It's Just Me

Steph, I...

I stand on the front step of Stevie's house, waiting after having rung the bell several times. She said, she would be waiting for me. Why isn't she letting me in? After another minute or so, the door finally opens, as I smile at her, holding out the roses to her, but Stevie, without much emotion across her face, tells me. "You can bring them home to Olivia." Then slams the door in my face.

What the fuck just happened?! What did I do wrong this time? Man... we just made up and we've fallen out again? You have to be kidding me! Shaking myself mentally out of my thoughts, I hold my hand up to knock on the door again, refusing to leave, but my knuckles haven't touched the wood yet, when Stevie reappears, laughing. Okay, seriously, what's going on?!

"Oh God, you should have seen your face, Linds!" She continues laughing, as she steps to one side, showing me to come in, but I'm frozen, unable to move. Stevie takes me by the hand, saying. "I can slam the door once more if you're not going to come inside?"

"What the fuck, Stevie?" I finally manage to say as she now takes the flowers and instead of replying, stands on her tiptoes and kisses me. "I'm begging you. Talk to me." I follow after her, when she goes for a vase.

"After rehearsals, Karen drove me home and I found another car in my driveway. I came inside and Alex told me that Olivia is waiting, wanting to speak to me about something very important." Again, I go after Stevie into the kitchen, where she fills up the vase with water and puts the bouquet in it. "We sat down and she told me that you visited her last night and that you pretended to break up with her." 

"Steph, I-" I immediately want to explain myself, but Stevie stops me and continues to speak.

"She said that I hurt you and I used you, played with your feelings and now you're going to have your revenge. According to Olivia, you are going to still keep seeing her and have a pretend relationship with me at the same time." Stevie laughs again, shaking her head. "If you had seen her. I swear, she should have been an actress. I won't lie, at first, her words completely broke my heart and even though crying in front of that woman was the last thing I wanted to do, I couldn't control myself. I remembered just days ago, how you and I were talking about our plans together, about our feelings and now hearing it was all lies? It hurt, but..."

"Stevie, please, I hope you didn't believe her."

"Well, I was confused to say the least, but then I realized she was the one lying. She said that she left you at her house, roughly three hours ago, lying about where she was going and that it was time for her to go back. What she didn't obviously know is that three hours ago, you and I were together, having lunch. She couldn't have known that you've come to my rehearsals in the morning and left at the same time that I did, which was around 6 pm."

I let out a heavy breath I didn't know I was holding in, before approaching and enveloping Stevie in my arms. "For a moment, I thought you believed her. God, Steph... my heart can't handle much more of this." Pulling back slightly, I lean in to capture her lips. "Was it necessary to torture me like you just did, though?"

Chuckling, she brings her hands up to my face, reaching up for another peck. "I'm sorry. I know it was mean, but I couldn't resist." She looks at me with puppy eyes, biting on her lower lip and I groan, gripping her sides, I hoist her up on the kitchen countertop.  "Just what do you think you are you doing, mister?"

"Oh, I don't know... I think you deserve to be punished for your bad behavior." I tell her, placing my hand on her neck, brushing my thumb over her lip. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

With those words the lust in her eyes is quickly replaced by something a lot more beautiful, as she smiles, lowering her eyes. I tilt her chin back up and drink in her beauty. Suddenly, I'm back in the early 70's, in our tiny apartment. Even though times were really tough, it was when we were the happiest. It was when we were young and careless, and so damn in love with each other. Nothing could break us. Or so we thought... 

Seeing concern flash across her gorgeous face, I return to the present. "What's the matter, baby?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing." Stevie says, taking my hand in hers. "Linds, you're crying." 

I do realize that now, using the back of my free hand to wipe the tears. "It's nothing. I just... I was just in the past for a moment."

"Don't. The past hurts too much." She says, lifting and wrapping her arms around my neck, that way bringing me closer. "Let's focus on the future."

"Together."

"Together." She smiles sweetly and I lean in to kiss her once more.