I Can, I Will, I Did // Vinnie Hacker

Chapter 6: How to Say Goodbye?

As they walked out of Taco Bell, shoulder to shoulder, holding their Tacos in their hands, Sarah and Vinnie were playfully arguing about who should have really won. Vinnie kept making excuses while still maintaining the shocked look on his face of being beaten by a person who decided to try out the games for fun. He was not buying it that Sarah had not played them for the longest time. As they made their way towards the signal which they had to cross to go back home and the laughter from both of them died down, Sarah began to have slight thoughts of Dylan again.

She again wondered what he would be doing. She could not move on even if she wanted to. She was done with him but at the same time, she was not. She hated herself for that. Dylan was not coming back and she knew that. However, something kept telling her that Dylan was truly sorry for what he had done to her and he would call her back. She kept checking her phone for just one text from Dylan or just one phone call. Just a genuine apology would suffice but a part of her also knew this was not a fairy tale. Dylan knew Sarah hated cheaters but he went behind her back and cheated. Instead of mentally breaking her, she decided to live in the moment. And that then was with Vinnie. She had to find out more about Vinnie's life but at the same time, she felt that she was invading his privacy.

Nevertheless, she cleared her self-doubting thoughts, cleared her throat and asked, " So uh, Vinnie- oh quit whining I beat you fair and square, anyways I wanted to ask and sorry if it is a drastic change in the subject but, what happened to your uh, ex?"

Vinnie's face darkened a little, not expecting such a sudden question about his ex. He fell silent and Sarah knew it was a mistake to ask about his ex just so fast in their friendship. Who does that? She was an idiot and knew Vinnie would hate her and all the overthinking ended with Vinnie not befriending her and she would lose another good friend. She wanted the earth to open just there and she could just bury herself.

"Oh, my ex well hahaha surprise surprise she well cheated on me with another guy and all my other exes well same thing," Vinnie answered in a rather dejected tone. Hearing this, Sarah was shocked. She did not believe that someone would cheat on this sweet, respectful guy. She felt sorry for him and she looked at Vinnie with an empathetic look. Vinnie quickly changed back into his goofy mood to bring back the light-hearted atmosphere they had going on and added, "I mean it's her loss anyways!"

"Cheated on you? How are you so jolly and sweet after going through a heartbreak?" Sarah asked. Here Sarah was close to shutting everyone out of her life and there was Vinnie who was still happy after going through a heartbreak.

"Things end, people change. But you know what? Life goes on, sweetheart," Vinnie said as he shrugged and continued walking. Sarah could not believe it. How can you just move on so easily? She really could not believe Vinnie. She was convinced Vinnie was so heartbroken that he was speaking utter nonsense.

"Doesn't it anger you that a person you loved so much, you gave your all to them and in the end, they hurt you so much? Don't you want to I don't know let them know they hurt you so badly?" Sarah objected as she stopped walking and stood there, looking at Vinnie with disbelief. She stopped Vinnie in his tracks, holding onto his shoulder.

Vinnie turned to Sarah and smiled as he shook his head. "It hurts to let go but it hurts more to hold on. Sarah, breakups are just like a wound. If you keep touching them, they will never heal. Some relationships are just meant to be broken, it just so happened that they were the ones with my girlfriends. Maybe because I haven't found the right one yet?"

"What if they are sorry?" Sarah persisted.

"Are they? I haven't heard a single sorry from any of them and that's fine Sarah. For me, the breakups changed my life. I was a mess. But guess what? I learnt to forgive and forget. I gave up on them not because I didn't care but because they didn't. It's just like a monkey bar. You have to let go at some point to move forward."

There it was. Sarah was again in disbelief. They both had been cheated on, they were similar in that category. But there was a huge difference between them. Sarah had given up easily while Vinnie had not. Even after being cheated on multiple times, this guy had not given up on love. He was still happy, still smiling and living life to the fullest. Vinnie continued to be that warm sunshine in someone's heavy pouring life even after his own love life had been flooded badly. Vinnie's love life was an unfinished novel but he did not harp on that same sad chapter. He continued turning the pages of the book hoping one day he would find the happy one. Every ending in life was a new beginning and Vinnie had opened her eyes. She smiled as she teared up. Sarah's respect for him had certainly levelled up. If anyone had to learn how to move on and live life, it was from Vinnie. Vinnie saw a tear slip by and he wiped her tear away and giggled.

"Friends say I should be a therapist. I would be a good one, don't you think?" Vinnie joked as he walked away. Sarah laughed as she nodded and ran after him. They reached Sarah's place.

"I hope you had fun because I did. Thanks for dinner and the soft toy," Vinnie gushed as he turned to face Sarah again.

"I did have a lot of fun with you. Thank you for everything," Sarah said as she took Vinnie's hand and squeezed it. Sarah took in his figure. That dashing brown eyes, messy hair, the red face from the cold and soft smiling lips. He was really beautiful. He was, well, different from all others. The sudden pause in a person's natural expression when they looked his way followed by a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile, he must be used to that. Of course, the blush that accompanied it was a dead give-away. It didn't help that he was so modest with it, so down to earth. He could pull any girl he wanted to but Sarah knew he prized genuineness and thoughtful conversations above lipstick and high-heels. He was loyal, Sarah knew that. She was glad she had found him.

Despite just meeting him, they had become super comfortable with each other. Vinnie bid her goodbye as he walked towards his home. Sarah watched him walk away as she sighed. "Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together," she thought as she remembered her mother telling her that. She was grateful Vinnie was her friend.

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A/N: I think this would be one of my fav chapters because I don't know I felt that there were a lot of emotions involved in this? That being said I can't wait for yall to read the chapters to come coz the story is starting to unfold. 

Also, do you agree with what Vinnie said about breakups? Do you think Sarah can move on? 

Love you and don't forget to support by voting :)