Half of a Whole

Chapter 24: So Much for My Happy Ending

A week or so has gone by and Max and I still haven't talked since that night. The way things ended was terrible and they certainly took a turn for the worst very quickly. But when one door closes, another opens. I am currently preparing to go on a date with Zach. However for some reason my heart is somewhere else. The events of the other day changed me, but now that it's in the past I can begin to look at him and I's argument with a little clarity. I know we both handled things poorly. I know I was wrong. But him and I could never happen. It just can't and that's how it has to be.

I slip on my black cocktail dress and finish getting ready. Zach is taking me to a fancy Steakhouse. Steak. Ahh one of my favorites. I sit down in my wheely chair and scoot over to my makeup desk. As I am putting my finishing touches on I here the doorbell ring. It's only 7:30. Is Zach really 30 minutes early? I do appreciate his punctuality however. He has been the only guy in my life to actually make plans and show up places on time.
"Coming!" I yell.
I grab my red heels and run down the steps barefoot.  I quickly fix my hair and take a deep breathe before I open the door. 1...2...3...

"Max?!" I say. Startled.
"Can I come in?" He asks.
"Y-yeah. Um sure." I quietly turn around and head towards the living room. I know he'll follow. I hear the door close behind me. We sit down and I wait for him to start talking.
"I just want to apologize." He says. "I overreacted. I didn't mean to freak you out. Now I know it was totally the wrong time. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Max..."
"I know I know. I made so many mistakes but you mean the world to me and I don't want to ever lose you again. Please."
"Max I'm going out with Zach tonight" I say slowly. I can't even look him in the eyes it hurts too much.
"Oh" He says. I am not looking in his eyes but I don't need to. I hear the pain in his voice. We sit in silence for a minute. I don't know what to do. I feel like he is waiting for me to confess my love for him or something and I get stressed out.
"I'm sorry... Zach is going to be here any minute. Umm. You should probably..."
"Oh yeah. Um. I'm sorry. Have fun."

He didn't mean it.

"Thanks" I respond softly. I watch him walk away without even looking back. My heart sinks. "Turn around, come back" I think to myself. "Don't leave me".

But he doesn't come back.

A few minutes later Zach stops by. He picks me up and we go on the most luxurious date I have ever been on. I am fairly happy but something seems off. "I have almost everything I could ever want in a relationship right in front of me" I keep telling myself. And I begin to believe it too. Dinner, followed with an intimate make out session on his living room couch, then followed by an even more intimate session in his bed if you know what I mean. It was my first time, and I didn't feel anything. It didn't mean anything. It wasn't an event I want to remember the rest of my life. It was a mistake. I couldn't keep going on like this. However, I did. For a week or two I pretended it was what I wanted. I pretended I didn't need Max in my life. When, in reality, even though I have everything I could ask for in a relationship right in front of me, I didn't have it with the ONE I wanted.

The one matters. When you find that someone that truly cares about you and you care about them don't let them go. Because letting him go was what I did and I will regret it for the rest of my life.

You see, when he left my house that one night he went to a party where he met a girl perfect for him. They hit it off immediately. I never got to tell him about how I truly felt because let him go that night. I am not a home wrecker and I let the thoughts of him and I die the night I saw them together; happy and sharing a sushi plate just the way we used to. It's hard to think about what could have been. All I had to do was follow my heart. But sadly, a happy ending wasn't meant for me.

Zach meant the world to me, but even that relationship faded. I wish I could say I got my happy ending, but I'm sorry to disappoint. Part of me will always love him, the boy next door. Who knows? Maybe one day we could be together. But not today.

**The End**