Heartbreak Town (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty Seven

          "Swayde, we need to talk..." Renne started, looking over her shoulder where Swayde stood, carefully holding the ice pack on her hurt shoulder.

         "I already know what you're goin' to say, Reagan." He let out a sigh, letting go of the ice pack, and Renne's hands. He lowered himself into the chair right next to Renne.

          "I am goin' to agree to marry Matt." Renne confirmed for the first time out loud. For whatever reason, it didn't sound the same way that she had rehearsed it a million times in her head. This time, it sounded forced, not coming out of her mouth easily. Looking up, Renne watched the expression on Swayde's face drop. 

         This wasn't what he wanted for Renne, but he knew that she had to make the right decision for herself. "I was afraid you would say that, but I was really hopin' you wouldn't." He let out a forced chuckle, standing up from the chair, walking into the kitchen. Opening a cupboard, Swayde grabbed out two mason jars for water. 

         "It's the right thing to do, Swayde." Renne knew she shouldn't lie, but she felt like the more she told herself marrying Matt was the right thing, the more she began to believe it. She couldn't bring herself to look at Swayde. Taking the ice pack off her shoulder, Renne stared at it in her hands until Swayde's voice brought her gaze upwards. 

         "Well that's debatable, but just know, I am happy for you." Renne would have thought Swayde was telling the truth except for the fact that his smile quavered as he walked back to sit next to Renne, setting down two glasses of water. "I just want to say one thing." 

        "Sure, what is it?" Renne asked, taking a sip of her water. 

         "There are things that I know about you that I don't think Matt knows. Sure, y'all have been together for a few years now, but I mean, he didn't even know that we used to date until he came here." Swayde took in a deep breath leaning closer to Renne. "I mean, does he know that your favorite color is blue? Or that you prefer to watch the Rifleman and The Andy Griffith show over any other show that is on TV? Does he know how to make your favorite cup of coffee, or your grilled cheese? Does he even know that you prefer to have two ice cubes in your glass instead of three?" Swayde pointed at the glass of water that sat in front of her on the table. 

           "Swayde, please don't-" Renne started, shaking her head. She knew what he was trying to do, and she didn't need anything else to further complicate her decision. 

          "Does Matt 'study' you enough to know which eye you wink with, or how you press your tongue against your teeth when you are smiling a playful smile? Does he know how your eyes close and wrinkle up when you are laughing really hard? Does he even know the little phrases you use all the time in your different moods? Does he know where your favorite place to go on a date is?" Swayde paused when Renne reached a hand out to rest on his forearm. 

          "I never realized you caught all of these things, Swayde." Renne's tone of voice softened. He never told her that he knew these things about her; she hardly even realized that she did them until just now when Swayde pointed them out. 

            "Of course I realized them, Reg. I was head over boots in love with you; I wanted to memorize everything about you and never forget them. I couldn't help but just stare at you and study you, as weird as that sounds." Swayde rested his other hand on top of where Renne's rested on his forearm. 

             "I don't think it's weird. I think it is sweet. And, to answer your question, I think that Matt studies me in his own way; he's just not as attentive as you are." She thought of another excuse to back up Matt. Pulling back, Renne took a sip of her water.