But do you like her...

Chapter three: Happiness

His biggest fear came to pass. He had a falling out with his family and it rendered him homeless. He slept in his car and the friend he felt he could trust to lend a helping had was nowhere to be found. Cold and alone he had a lot of time to think.

"You can park in our driveway, my parents wont mind"

Those were the words his trusted friend said to him. The one he felt would save him. The one he felt safe with. He had a lot of time think. What happened to his friend? what happened to their agreement? what happened to his trust? what happened to his feelings? Everything he knew was gone. He poured all of his strength into letting it go, but no matter how hard he tried he still couldn't forget what she had said. 

   "but I'll be there with you"

He never felt so alone in his life. A part of him wanted to forgiver her. She had to have had her reasons, but all he could think of was where she was? sleeping safely in her bed while he was out in his car. he never stopped crying,  No, rather he learned to talk through the tears. He learned the world was not as black and white as he thought it was. Those you could trust were not what they seemed. He debated whether or not to leave town but a part of him still yearned for the place he was at.

He may have been living in his car but he still had his job. He didn't miss a meal. He found sanctuary at a gym, where he could shower and use their equipment for cheap. His only thought now was to survive, and he did just that, for he could not count on anyone but himself.

He became cold and distant. His best friend was gone and every feeling he had, had gone with her. The mere thought of her would bring him to tears. How could she do this to him? he trusted her. He believed in her. He felt for her. Anything she said to him at this point was pointless to him, and just like like that he was done with her.

Bella was his hair stylis. Despite everything he went through, he still had enough money left over to pay for one. He had been going to her for a year, since before all of the drama had gone down, and despite everything that happened he actually looked forward to seeing her.

She had such amazing stories. He felt so inferior compared to her. He was homeless living in his car and he still felt like she had it worse. Every time he went in for a cut she would tell him about an adventure she had and he admire her for it.

She had lived a life so different than his. She had suffered worse than he had and when it was all said and done he felt for her. She was different than anyone he had met. She wasn't like Lisa sheltered by religion, she wasn't like Ramona full of false hopes. She was herself. The more he probed the more he began to understand how her life functioned.

He felt like a bum trying to talk to her but the more he did the more he knew she would understand, and when she found out about his living situation she didn't bat an eye. She did what no other person had done before. Everyone he had encountered told him what he need to do, be it make peace with his  parents, look into a homeless shelter or move in with a friend. She understood. She didn't offer help. The words she spoke had more meaning to him than anything anyone else could have said.

"I believe in you" 

He felt something new in his stomach. A new sensation that he hadn't felt before. Someone who trusted him. Someone who knew what he was going through and comprehended it. He felt at ease with her. He felt like she understood him. She was different and he admired that.

"she's only using using you"

"she's taking advantage of your kindness"

"you need to look out for yourself"

His friends all tried to warn him about her. They told him she was shady and wasn't the type of person to be trusted so easily. He brushed those comments off and assured his friends that he was just being nice to her  because she was kind to him. He was the type of person to be there for anyone who needed him. He would always be there for a friend, no matter the situation.

At the end of the week he would go looking for her. Be it in the Salon or her second job at a shop. She was his reason to keep going. He picked up smoking weed because of her. Since she worked in a shop, he used that as an excuse just to go see her. He admired her for the type of person she was. He felt like a frog at the bottom of the well staring up at a majestic bird who flew so freely in the sky.

She would talk a lot when she drank, and she would drink often. This led him to really get to know her and the type of person she was. She soon began to realize that she could trust him and began to tell him more and more about her life. Even about the guy she had previously dated. She told him all about how they used to argue and the bruises that she would get. Bella poured out her feelings and this pushed her closer to him, and he wanted nothing more than to protect her. They shared their first kiss at a cliff where they could see the sun set on the valley. This was his moment, so tender, so peaceful and that night his car learned what real passion was.

He felt as if he was on top of the world. The majestic bird had picked up the lonely frog and taken him on the ride of his life. He didn't talk much about his personal life and he didn't feel like he needed to. Eventually she evn helped him find his own place and she would visit often.

"are you still mad at her?"

"If you miss her, you should talk to her"

"you can't hold a grudge forever"

Bella had pushed him into a corner. He missed his old best friend and he knew it had been time to finally let it go. So he began talking to her, and just like that Ramona was back. They quickly re-connected and even began hanging out again. He had finally been at peace. He didn't feel sad, he didn't feel alone. Bella had brought a wave of friends with her. Everything he could ever need was at his finger tips.

The more he saw Ramona the more he began to truly listen to her and he learned that she was actually quite sad. She had gone through a bad breakup in the time they had been apart and she sought comfort in her best friend, him. She confessed something that he yearned to hear for so long. She confessed her feelings for him and he didn't know how to respond. He had wanted her to return the feelings for so long but why now? Why would she do this to him now. He had Bella. All of the pain Ramona had caused him swarmed back and he tried so desperately not to hurt her, but he had to. He had to tell her what she needed to know, but before he could say anything, Lisa popped back into his head.

"but do you still like her..."