Old Friends (Janet and Toni Fanfic)

Chapter 72

Janet

Toni decided to come home with me, and I was so relieved. We'd never fought like this before, and while I know there was a lot of stress and devastation on her plate, I started to wonder if this day was inevitable.

For as long as I knew her, she'd always had this her-against-the-world complex and mentality. It was sad to watch it unfold over the years. She was constantly getting taken advantage of and betrayed. Now that she finally had someone in her corner, she wasn't sure how to deal with it. I could understand that. But now it was time to change, because I didn't plan on going anywhere.

We made it back home, and the first thing she did when we stepped over the threshold was run upstairs. I sighed.

  "Toni, this isn't going to go away. We have to talk."

I left my bags in the foyer and followed her warily. It had been a very long week. I was just as tired as she was, and I felt my patience starting to run thin with her. It took a lot, but she'd done a lot to get me there too.

  "What the hell are you doing?" She came back down before I could get to her with her keys in her hand and a few belongings.

"Going back to my place. My car is here."

"So you're really not going to—"

"Janet, I think that... I think moving in with you so soon was a mistake. I mean, the first chance I get, I'm running back home, and... clearly I'm not ready for this yet."

I felt my heart sink. We were quickly losing ground. "What are you saying to me? We just spent all of that time, and money, getting you here. It was your idea."

  "Maybe I was wrong. Remember how you said I don't like to admit when I am? Well, here you go."

I threw my hands up. "See, there you go again. There's that wall."

"It's not a wall. This is me trying to prevent any more conflict. I am tired. I know you're tired. Just give it a few days."

  "What's gonna change, huh? What is that gonna do to help this situation, other than let it fester?"

  "No. This is for me to heal. My mother just—"

  "Okay, okay, wait. Which one is it? Are you upset that she's gone, or not? You can't keep hopping that fence when it's convenient for you."

  "What the hell are you talking about?!" She spat. "Of course I'm upset. That never changed!"

  "Toni, honestly. You know this isn't about her, right? What we have going on, from the start, never had anything to do with her. It's you and me, okay? We have issues, by ourselves, that we need to fix."

She sat down in the living room and put her head in her hands. "Maybe that's true, but I just thought that in light of recent events, you would be considerate enough to put that aside for just a moment, no?"

My body felt hot in frustration. "I have been nothing but considerate to you. All I have done for the last four months, is be right here. For you. Even when you didn't feel like I was, I was there. I can't believe you can sit here and say that to my face."

  "I'm not downplaying at all what you have done for me. You know I appreciated every time that you gave me your shoulder to cry ugly, snot tears on. But I realize now that this situation is so much bigger than you and I. There isn't enough alcohol, bubble baths, and sex in this world to fix what has been happening to me." She started to break down into tears. "You said you didn't want me to fight for you? Well, too fucking bad, Janet. Too bad. This is literally all I have left. You are all I have now. Seriously, do you understand that? I don't think you do."