The Breakup

Ellie

Drew drops me off at home and I take my luggage and get in the house. I go to the couch and break down. Unending streams of tears just continue to wet the couch. I am hurt, how could two people I love and trust do this to me? How dumb was I not to see this coming? My head is aching and I have puffy eyes at this point from all the crying I had done when I hear a soothing voice.

"Hey sweet pie, I did not hear you get in." My dad says as he wheels his wheelchair towards where I was. I get up wipe my tears and try to hide from my dad that I had spent the last hour feeling betrayed.

"Oh hi Dad, I did not want to disturb you. How have you been? Have you eaten and taken your meds?" I say trying to seem calm but my dad knows me too well.

"What is it, baby? Why are you crying? And please do not lie to me and tell me that you are okay?" he asks while taking my hand and directing me to sit on his lap.

"Ryan cheated on me." I manage to mumble my words but they are a bit clear for him to hear me and I break down crying on his shoulder. He moves his hand and wraps it around me consoling me. I spend the next minutes just crying on my dad's shoulder like a baby and he takes it quite well and is silent throughout allowing me to just face my emotions.

"The worst part is that he cheated on me with Grace. Can you believe that dad? Grace is like a sister to me. How could she bite me in the back like this?" I say amidst my wailing.

"Honey there are things that just happen to enable you to know the true form of the circle that surrounds you. Some people are just evil people masking themselves into our lives. At least you now know the kind of friend she is." He says while stroking my hair.

"What did I ever do to them? I was a good, loyal girlfriend. I was the best friend ever always on her side in her time of need. I did not deserve this." I say while breaking down some more.

" Yes, sweet pie you definitely did not deserve this at all. You are a nice sweet person but that does not mean everyone else is. People will stab you in the back repeatedly. You know what they say what does not kill you makes you stronger and a little wiser too."

"Dad I thought we would get married and get cute babies together. He was the love of my life" I say while getting up and wiping my tears away.

"You can always get cute babies with another cute guy. Do you know how many cute boys that are not jerks are in this world? I am sure you will come across one, you are so young sweet pie. I met your mother when I was in my thirties and you are barely there." He says while wheeling to get me a glass of water.

"Dad it is not the same. I do not want to start over with someone new. Do you know how tiring talking stages are nowadays? Plus I can get another cute boyfriend who is not a jerk but it will be hard for me to get another best friend like Grace." I say while a tear escapes my eyes.

"You have other friends like Reina and Brielle. Plus you will meet other people in your little life. For now, just feel the emotions and cry as much as you have to and get over the betrayal. You know you can also consider forgiveness. There are people who turn out okay after second chances." He says while handing me a glass of water.

" I do not think I can be able to forgive them, Dad. I feel so broken right now. Even if I do I do not think things are ever going back to the way they were. They have done a number on me. I might as well give up on love and accept my fate as an old cat lady." I joke as I take in a big sip of water. I needed that water.

"You are not becoming an old cat lady. I need grandkids to carry on my name. I would actually appreciate it if you gave me five daughters and no sons. Boys can be a handful. And you name them all with names starting with A like the winners they are." He says bluntly while giving me a reassuring smile.

"Really Dad, how am I supposed to be responsible for what gender my kids will be," I say chuckling. My dad never fails to make me smile even at the darkest moments. I love him to death.

" I do not know just make it happen. I love you sweet pie and remember you are bigger than this." He says while taking my hand.

" I love you too dad."

" Okay enough tears for today and come over to the dining table. Food awaits you, princess." He says while wheeling towards the dining table while I follow closely.

My dad is one of the best cooks I know well he is not as good as my mum used to be but he is better than I am and that makes him pretty good. He had prepared lunch consisting of lasagna and sauce and a glass of milk. I have loved milk ever since I was a little girl. We have our lunch and I clean the dishes after.

"Are you going to work today?" Dad asks as he passes me his plate.

" Um no, I have not had another business contract after the last one at Lockwood. I have a business meeting tomorrow with the Wright brothers company. It is a shared contract hence I will not be making much from it but it is something you know."

"I am proud of you baby, any small thing you do I am so proud. I actually wish I was not a burden to you and you would not have to be working this much."

"You are not a burden to me Dad, and you should never think that ever again. I love you and I want to make you live as comfortably as you can and besides it is only fair as you took care of me when I was little it is only fair I return the favor." I say while turning to look at him to emphasize what I am saying to him.

"I love you. I will be in the garden watering the flowers." He says while wheeling away towards the garden.

I finish cleaning the dishes and go to my room. I start journaling when I decide to finally end things with Ryan. I cannot live like this. I pick up my phone and dial Ryan's number.

" I need to talk to you. Can you meet me at the park in 15?" I say as nonchalantly as I can.

"Sure baby. I will be there."

"Oh, and come with Grace I am sure you know her whereabouts," I say and immediately hang up the phone. I have to face the bull by its horns and deal with the situation as it is. I put on a T-shirt and some shorts and put my hair up in a bun. I take my phone and go downstairs.

" Hey, Dad I am going to the park to meet up with Ryan and Grace."

"What did you just say?" Dad asks with a shocked expression.

"I have decided to just end it with both of them once and for all and what better mature way to do it than in the park with a cotton candy in hand." I sarcastically say while hugging my dad and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Take care and do not be out too late. I love you sweet pie."

"Bye Dad, I love you," I shout as I run outside and get in my car. I drive off in silence not even caring to turn on the radio as I am deep in thought. I say some affirmations in my head to give me the strength to face what was ahead of me. In less than ten minutes I arrive and get off my car. I start heading to the cotton candy stand to get some before walking around and trying to spot my ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend. For some reason, I feel like the cotton candy will ease the conversation. I buy and start walking around when I spot them at a corner together, laughing. The audacity these two have! They are probably laughing at me and planning their whole life together. This riles some bile in me but I promised myself not to show them any emotions so I compose myself and walk towards them.

"Hi El, I missed you," Grace says as she gets up to give me a hug when she notices me approaching them.

"Cut the crap, Grace," I say as I move from her way and dodge her hug. I mean business this time.

I sit down at the edge of the seat after shooting glares at Ryan. His face just reminds me of what just transpired that morning when Grace's message popped on his phone.

"I do not want to waste your time here. Grace if you do not know by now I already know of your shenanigans with my 'boyfriend'. To my take, you are the one who approached him and you know what I really do not care who approached who in this case but you both hurt my feelings. This was so immature of you. I carried both of you with respect and a lot of love but I guess that ends today. I wanted to talk to you to clear things up on where things are with us. I do not care if both of you date or something but all I am wishing you is that one day you get to experience the pain that I am feeling in this life or the next. I am done. Does any one of you have something you may wish to add?" I finish off and take in a big chunk of my cotton candy. I was right it sure does help.

"El I never meant to hurt you. I wanted to tell you when I first started to have feelings for Ryan but at the moment I was not sure of what I felt and then things escalated really fast. I never meant to hurt you and I love you so much I do not want us to break up like this." Grace says while letting crocodile tears down her cheeks.

"Well, I cannot have a snake for a best friend so this is the end of us, Grace. It was fun while it lasted." I say as I take another big chunk of my cotton candy.

"Please El just hear us out. We do not want to lose you. Everyone makes mistakes at times. We are sorry." Ryan says while coming closer to where I was.

"You would have thought about that before sticking your dick in her."

"It was just once babe."

"Do not call me babe for the last time now!" I say angrily while taking one last chunk from my cotton candy.

"You are mad right now El and we understand that. How about you relax and calm down and then we can have this conversation with no emotions clouding our decisions." Grace says while standing up from the seat.

"How about you both get out of my life and I never hear from you again," I say as I stand up and start walking towards my car. I am so done with them.