The Difference

Chapter 33

I sit against the wall in silence as my hand has most definitely stopped bleeding by now. Michael sits on the floor across from me, trying to find the words to say. He breathes as if he has an idea, then stops short and sighs.

"Rosemary," he speaks up, low-key hoping I will take over the conversation.

"It's fine. I'll call Alexandra tomorrow and turn down the job. I'll be out of your hair," I say defeatedly.

"Who are you kidding?" He argues, scooting next to me now. "You can trust me to keep your secret," Michael says sincerely.

"Can I?" I question.

"Of course! Like I said, The Marigolds paid me big bucks to keep your name out of the article. King Troy of Cera-wherever personally called my work desk and told me he would have a check in the mail if I didn't give your name to the news writer. Truth be told, I didn't know who you were anyway, and had no leads, but I'm saving for my dream apartment in the city, and every last bit helps. My studio isn't ideal if I want to have a family one day," he admits.

"How do I know I can trust you?" I question him.

"I mean, you did invite me to your hotel room after one five minute conversation just because we are coworkers now," he states plainly.

"You just have a very trusting vibe to you," I say defensively. With the shattered glass being cleaned up, I finally stretch my legs out fully on the ground and they hardly reach Michael's.

"You can trust me not to tell your secret under one condition," he offers.

"And what's that?"

"Tell me what happened between you two," he says, sitting up straight now.

I sit and ponder for a second, wondering what the harm would be. I think and think and finally decide that I can't decide.

"Why do you wanna know?" I question.

"A successful girl who has her whole future ahead of her, left on the doorstep of a future king with just one kiss shared between them. Now that I know you, I need to know what happened. How could he throw away someone like you?" Michael asks sincerely.

"Have you seen Isabel?" I joke uncomfortably.

"Yeah, she doesn't hold a light to you. I mean, really, Rosemary. How did you fall out of love?"

"Sometimes, you don't fall out of love. Sometimes it just overflows and there's nowhere left for it to go but.. a foreign kingdom" I say, not really knowing how to answer the question.

I climb into bed and Michael sits next to me, a few feet away, facing me, his eyes pleading for more information. I'm not sure why, but I begin to tell him everything.

I start from the very first day and the silly purple marker scribble that brought us to meet one another. I tell Michael about the night we first met and how I ran out on him because I was afraid. Michael cracks up at the fact that I rejected a king and asks if I regret it. I tell the story of how Brad set us up to meet in the craft store I used to work at and in the heat of the moment, I took a chance and said yes to being his date to the ball.

Between glasses of champagne and stories of Troy and I ballroom dancing in the crowd of people during a regular work day setting up the ballroom, sneaking away from rehearsal dinner, and the beautiful and marvelous Teuta Matoshi gown he got me for Christmas, hours rolled by.

"What did the dress look like?" Michael questions.

"Oh my god, it was my favorite thing in this entire world," I say, falling back against the pillows dramatically. Michael meets me with the same enthusiasm and we can't stop laughing at how similar we actually are. He turns to his side and I do the same, as we share a smile.

"Maybe he'll return it to you. Do you think he still has it?" He questions me.

"I don't know, but I don't have any use for it. I don't want to remember that day anymore," I say, breaking his gaze.

"I'm sure you don't mean that," Michael chimes in and I nod my head against the pillow in argument.

"I do, though."

"What girl wouldn't want to live like a queen for one night?" He thinks out loud.

"One who was fully prepared to be one, until someone else took her place," I say sharply.

Michael frowns and reaches an arm out to my wrist for reassurance. I give it a pat and smile as a thanks.

"I know it didn't end happily, but it seems like two you had a really amazing love story," he says appreciatively.

"We did," I agree.

"Sometimes, that's the way you have to look at it," he tells me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it sounds so corny, but there's that saying that you should smile because something happened, not cry because it's over. That's how I get by in hard times," he admits.

"Hard times?" I question.

"Yeah. Rosemary, I want to feel sorry for you, well, I do feel sorry for you, but I'm also jealous of you. I've never had anyone care about me the way Troy seems to care about you. I've never been in a relationship, truthfully. Every time I go after someone, I always care too much, too early on, and I chase them away before things get too serious. I mean, for once, I just want my own story. I don't even need the happy ending, maybe just the happy beginning and middle," he says, turning onto his back and staring at the bright white ceiling.

"I'm confident you'll get your own story one day," I reassure him.

"And why would anyone want to go after me?" He says defeated.

"A wise man once told me that in New York City, you can be a new person every day. If the real you doesn't work, you have plenty of other chances to be someone else," I argue and Michael laughs hysterically.

I sit up, noting the time, and he follows along.

"I should go," he says, getting to his feet.

"Yeah, let me give you my number so we can stay in touch," I tell him. I recite the ten digits to him and he is on his way to the door. He looks back once before completely exiting, and I pull him into a hug.

"Thank you," I say, sincerely.

"For?"

"For being the friend I needed tonight."

"You'll always have a friend in me, Rosemary. Let me know the next time you're in the city, maybe we can do some sight-seeing?" He offers and I nod my head.

I crawl back under the covers that night wondering if Michael has a point. Should I be more thankful for my happy beginning and middle? I fall asleep knowing that I successfully got my dream job and made a new friend all in one day. Maybe I did get my happy ending after all. Or at least, one chapter better than the rest.