Day 3: prompt "I see the clock up on the wall and wonder where you are tonight.

This one goes with day 1: mistake. I would suggest reading it before reading this one. I hope you enjoy it.

My heart is in my stomach as I walk out of Riley's building. I have to blink a few times to push the tears back. I just made a complete ass of myself in front of her, I officially lost her. Of course she moved on. Now it's her turn to get married. This James guy is lucky; any guy would be lucky to spend the rest of their life with her. It could have been me, it should have been me, if I wasn't so damn stupid.

I keep walking the streets of New York until I'm in front of the bar I've become quite acquainted. It's where I come to forget everything around.

"Whisky on the rocks John," I say taking my seat at the bar. He nods at me and prepares my drink. I've became a bit of a regular this past year.

He places it in front of me, "You're here awful late. What happened tonight?"

I take a big swig, "Nothing much, just getting my heart stomped on."

"I'm guessing you went to go see that Riley woman you've been going on and on about." I nod as I take another drink. "I'm guessing it didn't go well."

I hold up the glass, "What do you think?" I down the rest of my drink, "Just keep them coming. I need to forget how big of an idiot I am." John nods as he fixes me another drink. After he gives it to me, he moves to the other end of the bar to help his other customers.

I stare at the drink in my hand, how did I get here? Sitting alone in a bar feeling broken. My phone starts ringing; I look down at it to see Zay's picture staring at me. I press ignore. I'm not really in any mood to talk. I feel a hole burning into my pocket, I reach into it and pull out a letter I've been carrying around for months. A letter I thought about mailing a thousand time, but never had the courage to do so. I unfold it, chug the rest of my drink, and read it for the hundredth time.

Dear Riley,

Today I signed my divorcee papers, my marriage is officially over. If I'm being honest, it was over as soon as I seen you outside the church. Why were you there, Riley? You weren't supposed to be there for this exact reason. I moved over, or so I thought, but I was happy. I was really happy. I convinced myself to be happy without you, and once I did, you come back. You had no fucking right! You were the one who ended things between us.

The day you decided to leave is forever embedded into my memory. You didn't believe we could make it work with you in California and me in Texas, but Riley we had no what we have is an extraordinary relationship. It would have made us stronger, but you didn't give us that opportunity. Instead, you made the decision yourself doing what you thought was best the way you always did. The way I felt once again didn't matter. You broke me that day.

I want to be furious with you for showing up that day. For ruining the life, I could have had. I met an amazing woman who helped put me back together. I'm supposed to be enjoying the married life with her, but I couldn't. Every time we were snuggled up on the couch trying to enjoy each other's company, I'd catch myself staring at the wall. I would see the clock on the wall and wonder where you were tonight. If you were doing the same with someone else because you finally moved on. You were always on my mind. I was supposed to be focused on my marriage, but instead I was wishing that you were the one I was married to.

Riley, I want to be with you. I know it might be too soon considering I just signed the papers, but I don't care. I just need to know that you want to be with me. That I didn't end my marriage for nothing. I love you, Riley. I always have, just please let me prove that to you. Please give me the chance.

Love always,

Lucas

I start to fold it back up, when I feel someone pat my back. "I see you still carry that around with you," Zay says. He takes the stool next me to and orders a beer. "You kept ignoring my calls, which is rude by the way. But I knew this is where I'd be able to find you here, especially after Riley called Maya and told her you went to see her."

I take a drink, "She's getting married," I say defeated, and Zay nods. I signal for John to come over, "Can I get another one," I say shaking the glass, "and can you get rid of this for me," I pass over the letter to John and he takes it. I watch as he tosses it in the trash.

Zay's eyes go wide. "It's was time to throw it away. She'll never read it, she's getting married for god sake. When is the big day by the way?"

He takes a sip of his beer, "In about a month."

I order a shot of the strongest thing he has behind the bar, and once it's placed in front of me I hold it up, "To Riley. Maybe her marriage will turn out better than mine." I throw the shot down my throat

Zay and I sit there in silence, well I'm silent. He is talking about who knows what, I'm too zoned out to listen. My thoughts are consumed with Riley, and how I screwed everything up. I pull out of my wallet and slam down some cash on the bar top and push myself up from the stool.

Zay looks at me, "You aren't going to give up without a fight are you?"

I shake my head, "If you saw the way she looked at me tonight, you would know that he isn't the one for her. Maybe I'm not seeing clearly, but she looked at me the way she always did. She had love in her eyes. It's still there I know it is."

"But you threw the letter away."

"Zay that's just a piece of paper. I can't throw away what I feel. I can't give up when I feel it in my heart that there is still a chance. I can't give up on her, on us." I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, "I made the mistake of marrying the wrong person, I'm not going to let her do the same." I turn on my heels to leave, "I'll let you know once I'm home. Go home to Maya, don't worry about me. I'm going to be fine." At least, I hope.