Bridge over troubled waters

23| Never Too Late

Corey

I sit in my room and stare at the painting that is now above my bed. It was the only bit of color in my grey and black room. Just as she's the only bit of color in my dark and grey world. I see Bailey and I sitting atop this great city and I couldn't help but feel this pain in my chest. What I would do for it just be her and I against the world. What I would do to show her how much I truly and absolutely loved her.

So I hold the soulmate necklace in my hand and I softly run my thumb over the soft felt cover. I let out the longest sigh of my life because I had a million scenarios of ways to give this to her, but none of them were good enough. When I got this I didn't think I could ever give this to her. But now I feel like she needs to have it. I want to see it around her neck and know that it's special to her. That she's my soulmate and no matter what we will always be side by side.

So I grab my phone and quickly type in her number. She picks up and I smile when I hear her fighting the wind. "What's up buttercup" she wonders.

"Where are you" I ask.

"I'm at the park taking pictures" she explains.

"Alright, stay there and I'll be there in 15 minutes" I say.

"Oh, alright. Is everything okay" she asks.

I pause as I look over at the the jewelry box. "Yeah. Everything's going to be fine" I say to her but mostly myself.

So I throw on a winter coat and stuff the necklace in my pocket. I take the short walk from where I stay downtown to the park. It doesn't take me long to find Bailey considering her hair is so blonde it practically glows. And people would kill to have her natural platinum blonde hair and she always wants to dye it. But she says she wouldn't be able to keep up with dying it so she leaves it alone. For now.

I walk over to her and wrap my arms around chest. I frighten her a little bit but once she realizes it's me she starts to laugh. "You scared me half to death" she accuses.

"Good" I smirk. She elbows me in the side and I grunt a little before laughing along with her.

"So why did you want to meet" she asks and I freeze. I almost forgot about that part.

"I um..." I stutter as she looks at me weird. "I got you something" I finally say.

"What now" she whines and I smile. I love it when she gets like this.

I pull out the box and she looks at me weird. "Isn't that you're moms locket you were supposed to give her for Christmas" she asks and I laugh.

"Nope. She got her locket when she was in town for Christmas. I told you that this was for her so you didn't know it was for you and look inside" I explain.

"You've has this for almost two months and didn't give it to me... why now" she asks.

I just shrug my shoulders as I look to the ground. "I don't know. I'm not sure what all this changes or if we're ready for it" I explain.

"Why do I feel like there's a bomb in there" she whispers. I just shake my head as I open the box up.

She moved in closer to the necklace to get a better look. There was a little sparkle in her eyes as the end of her lips curl up. She takes the case from me to really take in the necklace. "Oh Corey, it's beautiful. But why did you get me this" she wonders.

"It's called a soulmate necklace. I'm the black ring and you're the silver one. We're two very different entities but forever connected by something we can't really explain. We're soulmates because no matter what happens in my life, whether we're on top of this city or buried under it, I know that I want you by my side. This unspoken thing that's been happening between us, it's strong and the best way I can explain it is as soulmates. And a soulmate doesn't have to be marriage or anything like that. We were just kids when we found each other, and even then what we had was something special.

So I got you this necklace to show that what we have is beautiful even if it's confusing at times. You don't have to wear it or anything, it's just I had it for a while and I thought you should have it" I explain.

"Oh Corey" she whispers. "This is so beautiful. Thank you. I love it more than anything else I can possibly hold in my hands. Can you put it on" she asks me and I smile.

I nod as she hands me the necklace. I put it on her and she turns around to show it to me. She had the biggest smile on her face. "This is just the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me" she insists.

"Be happy the sales lady in LA was mighty convincing" I tease.

"What? She tell you that this was better than a silly promise ring" she asks.

"No. She told me that some people never find their soulmates and some people lose their soulmates because they don't appreciate what they have until it's gone. That I would be stupid not to show you that you're the most important person in my life and show you every chance I get" I say.

"Yet you still waited two months to give it to me" she teases and I smile.

"I know. I just... never know what to do with you anymore" I sigh.

"And what does that mean? We hang out every single day you're in town and talk over the phone every day you're gone. You have every chance in the world to tell me stuff like this... but you don't" she accuses.

"Neither do you" I smirk.

She just smiles at me as she shakes her head. "Yeah, you got a point. But how much longer can we go on like this? Wanting to be together every chance we have but having to push each other apart" she asks.

"I don't know. I just... I can't lose you. However I have you is good enough for me" I defend.

"Is it though..." she trails off.

I look deep into her bright blue eyes and let out a sigh. "I know I keep saying this, but let's not do this here or now. I know you want answers, but getting the answer you don't want it worse than no answer at all. Why don't we go get some lunch" I ask.

"You have a game tonight, aren't you supposed to be eating within the meal plan" she wonders.

"We can have steak for lunch" I insist.

"Suuuure" she claims and I smile.

I just wrap my arm around her and we find the nearest restaurant that sells steak. "So you like the necklace" I ask.

"Love it" she promises.