Andy's POV
'Nothing left, now I'm feeling numb'
I inhale deeply at my cigarette. I feel the smoke fill up my lungs and I let it out looking out to the scene laying in front of me. I'm not sure how long I've been outside, but I feel better being outside writing. I let go of the ring around my neck and continue writing. All my emotions going into every word.
'And just like you, I couldn't love someone
There is no one, I can belong to'
We need a break. I hear Ruby's words in my ears. Forcing me to stop writing to remember the fight a few days ago. I can't do this anymore. Ruby yelled with tears in her eyes. My heart dropped when I saw her like that, knowing I had caused those tears in her beautiful eyes. I grab her hand where she has the promise ring I gave her on her 16th birthday. The ring she never takes off. What about our promise. I had said in a low, shaky voice as tears were threatening to escape. She looked at me crying, then took the ring off and placed it in my hand. She tried to say something, but couldn't due to all the tears streaming down her face. She kissed my cheek sweetly before walking out the door and into Melanie's car. I hold the cheek she kissed. That was a good bye kiss I realize.
'Can't recall how we lost our innocence,'
I've been living on my own since I got out of high school. It's been 3 years since then. Ruby was supposed to move in with me after her senior year, but things got bad. Ever since I got out of school the only thing I did was focus on my career. Ruby got me to play many local shows and everything was going well until she started senior year. She got busy trying to graduate and I got busy with my music. We didn't talk much and it didn't feel the same. A week ago I got an offer to tour Europe for a year. It was a great opportunity for me, but I couldn't leave Ruby so I declined. When I told her she got mad at me. How could you pass up an opportunity like this? She had said through the phone. I pick up the bottle next to me of the burning liquor. I take a long drink not caring about the burning in my throat or the bitter taste. I only drink to stop the pain. I put the bottle down and write down the next words wishing they were true.
'Nothing in the cage of my ribcage
Got no heart to break, like it that way
Emptiness is safe, keep it that way'
I feel my phone vibrate a couple times and I look at it knowing who it is. They've been trying to talk to me all day.
Melanie: Stop ignoring us you asshole.
Beth: I swear if you're drunk I'm slapping you.
Alyss: If you don't answer we are going over there.
Me: Don't come I'm fine.
Beth: Too late.
'Used to be, I had light
I had fire in my chest
Oh, but now I'm all out
And I've got nothing left'
A few minutes later I hear voices behind me. "Andy?" Melanie says softly. I see them walking towards me concern in their faces.
"I told you I was fine." I say angrily slurring my words. I get up and stumble toward them as I throw my cigarette on the ground and taking another drink.
"Yeah. You look great." Beth says sarcastically.
I roll my eyes at her as I pull out another cigarette and light it. "Just leave." I say walking past them toward my apartment, which was not far from the small park I was sitting at.
"She's not doing any better than you." Alyss says in a whisper. I barely hear her, but it still makes me stop for a moment.
"She says she's fine, but she's falling apart slowly. Good thing she's not old enough to buy alcohol or she'd end up like you." Melanie says behind me.
"Good thing she has school too or she'd be worse than you." Beth says.
"She said it was over." I say dismissively shrugging my shoulders. I take in the contents of my cigarette and take I long drink of the bottle and continue walking.
"He doesn't know." Alyss says.
I finish the bottle and throw it to the ground. "Know what?" I say turning around angrily.
"Why she broke up with you, idiot." Beth says looking at me.
"I know why. She doesn't love me anymore. She said so." I slur.
"You really are an idiot." Beth says.
"She actually said she doesn't love you?" Melanie asks.
"She didn't use those exact words, but she gave me back her ring." I say pointing to the ring around my neck.
"You fucking idiot. She broke up with you because she loves you." Melanie says irritated.
"What?!" I slur.
"She wants you to go to Europe and do what you love. She doesn't want to hold you back anymore." Melanie continues.
"She doesn't want you here feeling sorry for yourself. She wants you to be happy." Alyss says.
"And you know we're right." Melanie smiles.
That's when I remember one of the lines I just wrote.
'On the path never leaving home'
"Can you take me to go see her?" I ask slowly.
"First we have to clean you up." Beth says pushing me to the door.
"Yeah. You can't look like that while you're trying to get her back." Melanie laughs.
After they make me change, brush my teeth, do my hair, and drink a bottle of water they finally take me to see her. I sit in the backseat with Alyss as she talks to me try to calm my nerves. As she talks I notice her wedding ring and it makes me nostalgic, but also makes me realize that Ruby and I are meant to get married. I smile at the thought.
We get to Melanie's house and walk in to see Timmy, Jimmy, Seattle, and Ruby all in the living room laughing. When we enter the room everything goes quiet. The guys get up and leave the room with the girls leaving Ruby and I alone. I notice she looks tired and sad. Before I can get a word out Ruby gets up slowly and walks toward me. "Ruby I..." I start.
Ruby looks in my eyes and stops me as she hugs me. I hug her back as I kiss her hair. "You've been drinking?" She says pulling away slightly.
"How'd you know?" I ask confused, I tried everything to mask the smell of alcohol.
"You can't hide anything from me." She laughs and I laugh with her. She looks down at my necklace and notices her ring. "I'm going to need that back." She smiles sweetly.
"Really!!" We hear Beth's voice behind a door.
"That's it your not going to make him beg!" She says walking out the door slightly before Melanie and Jimmy grab her and pull her back into the room. Ruby and I look at the now closed door and laugh. I look at Ruby again.
"How about we make this a real proposal?" I smile, getting down on one knee....
