Reunited

20 years in the making

I thought about what Gionna said, so I got in my truck and I drove over to Thea's house to try and work things out. I pulled into her driveway and then I knocked on her door. I waited a few minutes and she opened up the door.

Zelina: What do you want?

Travis: Can we talk?

Zelina: I don't know are you still going to be an asshole?

Travis: Thea I'm sorry. I really am. Can I please come inside and talk?

Zelina: Fine.

She invited me in and then we sat down in the living room.

Zelina: You wanted to talk so go ahead and talk.

Travis: I'm sorry for making you out to be the bad guy.

Zelina: I know, you already apologized for that.

Travis: I don't know what to say right now.

Zelina: Wow, you're really winning me over right now buddy. Are you just going to sit here and waste my time?

Travis: Why are you being like this? I'm trying to talk to you and it's like I'm talking to a fucking wall.

Zelina: Watch that fucking attitude Travis. I'm not in the mood for this shit right now.

Now we're yelling at each other again.

Travis: You're not in the mood? I just found out my "girlfriend" was using me and now my best friend is mad at me. If anyone shouldn't be in the mood it's me.

Zelina: Poor Travis, I forgot nobody but you can be upset. Excuse the fuck out of me.

Travis: This is it? This is how our friendship ends? 20 years down the drain, all because you're too hard headed to accept my apology.

Zelina: I guess so.

Travis: I don't know how many times I need to say it Thea I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Zelina: Sometimes saying sorry isn't enough Travis. You have no idea how heartbroken I was when you left. It took me a long time to get over it and you really hurt me tonight. I thought things would be different this time, I guess I was wrong.

Travis: What do you want from me Thea? I'm fucking trying to fix this but you're not helping.

Zelina: I don't know Travis. My mind is telling me to make you to leave, but my heart is telling me not to let you leave. All I wanted was to be your girlfriend but I was so afraid that you wouldn't feel the same way about me and I'd lose you forever. I want to be mad at you right now but I love you too much to be mad at you.

I handed Thea the box I brought with me.

Zelina: What is this?

Travis: Just open it.

She opened the box and I could see the tears starting to form in her eyes.

Zelina: You kept every letter I wrote you while you were in bootcamp?

Travis: Yes, there's more. Keep looking.

Zelina: Our prom picture?

Travis: You have no idea the hell I went through overseas. There were times when I didn't know if I was going to make it out alive. What kept me going was the thought of being able to see you again. 20 years ago I fell in love with my best friend and I was so scared of you not feeling the same way and losing you that I kept it to myself. The reason I didn't come home was because you got married. I couldn't deal with the fact that I lost the girl of my dreams to another man. I had the opportunity to sign a huge deal with New Japan but I didn't want to be away from Skylar anymore so I came home. I was dreading the day when I saw you again knowing you were married to someone that wasn't me. Never in a million years did I think that I'd be standing in front of you fighting with you. This isn't us Thea, this isn't what we do we've never gotten into it like this. I love you Thea, I loved you when I was 18 and here we are 14 years later and I still love you. I lost you once, I can't lose you again.

Zelina: Do you really mean that?

Travis: Every word.

Zelina: I..I don't know what to say right now.

Travis: I do. Thea I should have asked you this 14 years ago. Will you be my girlfriend?

She didn't say a word she just put her arms around my neck and kissed me. When we broke the kiss we looked each other in the eyes and she smiled at me.

Travis: I'll take that as a yes.

Zelina: It took you long enough, I thought you'd never ask.