Those Who Remain

Chapter 5

Ridge and I sat in silence for a long time, wanting to let it linger. It wasn't everyday that you found out someone you're close to loves you back. It was an unexpected turn of events neither of us expected to come out of this situation. We had been in each other's lives for the better part of three years, and never wanted to lose the other.

Our relationship was built on a foundation of similar interests like hiking, reading, nursing, and so many other things. We would always go hiking in the state parks around our area and brought hammocks so we could sit and read in the shade of the trees. It wasn't uncommon of us to choose a book together in Barnes and noble to take on those hikes. We would go chapter by chapter reacting to what happened, talk about what we wanted to happen, and discuss what happened instead.

There had been many times where we were mistaken for a couple when walking in the park, eating at a restaurant, and spending time together on campus. No one could believe that we weren't together because we had been inseparable since the day we met. At the beginning, we would look at each other, laugh, and deny the allegations, but as time went on, it happened so often that, sometimes, we would go along with it. I never expected, one day, to realize I wanted it to be a reality.

I wondered, vaguely, when he realized he wanted our relationship to grow into something more, so I decided to break the silence. "What made you realize your feelings changed?"

For me, it happened during one of our hiking trips in a state park I can't remember the name of. We had picked up our newest book, Little Women, much to my surprise. I had pushed to get this book because I'd always wanted to read it, and the movie was coming out. I was a firm believer of reading the book before watching the movie. I was pleasantly surprised that Ridge agreed to read it with me without complaint. It wasn't a book that I figured men would read without some convincing. I think that was the first step in the direction of romance for me.

When we had arrived at the state park, Ridge always insisted on paying for parking like the gentleman he's always been, and he drove because he knew that I had a hate for the interstate. All the little things he did made me feel special, like I really meant something to him.

I remember what he was wearing, a royal blue t-shirt and white basketball shorts. He wasn't much into sports, but he always had a lean, muscular body that any woman couldn't help but find attractive. On this day in particular thought, I was struck with a large attraction to him that I'd never felt before. I shook the feeling off because I didn't know why I was feeling it.

While we were walking, trying to find a place to set up shop, an older woman came over to us gushing about how cute of a couple we were. From the second she walked over, I knew that we were going to go along with it. She was just too excited for us to break the news to her.

"Oh ya," Ridge said as he grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers, "We've been together for a little over two years."

"Oh that's wonderful! You guys look like the perfect match," she had replies with so much enthusiasm, I believed she really meant it.

Something in that conversation startled me though. I found myself believing the words the woman was speaking. Maybe we would be a great couple. Maybe we did look great together. I was never one to let the opinion of others get to me, but the attraction that I had felt when we got out of the car was still in the back of my mind.

When we walked away from the woman, Ridge didn't let go of my hand and it sent thousands of butterflies into my stomach even though I knew he was just keeping up the act. This was the point in the day that I started to question myself on why I was feeling this way. Was it what he was wearing? Did he say something extra nice to me that I didn't realize affected me this much? Was it all the little things he did for me today?