Second Chances For Failed Romances

“It’s been a while,” he said.

“May I help you?” I said as I spun around in my heel, finding him dangerously close.

“Actually, yes,” he chuckledand I felt like puking. “It’s been, what, two years?” he gave me a sly smirk.

I gave him a quizzical look, pretending as if I couldn’t remember him, or anything for that matter.

“Please Noel, the fake hair and the fake eyes don’t trick me,” he became more serious, “I know you better than that.”

“I’m sorry sir, but my name isn’t Noel,” I shrugged and began to walk away.

I heard his footsteps follow me, “you can make this as difficult as you want, I’m not going to leave. I came here to see you.” He tried to convince me with his eyes.

I turned to face him once more, “listen, I’m busy, and I have no idea what you want with me or what you’re doing here,” I tried making it crystal clear that he came uninvited.

“Oh, so you got a fake personality and attitude to match the fake look?” I could tell he was starting to get angry, and, knowing him like I do, he wasn’t going to give up.

I took a deep breath and walked outside of the boutique, knowing he would follow me, “what do you want?” I snapped at him.

He chuckled, bitter and dry, “I already told you, I came here to look for you.”

“Listen kid,” I gritted my teeth, “I don’t know if you’ve realized it, but you’re not wanted here.” I raised my voice just enough.

“Noel-” he began, but I cut him off.

“Audrey,” I snapped at him, “Noel is gone.”

“This is seriously ridiculous,” he ran a hand through his hair while shaking his head. “I went back to Baltimore to look for you and you were gone. I looked for you everywhere I could, but somehow Noel Braddy was off every single listing. I couldn’t even find your sister for crying out loud!” he began to raise his tone, “you disappeared – I asked everyone and no one knew where you had gone. For a moment there I was hoping you weren’t dead, do you know how worried I’ve been?” I opened my mouth to speak, but he wouldn’t stop talking, “then I remembered Bobby, somehow he was the only one that knew what kind of mystery happened to you. He told me you moved to L.A. and changed your everything.” He chuckled bitterly again, “he wasn’t wrong. I’ve been through so much, and when I finally found you, I wasn’t even sure if it was you!”

I’d heard enough, I rolled my eyes and began to walk back to the boutique, then I felt his hand grab my arm, burning the skin he touched, “don’t you think that I’ve been through all of this just to find you and you’re just going to walk away.”

I turned to face him for the last time – I’d had enough, “why shouldn’t I walk away Alex? You had no problem walking away a couple of years ago, what’s different now?” I inched my face closer to him, making sure he caught every word I said, “you were the one that left me, you took advantage of what I felt for you, and then wrote me a little letter hoping everything would be fine, and I’d always be waiting for you like a damsel in distress,” I giggled, mocking him, “you never grew the balls to tell me what you felt, or that you had to go. Did you think I was stupid and I wouldn’t understand?” I shrugged, yanking my arm out of his grip, “it’s been two years, yet you’re just as pathetic as you used to be.”

He opened his mouth, but no words escaped his lips. I knew I’d won, so I walked away victorious.

What exactly did I win?