Opposite of Close(short story)

Chapter 6

The summer went by quickly and I was teaching ESL at a high school close to my little apartment. November seemed too cold. It seemed colder than Norway. There were multiple fights between Ryan and me. We couldn't seem to agree anymore.

I refused to move into his home. I refused to believe that he still loved me. Or he would kiss me trying to make me forget that we had problems. I had yelled at him about that and walked out.

And he was angry at the fact that I couldn't believe that he still loved me. It made him furious.

Both of us had multiple yelling matches where it would end with one of us walking away.

But Ryan was also gone a lot of the summer because of bull riding. He never asked me to tag along like we used to when we were younger. We didn't talk about his riding and we didn't talk about Norway.

And that was really killing us because we told each other everything. Apparently it's something we still hold dear.

One night it got really nasty and I had said too many things that shouldn't have. None of them were true. They were among the lines of that he should've divorced me. And it was stupid for us to get married.

We both were hurting. Seven years killed us. He was hurt that I left. And I was hurt that he never stopped me (I'm a stupid romantic- too many rom-coms as well).

I was talking to Jose about it and he was shaking his head at me, "You don't know yet do you?"

I looked at him confused and he just said he was going to go to bed.

I was waiting outside of the house for Ryan. He had texted me saying that he wanted to talk. That it was an important thing. His truck pulls up and he steps out. My heart stutters as I see he was wearing a dark blue western shirt I got him all those years ago. It was my favorite one on him.

He rushes over to me with a serious look on his face, "This is very last moment, but will you go with me to this rodeo."

I hesitate and look at my bag as I had just got home from work a few minutes before I got his text.

"You might have to miss Monday, but will you?" he asks.

I said yes, because he wore my favorite shirt of his and because I owe it to him. I love him too much to not try. To not try to make it up. I rush and pack a bag then get back into the truck.

As we get onto the road I remember seeing some things in the back seat while throwing my bag back there. I look back there and see my old felt cowboy hat. I reach for it and put it on.

Ryan looks over at me with a huge smile and taps the front of it, "You know I wore this shirt because I know that you find me irresistible in it."

I look over at him and smile, "You wore it because you know I'd say yes to you?"

He smiles cheekily, "Well now that you said yes I can take it off."

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want him to take it off, but I definitely also wanted him to take it off.

"What? You look confused," Ryan says unbuttoning the shirt. I was currently voting for him to take it off.

He hated the shirt and it did confuse me because he looked hot in it. I thought men usually enjoyed wearing things that made them irresistible in. I wave my hand at him and see the flash of abs. That was when he definitely had my attention.

"Stop staring," he says.

I try not to, but couldn't, "I can't, just enjoy it."

He stops unbuttoning the shirt and I frown, "You are still staring."