You Should Know

The next day I went shopping for a new outfit. I had to look extra cute for tonight’s show. They had a bunch of stuff going on during the day, but I was supposed to go and meet up with Gabe around 5. He was going to be dropping off Morgan at the airport at 4, she was going to Seattle for two weeks on business.

I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard to impress Gabe, but I did want him to notice me. I was going to tell him that I still loved him tonight and I was stupid to break up with him in the first place. I was young and scared and now I realize how much I need him. How we truly compliment each other in the best way possible. I think he feels the same, but I just need to see it.

I got the venue a little early, but it would give me another chance to hang out with the band and get to know them better. The door to the bus was open when I walked over to it, so I just stepped up to see if they were there.

“I came here for your birthday and because I wanted to tell you…I want to marry you. I do.”

Morgan was down on one knee proposing to Gabe. My heart immediately dropped.

Gabe was supposed to be dropping Morgan off at the airport. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. She should have been on a plane twenty minutes ago and Gabe should have been driving back to see me. But, instead I walk on the bus to Morgan proposing; she was giving him what he wanted. I didn’t know what to do. I just stood there, at the top of the stairs for a minute frozen, unable to move.

“Bad timing.” I mumbled and turned out of the bus.

I rushed back to my car. I was so stupid. Why couldn’t I just get over Gabe and cut him out? I had to keep talking to him, seeing him, hanging out with him and it just made me fall more in love with him. I was stupid though. He really loved Morgan, not me. We never talked about marriage or being together forever, he never proposed to me, so why did I keep holding out?

“Sadler!” I could hear Victoria yell and feet coming up fast.

“Hey,” I was trying to make a clean break, but I couldn’t be rude to her.

“Morgan’s still here,” She was out of breath and I just broke down.

“I know,” I said and tears just streamed down my face.

“Oh sweetie,” She said hugging me.

“I’m so stupid. I mean, he asked her to marry him. Gabe never even talked about a real future with me…I was just hoping to not be so wrong.”

“Sadler…Gabe’s in love with you. There is no way you didn’t know that,” Victoria assured me and smoothed my hair as I composed myself.

I hadn’t cried over Gabe in a long time. I felt so stupid and embarrassed.

“I went on the bus and Morgan was proposing to Gabe…”I said cleaning myself up and stepping back from Victoria.

“What?!” She sort of screamed.

“Yeah…I just need to get a clue,” I said.

“Tell him something came up and I couldn’t make it. And thanks for letting me cry,” I laughed, the waterworks had stopped. I was just really hurt.

“Of course, I know how boys are. And trust me from living with Gabe, I know he’s in love with you,” She smiled and I just continued to my car.

Gabe's P.O.V.

“Victoria! Don’t let her leave!” I screamed at Victoria as I saw Sadler walking behind her.

Morgan was supposed to be gone, but when we were alone together she surprised me with a proposal. She had done some thinking and searching and realized she really wanted to marry me, but was scared. She loved me and she wanted me for always. It had been what I wanted to hear, but about 8 months too late. Sadler had come back into the picture and I was torn.

I did love Morgan, I did, but something happened after I left her brother’s funeral. Morgan said “maybe we weren’t meant for each other,” which at first stung really badly. It was like us breaking up all over again. The rejection I felt was so great, it took me weeks to let it go. But, through that Sadler and I started to reconnect. We’d talk as much as we could while I was on tour and it was so good for me. Sadler let me vent about Morgan for a bit and was just the same girl I knew and grew to love and still loved. Despite, the distance and the time, both of us changing and growing up, I still loved her and who she had become. And I realized, maybe Morgan was right. Maybe, we weren’t meant to be together.

When Morgan kept stalling her departure I was suspicious of her. Like she was hiding something, but I had no idea or thought that she was going to propose to me. When she got down on one knee I was shocked and then I heard footsteps up the bus stairs. Of course It was Sadler. She just stood there for a second, like a deer in headlights and then left. I wanted to run after her right away, but I had to say a few things to Morgan first. I told her that she was right, we weren’t meant for each other, but I had to go after the girl that I was meant for.

“Sadler!” Victoria yelled to her. She turned around and then started walking faster.

I sprinted and ran in front of her car. I put my hands on the hood – partially to stop her and partially to catch my breath. She just sat there staring at me, she had been crying.

“Park the car,” I yelled. She kept the windows up and doors locked.

“Get out of my way,” She screamed back.

“Please…just…park. I want to talk to you.”

Sadler backed up and then parked the car. She got out and came toward me.

“You know…acting nice and stuff to me and pumping me up is really terrible,” She said sarcastically.

“Have I ever been mean to someone?”

“Congratulations,” She said with a forced smile.

“On what?” I asked playing dumb.

“Stop playing dumb,” She didn’t sound angry, but more like she didn’t care about the situation.

“You know how you used to say I was sometimes too honest for my own good?” Sadler asked me leaning a hip against the car. I just nodded at her. “Well, I haven’t been honest at all with you and maybe a little bit with myself too. I hate that and I hate that I’m so stupid…” She laughed and ran her hands through her hair before putting one of her hands on the car. “You two are really in love and so great together. I was that crazy girl that just kept hoping you’d love me again.” She laughed a bit.

“Again?” I teased her trying to lighten the situation up a bit.

“Well…I guess I thought when you said it you meant it, but I guess not.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Can I go now? I can’t get beat up any more,” She quickly wiped the tears before they could roll down her cheeks.

“I can’t love you again,” I said.

“Okay! I get it, you never loved me. I’m going now,” She said turning to go back to her car.

“I can’t love you again, if I never stopped loving you,” I said to her back, but she kept walking.

“Don’t say stuff like that,” She snapped and reversed out of the spot and out of the parking lot.