On The Ledge
three - you want it back the way it was
I'm Sorry - Blake Shelton
____________________
He got back home around 8am and for two hours he sat on his couch, staring at a blank tv. His mind raced while he sat there, lifeless. Before Summer, he was never good with talking about how he felt, but suddenly this stranger comes along and with one conversation it's like he can tell her anything. Why?
He finally shook himself back into reality and looked at his watch knowing he only had a half hour to get to the rink. He grabbed his things quickly and was out the door, refusing to be late again.
He stepped into the dressing room and sighed as the entire room started clapping and hollering, "Look who decided to show up!" teased Staal. James just sighed and put forth a small smile before sitting in his stall. Dupuis sat beside him and patted him on the back, "Why are you late this time?" he asked. This time he actually seemed concerned because he could see there was something he was holding in.
"It's nothing" he replied shaking his head, "Just lost track of time" Dupuis looked at him for a second and decided not to pry, "Alright, but if there's anything you need, you let me know. By the way, the kids are asking about you. They'd like to see you"
James' rare smile appeared thinking about them and he nodded, "I'll make sure to get by and see them" He had been to Pascal's a couple times over the summer while he was here looking for a place. It was one of his bad points after Summer left, but they were few who knew how to make him smile.
Dupuis gave him a nod, "Sounds like a date" he winked and laughed before getting up and going to his own stall.
--
Liv boarded the plane to Pittsburgh and soon forgot the drama and worries of her hometown. She was looking forward to seeing Sidney, and not just hearing his voice over the phone. She pulled her carry on bag over her shoulder and boarded the plane. She walked down the aisle looking at her ticket to find her seat. She found it and there was no one else in the one next to her. She sighed and sat down next to the window, setting her bag on the floor. She pulled out her camera and started looking through pictures from her goodbye party.
Pictures with her parents, her friends who she would miss terribly and some more extended family. She sighed and set her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes for a moment. Suddenly there was a ruckus and then someone sat down beside her, breathing heavily, making it just in time before the plane left. He had sandy blonde hair that stuck out everywhere. His eyes were green, like a hazel color and his smile was bright as he stuck out his hand, "Hey, I'm Mark"
She smiled for a moment, hesitant, but shook it anyways, "Olivia" his grip was strong, and she could tell he was athletic.
"Liv, I like that"
She has spoken one word to this guy and he was already calling her by her nickname. She was taken aback and wasn't sure how to approach him. He set his bag down and sighed with relief, resting his head back, "Sorry I interrupted" he said with his eyes closed, "I woke up a little late and just barely made it"
She just shrugged, "No biggie, I was actually surprised the seat next to me was empty"
He looked at my camera, "So you're a photographer?"
She just nodded, "I am, sort of. I'm more of a writer, but I love photography"
"What are you headed to Pittsburgh for?"
"I actually landed a job with a local magazine, sports magazine. I'll be around the Penguins alot and probably the Steelers, the Pirates...you get the picture" his eyes went wide and he laughed, "Seriously?"
"Yup" she replied, "And the best part is my best friend plays for the Penguins, and I have a place to stay"
"Who's that?"
"Uh..." she knew he wouldn't believe her but she took a shot anyways, "Crosby"
"Really?" he asked in disbelief, "I mean I know Nova Scotia isn't that big, but you know him?"
"We grew up next door to each other. I babysat his sister a couple times when I was a teenager"
"Wow..."
"How come if Nova Scotia is so small, I haven't met you?" Liv asked. She knew she was taking a chance, but there was something about him that intrigued her. He knew that there was something different about her too and he already felt good being around her.
"How about a coffee when we land?" he said ignoring her question.
She smiled and nodded, "I'd like that"
This was one memory of him she cherished. One she refused to forget because it reminded her of the man she fell for over two and a half years ago and somehow that same guy still ended up being the one who broke her heart a year later. A year and a half and she still found herself hung up on him.
"Liv?" she heard Sidney's voice and sighed with relief knowing he was finally awake. Now the house wouldn't seem so quiet. She stepped out of her bedroom and met him in the kitchen, "Morning"
"Hey" he smiled, "How'd you sleep?"
She shook her head, "Not well"
He walked over to her and rubbed her arms gently, "Maybe you should just relax today, maybe try and sleep?"
She shook her head, "I met with James this morning, I have to start writing, the deadline is coming up"
"It's after 11, when did you talk to him?"
"Like 6am..."
"You've been up since 6?"
"Earlier, more like 4:30"
"Liv you're going to wear yourself out"
"I'll be fine Sidney" she sighed, "Just...I'm going to go write" she retreated back into her room and grabbed her laptop. She opened a blank document and stared at it. Nothing was coming to mind as she looked at her notepad and then her laptop.
"Liv, your phone is out here! It's going off" she heard Sidney from the kitchen so she left her room again and grabbed it off the table. She froze and stared at his name, "It's Mark...again"
"Maybe if you just talk to him, he'll go away?" she shook her head, "I can't"
"Liv, it's been almost a year and a half, you need to face this"
She looked up into his warm brown eyes and closed hers, "Fine" she slid her finger and answered her phone, still shaking, "Hello"
"You answered. Finally" he sighed with relief but she was finding it hard to grip the phone with her hands still shaking, but the sound of his voice was soothing in a way, she kind of missed it. But she refused to let those feelings back again.
"What do you want Mark?"
"I want to see you"
She laughed bitterly and shook her head, "What makes you think I want to see you?"
"Because it's been a year and a half Liv and things are different"
"You said you would be different after I caught you the first time. And the second time. And then the third when she answered your door in your shirt on our one year anniversary. At that point it wasn't a mistake anymore, it was a choice Mark"
There was silence on the other end and she felt like she was on a roll so she continued, "I don't understand how I should give you a fourth chance when I shouldn't have given you a second one. I'm done with this, now just stop calling me so I can fucking get over you" she hung up and nearly threw her phone down on the hardwood floor but Sidney grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug, while she sobbed into his chest, "I hate him" she said pounding against his chest, "I hate him"
He ran a hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head, "It's going to be okay Liv, I promise"
--
He arrived home and mail was sticking out of the end of his mailbox. He pulled it out and stepped into the house, setting his keys and phone on the table. He opened the first one and fell down into a chair with a sigh.
You have been invited to share
in the celebration of the union between
Michael Neal
&
Aimee Brown
September 30th, 2011
2pm
300 Rossland Road East
He had completely forgotten that his brother's wedding was coming up. How could he forget? He was the first of the Neal kids to get married and the two of them were extremely close. He stared down at the invitation and remembered talking about it with Summer and that they would normally have gone together. That was now out of the question.
Maybe he would just go alone. There's nothing wrong with going alone. I am the best man, so it's not like--his thoughts were cut off when he heard his phone ring and saw Summer's name. He hadn't heard her voice in months. She hadn't called, or messaged or anything since she left. What was the reason
"Hi..." he answered still unsure of why she even thought of calling him.
"Hi Jamie" she replied, "How are you?"
She always called him Jamie, never James. He used to like it, but hearing it now...it just didn't sound right anymore "I'm good" he said, "Is there--there something you need?"
"I got the invitation to your brother's wedding. I know you'll be there...and I know Aimee pretty well..."
"Okay..."
"You want to come with me?" he couldn't believe she was actually asking him that. There was a huge part of him that wanted to say yes and go back to her and go back to the way things were and then the day came back to him, there's someone else... He just couldn't do it.
"Are you still there?" she broke his thoughts and he shook his head, "Summer that's not a good idea"
"Why?"
"Because I'm trying to get over you"
"What if I don't want you to? What if I want to--"
"No. I'm not going with you" he hung up the phone and set it on the table. He stared at it and stepped backwards, like he was completely terrified of it. Finally his back hit the wall and he slid down against it, sitting on the floor with his hands on his knees.
Hearing her voice again seemed surreal, and for some reason he hated it. The love they once shared was still there, but there was this hate building up inside of him towards her, this anger, and somehow the only reasonable answer right now was alcohol.
____________________
He got back home around 8am and for two hours he sat on his couch, staring at a blank tv. His mind raced while he sat there, lifeless. Before Summer, he was never good with talking about how he felt, but suddenly this stranger comes along and with one conversation it's like he can tell her anything. Why?
He finally shook himself back into reality and looked at his watch knowing he only had a half hour to get to the rink. He grabbed his things quickly and was out the door, refusing to be late again.
He stepped into the dressing room and sighed as the entire room started clapping and hollering, "Look who decided to show up!" teased Staal. James just sighed and put forth a small smile before sitting in his stall. Dupuis sat beside him and patted him on the back, "Why are you late this time?" he asked. This time he actually seemed concerned because he could see there was something he was holding in.
"It's nothing" he replied shaking his head, "Just lost track of time" Dupuis looked at him for a second and decided not to pry, "Alright, but if there's anything you need, you let me know. By the way, the kids are asking about you. They'd like to see you"
James' rare smile appeared thinking about them and he nodded, "I'll make sure to get by and see them" He had been to Pascal's a couple times over the summer while he was here looking for a place. It was one of his bad points after Summer left, but they were few who knew how to make him smile.
Dupuis gave him a nod, "Sounds like a date" he winked and laughed before getting up and going to his own stall.
--
Liv boarded the plane to Pittsburgh and soon forgot the drama and worries of her hometown. She was looking forward to seeing Sidney, and not just hearing his voice over the phone. She pulled her carry on bag over her shoulder and boarded the plane. She walked down the aisle looking at her ticket to find her seat. She found it and there was no one else in the one next to her. She sighed and sat down next to the window, setting her bag on the floor. She pulled out her camera and started looking through pictures from her goodbye party.
Pictures with her parents, her friends who she would miss terribly and some more extended family. She sighed and set her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes for a moment. Suddenly there was a ruckus and then someone sat down beside her, breathing heavily, making it just in time before the plane left. He had sandy blonde hair that stuck out everywhere. His eyes were green, like a hazel color and his smile was bright as he stuck out his hand, "Hey, I'm Mark"
She smiled for a moment, hesitant, but shook it anyways, "Olivia" his grip was strong, and she could tell he was athletic.
"Liv, I like that"
She has spoken one word to this guy and he was already calling her by her nickname. She was taken aback and wasn't sure how to approach him. He set his bag down and sighed with relief, resting his head back, "Sorry I interrupted" he said with his eyes closed, "I woke up a little late and just barely made it"
She just shrugged, "No biggie, I was actually surprised the seat next to me was empty"
He looked at my camera, "So you're a photographer?"
She just nodded, "I am, sort of. I'm more of a writer, but I love photography"
"What are you headed to Pittsburgh for?"
"I actually landed a job with a local magazine, sports magazine. I'll be around the Penguins alot and probably the Steelers, the Pirates...you get the picture" his eyes went wide and he laughed, "Seriously?"
"Yup" she replied, "And the best part is my best friend plays for the Penguins, and I have a place to stay"
"Who's that?"
"Uh..." she knew he wouldn't believe her but she took a shot anyways, "Crosby"
"Really?" he asked in disbelief, "I mean I know Nova Scotia isn't that big, but you know him?"
"We grew up next door to each other. I babysat his sister a couple times when I was a teenager"
"Wow..."
"How come if Nova Scotia is so small, I haven't met you?" Liv asked. She knew she was taking a chance, but there was something about him that intrigued her. He knew that there was something different about her too and he already felt good being around her.
"How about a coffee when we land?" he said ignoring her question.
She smiled and nodded, "I'd like that"
This was one memory of him she cherished. One she refused to forget because it reminded her of the man she fell for over two and a half years ago and somehow that same guy still ended up being the one who broke her heart a year later. A year and a half and she still found herself hung up on him.
"Liv?" she heard Sidney's voice and sighed with relief knowing he was finally awake. Now the house wouldn't seem so quiet. She stepped out of her bedroom and met him in the kitchen, "Morning"
"Hey" he smiled, "How'd you sleep?"
She shook her head, "Not well"
He walked over to her and rubbed her arms gently, "Maybe you should just relax today, maybe try and sleep?"
She shook her head, "I met with James this morning, I have to start writing, the deadline is coming up"
"It's after 11, when did you talk to him?"
"Like 6am..."
"You've been up since 6?"
"Earlier, more like 4:30"
"Liv you're going to wear yourself out"
"I'll be fine Sidney" she sighed, "Just...I'm going to go write" she retreated back into her room and grabbed her laptop. She opened a blank document and stared at it. Nothing was coming to mind as she looked at her notepad and then her laptop.
"Liv, your phone is out here! It's going off" she heard Sidney from the kitchen so she left her room again and grabbed it off the table. She froze and stared at his name, "It's Mark...again"
"Maybe if you just talk to him, he'll go away?" she shook her head, "I can't"
"Liv, it's been almost a year and a half, you need to face this"
She looked up into his warm brown eyes and closed hers, "Fine" she slid her finger and answered her phone, still shaking, "Hello"
"You answered. Finally" he sighed with relief but she was finding it hard to grip the phone with her hands still shaking, but the sound of his voice was soothing in a way, she kind of missed it. But she refused to let those feelings back again.
"What do you want Mark?"
"I want to see you"
She laughed bitterly and shook her head, "What makes you think I want to see you?"
"Because it's been a year and a half Liv and things are different"
"You said you would be different after I caught you the first time. And the second time. And then the third when she answered your door in your shirt on our one year anniversary. At that point it wasn't a mistake anymore, it was a choice Mark"
There was silence on the other end and she felt like she was on a roll so she continued, "I don't understand how I should give you a fourth chance when I shouldn't have given you a second one. I'm done with this, now just stop calling me so I can fucking get over you" she hung up and nearly threw her phone down on the hardwood floor but Sidney grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug, while she sobbed into his chest, "I hate him" she said pounding against his chest, "I hate him"
He ran a hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head, "It's going to be okay Liv, I promise"
--
He arrived home and mail was sticking out of the end of his mailbox. He pulled it out and stepped into the house, setting his keys and phone on the table. He opened the first one and fell down into a chair with a sigh.
You have been invited to share
in the celebration of the union between
Michael Neal
&
Aimee Brown
September 30th, 2011
2pm
300 Rossland Road East
He had completely forgotten that his brother's wedding was coming up. How could he forget? He was the first of the Neal kids to get married and the two of them were extremely close. He stared down at the invitation and remembered talking about it with Summer and that they would normally have gone together. That was now out of the question.
Maybe he would just go alone. There's nothing wrong with going alone. I am the best man, so it's not like--his thoughts were cut off when he heard his phone ring and saw Summer's name. He hadn't heard her voice in months. She hadn't called, or messaged or anything since she left. What was the reason
"Hi..." he answered still unsure of why she even thought of calling him.
"Hi Jamie" she replied, "How are you?"
She always called him Jamie, never James. He used to like it, but hearing it now...it just didn't sound right anymore "I'm good" he said, "Is there--there something you need?"
"I got the invitation to your brother's wedding. I know you'll be there...and I know Aimee pretty well..."
"Okay..."
"You want to come with me?" he couldn't believe she was actually asking him that. There was a huge part of him that wanted to say yes and go back to her and go back to the way things were and then the day came back to him, there's someone else... He just couldn't do it.
"Are you still there?" she broke his thoughts and he shook his head, "Summer that's not a good idea"
"Why?"
"Because I'm trying to get over you"
"What if I don't want you to? What if I want to--"
"No. I'm not going with you" he hung up the phone and set it on the table. He stared at it and stepped backwards, like he was completely terrified of it. Finally his back hit the wall and he slid down against it, sitting on the floor with his hands on his knees.
Hearing her voice again seemed surreal, and for some reason he hated it. The love they once shared was still there, but there was this hate building up inside of him towards her, this anger, and somehow the only reasonable answer right now was alcohol.