When The Day Met The Night

43

I push Ryan out the door and into the hallway, hoping this isn't making Rian mad, I mean he just started making out with me in front of her.
"So she's back? Like actually back?" Ryan asks and I nod.
"She remembers everything. Ryan I love you, I really do. But I'm with her. I love her. We can be friends" I explain.
"Friends" he sighs looking down. "Of course. i'm always too late."
"I told you before that I wasn't going to be with you because of her. After Sarah and I's divorce I was lost and broken and when I met her it was like she fixed all of that. And to just forget about her...that I could never do." I sigh.
"I get it. I was just hoping that you might. But...its cool. Friends it is" he nods and turns away to leave.
"Ryan!" I call but he keeps walking. I groan and turn around to go inside. Rian is standing by the door with a worried look on her face.
"You heard?" I ask.
"You love him. I get that." she sighs.
"I love you more" I tell her.
"I know." she smiles and kisses me for a moment.

"For fuck sake Taylor! Leave!" Rian shouts at her for the 4th time since Taylor showed up at her apartment. From their conversation what's I've picked up is when Rian had the memory loss she forgot she wasn't friends with Taylor anymore and Taylor took advantage of that. Taylor obviously didn't know that Rian regained her memory so she showed up and Rian is pissed about it. I've just been hiding in her room.
"Taylor you took advantage of me. I don't care how far you drove to see me." Rian shouts
"What was I supposed to do Ri? I lost my best friend 5 months ago and then one day you call me like nothing ever happened. I just wanted you back. What was I supposed to do?"
"I don't know, maybe not take advantage of people who have lost their memory. I fell off a high rise for fucks sake. I was in the hospital, trying to remember who I was, trying to remember people that I had met, trying to regain control of my life and you just went ahead and disrupted that by lying to me."
She laughs and there's a pause. "It's funny you know, I thought I had lost all respect for you back when you were hooking up with my ex-boyfriend but this...this brings it down to a level of disrespect I didn't even know I could have for another human being."
"Rian. Please. I'm sorry. I've been trying to convince you of how terribly sorry I am for hurting you. It's just when you were gone and it was just Ian and me, we both felt a connection. Love. I love him, Rian. I'm sorry that hurts you but you and Ian weren't right for each other and you know it. But you have Brendon now. And you love him, right? So why does it matter that I'm with Ian? Ri, we have been best friends since we were little kids, I'd do anything to make you happy and I thought that worked the same for me." she sounds so broken hearted. I feel bad for her.
"Anything to make me happy? Try leaving." Rian snaps and I hear the door slam. I can't let Rian end a lifetime friendship over some douchebag asshole. I have to get Rian to reconcile with Taylor. I open the door and run past Rian outside to Taylor and catch her. She's crying and my heart aches for her. I place a hand on her shoulder and turn her around to face me.
"Brendon?" she asks, wiping her tears.
"Come in. Please, let's talk this out. Rian is just an angry person, she lets her emotions get the best of her." I explain and walk her back to the apartment.
"Brendon, why did you bring her back here?" Rian stands up quickly from the table.
"Rian, you're seriously not going to let Ian ruin a 25-year long relationship are you?" I ask, sitting Taylor across from her.
"21 years" she corrects.
"Whatever. Think about it Ri, if Taylor never ended up dating Ian you and I would have probably never ended up dating." I explain.
"It's not about her dating Ian anymore. You know what she did when I confronted her about it? She just shrugged, she didn't even try to explain herself. That was my last interaction with her before I moved away. That hurt me so deeply. It's also about how she tricked me when I couldn't remember that we weren't friends anymore."
"Come on, Rian. Does that really matter?" I ask.
"YES. It just shows you can't trust her."
"But you can Rian. I am learning how to fix my mistakes. I know what I did was wrong but I love you, Rian, you are my best friend. The last 5 months of my life have sucked because I lost the most important person in my life."
"Rian, do you really want to stop being her best friend because of a few mistakes. You can't tell me you have done her wrong before" I tell her.
"No I have, it was just wasn't as bad. And why do you care so much about our friendship?" She counters.
"Because I hate to see you be so hateful towards your best friend like this" I admit
"I can't just forgive her like she never did it. But I'll try" she finally says. A smile spreads across Taylor's face and I am so happy for them to finally be good friends again.
"Alright. See. That wasnt so bad Ri. Now, you two go have a girls day while I head down to the studio to talk with Butch about finding a new bassist" I state and leave the room.