Status: For a contest, so it's a quickie :)
Here's to Second Chances
Four
With that, Steve was out the door. He left her in the guest room of the guy he claimed was in love with her, a guy she did seriously trust more than anyone after Steve had cheated on her.
Langley sat on the wood framed bed and pulled her knees up to her chin. She faced the floor to ceiling windows and looked out over the Columbus sky. It wasn’t much of a city, but it was home for her, somewhere where she felt comfortable for the most part, a place to consider staying for the rest of her life. She thought about how her life was supposed to turn out in contrast to how it did. Then she thought about Jack, a good little boy from Canada, a man she could trust and really did care about.
Looking back, she had thought about him as more than a friend a time or two, but mostly when she was drunk or lonely, but perhaps she was avoiding the truth of the matter. Perhaps she was avoiding her true feelings for him. He was handsome, sweet, well mannered, stayed out of the media as much as possible, and was the best friend she had through all of this. He had been her rock and what better way to repay her rock then to fall in love with him-that is if he really did love her.
In the reflection she saw the door open again and Jack walked inside, “You okay?” he asked in a quiet voice.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks and eyes, “He said goodbye.”
“Isn’t that what you want?” Jack looked confused.
Langley turned to face him, “Yes, but he left me with a new dilemma.”
She watched as frustration passed over his face and then concern again, “What sort of dilemma?"
"He just said that there was someone better for me, someone he would rather see me with since there was no way I would go back to him."
Langley watched a light blush fill his cheeks, "Are you ready for someone new?"
“Maybe,” she really wasn't positive she was ready, "But I'm willing to figure that out," she stood up.
Jack stayed in his place and watched her closely, “You told him I was here,” she stated.
“You needed closure,” he told her, “I wanted to be able to help you get that.”
“Even if it meant I’d be mad at you?”
He nodded and then gave her a smirk, “You can’t stay mad at me.”
Langley walked over to him and put her hand on his arm, “You're right, and I’m going to look at this as my second chance from now on.”
“Second chance for what?”
“My second chance at finding love,” she wrapped her hand around his forearm, “Sometimes,” she smiled up at him, “goodbye is a second chance.”
Jack smiled down at her and nodded, “Sometimes it is.”
“Everyone still downstairs?” she asked.
“Yeah, most of them are still here,” his other hand reached for hers and linked their fingers together.
The two walked back down to the party together and saw the heads turn to them. Some smiled, some shook their heads, but most just gave Jack a nod, letting him know that this was what they expected. Jack handed Langley a drink and smiled, “Here’s to second chances.”
Langley sat on the wood framed bed and pulled her knees up to her chin. She faced the floor to ceiling windows and looked out over the Columbus sky. It wasn’t much of a city, but it was home for her, somewhere where she felt comfortable for the most part, a place to consider staying for the rest of her life. She thought about how her life was supposed to turn out in contrast to how it did. Then she thought about Jack, a good little boy from Canada, a man she could trust and really did care about.
Looking back, she had thought about him as more than a friend a time or two, but mostly when she was drunk or lonely, but perhaps she was avoiding the truth of the matter. Perhaps she was avoiding her true feelings for him. He was handsome, sweet, well mannered, stayed out of the media as much as possible, and was the best friend she had through all of this. He had been her rock and what better way to repay her rock then to fall in love with him-that is if he really did love her.
In the reflection she saw the door open again and Jack walked inside, “You okay?” he asked in a quiet voice.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks and eyes, “He said goodbye.”
“Isn’t that what you want?” Jack looked confused.
Langley turned to face him, “Yes, but he left me with a new dilemma.”
She watched as frustration passed over his face and then concern again, “What sort of dilemma?"
"He just said that there was someone better for me, someone he would rather see me with since there was no way I would go back to him."
Langley watched a light blush fill his cheeks, "Are you ready for someone new?"
“Maybe,” she really wasn't positive she was ready, "But I'm willing to figure that out," she stood up.
Jack stayed in his place and watched her closely, “You told him I was here,” she stated.
“You needed closure,” he told her, “I wanted to be able to help you get that.”
“Even if it meant I’d be mad at you?”
He nodded and then gave her a smirk, “You can’t stay mad at me.”
Langley walked over to him and put her hand on his arm, “You're right, and I’m going to look at this as my second chance from now on.”
“Second chance for what?”
“My second chance at finding love,” she wrapped her hand around his forearm, “Sometimes,” she smiled up at him, “goodbye is a second chance.”
Jack smiled down at her and nodded, “Sometimes it is.”
“Everyone still downstairs?” she asked.
“Yeah, most of them are still here,” his other hand reached for hers and linked their fingers together.
The two walked back down to the party together and saw the heads turn to them. Some smiled, some shook their heads, but most just gave Jack a nod, letting him know that this was what they expected. Jack handed Langley a drink and smiled, “Here’s to second chances.”
♠ ♠ ♠
DONE!!! Not my typical sappy love story, but I kinda like open endings like this.Again, I went into this blind lol so hope you guys read it and like it :)