Road Trip ⭐️

15 - The Meet Up

I sat at the coffee shop holding the cup of coffee in my hands and just looking down at it. This was stupid, this was crazy, why was I meeting him?

Oh yeah because you told him goodbye in a song Frankie, don't be dumb. I wore a t-shirt and jeans with a baseball hat pulled down so no one could really see it was me.

I looked up when I heard the bell go off above the door and sighed annoyed when for the 10th time it wasn't Chris. He was going to stand me up, I just knew it.

As I took a sip from my cup my cellphone went off.

Chris: I'm finding a parking space. Sorry Scott was giving me issues before I could leave.

I smiled at this knowing Scott was probably warning him to be nice. I just waited and I saw Chris finally come walking in. Blue jeans, white T-shirt and a baseball hat as well. He ordered a drink then spotted me at the table I had picked and walked over. I stood up when he arrived, and we gave each other an awkward hug.

"Hey." Chris said.

"Thanks for agreeing to meet me out somewhere..." I stated and he shook his head.

"It's not problem Frankie, I just wanted to talk to you." Chris said and I half nodded.

"How's your break been so far?" I asked and Chris shrugged.

"Uneventful really. Just a run in at a grocery store and got hit with a loaf of bread..." Chris trailed off with a smile and I gave him one right back.

"Maybe you deserved it." I answered. Chris just half nodded.

"Actually I know I did." Chris said.

There was a small silence.

"Is your Ma talking to you yet?" I asked causing Chris to just look at me confused. "Scott told me when I called him after the drunk call from you." I explained.

"Wow he is a blabber mouth and no not really. She will call to check on me about every other day and then called me when your new song dropped wanting to know if we finally talked and you were telling me goodbye and that I deserved it." Chris explained, I sighed and shook my head.

"I'm sorry she isn't talking to you Chris." Chris just shook his head at my statement.

"No, I brought this upon myself...I brought a lot of things upon myself when it comes to you." Chris said and I hung my head and tried to keep the tears I had been fighting off because of this meeting at bay.

"Well, I think I should tell you that the song was a goodbye, a goodbye to the love lost, angry songs I keep writing about you. A goodbye to my anger about what you did, it's time." I explained.

"But not a goodbye to me?" Chris asked.

"Chris, I hate to say this, but I said goodbye to you in the driveway at my aunt's house many years ago. I was done then." I explained.

"But I figured with all the songs..."

"The songs were my therapy, the songs were my way of coping, and the songs were my way over it. I was done with you though as a person Chris." I said but looked down at my cup. "I know that's probably not what you want to hear Chris and I'm sorry." I continued. Chris was silent and was looking anywhere but at me.

"Frankie, I need you to know what really happened that day..." Chris said, and I just looked at him.

"Chris, I know what happened. You used me, I let you and then you never had any intention of following through with what you promised." I spoke up.

Chris just hung his head knowing I was right.

"Did you know it then after we slept together?" Chris asked.

"Not in the moment right after but when you started acting weird the next day I knew. I wanted to believe you were just being awkward and shy because we shared an intimate moment but, in the years, since I have thought about that moment and realized you didn't mean anything you said or did, you just wanted to get in my pants." I explained.

"Frankie...I -..."

"Did you ever mean anything you said? I need to know." I said.

"No, I didn't." Chris whispered but his message was loud and clear.

"I can't believe I ever lov -..." I stopped myself.

"What?" Chris asked wanting me to continue. I shook my head. "Please continue what you were about to say Frankie, I deserve it hear it all." Chris said.

I took a deep breath, I was about to let him have it. He wanted to hear it, so here we go...

"I can't believe I loved you. I was going to tell you I did when we got to my aunt's house. I was going to suggest you move in with me so we could work on us and being together. So, we could work on achieving our goals together. I was willing to do everything with you and for you Chris, I didn't care what anyone else said about it. Then you slept with me, and I thought you wanted the same thing not just something for you to get off by. Then you dropped me off at my aunt's house and said that we needed to worry about ourselves, and you wouldn't have time for a girlfriend. I was heartbroken and knew you used me, you used me and hurt me deeply. The one person who I thought would never hurt me or be gone from my life was gone because he hurt me. I couldn't be your friend anymore Chris, I know it seemed harsh, but I was hurt." I explained. I wiped away the few tears that were falling down my face. "Then I see you a year later you're with Jessica Biel. I mean you said you couldn't have a girlfriend yet there you are, with someone! You just didn't want me, I wasn't good enough for you so fine, that's how you wanted it you could have just been honest. I mean yes, I would have hated you but maybe not for this long."

"You still hate me?" Chris asked and I huffed a laugh.

"Of course, in someways I do still hate you, I think I always will. But right now, I need to move on. I need to let my heart and mind begin to heal and start over." I explained.

"Start over with Chad?" Chris asked and I looked at him inquisitively.

"Chad? What?!" I asked.

"Well, you were down in Wilmington a few weeks ago with Chad..." Chris trailed off.

"Right because even though we broke up we are still good friends. I went there to visit when I left Sudbury so I could just be away." I said and Chris felt like a complete idiot for bringing it up. "And just so you know Chad is the one who said it had been long enough and I should call you to talk." I admitted. Chris then felt even more like an ass.

"I do want you to know Frankie, I am sorry for how teenager me treated you and I never meant to hurt you as bad as I did." Chris said and I just half nodded.

"Well thank you for the apology and I will apologize for all the songs written about you in the past but now I'm going to start a new and come up with some new music. Now it's done Chris I'm moving on." I said.

"And what about us? Where are we?" Chris asked and I sighed.

I shrugged, "I really don't know Chris. I mean we talked, we said what needed to be said but I don't think I can just jump back into being friends again Chris. I'm sorry." I said and Chris half nodded.

"I understand. I wish at some time we could be back there. I miss you, Frankie." Chris said.

"I...I miss the way it was before we slept together, and feelings didn't get involved." I said. Chris knew all of this coming from me was acceptable. He just half nodded.

I stood up and Chris followed my moves.

"I guess I'll see you around." I said and Chris nodded. We hugged each other again but not as awkward and I felt Chris kiss my cheek and damn if my cheek didn't heat and flush when he touched me like that.

"Have a good life, Frankie." Chris whispered in my ear as we hugged. We broke apart and I quickly left the coffee shop, I just needed to get away from Chris so I could break down in my car.