We fall apart as it gets dark
I'm in your arms in Central ParkMy foot was tapping against the ground, waiting for Monique in the summer night. The park was suppose to give comfort and reassurance, yet I was as nervous as ever. I had no plan on what to say or what to discuss- do I just say, "hey I don't love you back? Good night." I wanted to make it clear why we couldn't be together and make sure she was okay with that.
I saw her, walking towards the structure with her head hung low. Instantly, I stood up to face her. Monique's eyes were bloodshot red, her nose was running and she was just a plain mess. Besides my black eye bags, there wasn't any visible trace of the affects of her words.
"Hey," I said. She faintly smiled and took a seat on the nearby bench and sighed.
The silence we had was now piercing to my ears, it was killing me. But I didn't want to speak first- again, there wasn't much of a choice to.
"I-" I cleared my throat, "I walked away that night to try to convince myself it was lie. You were just joking and was going to appear in my room, laughing at my reaction, but I saw you. Just sitting down, head hung low like now."
Monique kicked a few rocks away, not looking up at me.
"My ignorance went on for weeks because I couldn't believe my best friend was in love with me," I scoffed, "again, I would try to endlessly convince myself that it was a dream or a joke."
"It wasn't," was what she said before kicking away another rock.
"I know," I said and looked down, "Monique, I love you. You're my first and only friend- I don't love you any other way than that."
I knew she was starting to cry because there was sniffles and she covered her face again. God, I felt like an asshole.
"I can't- can't return your feelings and I'm so sorry you had to fall in love with a person that doesn't love you back," I sighed, "Monique, you're a beautiful person. You're going to find someone that's worth your time. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
No matter how many times I've said it, her tears continued and I found myself on the verge of crying. She was sobbing her soul out because of me, I was just here, watching her.
She finally picked up her head after a few minutes and wiped her tears, she turned to me with a small smile. Again, with that painful smile.
"It's okay," Monique said with a weak voice, "at least I got my heart broken from my best friend. My first love was my best friend- I wouldn't have it any other way."
I laughed a little and wiped some water from my eyes, my hands intertwined around the necklace I wore.
"I love you, River, I don't regret it," She said as we looked at each other, "not everyone gets one back. It's okay."
Monique opened her arms and we hugged each other tightly, as if we weren't going to see each other after this night. We held each other until the cold wind started to blow and the house lights turned off; until the dogs stopped barking and even the insects fell asleep, we held each other until then.
As I made my way back home, my right hand held onto the necklace. I looked down and opened the locket to see the picture- it was Monique and I. My mom took it after the first day of elementary school because I wanted to brag about my new friend. It was my best and longest memory, I wanted it with me forever.
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𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞
RomanceMonique De Luna was the best friend you could ever have- she supported, hyped, and loved them through it all. At least, that's what she thinks to herself. Her friends loved her and if you asked them, she was the most reliable person to exist. As th...