Us

Pieces

"So what do you think of this one?" I hear Noah ask me.

I look up from the display case I was was staring at and smile. "Looks nice," I say and wanting to be anywhere but here at the moment.

"Nice, come on Tiff. I don't need nice, I need wow that is amazing. I would marry you for sure Noah if you gave that to me," he says with that killer smile I love so much.

"Sorry, maybe the next one you pick will give me that feeling," I say giving him a small push.

Noah Rollins, I would marry him in a heart beat and he wouldn't even have to give me a ring. I have loved him since I was 13, but I never had a chance with him.

So I did the next best thing. I became his best friend. In hindsight I don't know if that was a smart idea on my part, as every girl I saw with him broke my heart a little more. They were all perfect. Perfect hair, perfect face, perfect body and had my perfect man.

Most of his girlfriends through out the years never lasted too long, until Anslee came along and apparently she is his person.

So I put on my big girl panties and when Noah asked me to help him pick out the perfect ring, I said yes I would help him.

I start to look at the display cases again. I look at all the beautiful rings and think about all the women who would receive them and the promise that goes along with them. I get sad for a moment knowing the one man I love more than anything will be making that promise to someone who is not me.

It's my own fault, I got too caught up in my own insecurities and playing it safe by not ever telling Noah how I felt. I don't look like those perfect women he is always with. I have curves and extra weight that I have so desperately tried to get rid of over the years. So I buried my feelings for Noah in fear of him rejecting me and then I would lose him as a friend too.

I stop at one display case and stare at a ring. This ring is beautiful, oval cut with just the right amount of diamond on the other ring and one good sized diamond in the centre.

My mind wanders to Noah getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him with this ring.

Before I can stop myself I blurt out the word "Yes".

"Yes, you like this ring? You think Anslee will like it?"

It takes me a minute to come back to reality and relise that Noah thinks I am agreeing with him about this ring for Anslee.

I look at him and smile, trying to push back my tears. "She'll love it Noah. What girl wouldn't."

The sales associate comes over to the case and takes it out and hands it to Noah. He looks it over and takes one more look at me and smiles.

"I'll take it," he says to the associate.

"Great Sir. I'll ring it up over here and get it polished," the associate says taking the ring.

"That's the reaction I was looking for. The way you looked at that ring tells me Anslee will love it," he says to me.

"I am so happy for you Noah," giving him a hug. I breathe in his scent and I so badly want him to be mine.

I pull back and excuse myself and head out of the store. I sit down on the bench and wait for Noah.

My brain telling me I shouldn't have come here, as I feel another piece of my heart break. It's done now and final. He'll marry her and start a family and that leaves me out of the picture.

I pull out my phone and text me friend Lily.

Me: Why did I agree to help him? 😢

Lily: Oh Babe, because you love him and you would do anything to see him happy. Even if it hurts you.