Consequences

River walk| part 23

We walked along the bank of a slow flowing river overgrown bushes on the far bank.  Three colourful ducks searched for food in the water. "Are you ok?" He asked me as he put his arm over my shoulders. "Yeah ya know I feel a bit better"I replied as I looked up at him. "Do you wanna talk about it now or later?" I thought about his question for a moment. Did I really want to talk about the breakup with him?
I took a deep breath and decided to open up to him. "I just feel so lost, you know? Despite the distance i was there for him" I sighed "but it wasn't enough" I looked away from him "And now I don't know what to do with myself."
He listened attentively, his arm still around my shoulders, offering me comfort and support. "It's okay to feel that way," he said softly. "Breakups are never easy" I felt his warm breath against the side of my face, it felt comforting his whole presence was comforting. I relaxed into him my head resting into his chest. "but you're a strong person. You'll get through this."
I looked at him, grateful for his words of encouragement. "Thank you," I said, feeling a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
He smiled back at me, and we continued walking in silence for a few moments, enjoying the peacefulness of our surroundings. The sound of the flowing river and the occasional quack of the ducks provided a soothing background to our thoughts.
Finally, he spoke up again. "You know, sometimes it helps to do something completely different after a breakup. Something you've always wanted to do but have never had the chance" he stopped in his tracks and held me by the elbows excitedly "It can be anything I'll help you do it if you want"
I nodded, considering his words. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was time for me to do something exciting.
"Thank you," I said again, this time with more conviction. "How are you so good at making me feel better?"
He smiled, his hand giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "That's what friends are for." And with that, we continued our walk, his arm still around me it felt like a shield, there to keep all my problems away. I couldn't help but feel relieved.

I came home to my farther sitting in his large armchair he had placed perfectly for tv viewing. He had just recently got home and was still in his work clothes. He was watching a tennis game and had a glass of wine on the side table next to him. "Good evening" he said to me as I sat down on the sofa next to him. "How was your day?" He asked looking away from the tv and studying my face. "I broke up with my boyfriend" as I spoke I saw his expectant face drop and just as it did I spoke again "but it was actually a decent day in the end". He smiled "I spent the day with Arlo we went for a walk it was really nice" he reached his had out to me and stroked my arm. " well that's very nice sweat heart" he turned back to the tennis game.
I tried to watch the game, concentrating on the men running after the tiny ball rackets gripped in hand but my mind quickly wandered. The image of, I shuddered slightly at the memory but dad didn't notice, Him and the other girl. It was a blurred image like it had been taken in a rush and it was dark with neon lights and lots of people, but it was definitely him it's was clear as day. His wavy blond hair, his tall athletic frame, his defined jaw. There was no doubt it was him. But I didn't recognise the girl. She had her hand gripping his waist and the other his shoulder, he stood there limply kissing her back. There was a lack of passion, no where near as much as when he had kissed me. I knew this thought was unhealthy but right now I didn't care. There was something off about the image. I opened my phone to look at it properly and I was right it was exactly as I remembered. I turned my phone off and quickly got up from the sofa, Dad didn't move he just kept watching the screen he looked exhausted so I left without saying a word.
I scurried to my room and flipped onto my bed throwing my phone out in front of me. Ivy picked up on the first ring a trait I always appreciated.
"Hey girl how you doin" she looked concerned, i tried to smile but It fell flat. "Not great really" I sighed "today wasn't too bad though - apart from the whole heartbreak thing" I managed a half hearted smile,
"Omg girl I'm so sorry it happened" she sounded genuinely upset, "he's such a f***king d*ck head I swear, you deserve so much better you know that" I rolled over and placed the phone next to my head so my hands where free "yeah I know, I've been thinking though I want you to tell me what happened like exactly" I felt a tear well up but Arlo's encouragement drifted into my mind 'your strong' u heard him say, the tears stoped and I whipped the last one away.
"Babe are you sure ? I don't want to upset you more".
"No I'm sure please tell me" she gulped.
"Ok so basically ya know what's her name" she paused humming to herself  " Harper that the one, well ya know how she has like her big birthday party every year, and it's like a tradition that everyone and their nans go. So like we were all there and seriously missing you by the way but anyway we see Carter and he's kinda stumbling around and then we see him talking too the new girl Monica who so far seems kinda like a sl*t at the moment and definitely not my type she's I don't know too fake, anyway yeah so like suddenly she like all over him and like kissing him and stuff and he doesn't stop her and basically just stands their kissing her back and stuff like the absolute knob he is and like finally she stops and then he stumbles away and like I don't know lays on the sofa for a while, so fuming obviously I go over to him and tell him he's a piece of sh** for what he did and like cursing him out and stuff but he just tells me to leave him alone so eventually I do cus he just sits there and like everyone was looking at me" she stopped and I felt like my soul had been sliced into little pieces. "Oh ok" I whispered.
"No girl I'm so sorry I should have broke it up or something or like beat him the fu** up till his stupid face was messed up" her voice was bitter and almost bloodthirsty like an angry guard dog.
"No Ivy none of its you fault you didn't good with getting the picture" my logical brain and emotional breaks felt like they were at war, he was clearly druck as hell but he didn't pull away he kept kissing her back until she ended it. I wrapped my arms around my knees curling myself into a little ball "thanks Ivy you are great" I said gratefully.
"Of course girl I love you"
"I love you too, but I'm gonna go now" I hung up just before she could finish saying goodbye, I felt a little bad but I wanted to cry in peace.