AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You agreed to this trip.”
“Yeah, of course I did.”
Unsure of exactly what her position here is, I keep going forward with the only things I do know to be true.
“You agreed to break up, weeks ago.” This bit, I whisper.
Laura does not. “I know.”
“I’m… Are you angry with me for not telling you sooner?” I’m grappling with the past few days, ever since we had that fight at breakfast. “You’re angry with me for knowing about the engagement first?”
She lets out a quiet, bitter laugh. “Yep, that’s it.”
“Laura—”
“David, why are you upset? You’re upset that I’m upset? Or you’re upset that I’m upset with you?”
I run the question through my mind. “I… Don’t know. Is there a difference?”
She shakes her head at me. “Look, let’s just…” she holds a hand out, still shaking her head. “Let’s just get through this weekend, alright?”
“Laura—”
“David!”
I stop in surprise. This is the first time Laura has ever raised her voice at me—from the shock on her face, maybe at anyone.
Then her face crumples, the expression hauntingly sad, and I reach forward. She takes a step back, and I drop my hands.
“David, you’re getting what you wanted. And I’m here. So can you just… Stop trying to fix a situation that can’t be fixed. We aren’t together.”
The words don’t come out harsh. She says it softly, almost. She says it with a tenderness I am not certain I deserve.
“I don’t want you to hate me,” I admit this, and it feels like something heavy is off my chest now. I feel a bit more like I can breathe, even if looking at her still makes it far more difficult than I’d prefer.
“I don’t want that either,” she says, shrugging one shoulder. I don’t know if she means she doesn’t want me to hate her or if she doesn’t want to hate me. I suppose both options are good.
“Laura, I… I’m sorry.”
“Me, too, David. Me, too.”
Laura goes back to the living room. I watch her go.
Lewis comes in, passing Laura with a strange look. I try to school my expression, but his eyes catch mine before I manage to drop the look.
“Everything alright?” he asks, looking between us. Laura just smiles tightly and nods before leaving. Lewis pulls his eyebrows up and gives me a small smile.
“So, when’s the question coming?—?”
“Shh!” Lewis throws a worried look over his shoulder. I let out a breath in relief that he seems as distracted as I’d hoped. “She might hear ya.”
“Sorry.” Lewis comes over, close. I raise my brows but he just reaches into his pocket and—he pulls out the ring. When he shows it to me, I forget all about my troubles with Laura.
“Wow.”
Lewis looks up at me anxiously. “Do you think she’ll like it?” He looks back down at the ring before closing the lid and hiding it in his pocket. “I know it’s smaller than the last one she had, but?—”
“Lewis, she’llloveit.” I clasp him on the shoulder, certain of this. “I mean it.”
