In the End

00: One Time Too Many

Watching the second hand tick around the face of the clock, Ariella let out a quiet sigh, trying to rid herself of the slight feeling of annoyance which twitched in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t the first time, in the six months that they had been dating, Ariella couldn’t quite recall a time when Gerard had made it on time for one of their dates, and whilst it didn’t surprise her that he was late, it did irk her. She had been expecting it, with his track record, she had been anticipating that he wouldn’t make it on time to make their reservation, but still a part of her had hoped that he would, even if it had been slightly naïve. She had thought that, with that night being their six month anniversary, that he would make sure that he arrived on time.

Shaking her head quietly, she watched another minute tick by on the clock, before she pushed herself up to her feet, toeing off the pair of heels that she had slipped on. Gathering the shoes up into her hand, she ducked out of the living room and into the hall before the sound of the front door opening and closing reached her ears, causing her to let out a quiet sigh before she shook her head, a slightly sarcastic smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. “You know what the time is, right?” she mumbled, not lifting her eyes away from her feet.

Gerard, who stood a little away from her, nodded. “I do” he mused “And I am so sorry, Ella. I just...”

“You lost track of time” Ariella interrupted, shaking her head quietly.

Gerard blinked a couple of times, surprised by the interruption, before he nodded. “I know that I’ve said that before” he noted “And I am sorry. I just...I was in the middle of something and before I knew it, I was already half an hour late. I tried to get here as quickly as I could” he added apologetically. He could see that Ariella was upset, since he had stepped into the hallway, she hadn’t even attempted to look up at him, and he wanted to try to make amends. The last thing he wanted was for her to be upset with him on a night which was supposed to be special.

He knew that he was at fault, from the moment that he had realized that he was running late, he had known that Ariella was likely to be upset that, once again, he was late for their date, but still he wanted to try and make amends, even if it wasn’t the first time it had happened. He wanted her to know that he really was sorry.

Ariella shifted her feet slightly, allowing his words to hang around the two of them for a few moments, before she gently shook her head, her blue eyes peeking up at him slightly. “You’re nearly an hour late” she murmured “An hour, Gerard” she stressed.

“I know” Gerard replied “And I’m sorry. But I am here now” he added, a hopeful smile on his face.

Ariella studied his smile for a moment before she quietly shook her head, moving to step down the hall towards her bedroom.

Gerard’s eyes widened a fraction at her movement before he reached his hand out, gently wrapping it around her wrist. “Ariella” he protested softly.

“I’m tired, Gerard” Ariella mumbled “I’m tired and I just want to go to bed. So, if you could show yourself out” she added, tugging her arm out of his grasp before she took a couple more steps down the hall.

Gerard watched her walk away before he followed after her, ducking into the bedroom behind her. “Ariella...”

“You could have just been on time once, Gerard” Ariella interjected, her voice shaking slightly “One time, you could have just showed up on time, but clearly that was just too much for me to expect. I mean, it’s only our six month anniversary, after all” she added sarcastically before she reached her hand up, wiping a couple of tears off of her cheek.

Gerard watched her wipe the tears away from her eyes before he quietly shook his head, stuffing his hands awkwardly into his pockets. “Ella...”

“I knew what I was getting into” Ariella cut him off again “I mean, I’ve known you for long enough to know exactly what you’re like, but still it gets me, Gerard. It’s been six months, I’ve been your girlfriend for six months, and you’re still behaving like my unreliable friend, and I am tired of it” she added, her voice softening slightly.

Gerard, who’d moved to settle down on the edge of the bed, was quiet for a few long seconds before he let out a soft sigh, tilting his head back so that he looked up at the ceiling. “I know I’ve not been good at this” he murmured “I know that I’ve been a pretty shitty boyfriend to you, Ella, and I am sorry for it. I thought it would easier, being boyfriend and girlfriend after being friends for so long, but I guess I just mistook easier for things staying the same as they were” he explained cautiously.

It had taken them a long time to get together, almost two years had passed since they’d met before they’d decided to give their relationship a try, and whilst he knew that their relationship was different from their friendship, he knew that he hadn’t treated it like that at times, even if they were slightly more intimate than before. He knew that, from time to time, he still treated her as the friend she had been to him before.

Ariella, who was stood beside the window, quietly shook her head, tucking a few loose dark hairs behind her ear. “It’s been six months” she repeated quietly.

Gerard nodded. “I know” he murmured “But I will get better at this. I promise that I will, Ella” he insisted as he lifted his head, his blue eyes mirroring hers.

Ariella held his stare for a few moments, a few tears appearing in her eyes, before she shook her head. “I don’t know if I believe that, Geri” she murmured.

“Ella...”

“I want to believe it” Ariella mused softly “I want to believe that we’ll figure this out, but I don’t know that I do. We’re not talking about a couple of weeks, Gerard, we’re talking about months” she added, chewing on her lip nervously. She wanted to believe him, after two years of hesitating, she wanted to believe that they’d figure things out, but she wasn’t sure that she could, even if she wanted nothing more. With six months already having past, she didn’t quite know if more time was going to help.

Gerard blinked a couple of times, trying to wrap his head around what she had said, before he shook his head. “What are you saying, Ella?” he murmured.

“You know what I am saying” Ariella replied, sniffling a little.

Gerard sat still for a few moments before he let out a soft breath, his eyes mirroring hers. “You want to break up with me?” he posed.

“I don’t want us to end up hating each other” Ariella reasoned “You’re my friend, Geri, and I want to keep you as that but...”

“But you don’t want me to be your boyfriend” Gerard muttered.

“I didn’t say that” Ariella countered.

“It’s what you meant” Gerard retorted, his voice a little louder than he had been expecting.

Ariella blinked at the strength of his voice before she reached her hand up, fiddling with her hair shyly, something which made Gerard shake his head before he pushed himself up to his feet. “For what it is worth, I’m sorry” he muttered before he stepped out of the room.

Ariella stood quietly for a few seconds, listening for the distinct thump of the front door closing, before she shook her head, trying not to cry. It was for the best, to save what little was left of their friendship, their breakup was for the best, but it didn’t mean it didn’t sting. She had thought that it would end differently, that they’d figure things out and end up together, and it hurt that they hadn’t.