Enough For You

"You're not coming back," you say, watching him as he watches the still body of water in front of the two of you. "You're going back to her."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't - Don't do that."

"Don't apologize?"

"You don't mean it - we both know that you don't mean it."

"I do mean it. I am sorry."

"If you were sorry, you wouldn't be doing this. If you were sorry, you would have given me half a chance."

"Things like this happen all the time. Sometimes these things just don't work out. We gave it-"

You cut him off, your eyes now glassy, but you clench your jaw to avoid them spilling in front of him. "Don't say we gave it our best shot. I gave it my best, but can you honestly say the same when I always knew that you'd do this? I knew that I was never ever going to be enough for you. I never stood a chance against a person who doesn't exist."

"She does exist - she does."

"Not the person that you've built up in your head. That person's not real. I would know. I've tried. A force to be reckoned with, but not in a way that overshadows you. Intimidating but not emasculating. Beautiful, but not overstated. Loyal but not clingy. It's never enough for you."

"Please, I don't want to fight. I've made my decision."

You nod stiffly. You're not going to fight for someone who won't return the favor. You won't tear up the last remaining shred of self-respect you have. Even for him. "One day, not tomorrow, probably not even a year from now, but one day - you'll look back and you'll realize that all I ever wanted was to make you happy. And I hope that you find that happiness with her, because on that day, I really hope you look back and don't regret what you're about to do. I won't be here to put the pieces back together. I deserve to be more than a consolation prize. I deserve at least that much."

"You deserve so much more than that."

"But all I ever wanted was to be enough for you."

As he walks away, all the memories of the life you'd built together play back.

6 years.

6 years you'd played second fiddle.

You didn't know it before. But you certainly knew it now.

You didn't even know it this morning when you'd awoken in his warm embrace. All the laughs, tender moments, all the love you'd shared - it was all gone. And worst of all, you weren't even sure if any of it was real.

You could yell after him, beg him, plead and lose every shred of dignity that you had.

You could tell him about the life you'd created together. Maybe he should know - that would get him to stay. You knew it would.

But somewhere deep down, you knew that it would change nothing. He didn't want you, and forcing that on him, well, then you'd really be nothing more than a consolation prize.

This wasn't your fairytale, you weren't the happily ever after that he wanted. And you needed to be more than that this time around. You were going to find someone who dreamed about you the way he dreamed about her. Someone who would glow and gleam when they talked about you. Someone who found you exciting and endearing.

Someone who you would be enough for.

4 Years Later...

After only a few days with Peggy, and with your parting words constantly echoing in his head, Steve couldn't take it anymore.