Everything for Him

Ryan Ashley was not happy anymore. Not after he left her. She gave up everything. Everything for him and yet, he left her. She gave up her hopes and dreams for him. She waited for him. She told him she loved him and he just freaked out, leaving her.

“I can’t do this anymore,” he had said. She just looked up at him with blurry light brown eyes.

“Why?” she asked, so confused, so very confused.

“Because,” he said, simply. He didn’t know why either. He was just as confused as her. But they were kids back then. They went to Interlochen together and were dating back then until he left her. Ryan was still the same girl she was before, but different.

Everything; that’s what she lost for him, Jackson Rathbone. But she still made gave a happy smile to everyone around her, showing them she was “fine.” Only Ryan knew she wasn’t though. She knew what many would say. It’s been 3 fucking years and she needed to get over it.

But how do you get over the fact that the love of your life left you? The thing was you don’t.

“Ryan, come on! I want you to meet Kellan!” cried her best friend, Nolee.

Ryan was happy for her friend, actually finding true love with someone. She smiled and walked along side Nolee. They had met in the city of LA about 1 year ago and had been friends ever since they found out both loved Incubus. They walked into the café (No, not Starbucks.) and waited for Kellan and his guest to come as well.

Jackson was hurrying along with Kellan, who was excited as hell to say the least. He had finally met his match, in girl form. “Dude, she’s amazing. And I bet I can hook you up with her friend.” Kellan gushed, like a 40 year old gossiper.

“Nah, man… You know I don’t date,” Jackson murmured. Not after Ryan, he thought silently. Jackson Rathbone was a sad soul. He was so bubbly and vibrant, but still an introverted musician. After he left Ryan at Interlochen, he was so different and not exactly in the good way.

He left her, for her own good. Jackson wanted to tour the world, become an actor, and have the rock star life. He felt that Ryan wanted the same…but differently. She had her dreams and he had his. He couldn’t just let her sacrifice everything for him. When she told him she loved him, he was ready to marry her right then. But he thought about her dreams and took off, leaving her for a better life.

Jackson tried living life without her, but who could live life without their soul mate?

“Jackson, we’re here. Dude, her friend is hot too. If I wasn’t with Nolee, I’d sure as hell try to hit that,” Kellan joked, but Jackson just rolled his eyes, smiling slightly. He opened the door and Kellan followed him. “Babe, come here!”

Nolee smiled and jumped up to tackle hug Kellan. He gave her a small kiss and she giggled. “Hi, I’m Nolee,” she introduced herself to Jackson. Jackson smiled at her politely.

“Jackson,” he nodded. His green eyes glanced at the table Nolee had just been at and his breath hitched. Sitting there, writing words in a notebook while sipping some of her coffee was Ryan Ashley; the love of his life. Jackson could not believe his eyes. It was the woman who had made his whole world turn upside down, the woman who made him want to crawl on his knees and beg for mercy.

Ryan glanced up at Nolee and Kellan, and noticed a figure next to them. She noticed something familiar about him. His hair was a little longer than before, he had stubble on his chin and cheeks, his still wore his hats and he hadn’t grown much… He was still the same.

Her eyes took in the form and she felt something rise in the pit of her stomach, it was the man she gave up everything for. It was the man who could make Ryan all jumpy and nervous just by looking at her with his bright green eyes. It was the man who had serenaded her so many times, lulled her to sleep with his sweet lullabies. It was Jackson Rathbone.

“That oblivious chick over there is Ryan,” Nolee smiled at them. “She’s like my best friend.”

“Ryan,” Jackson whispered. Ryan looked at him, her eyes soft and looked a cinnamon color. But then her mind involuntarily replayed the pain he had caused her and she looked at him with hard eyes, her eyes the color of wood.

Ryan grabbed her bag quickly and walked swiftly past Nolee, Kellan and Jackson. She muttered a hello and goodbye to Kellan, a quick apology to Nolee and a hard glare to Jackson. “What was that about?” asked Nolee, completely confused.

“It’s… Nothing,” Jackson replied, hastily running after her. Ryan had barely made it a block away when Jackson caught up with her. She had been wiping tears and sniffling while running away from him. All those memories and heartache came back to her in just moments, after she had built a shield for three years.

“Ry Ry!” he said, calling her by her old nickname, grabbing a hold of her upper arm.

“Would you shut up?” Ryan snapped. “And don’t call me that.”

“Ry R-“ Jackson corrected himself, knowing not to get her angry. “Ryan, look, about what happened-“

“I told you to shut up,” Ryan said. She did not want to talk about it.

“But you need to hear this,” Jackson insisted. He took a deep breath. “I’ve missed you every day since that night. I knew you gave up everything for me, for us, but I couldn’t let you give up your dreams. I wanted you to be happy, to live the life you wanted. And that life couldn’t have been with me.”

Ryan had started sniffling once again and gave him punch in the gut.

“That’s for doing what you thought was best for me,” she said. Then as Jackson kneeled over in pain she grabbed his face, gently and smiled. “And this is for just being you.”

She gave him a kiss like they did in movies. But this was more than an old, cheesy movie; this was a real love story.