"I'm so sorry, Art," she bellowed, as she wiped her tears away. "Thank you, too. It must've hurt doing this."
She continued silently crying on his shoulders as he continuously rubbed her shoulders to calm her down. He looked at the sky filled with stars, and the dark lake, with high waves splashing on the sands every now and then.
It's finally over.
There was a surge of both sadness and relief, after realizing that. He's undeniably sad because it hurts, but he was also relieved that now, at this point, his hope is finally crushed and he can move on.
Move on? I wonder about that...
"It's okay, Lou. I can manage," he responded with a smile.
... somehow.
They were on that position when someone came out from the front door.
It was Eric, holding his car keys – looking as if he was about to get something from his car.
He was so dumbfounded that he stopped on his tracks, as their eyes met each other.
Best timing ever, man.
"Eric—" he tried to call out.
Louise immediately released him from her hug as soon she heard Eric's name, and whirled around. Eric's jaw became firm, as he silently walked back inside the resthouse with a grim face. Louise panicked and kept looking at the door and to him, as if asking him what to do.
"Go, Lou," he commanded with a firm voice.
As if that's the only signal she was waiting for, she hugged him tightly as a sort of combined thanks and goodbye, and ran with all her might to chase Eric.
Goodbye, Lou. I'll miss you.
He was about to strum another song to repress his feelings of rejection when his phone suddenly rang. He looked at the caller's name and saw 'K'.
Kristelle.
He pressed the green button below her name and placed the phone on his shoulders as he strum. She didn't say anything for a while after hearing him strum.
"So I'm guessing it failed," she said on the other line.
"Yep," he answered.
There was silence on the other line.
"I guess it's just not meant to be, after all. You did your best. Good job," she said softly, trying to console him.
"Right."
He smiled and sang another song with all his heart out after ending the call.
It's gonna be a long night.
YOU ARE READING
He Was a Friend
RomansaLouise owns a cafe with her college best friend Art. She loves coffee, sports, making money and making more money. Art is a vocalist of a very well-known band called Cardiac, finished Business Administration degree with his geek of a best friend Lou...
