Strong
He stared at the picture of the two of them together. It had been taken two weeks ago. They'd been happy. They'd been together, officially together, and gone to the coast to celebrate. The craziest person on the beach had been selected and they'd placed bets on whether that person would try to make a run for it with the camera. He hadn't and Piz had won. He'd gotten a beautiful picture and a promise of a dinner and a movie date the next weekend.
And then she'd disappeared.
Wallace had been curiously silent when pressed answers. Ambiguous mumbles about her going home, family thing, yada yada yada. Finally, probably to put him out of his misery, Wallace had told him.
Veronica was gone up to Napa with Logan for the weekend.
He wanted to scream, wanted to hit, wanted to die. But he didn't do anything. He just waited. He waited because she would come back to him. She always came back. Because regardless as to whether Logan and she were perfect for each other, they always found a way to ruin it. Because it would be completely ridiculous to meet your soul mate at the age of 13. No one does that. And even if they do, they think that it has to be a mistake. That you have to experience the rest of the world and exhaust every other available option before realizing that you had it so great and come back. Because it's easier to screw up and be like everyone else in college instead of trying to make a go at being a part of something great. Veronica liked being with Logan because she believed it was easier to be the better person. Because having someone else with flaws bigger than yours keep you from really looking at yourself and dealing with your own issues. Because it's easier to blame someone else. She would never choose Piz because Piz loved her more than she loved him. Because he was too willing to give up the rest of the world for her. Yet, she'd come to him because he was easy to be with when her Prince Charming screwed up.
Piz believed it because he wanted to believe it.
And then three days later, she'd ended up on his door with fresh tears all over again.
"You can't keep running back to me whenever that Neanderthal kicks you to the curb or tramples your heart or does something incredibly stupid because he doesn't realize how completely amazing you are!" Piz exploded.
Veronica stared at him, shocked. "Piz, I didn't-"
He shook his head. "No, Veronica, you never mean to but you do. You always do." He wanted to swear at her. He wanted to scream at her. But he couldn't. It wasn't who he was. It wasn't how he was brought up. And the only person he was mad at was himself. Because he wasn't strong enough to shut the door in her face.
He watched her start to crack. Fresh tears started to appear in her eyes and would slide down her pale cheeks any moment. Just like all the other times.
He knew there was no one else she would go to. Otherwise, she wouldn't be here. He cursed himself for not being stronger. He allowed himself a single, "Dammit" before "Come in, Veronica." And then it was as if nothing had changed as his arm went around her shoulders and brought her inside. She crumpled into him.
Or maybe it made him the strong one.
The End!
Let me know what you think!