To Find the Lie, We Must Discard the Truth

Chapter Twenty-Seven

VOTE.VOTE.COMMENT.VOTE.COMMENT.COMMENT.VOTE.COMMENT.VOTEMENT.VOTE.

“If you find yourself out of love, shed a tear for the one you love.” If You Find Yourself Caught in Love by Belle and Sebastian

I stayed in the house by myself for about a week. No one came to visit, no one came to check on me. It was as if they understood that I needed time alone. But that alone time couldn’t last forever, and eventually Matt and Katie came over.

When I opened the door for them, Matt was quick to surrender, “you get two free punches, alright? One for me and one for Katie.”

My face must have shown my confusion since Katie smacked Matt’s arm, “dude! He obviously hasn’t figured it out yet!”

Finally I caught on, “actually, I have. I just don’t care anymore.” I step aside so that they can enter and then close the door behind them. “you were just helping out a friend.” We take a seat in the leaving room, silence surrounding us. “So what exactly are you guys doing here?”

They exchange a look and then Katie answers, “she’s devastated Ryan. You haven’t been replying to any of her texts, calls, emails…Sky’s really been worried.”

“and? She’s the one who screwed up, not me. I don’t understand why she would be worried.” I tell her, “I’ve been worried about her for two years and she doesn’t seem to care.”

“not care?! She did all of this because she did care. Can’t you see that Ryan? Sky did the one thing that she swore she’d never do, she asked someone for help. And not just anyone, but her grandparents, the people who threw her mom out. She did all of that so that you and her could be together. If that’s not caring then I don’t know what is.”

The room fell silent after her little speech. I knew she was right I just didn’t want to admit it, not yet. “I am going to go back to her,” I tell Katie.

“listen, I get that you’re hurt, but-”

I cut her off, “no, you listen to me Katie. Sky left me. She left me! okay? Do you not get that? She left and I know she ‘came back’ but not as Sky. I’ve spent a year and a half trying to move on from her and when I finally do, when I finally fall in love again, she’s there to leave. So don’t tell me to call her, don’t tell me to go find her and tell her how I feel. I will do all of that on my own time.”

Katie glances at Matt and he nods at whatever silent question she asked. With his yes, she hands me a cd. “just, watch this, okay?”

“sure.”

“well, we’re off then.” Matt says and I look at him strangely, “What? Her brother is coming home today and let’s just say we didn’t hit it off last time. I have to make a good second impression.”

“whatever. I’ll see you two later.” They left and I got up, putting the movie into the DvD player.

Sky popped up onto the screen. She was sitting on our bed and I figure it would have been about two months old. “Hey Ryan. If you’re watching this it means I’m either dead or you found me. Hopefully it’s the latter of the two. I know you don’t want to talk, and I’m sure even watching this is hard for you, but there’s some stuff you should know.” She repositions herself so that she’s sitting cross legged on the bed and then starts again. “I guess I should start with an apology. I’m sorry for acting like a bitch, dating your best friend, being all arrogant and selfish, pretending like I can’t cook, complaining twenty-four seven, did I say acting like a bitch already? Anyways, I hope that whatever I have done in the past eight months or so, and whatever I will do in the future of this fake-arranged-marriage, you will forgive me for. I swear it was all for the act.”