Wasted

She wiped her eyes as she heard the front door close. Making her way down the stairs, she found him in the kitchen. She leaned against the counter, waiting for him to acknowledge her; when he didn't, she cleared her throat. He looked at her with a blank expression on his face, but when he saw how red her eyes were from crying, worry flashed before his eyes.

"Babe, what's wrong?" Bobby had said.

"I can't take this anymore!" Alison said.

"Take what?"

"I've spent five years of my life waiting for you, Bobby. Five years of my life waiting for you to tell me you love me. Five years wasted on someone who doesn't even acknowledge I exist except when I'm hurt!," Alison began to cry, "I'm a person too Bobby. I know your life as a hockey player isn't easy, and I know that. And yet, look at me! I'm here for you. I gave up everything just to support you. I gave up school, I gave up my job, I gave up my family! Now everyone's going to rub it in my face that I've made the wrong decision."

"Are you saying you don't love me anymore?"

"Of course I love you Bobby! I never stopped, and I don't think I ever will! All I'm saying is that it hurts me that you don't care anymore. You don't care about me, or this fucking relationship!" Alison screamed.

Bobby raised his voice, "Of course I care about this relationship! Do you know how hard it is for me to take crap from the guys in the locker room? I try my best Alison! I try, and yet we always fight. I don't know what else you want me to do!"

"I want you to trust me! I want you to tell me you love me! And most importantly, I want you to care! Is that too much to ask for Bobby?" Alison reasoned.

When Bobby didn't answer, Alison's tears blurred her vision, "That's what I thought. Goodbye Bobby."

With that, she grabbed her bags, threw his promise ring on the floor and left.

◊ ◊ ◊

"Congratulations Class of 2011! We made it!" Alison, class validictorian said.

Cheers erupted, and hats were flying everywhere. Graduates met with their parents and loved ones to celebrate just how much they had accomplised. For Alison, it was a bittersweet moment. It was time for her to live on her own, make her mark on the world, but she didn't want to leave her parents behind. Who would take care of them when she was gone? Will they move? There were so many questions that had yet to be answered.

"Congratulations! My little baby is all grown up now!"

"Melanie, don't embarrase your daughter." Joseph, Alison's father said.

"I'm her mother. I have the right to embarase her." Her mother huffed.

Alison laughed at her parents. This is what she'll miss the most, "Mom, Dad -"

She didn't get to finish her sentence because she was cut of by her father who saw something and exclaimed, "What is he doing here!"

When Alison turned around to look, she almost couldn't breathe. All the memories she tried so hard to bury, once again came to mind. Every step Bobby took, made Alison's heart shatter into a million pieces. She didn't want to do this. Not here. Not now. Not ever.

"Sweetie, do you want me to tell him off? I still got it in me you know! I'm not that old!" Her mother whispered in her ear.

"No mom. I have to do this," Came Alison's response.

Making her way underneath the willow tree where Bobby stood, she held on for dear life.

"I see you went back to school," Bobby stated with a small smile.

"Yeah, I studied engineering again." Alison replied.

An awkward silence fell upon them and all Alison wanted was to go home and forget this ever happened.

"Listen -" Both of them said at the same time. Alison gestured him to go on.

Taking a deep breath Bobby said, "Okay, I'll go first. Alison, I'm really sorry I've been such a prick. You were my first and only girlfriend and I was so scared I might mess things up that might send you away. By trying so hard to not mess things up, I actually did. Those two years that you've been away has been hell for me, and even the entire team agreed that I played like shit. I love you Alison, and I wish it didn't take this long for me to realize it. But I love you. Please," Bobby begged.

"I..I don't know. I mean, 5 years of my life was spent by your side, and you never even acknowledged me. You never said thanks, or anything for that matter. To you, I was just...there."

"Let me have another chance. I'll show you that you didn't waste your life by standing by me. Let me prove to you. Please Alison. Just one more chance."

"I can't Bobby." Alison desperately said.

Feeling defeated Bobby asked, "Do you still love me?"

When Alison didn't answer, Bobby cupped her face, making her look at him.

"Do you still love me Alison?"

Tears in her eyes she had said, "Of course I do! Did you really think I'd stop? I've been waiting for you to do this for one whole year, and when you didn't show up. I faced reality. You weren't coming back. Then now you're here. Now I just don't know what to do..."

Bobby hugged Alison as she cried onto his shoulder, he didn't realize how much this hurt Alison more than it had hurt him. He needed to fix this. He wiped her tears with his thumb and gently kissed her on the lips.

"Okay," Alison breathed, almost like a whisper.

"Okay you're giving me another chance?" Bobby asked with newfound hope.

Alison nodded and smiled up at him. Some people might think that she's being weak for forgiving him just like that. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign that you are courageous, because forgiving isn't always easy. As they held hands, Bobby kissed her, just as the sun was setting.