*Lindsey's POV*
"Don't. You. DARE!" She was immediately livid. "What are you doing here, Lindsey," she asked me, halfway shouting as she took a step towards me, sending me reeling backwards. I wasn't sure if she was going to slap me but she kind of looked like she wanted to. And I most certainly deserved it after that greeting.
"I, I'm here to drop off a few demos to John," I gestured towards the contents of my hands. "What in the hell are you doing here?"
"No, Lindsey, NO! You don't get to just waltz back in here after all this time and start asking the questions!" She was seething and I didn't even know how to respond. Every possible thought had crossed my mind, but I found myself unable to articulate any words. She was fuming but she looked amazing. God, I'd missed her so much.
"Steph, calm down," again my foot was immediately in my mouth.
"Do not call me Steph, do not call me Stephanie, and most certainly DO NOT 'hey baby' me ever again, Lindsey Buckingham! I am not one of your cheap floozies and I will not put up with your shit."
I know my eyes widened, but she had caught me off guard. I mean, I guess I never actually thought she'd welcome me back with open arms but a part of me was holding out for- well, for just that exactly.
She hadn't calmed down when I opened my eyes again and I was slightly terrified by her overall reception. I gave her a pleading look, though it was easy to see that she was keeping her walls up.
She shook her head no, repeatedly. "I can't do this. Uh uh, no, Lindsey. Not again. You need to go and you need to go now. How dare you just show up after this time and speak to me like you've went out for groceries. You don't have ANYTHING to say for yourself?"
She wasn't yelling yet, but she was close. And I was terrified enough of her anger to back away from her. I stepped away several times as she stayed on me, my eyes wide and my mind racing, but I had no idea where to begin with her.
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to regain my composure and not mess this up again. "Please, please just listen to me. I didn't mean to upset you. I've missed you, Stevie, so very much," my voice caught a little bit in my throat. "And you look so beautiful. I'm so sorry things went the way that they did..."
She cut me off. "You're sorry?! That's the best you can come up with? Do you think I haven't turned on a radio in four years Lindsey? You turned my sorrow into treasured gold. But don't worry, you'll pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow."
"Stevie, you don't understand," I tried again, she was quite spiteful and was backing me up even more. If I didn't miss her so badly I would have turn and run from the glare she was giving me. Quite frankly, I was terrified.
"Oh, I understand. I understand it all. Finally, I can see you crystal clear. So go ahead and sell me out, you already did once Lindsey! I have no story to be told but I've heard one on you. I see the papers, I hear the news. I know exactly how you are, so excuse me for not having sympathy for you, mister ego maniac rockstar."
"So you're a fan," I smirked at her.
"Fuck you," she spat.
"STEPHANIE!" Now my anger was beginning to grow. She wasn't giving me a chance to speak, but I lowered my voice after shouting, noticing people were beginning to stare. "This is different. This is, this is us..."
"Obviously it's not different though, Lindsey! How did you treat me any better than any of those other girls? Huh? You had my heart inside of your hand and you played it to the beat. Honestly, it's worse that I fell for your lines. But not anymore!"
I'd backed away from her even more but she just kept coming and now I stood on the edge of the dock, nowhere to go and more defeated than I knew I could feel. She was breaking me.
"Stevie I'm miserable without you. Please. Just let me try to explain. I need to find a way to make it up to you, it kills me to know that you hate me like this. Let me fix this."
She scoffed at me, crossing her arms and looking the other way. "Think of me in the depths of your despair," she retorted. "You left me in a hell of a mess, Lindsey."
I couldn't believe I was still holding my temper even a little bit. "I left YOU in a mess? Stevie you DISAPPEARED! You broke me! The scars of your love remind me of us. I think about you every damn day! I wish I could go back in time and take it all back, everything! But maybe I shouldn't, I shouldn't even feel bad if this is how you're going to treat me!"
"Lindsey," she seethed, almost giving me a warning tone. "Calm down. I think you should go." She knew my temper better than anyone, unfortunately. One of my many regrets.
We glared at each other, and I realized that there were more people around than I thought. I heard the clinking of the lines as the boats bobbed in the water and the cry of a small child somewhere not so distant and I saw her face become more frantic.
"Lindsey, go. You need to leave. Enough is enough."
"And what if I don't, what I'd I make you actually address this for once instead of running from it , huh?"
"Don't underestimate the things that I will do," she grabbed my arm, speaking in a warning tone, not even a hint of playfulness on her face.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Face it, we both have a lot of unsettled feelings. And if you're so strong, have dinner with me. That's all I'm asking," I softened my tone, taking the chance. "There's still something between us, I know there is," I reached out to pull her in close, hoping my feelings would be reciprocated
Instead she angrily turned her head and pushed me away. Hard. I felt my balance go as my arms flailed and I fell backwards in the ocean fully clothed. I came up for air and shook my curls, my demos floating around me. I looked up and for the first time that day I saw a hint of the deep sadness I knew she was harboring.
She shook her head solemnly before turning on her heel and walking away from me. She couldn't have been speaking at more than a whisper but I was still able to make out her words as she left.
"We could have had it all..."
