Just be friends. All we gotta do is just be friends. It's time to say good-bye. Just be friends.
I woke up alone, again, with the mid-afternoon sun blazing on my face. I sighed as I got
out of bed. I checked the clock. 12:37. "This is what happens when you're fresh out of college
and unemployed, Luka. You've not nothing to do so you sleep the day away." I grumbled to
myself. I got dressed for the day, put on my makeup, and pulled my long, salmon-colored hair into
a high bun. My typical morning (more like afternoon) routine. I strode downstairs to make some
breakfast, I guess at that hour it was more like lunch. I hummed a popular song that had been on
the radio a lot lately. That song used to drive him crazy.
Around 6:30 he came home. I smiled. "How was work, sweetie?" He nodded at me and
said, "Fine." Then sat down and turned on the TV. I felt a sharp pang in my chest. I clenched my
fists. "Um. So I was thinking we could go shopping tomorrow? For some groceries. Also,
there's this dress I've wanted for a while. My friend gave me a gift card to that store so…" I
glanced up. "Maybe we can catch a movie too?" I added. He smiled. "Yeah, sure. Sounds
great." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Then got up to make dinner. We watched a few
movies then went to bed.
The next day we went out from 11:30 am to 7:20 pm. We went grocery shopping, stopped
for some clothes, saw a movie, and got dinner. When we got home I was so exhausted I went
straight up to bed. He stayed downstairs. I could hear the muffled voices of the TV from our
room.
When I woke up he wasn't in bed, which didn't surprise me. I got dressed, put on makeup,
pulled my hair into a high bun. My typical routine.
I walked downstairs and saw him asleep on the couch. I shook his arm. "Honey, wake
up." He jerked awake. "W-what? What's wrong?" he said looking around the room.
"Nothing, it's almost one in the afternoon. How late were you up?"
He shook his head. "I don't remember."
I sighed. "You should've come to bed when you felt tired. This couch really isn't all that
comfortable of a sleeping place." He groaned.
"Maybe to you. To me it's even more comfortable than our bed." That made me a bit angry for
some reason. "Well why don't you just sleep down here from now on, then?" He frowned. "Did
I do something here? I'm not sure why you're mad." He asked. I crossed my arms. "I don't
know. I just feel like you've been avoiding me lately. For a few months now you leave for work
without saying goodbye like you used to, you get back and sit watching that damn thing til God
knows when at night, and you hardly speak to me anymore! You used to make breakfast and kiss
me on the cheek all the time. Is something wrong?" He stood up.
"Well I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know I had to pay attention to you every second of every day! I
have a life too, you know. I need some space too!"
"Well I wish that 'space' would include me, your wife, just a little bit!" I shouted.
"Well maybe that 'space' doesn't want to include you!" He shouted back. My eyes widened as his
fixed into a hard glare. I felt tears coming. He walked passed me and out the door, leaving me in
complete shock.
I glanced over at a picture of us at our wedding 2 years ago. I reached over as a tear fell
from my eye and trailed down my cheek. I raised the picture over my head and threw it against the
wall. It shattered, sending glass flying in all directions. I slumped to my knees and sobbed into my
hands.
He didn't come home that night.
The next morning I did my normal routine, except I left my hair down and wore the new
dress I had bought a few days prier. A pretty white dress that flowed down the my knees.
I slowly walked downstairs and went to the couch, not paying attention to the mess I had
made the night before.
Soon after I sat, the door opened. It was him. He wouldn't meet my eyes but he came and
sat down next to me. He stayed silent for a few minutes then said, "Luka," he paused. "Luka, I
love you. I really do. But…" He took a deep breath and tenderly grabbed my hands. "But, I
don't think I can do this anymore." He stopped and looked at me. His eyes were puffy and his
nose was red. "I'm sorry." My heart dropped to the floor, my stomach flipped, my chest burned,
my vision blurred… My wedding ring felt cold as ice on my finger. I looked up at him. A tear
rolled down his cheek. I opened my mouth to scream, cry, try to stop him from saying what I
knew was coming? I don't know. All I know is nothing would come out, so I just closed my
mouth. "Luka," he looked into my eyes, another tear making it's way slowly down his cheek, his
hands shaking. "I want to get a divorce."
Three years later…
Sometimes I see him walking down the street, in a store, at a party. We don't talk much.
An occasional "Hi, how have you been?" here and there. It's still too painful right now. I mean,
we had been together since Junior High. But, I'm happy and I know he is too. He's had a
girlfriend for a few months now. I've dated a few times since then.
For now, everything's fine. It's sad still, but I'm working my way up to being fully healed.
I don't the sadness will ever fade but it will get better. I know it.
I don't hope to get back together or anything. I'm just hoping there will finally come a day
where we can
Just Be Friends…
The End