Page 3 of A Love Unfaltering

That was the first and only time I’d ever heard Jared cry.

“Do you still live in that old apartment building nearby?” he suddenly asked, thankfully changing the topic of conversation. I nodded, a bit stunned that he remembered that.

“Could I walk you home, then? I know very well thatyouwouldn’t drive such a short way, so I’d like to see you home safely if you’d let me.”

I stared at him in dumbfounded silence. He was right; I never drove to work because I thought of it as a waste of gas.

“I… Sure, but my shift doesn’t end for another hour and a half,” I replied, watching his expression.

“That’s fine. I’ll just get a chocolate milkshake and wait it out,” he said with a smile that looked almost… Relieved.

“Alright, you crazy idiot,” I said, shaking my head with a chuckle and getting up to put in his order. “Either this is some elaborate plot to kidnap me when we head out of here, or… You’re doing well.”

I couldn’t help but feel those butterflies dancing in my stomach again when he smiled at me.

Chapter Two

Jared

Everything had gone well so far. I was happy about that much, at least. I’d expected to walk into the door of the restaurant, realize I was too nervous, and duck out before she could see me.

But now, here I was, leaving with her.

“You ready to go?” she asked, looking toward me with those beautiful eyes that I really couldn’t get enough of. I nodded mutely, and she pushed open the door, flooding the restaurant with the cool Ohio night air. The shock of the cold brought me back to reality, and I reached my hand over her to fully push open the door.

We both stepped out into the night and began walking back toward her building, the route still clear in my mind even though it had been over a year since I’d been in this town. My mind was racing, pondering over whether or not I should tell her the real reason I’d come back or if I should just take it slow and tell her eventually.

Hopefully, she’d forgive me for keeping it from her for that long.

“It feels much nicer here than down in Florida,” I said, to which she laughed.

“I’ll bet. It must be what, a hundred degrees at night down there?Plusthe humidity? No wonder you decided to come back.”

I laughed in response, realizing again just how easy it was to fall into conversation with her. Even though it had been months since we’d had a real conversation, it still felt just like the old times.

Except I was better now.

“Hey, Amy,” I said after a moment, building up the confidence to make an apology that was 20 years in the making. She turned over to look at me with those innocent eyes, which nearly stopped me in my tracks. But I knew that this, at least, had to be said tonight. If it wasn’t, I’d go back to my hotel and feel disgusted with myself.

I was sick of feeling horrible about who I had been as a person.

“So, I know that I haven’t always been the best friend,” I said, watching her as we kept walking down the sidewalk. “And I know that over the years, you’ve told me a lot about myself that you wanted to see change, and I know that I’ve ignored that advice for as long as we’ve been friends.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and kept going.

“But, I’ve been taking that advice recently. I know I’m not perfect yet, and I know that I won’t be for quite a long time, but I’m doing my best, and I’m trying my hardest to make myself into the person you’ve always wanted me to be. It is not just for you and not just for anyone else but also because I’ve felt horrible about myself over the past few months. I’ve found that I don’t enjoy the things that I used to think we’re all the rage, and I see that a lot of the stuff that I used to do was annoying, rude, and hurtful.”

She had her eyes on the ground now, but I could tell she was still listening. I’d walked and talked with her enough throughout our lives to understand that this was just because it was a serious topic.

“And I don’t expect you to forgive and forget for the things that I’ve done over the years because I haven’t even forgiven myself yet. But I want you to know that I’m trying, and Ihavebeen trying, for the past couple of months. I know I’m different, and I know that it’ll be strange for a little while, but… If you’d give me a chance to be your friend again, as a new man, it would mean the world to m-”

She cut me off then, not with her words but with her actions.

She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my shoulder, and just like that, I was thrown into the past. I was thrown back to all the times she’d hugged me before, and even though those times had been few and far between… I remembered them clearly.

“I would be so,sohappy to try everything again,” she said softly as I wrapped my arms around her in response. “I know that I haven’t always been the best either, and I know I’m pushy, and I asked you to change, but I promise I only ever wanted the best for you. You’re doing so well, Jared.”

Hearing her say that made it all worth it. It made the months of confusion and fear worth it, just to be here, in her arms, if only for a couple of moments.

---