Rose Tints My World

Brad Majors felt the sharp blade cut his throat. The crimson liquid began to flow down his neck only to be soaked up by his clean, pressed, button-up shirt. If only he hadn't made that journey. If only he hadn't seen Janet. If only he were amongst friends…or not muggers at least. Brad's life was full of a lot of 'if onlys' and 'what ifs'. Soon, he had passed out on the damp pavement where they left him, letting the darkness surround him.

The next morning Brad found himself staring at the painting in his hospital room. 'They look so happy,' He thought to himself, gazing at the lovely, Victorian couple on the wall. 'I remember when Janet and I were that happy. That's over now…'

Brad let his mind wander for a while, thinking of his lovely Janet, his former fiancée. Their lives had changed forever one late, November evening and only months later did they find themselves not able to salvage their relationship. The breakup took its toll on Brad, leaving him a depressed shell of what he once was, seeming normal on the outside though completely hollow and empty inside. His life had been in a downwards spiral before Janet had given back the ring and it only got worse from there.

Janet's life, however, had been going wonderfully. She already had a new boyfriend and he was everything Brad wasn't: blonde and muscular. She didn't feel any remorse for leaving Brad the way she did. After cheating on him several times, she knew she had to end it…for her sake, not Brad's, that is.

The day Brad had been attacked had been an emotional one to say the least. It was the one year anniversary of when Janet broke it off. Getting up that morning, Brad turned and looked at the clock. He was late for work already. Sighing, he got up and got a shower, trying to forget what day it was. The water hit his body, dancing down it and massaging away the tension in his shoulders. 'How am I going to get through today?' He wondered to himself, stepping out and drying himself off. After doing his morning routine, he set out on his day, dreading the whole idea of even going out for fear he'd see her.

When he got off from work that day, Brad immediately went to his favorite bar to relieve the stress of the day, almost getting side-swiped by a car at a stoplight.

"Life's pretty cheap to that type," He muttered to himself, remembering when he'd said that very thing to Janet.

He reached the bar, walking in briskly and taking his usual seat.

"Your usual, Majors?" The bartender asked, getting out the shot glass.

"No, something stronger…The strongest you've got," he said, wanting to get totally sloshed. Just then he saw a pretty blonde woman sitting at the end of the bar. He hadn't noticed her when he came in. It was Janet. The bartender brought out Brad's drink, setting it in front of him. Brad quickly downed it, feeling the smooth, burning liquid going down his throat. 'You should talk to her…She's alone. Tell her how you feel…' He thought to himself, trying to build up his courage. Finally standing up, he decided to go for it. He was halfway to her when a blonde, muscle man approached and put his arms around her. 'That's her boyfriend…Oh God…I can't go there now…She's moved on…' he thought, sadly.

Janet began flirting wildly with the man, getting up and stroking his chest and face and giggling like a schoolgirl would. It was killing Brad to see her with another man; a man who looked as large as an Adonis, none the less. He knew he should have expected her to move on, though it was still a shock to. Tears began to fill his eyes, though he blinked them back. 'You have to be strong now… Don't let this get to you…' He thought, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He got another drink and gulped it down like the first, now becoming a bit tipsy. As everyone very well knew, Brad Majors couldn't hold his liquor.

Now at the stage of intoxication where he thought he was invincible, Brad mustered up the nerve to walk over to the two. He tapped on the man's rippled shoulder.

"Get your hands offa her!" Brad demanded, slurring his words a bit.

"BRAD!" Janet cried out upon seeing him. "What are you doing?"

"I love you, Janet. When I lost you, it was the worst thing that ever happened to me. Please Janet, take me back!" He pleaded, getting down on his knees.

"Hey buddy, stop bothering us or else I'ma gonna beat chu!" The muscular man said, his accent sounding a bit like that of a native New Yorker.

"Janet please," Brad began, ignoring the blonde man, "I love you. Take me back!" He pleaded.

"Brad, stop it! It's been over a year now and you're drunk. Just stop!" Janet said, trying to hush him.

"But I love you---"

"You heard the lady, buddy. Get outta here!" He ordered.

"No! Janet please…I love you. I've not been the same without you, please!" Brad pleaded, now almost in tears.

"JUST GO, BRAD!" Janet screeched at him, hating to see him this way. "I never loved you! I don't love you now, and I never WILL!" She yelled, wanting him to just leave.

Janet was like a bee with a deadly sting, and Brad had just been stung. He stood up, trying to gain his composure and what was left of his dignity. "I…I'll never stop loving you," He said, laying some money on the bar and walking out the door.

Janet felt terrible seeing him that depressed, though she tried to keep up a good face for her muscular boyfriend. 'I hate doing this to him...He doesn't deserve this,' She thought.

Meanwhile, Brad was walking home from the bar, having enough of his senses left to know not to drive in this condition. It was then that it happened. The muggers pulled him into the alley as he walked by, pushing him up against the wall. After stripping him of his wallet and other valuable possessions, one pulled a knife. It was then that Brad Major's world went rose tinted, though this time, it didn't keep him safe from his trouble and pain.

Now sitting in the bed, staring at the painting of the couple, Brad felt tears filling his eyes. 'It's really over…' he thought sadly to himself. Just then he heard the click of the door opening. He looked over slowly, afraid of tearing his stitches. It was Janet who had came to visit him.

"Oh Brad!" She exclaimed, rushing to his bedside. "How are you?"

"They tell me I'm going to live," He said, still staring at the painting.

"Y-You know…Ronnie saved your life back there," Janet said.

"Who? Who's Ronnie?" Brad asked, breaking his gaze on the painting.

"My boyfriend…The man from the bar," She said, looking down at the ground.

"Look at that painting, Janet. What do you think the people are doing?" He asked, suddenly changing the subject.

Befuddled by why he would ask such a thing, Janet thought about it. "Well…They seem happy, in love even."

"Yeah, they are…But there's more to it," Brad said, still staring at it. "They're at their wedding. The man behind the girl…That's the man who's in love with her too, but he wants her to be happy. He's letting her be with the man she loves now. She feels sorry for him, even came to talk to him before the wedding. But he wouldn't let her feel bad for him. No matter how bad things were for him, he just wanted her to be happy. That's all he ever wanted, Janet," He said, tears filling his eyes. "Go be happy."

"But Brad I-"

Brad looked down at the diamond ring on her left hand he'd not noticed before. "Janet, I love you, but I have to let you go. I know that now. It's alright, really. I'm going to be fine. Marry him, Janet. Be happy."