I have no reason to tell him anyway." We laughed, and I knew that this was a new beginning for us. Friends reunited, finally.
*Caryn's POV*
On the walk back to Landon's house, it was like nothing had ever happened. We talked about how our lives have been, what we've been doing, and stuff like that. I knew the conversation was going to change as soon as we entered Landon's house to about that night about a year ago. Wow, time flies. I missed Landon, sure. But any time I were to bring him up, it would just upset Travis, so I stopped bothering. I knew that bench was where Landon always went to think, but I never expected him to be there today. I'm kind of happy he was though. We finally arrived at his house, and all you could see was a messy living room. "I'm sorry for the mess, but I've been a wreck lately, and my home management shows it."
"It's fine. It feels like a home. Did I tell you that I moved?" He looked shocked.
"Are you serious? You loved that house!"
"I did, and after that night all that house did was bring me pain. I wasn't really given an option of whether I wanted to move or not. Travis kind of made me do it. He said there were too many memories of you in there and he wanted you out of my head." Travis had gotten really controlling and scary ever since I moved in with him, and I need to find a way out. Landon might be my only option.
"What has he done to you?.." Great, the question I really didn't want to hear.
"Nothing, he's just really controlling. I still love him and all, but I don't get much say in anything."
"Well that's not right! But look, we need to talk about that night." Damn it. I knew this was coming, but I just didn't know what to say when he asked me this. "I went up to your door to apologize, and as I was about to knock, I heard you crying hysterically. I couldn't bare to see you like that, especially since I caused it, and I just walked away. I figured it was too late for an apology, and that I had done enough damage and I didn't want to hurt you anymore. So I left. I regret leaving you there to this day. I'll always hate myself for it."
"I needed you, and you left me. I cried for hours. I didn't get any sleep for a whole week. I just stayed up every night crying. You didn't call, you didn't come over, you didn't even try to talk to me. I figured you never wanted to see me again, so I never came to get my stuff. Travis was there when you weren't, and he helped me through the hardest thing I've ever had to go through in my entire life: losing you." By then we were both hysterically crying into each others arms, just like at the park.
"Caryn, I didn't know I caused you so much pain. I'm so sorry. I still love you, and you're still my best friend. Every time I saw you in a magazine with Travis I hated myself more and more. It's completely my fault. I shouldn't have left you, I should've called, and I should've helped you through our one time thing instead of just throwing it in your face like that. Can you please forgive me? I'll do anything."
"Landon, look. I don't know if I can forgive you just yet. But there's a part of me that still loves you too. I have to go now, Travis is waiting for me at home. Meet me at the park tomorrow, same time on most days. Travis is going on tour soon, so we won't have to sneak around to see each other for much longer, okay? I'll see you tomorrow, I promise." With that, I left. I'm already a little late, and Travis is going to question me about it like there's no tomorrow. I'll just say I got caught up in the park's beauty. That's it. I take the rest of the walk home in silence, just me and my thoughts.
