" I made my choice. It's so clear." I rubbed my face. I couldn't even cry, even if I wanted to.
"What choice?"Â Bowie tilted his head, while asking me.
" My mom got a job opportunity. In Seattle before. I was just toying, with the idea. But looking at that picture I made my choice."
He started his thought by saying, "Oh you moving too. So we all leaving Denver? With memories."
"And scars."Â I ended his thought by saying.
I was looking at a play ground, watching kids play, I looked at Bowie. When I notice, he was looking at the same thing, "how did we get here?"
Bowie shrug his shoulders and stated, "Life and trying to grow up too fast."
I bite my lip, " I regret growing up, everyday. Because  I was happier, back than with you guys. Than I am right now."
"This was the same play ground we played at. I always wondered why teenagers would come to the park and watch us play." He took a bite out his cone. "I even remember saying I would never come back to this dump." he wasn't even talking, to me anymore I could tell . "Do you think they would end up like us?" He pointed towards the kids playing.
"I pray they don't. I just pray." I felt the ice- cream melting on my fingers " I'm just going to do what makes me happy. Cause everyone else around me is."
He chuckled, he looked at his watch "Well Bree, I got to get going. Good luck with the Dragon Ball."
He lifted my hand, with Ice-cream and gave a gentle kiss, "This is where we say goodbye. We might not see each other face to face for awhile." He pulled out his camera to take a picture of us. Which he never sends to me
I looked him in his eyes, " If it's important you find a way, if it's not you find an excuse." I engulfed him in a huge hug.
l wished I've would have held on to him. Till forever ,because that was the last time, I ever saw him. We kept in touch for a few years. But eventually we both moved on. Some nights he crossed my mind, thinking should I have let him walk pass me.
As I sit and watch his frame walk away, into the distance. Stupidly thinking we would find ways for each other. When secretly both knew, we were excuses to each other
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It was Monday. I start to walk down stairs my mom was making pancakes, "You not at work?"
"Well I'm being transferred so. I don't have to work, just need to fill in paperwork. You sure you want to take a day off?" My mom spoke as she was flipping pancakes.
I pulled out a chair, " with Bowie that left yesterday. To California. My friend going on double dates, with my ex- boyfriend and Lydia. My ex-boyfriend showing off his new girl. With my brother done with school and to have no one around me. Mom I will have to say no, with a lack of happiness." I said sarcastically.
"Plus I need to talk about Dragon Ball to dad. Before he goes." My mom plates me up some pancakes as I speak.
"Mom did you hear about dad getting married to Penny?" I questioned her. She chuckled
" I heard you and your brother talking about it downstairs the other day." Did she hear about the part where dad told Arden he missed her. "She accomplished something I never did. My opinion. She deserves it, she accomplished way more than I ever did." I raised an eyebrow at her response.
"Would you ever take Dad back." My mom choked on her water.
She answered me back like a heartbeat, "No." She scoffed at the question. I just nodded my head. I didn't press the issue further.
My mom looked at me and said, "What do you want to talk about with your dad? About the Dragon Ball? Training tips?"
"Something that would, break his heart. Because I feel like, I have been walking a mile. For people who, won't walk an inch for me." I answered my mom. She smiled at me.
-----------------
I walked in the my dad's hotel room.  " Hi Bree," My dad greets me as I walk in. "Where's Arden? " My dad asks me. Him asking me that question just valid my choice more.
I dodged my dad's hug" His at home. I just want to talk to you. Before you leave, to go to Nevada." He gave a confused, look towards my words.
He directed me to a seat, "What do you want to discuss?"
"I want to discuss. How I'm done with you." There is no better way, than the direct way.
His eyes widen in shock, " What! Is this about my wedding to Penny?"
I leaned back in my seat, " No, this is just because of you. Like how you are never thhere for me, how you never reach out me, but I reach out to you all the time. I'm done with you."
I stated that "The only reason I'm telling you this is because I don't want you to wait around for me to pay attention to you." He sat there and stared at me in bewilderment. "As I was waiting on you, to pay me attention."
I stood up to walk towards the door. He jumped up, in front of me and said, "You look just like your mom. When I met her. When I look in your eyes. It remains me of how much, hope and optimism she had for me. But I always found a way to mess it up. I'm reminded, of how I hurt your mom. " He bowed his head, to looked away. "After realizing I need to get married. I believe got mature enough to see my flaws and errors of my way. Please just give me a chance."
I just side stepped him. But stopped to say.
" I'm also dropping out of the Dragon Ball and leaving kick boxing, because that was your dream and not mine. And I only did it for your approval, now I feel there is, no need for it."
"You can't just walk away from me. Your my daughter. I'm your dad. Your hero and your protector " I heard his voice break. So I turned around.
"No you not. We just two people saying goodbye. I hope you can be better to your future kids with Penny and my brother Arden. Cause you failed in every way with me."
I walked out the door, and he let me. I thought I was going to cry, but I was just relieved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got off the uber. I opened the door, I saw Tolan, I looked at his face he had a small not on his forehead, from the fight at the party.
I hurried up to pull out my keys," I'm not interested in hearing your apologies."
" Good cause I had no intention of apologizing to you." He leaned up against the wall.
"What do you want than?" I jammed the key into the door.
"I'm here to confront you." Tolan said not moving his stance.
I opened the door I turn my head, " Well I don't want to see your face."
He put his foot in the door, "I just want to know something?"
"I don't care what you want, I thought you regretted me. Go back to Lydia. Leave me alone." I tried to close the door .But his foot won't budge
"Did you ever delete a message that Lydia send me?"
"Why does it matter. You with her go now go!" I tried to close the door but he won't budge.
"Just tell me. I want to know, if you that that type of person." Tolan continued to ignore my request.
I threw the door wide open " What person! Someone that deleted your. Messages where your, best friend said she loves you , and I deleted them and didn't tell you."
He took a step back, and I walked closer to him. I couldn't stop, it's like I had word diarrhea. "Because I was insecure. Now you know, what type of person I am. And look it changed absolutely nothing. "
" I cared for you back than. Maybe if you were honest I would have cut her off. You would have nothing to be insecure about." He ran a hand through his hair, "Maybe we would have been together. Now we can't be together because, too much happened and too many people got hurt."
I felt a flame burning inside of me. Was he blaming me? " Oh you want to play the blame game? Maybe if you and Lydia were honest about your feelings for each other. Other people won't get hurt that you were referring to." He tried to protest, I lifted a finger to stop him, "Lie to yourself all you want. But don't you dare lie to me. Tolan look me in my eyes and tell me, you didn't have feelings for her from the start of our relationship?"
He fell silent
"Now tell me Tolan , how would it have been different?" I asked him slyly. " Let me ask you one more thing. Our first anniversary date together, was that Lydia's dream date? Because I want to know what type of person you are?" I remember reading Lydia's comment underneath, the photo I posted that day. Tolan was as quiet as a mouse, and couldn't say a word.
"Please go. I don't know what you where trying to achieve. But I had a terrible day. And seeing you makes it worse. I thought about what you said you regretting ever meeting me. I share the exact same feelings." I murmured. IÂ leaned back against the wall
He was staring at my wrist, it was the heart shaped necklace he gave me. I took the necklace off my wrist. Reach for his hand and placed in his hand
He looked down at the necklace. He titled his head. "So, this is it huh?" he gathered. I just shrugged my shoulders, as a responds.
We both knew the answer to that question.
He was staring at me, he was not stealing glances. It was like he was using his hurtful black eyes, to look at the inner most depths of my mind. Okay maybe I am exaggerating just a little, but I really hate how much he wounded me. To be honest I truly hate his; pettiness, hypocrisy, how much he stung me and his ability, to hold on to a lie. I just so happen to despise the package it comes in.
He started to walk away from me, but he never turned around for his eyes to meet mine. I quickly thought of the red-haired girl crossed my mind. So, I just pushed her to the back of my head. I don't know why, but I shrugged my shoulders and closed the door. Smiled to myself glad it happened.
This weirdly all felt like Deja vu
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Author's note
This brings us to the end, of the story. This story brings me, so much joy and sadness. I hope you, enjoyed it.