Sweep Me Off My Feet

The car was filled with Kevin, Joe, and Frankie by the time Nick and I got there. Kevin was driving, and Frankie and Joe were in the back. The passenger seat was open, and the seat between Joe and Frankie was open. Nick must've knew that after reading Joe's note he gave me, I would be crying, so he switched the seating arrangement.

"Joe, up front next to Kevin," Nick said calmly while looking at Joe.

"Why?" Joe whined.

"Because, I want to sit next to Taryn. You can sit up front for the ride to the restaurant. If she wants to sit with you on the ride back, then you can sit there."

"Fine," Joe groaned, unbuckling and going up front next to Kevin.

After Joe was out, Nick climbed in, sitting in the middle next to Frankie. Then I came in, and sat behind Joe's seat. Not very ideal, but it'd have to do.

We had to wait for all the parents to get ready with their car, so I took that as my opportunity to start reading the note. I carefully unfolded the note, already starting to get tears from just seeing my name in his handwriting on the front. Nick reached around the back, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, holding me for the support that I would need in a mere few minutes. I took a deep breath, and started to read.

Taryn-

It has been a very long two days without you in my life. All I've been doing is sitting down in your basement that your mom set me up in, and staring at the wall. I've tried to play my guitar, but I could only do that on the night after I came home from the Falls and saw you sitting there lifelessly on the couch. It breaks my heart to see you hurting like this, and it breaks my heart even more to know that I did this to you. I never meant to do it. Sure, I know you're thinking right now, "Yes you did, you asshole. You were kissing her back, I saw it." That, I must say is true. I'm sorry, but it is. When we were littler, back when Nick would do Broadway, Marlee and I had a sort of... thing. Then, after Nick was done with the show she was in, we split ways, and I never saw her again. I'm sure the only way she knew who I was was because I am famous now. That night, she came onto me. I know every single guy says this, but it's true. But, I'm still sorry that I've let you down like this, Taryn, I really truly am. I'm a horrible man, and a horrible fiance, and don't deserve you. I understand if you give me back the ring, and give me back all my things, but sorry to say, we still have to get married... we're arranged to. I'd just like one more chance with you, and hope that you'll give me that privilege. But if not, I'm sorry and I still love you. I always have, and always will.

Love, Joe

Not surprisingly, tears were running down my face when I folded the note back up and stuffed it back into my pocket. Just as always, Nick held me, trying to help me cope with the pain and sadness this gave me. Through my blurry eyes, I saw Joe turn around in his seat, and look at me and frown. I wanted to forgive him so badly, but I just couldn't bring myself to. He hurt me so badly, and I lost much trust in him.

I stayed there crying for another ten minutes, until finally my tears died down and stopped. From my bag, I grabbed out a compact mirror, and started to wipe away the smudged makeup from my eyes and cheeks. When we stopped the car a minute or two later, I looked and saw Angelo's, the downtown Italian restaurant we were going to.

"Kay', common everyone," Kevin said as he unbuckled and got out of the car, going to meet his parents. Frankie followed, but Joe, Nick, and I stayed in the car.

"Taryn," Joe sighed, turning to face me.

I was still fixing my make-up, so I looked at him in the corner of my eye.

"What?" I said rudely.

"Look, please just listen."

I nodded, acknowledging his request.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think that it was her," He said, and I moved the compact mirror aside, and looked at him.

"What?" I flabbergasted.

"I thought it would be you knocking on the room door. I was changing, so I didn't think that you would mind if I opened the door without a shirt on. When I saw her, I tried to excuse myself, but she, like, attacked me and started making out with me, and she pulled her shirt off, and she was pushing us towards the bed. Then, you walked in."

"We'll talk about this another time, Joe. Our families are waiting for us."

He nodded and got out, and I followed his actions, as did Nick.

"Have a nice talk?" My mother asked.

I grumbled something incoherent to her as I walked past her, going into the restaurant.