Sweep Me Off My Feet

Dinner was... long. I didn't think that it would actually take us a half an hour to order, forty-five minutes to get our food, and spend an hour eating. I hadn't eaten much, mostly I just played with my food. I had a few bites of my salad, and had some of my dessert, but not much. My appetite had disappeared since the incident.

"So Nick, you said I could sit in the back with Taryn on the way back," Joe smirked on our way out and to the car.

"Ya, Joe. If she wants to sit next to you."

Joe turned to me and looked into my eyes with his gorgeous brown ones. "Do you?"

If I kept looking into those eyes, I would've shaken my head 'yes'. But I caught myself in time, and looked away towards Nick. He was just looking at me, also, waiting for my answer.

"No," I whispered and got into the car.

I heard him sigh, and saw him sit in the passenger seat. Nick came and sat next to me on my right, and Frankie was seated on my left.

The ride home was equivalent to dinner; very long. When we got home, I grabbed Nick's hand and walked towards the street.

"A walk," I said when I looked at his face and saw he was confused. Immediately he smiled and nodded.

"So," I asked, trying to pass time. "What's been up with Blair lately? I haven't thought to call her."

Nick turned to me with a complete straight and serious face, and started talking. "Oh, you know, the normal things. She got captured by a hobo the other night, and then yesterday when she was at McDonald's, she got arrested for corrupting the children. She got out of jail, though. But, her mom grounded her for a few days."

My eyebrows squinted together and I kept looking at him, trying to figure out if that was right. I mean, that would happen to her, but still. Just as I was about to ask him if he was serious, he started to laugh hysterically, causing the couple on the other side of the street to look at us and walk just a little faster.

"No, Taryn. Oh god, you really are out of it. No, she's at her grandmother's. Remember? Well, she comes home tomorrow. Does she know that you and Joe aren't talking?"

"I went to Wal-Mart before I went back to the hotel. I called her from the parking lot, and was trying to figure everything out," I whispered.

"Oh."

"Mhmm. So, have you talked to her?"

"Ya. Do you seriously think that I wouldn't go a day without talking to her? I love her so much."

I smiled for my two best friends. I was so happy for both of them, happy that they had finally found someone they both loved to death. I wish I had that still.

"Aww, you're too cute Nicky."

He blushed, and then we fell silent again.

"Are you ever going to forgive Joe?" He asked.

"Ya," I sighed. "I have to, I mean, we still have to get married. And plus, life and love isn't the same without mistakes... Just, I still need some time."

"I know how you feel Tar."

"Thanks," I smiled.

We were back at my house, and when I checked my phone, it was only 8:39.

"Want to hang out in my room?" I asked Nick, hoping to God that he would.

"Ya, just let me check my blood sugar and change into comfy stuff and everything. I'll be in in like, ten minutes."

I nodded and walked up the stairs into my room.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shiny red bow, sitting on my bed. Curious, I walked over to it, and saw a CD case under it. I carefully opened it, and popped it into my stereo, waiting to hear the song.

Instead, an all too familiar voice filled my room, and my eyes watered.

"Hey Taryn, it's Joe. Today is two days after everything happened. I know that you're still probably not talking to me right now, but I just needed to get everything off my chest and I just felt that this was the right way to do it. I hope you like it.

I held my breath as I stared at my stereo and waited patiently, until finally, I heard his voice again. Only this time, he wasn't talking, but he was strumming an acoustic guitar, and I could faintly hear him counting off to begin singing.

I'm stuck here, stranded on this island of despair
You left me in this world all alone
Without an S.O.S or a bottle for a message
I'm trying my best to survive on this refuge by myself
But it's not going as planned

I've realized I've let you down
Don't know how to say "I'm Sorry"
But if there's one thing I want you to know
Is that I'm living with the regret tattooed on my heart
And if I don't see your face again
Just know that you're my one and only love

I've been sittin' here for hours
Sittin' here for days
I've heard you've been cryin'
And feelin' empty, too
But I know I won't be the one to help
I'd love to hear your voice whisper to me "I love you" one more time
But sometimes, wishing on 11:11 never works

I've realized I've let you down
Don't know how to say "I'm Sorry"
But if there's one thing I want you to know
Is that I'm living with the regret tattooed on my heart
And if I don't see your face again
Just know that you're my one and only love

Been livin' in a black and white world
You've taken all the color away with my heart
I want it all back soon, along with you

But, I've finally realized that I let you down
And I've lost count of how many times I've tried to say "I'm Sorry"
But if there's one thing I want you to know
Is that I'm living with the regret tattooed on my heart
And if I don't see your face again
Just know that you're my one and only love
(c)Bre Herrmann

Surprisingly, I didn't cry. Sure, I was sad, but I didn't cry. I was sitting on my bed, thinking over everything when Nick walked in with ice cream sundaes and a DVD.

"Sugar free?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yup, well mine is. Yours isn't. And, I thought you'd like to watch a movie?" He asked, showing me Mean Girls.

huge grin appeared on my face after that, and I had to hold myself back from jumping up and hugging him. I watched him put it into my DVD player, and we sat on my couch, watching the movie together.

One Hour and 37 Minutes Later

"Night Taryn," Nick said as he walked out my door.

"Night."

I waited until I was sure everyone was asleep, then I put my plan into action.

I slowly walked down the stairs, and walked across the living room floor as quietly as I could, trying not to wake Pickles, but that part failed. He ran across the floor, and tackled me to the ground. Once he was done licking me, I regained my standing position and walked to the basement door, walking down.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as mine and his eyes locked, and as we both walked forward to the other. And when I was in his arms again, and once his lips touched mine again, everything was back to normal pace. Everything was okay again.

"I love you Joe. Don't ever do that to me again," I whispered.

"Trust me, I won't." I heard him say to me before reaching up to kiss him again.