The Runaway Bride

And you are my best friend forever we won't ever let
that end, no never
You are here for me and I am here for you that’s what
best friends do

-Byrant Oden “Best Friends Forever”

After four day of losing himself in the forest Paul decided it was time to go home. He opened the door to his empty house not bothering to turn on the light. It was another stormy night.

“You can’t keep running away”

He turned around to find Leah sitting on his couch.

“What are you doing here Leah?” he asked tiredly.

“I came to knock some sense in you” she said simply.

“I’m not in the mood for any bullshit, so please get the hell out,” he grumbled.

“For once Paul could you stop being such a hardheaded dick and listen to someone” Leah growled. They both had the same bad temper. He didn’t know why the hell she was the one that wanted to ‘knock some sense’ in him. She was just was bad if not even worst then him.

“What the fuck do you want” he complied somewhat.

“Violet—“

“Get out!” he demanded.

“Will you just fucking listen!” Leah shouted.

“No, I’m getting so fucking sick and tired of everyone taking her side. So get the hell out!”

“There are no fucking sides Paul! People just want you to understand! You know you’re fucking miserable without her. I don’t know why the fuck you’re playing hard to get. Don’t you think she’s suffered long enough? She came back for you! She’s staying here for you!” She pointed at him. “And honestly, I don’t know why. You’ve been treating her like dirt and she still sticks around. She might as well just be an idiot.” Leah growled. “Look she’s been through a lot and alone through it all, just please cut her some slack” Leah said softly something Paul wasn’t use to from her.

“Yes, she left and it probably wasn’t the best decision she could have made, but she’s back Paul and willing to fight for you. Don’t turn your back on her now. She needs you.” Leah sighed, “Every year she has to get a check up to make sure she’s cleared. Friday is her next check up. Can you please not make her go through it alone all over again? That’s all I’m asking” Leah said before leaving him alone in an empty house.

****
“Are you sure you can’t go?” Violet asked Leah for the thousandth time.

“No, I’m sorry Vi. They didn’t let me at work” Leah said feeling guilty.

Violet sighed, “Alright”

“Don’t worry, it will all be fine” Leah reassured her even though deep down she was just as scared as Violet. “You’re fine”

“I know. I just always get scared” Violet smiled weakly.

“Come on be strong. It will all be good you’ll see. Now go on you don’t want to be late” she pushed Violet out the door.

“Alright, alright, I’m leaving” she turned around to give Leah a hug. As they hugged Violet could feel the tears form in her eyes. Leah was the same. She was scared for her friend.

“I’m scared” Violet whispered.

“Don’t be” Leah cleared her throat trying to get rid of the knot. “Like I said it will all be fine. Now get going” she gave her one last squeeze before they separated. Leah waved to Violet as she drove off. She could only pray it would all be fine.

As Violet arrived to the hospital she couldn’t control the worry that was eating at her stomach. She got off the car and walked inside. She went to the lady behind the glass window.

“Hi I have an appointment”

“Name?” the woman asked.

“Violet Madder”

“Ah, yes the doctor will see you in a bit. And there’s a young man over there on the corner of that wall waiting for you” she pointed to the way.

“Thank you” Violet said confused. She went the direction the woman had pointed to. When she saw the young man that was waiting for her the color from her face drained.

“Paul?” she could barely squeak.

Paul stood up putting his hands inside his pockets and gave her a small smile. Violet nearly almost fainted at the sight she was seeing. She ran up to him and put her arms around him Paul doing the same action to her.

“Thank you” she whispered with rough emotion in her voice.

Paul tighten his grip around her “You won’t ever be alone again Violet. I’m here”

Violet nodded her head frantically with tears running down her face.

“I’ll stand by you,” he whispered in her ear. She turned up to look at him.

She smiled at him. “I couldn’t ask for more”

He retuned the smile and bent down and kissed her forehead.

“Violet Madder?” the nurse called out.

“Come on” Paul held his hand out for her, which she gladly took.

The nurse did the normal procedures and she checked her weight, pulse, and temperature. Violet and Paul made small talk with the nurse to ease the awkward tension. After she led them to an empty room.

“The doctor should be with you in a few” the nurse smiled.

“Thank you” both Paul and Violet said.

She couldn’t believe her luck when she turned to look at Paul. There he was sitting on a chair concentrating on a medical magazine that taught how to deal with cancer. She smiled. He looked adorable as he actually read it instead of skimming through the words like he usually did. There was silence, but oddly enough she felt comfortable.

There was a light knock on the door and the doctor came in. He greeted the both shaking their hands.

“How have you been feeling?” the doctor asked. Paul sat in his chair observing Violet attentively.

“Good” she responded.

“No fevers? nausea?”

“No everything has been good”

The doctor looked at his computer “I see you were in a car accident”

Paul frowned making Violet’s attention turn to him.

“How are you feeling from that?” the doctor asked gaining back her attention.

“Almost as good as new” she smiled making sure Paul saw it. His frown eased when he saw her smiling.

“Any tenderness?”

“Only a little on my shoulder and ankle” Violet tried not to roll her eyes when she saw the angry frown set on Paul’s face once again. From then on the doctor did a normal check up and order a nurse to draw some blood out. After an hour of waiting the doctor returned with the results. Every time he would flip through the papers Violet’s stomach would flip and twist in knots. The knots in her stomach would change to butterflies when she would look at Paul and he would give her a reassuring smile.

“Well” the doctor spoke “Everything seems to be normal” he smiled at her, relief coursed through her body as well as Paul’s. “But I am going to prescribe you some medication—“

“What for?” Paul quickly asked, “You said she was fine, why does she need medication?”

The doctor turned and smiled at the worried some young man to his left. “They’re just something to help her immune system get stronger, nothing to worry about” he turned back to Violet “I’m also going to prescribe you some vitamins. Drink two a day and remember to eat lots of fruits” he wrote it on a paper then handed it to her.

Violet nodded.

“Anymore questions?” the doctor asked turning to Paul mainly.

Violet rolled her eyes playfully “No that’s all, thank you doctor” she shook his hand.

Violet and Paul left after the doctor and went to get her medicine at the pharmacy near by. When they got it Violet and him walked to her car silently.

“How did you get here?” Violet asked as they stopped in front of her car.

“I walked” Paul shrugged. Violet turned to look at him like he was crazy.

“Paul that’s like twenty miles!” she exclaimed.

“I’ve walked further”

“You’re nuts” she shook her head, but deep down she was absolutely flattered that he had walked all that way to be with her at her appointment.

“I’ll give you a ride” she motioned with her head towards her car.

“I’ll drive,” he said taking the keys from her hands.

She rolled her eyes “Why do guys always want to be the ones driving?”

“It’s the manly thing to do” he puffed his chest out dramatically.

“More like the sexist thing to do” she crossed her arms and stuck her hip out.

Paul groaned exaggeratedly “I forgot how much a feminist you were. Shave you armpits will you?”

She hit him on his arm “I am not a feminist and I do shave my armpits!” she consciously crossed her arms.

Paul chuckled “ Trust me I know you’re clean cut” he winked at her.

Violet’s eyes went wide “Paul!” She hit him again. “Shut up!”

Paul chuckled more putting his arm around her shoulder and taking her to the passenger side. He opened the door “My lady” he motioned towards the seat.

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile. He was such a goof. He shut the door and quickly made it to the driver seat and drove off. They were in a comfortable silence for a bit until Paul decided to break it.

“I meant what I said,” he blurted.

“Huh?” Violet turned to look at him.

“About being there for you,” Paul continued, “I mean what I say”

She smiled at him “I know you do”

He nodded “Just think of me as your right hand,” he motioned towards his hand “your best friend”

Her smile faltered, but she was thankful that he was too busy looking at the road to notice.

“Best friend?” she questioned trying not to sound too forlorn or make it obvious that that was not what she wanted.

“Yeah, I’ll be there whenever you need me. It will almost be like old times”

KEYWORD: Almost. Meaning not at all.

“Yeah” she dragged the word out. “Just like old times”

“We’ll be good friends” he continued making Violet die slowly inside. Couldn’t he just shut up? They had just established they were going to be friends. She got it; he didn’t need to keep rubbing it in her face.

“The best” she tried to smile the best she could.

Paul turned to look at her. His face was carved with contemplativeness as though he were searching something from her. She gave him a small (fake) smile and he directed his vision back to the road.

She inwardly sighed and laid her head against the window looking out. Friends. Best friends. Three cheers for the two best friends. Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip—this sucked.