SHATTERED/Andy Fowler

Chapter 10: You Have To Tell Rye

"Holy Shit Athena why!?" Aphrodite asks me, slamming on her breaks causing us both to fly forward a little bit. 

"Because, I don't know it was worth it." I reply. So I may have told Aphrodite about the whole me and Andy fucking again a few weeks ago story..

I forgot to tell her about the part where Rye cheated, because I don't want her to look at Rye as a shitty person, considering he's the Best Man for Harvey at her wedding. That place means a lot to Rye, and Harvey both, so I will spare her that part. 

"You have to tell Rye." She says driving again. I sigh. 

"I know, but I don't want to. It's just you don't understand, I love Andy so much. I really really need him, but what if he was just lying to me about what he said?" I ask.

"I think Andy really loves you, but you have to tell Rye, because if you don't then someone else will. I'm sorry but I can't see my soon to be husbands best man be hurt, because you decided to cheat on him with one of his best friends." 

"Wow way to take his side Aph. Maybe there's things that you don't know. Well actually there is...I just this is fucked up." I reply. 

"I didn't mean it that way, I just *sigh* I'm really fucking stressed this whole wedding planning thing is driving me up the wall. Harvey won't sleep with me til after, and I am just frustrated." She says. 

"I get it. I promise, I know what I am doing. And if you need any help I could be of assistance. I did plan mom and dads and they fucking loved it." 

"Would you plan the rest, if I paid you?" 

"No pay needed, but of course I would." I say.

"Please plan the rest, I'm dying here." She begs. 

"You got it. We'll discuss details tomorrow." I respond getting out of the now parked car. I step onto Harvey and Aphrodite's porch, waiting for her to unlock the door. When she does we walk in hearing somebody crying.

"Harvey?" The weak voice asks. Rye?

I step into the living room, taking his face into my hands. "Rye what's wrong?" 

"I-d-did s-something r-really bad." He cries. I sigh knowing what it is.

"I already know. Just breathe." I say.

"You aren't mad about Sophie?"

"No, because I went to Andy when I found out."

"Fair. It's just, Sophie was my-" 

"First love, Rye I already know this. You're talking to your best friend here. Let me put it like this, I feel like you were just a rebound as I was for you. We can remain friends, but we already know how this ends." I say looking at the floor. 

He sniffles and pulls me in for a hug. "Wait, so Rye cheated on you first?" Aphro asks. I nod.

"Yes, but that's okay, because we already knew what was going to happen. I mean lets be real here." 

"Okay, you right." She replies backing off. 

"This won't affect Rye being the Best Man at the wedding right?" I ask Aphro. 

"I don't believe so. Unless Harvey chooses that, but as far as I know you're still in the wedding Rye." 

"I've done worse in life. Harvey won't take me out because of this. Unless You ask him to, so I'm not worried about that at all. Known the dude since elementary school." He responds pulling away from our hug.

When that gets settled, I decide to take an Uber back to Rye's house, so that I can move whatever I have there, back to moms for now. 

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I hear a female ask. I turn to see Sophie. I smile. 

"Just grabbing a few things, then I will be on my way." I say running to Rye's room. I pack my bags. 

"You live here?" She asks.

"Used to." I reply grabbing my bags, and heading down the stairs. I walk out the door, to my car. I throw my bags in the trunk and drive towards mom and dads house. 

When I step in Andy is there talking with dad, mom, Ashton, and Jacquelle as well as two other people I have never met before. 

"Hey dad, mom could we talk?" I ask tears almost brimming. Everything is finally hitting me at once. 

Dad wraps me in a hug as I break down into his chest, falling to the floor. "Shh babe. It's okay." Dad says soothingly. 

"No. It's not okay. I can't take this." I cry. 

"Did you and Rye break up?" He asks. 

"Yes, and there's just so much going on. Why now? First Andy leaves me, comes back, fucks me, leaves again, comes back, gets hurt, I take care of him, he fucks me telling me he still loves me and wants me to be his again, being rebound for Rye, it's just so much, And my real dad is dead and he...He would know what to do. I don't want to feel like this. If you wouldn't have come around, Andy wouldn't have met me, leaving me happy. Why?" I cry out saying things I regret already. 

"Shhhh, you don't mean it babe." He rocks me. I sob uncontrollably while they all see me at yet another vulnerable point. 

"It just hurts so fucking much you guys." 

"I know. Just breathe a little bit okay." Dad says. I start to calm myself down, breathing slowly, as my crying comes to a halt, sniffles following. 

I look up and see Andy. His face down, at what I had said. I feel awful so I stand up and walk to him. I put my hand on his cheek as he looks up at me. His eyes lighting up, a small smirk placed, masking the down face. 

"I don't regret anything, not one bit. I know you say you love me, but I really think you love her. If we are truly meant to be, you'll go. You'll let me have space, for a short time. Nothing more than a month. I love you more than anything, but your presence is distracting me, and this. This. is the hardest fucking thing I have ever done in my life. But if it's better for us both for a bit, then we need to work on ourselves. I promise we will find our way back to each other. I swear we will." I say to him, tears running down my face again. 

"For once I have to be the strong one here. I need to think of me now. I need to make sure that I am secure, so that we can be secure....together. And God dammit I love you Andy so so much, I always have, always will. My heart is breaking over and over again doing this, but I'm doing this because I love you, but because I love me too, and I'm not healthy. I have spent too much time focusing on you that I lost sight of so much. I need to find whatever it may be. Please Andy, please please please understand, this is killing me right now." I say trying to hold back sobs. 

"I was honestly thinking the same thing. We will find each other again. Please Athena, take care of yourself." He says kissing and hugging me one last time. 

You'll find him. I promise.