Wow. I am sorry you guys. I didn't realize what a load of crap my first draft was. I think it still kinda sucks since it has all the same stuff minus a few parts, so sorry. But hey, I guess I just suck at writing endings. Don't forget to leave a review, even if its a flame!

Ren117

-------Let Go---------

His car wouldn't start.

Louis was in agony. He couldn't decide if he was more angry, shocked or miserable.

Louis ran for ten minutes straight then collapsed on a park bench. He laid down and covered his face with his hands. Tawny...getting married. His chest rapidly rose and fell, sweat dripping from his forehead and back. He still had at least two miles to go.

She must be with him right now.

He wanted to scream. It was all wrong! Tawny had always been with him. Maybe not always together, but she was always there. He got up and started running again, his legs feeling heavy.

It was getting dark, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. Car headlights clicked on slowly, one by one as they passed him. Louis slowed to a walk, still panting and feeling fatigued.

He passed the park that he took Tawny to at the beginning of the year. Memories flooded through his head, making him even angrier to think that he might never be with her like that again.

He ran until he couldn't see anymore, a blinding white light covering his line of vision. He staggered along the sidewalk, faintly realizing he was on campus. A few people stopped and stared at him on their way back to their dorms.

He made it. Louis almost collapsed at her step. He pounded on the door and steadied himself against the wall. He waited a few moments then knocked again. A few girls passed him, giving him strange looks.

"Tawny it's me. Come on, please open up."

-------------------

Tawny shifted uncomfortably and looked at the ground.

"Is there something wrong?" Jason repeated, reaching for her hands.

"I don't know." Tawny wanted to say everything, but tried to think of a reasonable answer instead. "This whole going to Europe thing...its crazy. I hate leaving everything behind."

"I know." He hid his disappointed expression and thoughts that he alone wasn't a good enough reason to go. They were silent for a while. Tawny looked out onto the horizon, the sun barely peeking over the distant hilltops.

Jason let go of her hands. "Listen, Tawny. I know you're not telling me something." She looked away. Jason wiped some sweat from his forehead. "This isn't working. Ah, hell, I'll go ahead and do it anyway." He ran his hands through his hair. "I had this whole thing planned out. I took you to that restaurant, walked with you along this belt, and right here I was to stop...and ask you to marry me." He pulled the ring out of his pocket.

---------------

Nothing.

He put his ear up to the door, only hearing the people next door. She wasn't even there. How stupid of him to think that she would be back at her room. He'd come all this way for nothing. He sank against the door and rested his head on his knees.

Here he was again. He could think of numerous times he'd been in situations similar to this. Maybe not sitting at Tawny's doorstep and drenched in sweat, but the aching was far to familiar to forget.

Maybe this was the way it had to be. Jason won. There was nothing he could do to stop her. Ren's voice echoed in his head, telling him to stop thinking of himself and start thinking of what Tawny wants. She would probably be angry at him right now if she were here, like all the other times. She wanted to be with Jason. She was happy with him. Maybe, for once, he should listen to Ren.

He got up and started heading back.

Maybe the best thing he could do for Tawny would be to support her. She would want him to be mature about it. Be happy for her, then disappear.

Game over.

-------------------

Jason got down on one knee.

"I know it's crazy, and really sudden, but..." he opened the box. "What would you think about coming...as my wife?"

Tawny froze. Her first thought was to say yes. Of all the proposals she'd seen on tv and in real life, the girl never said no. Then she thought of Louis.

Jason stared into her eyes. He'd never seen eyes quite like hers ever before. A piercing crystalline blue that cut through him like a knife, yet still as beautiful and angelic as ever. He knew her answer before she said it.

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

Tawny walked to her dorm, the chilly night air biting her cheeks.

Sleep. That was the key. It was hard, much harder than she ever thought it would be, but she knew it was the right thing to do. He'd been such a gentleman about it. She felt terrible.

She tried not to think, letting her feet automatically taking her to her door, where she almost screamed after tripping over a pair of legs.

"Louis? What are you doing here?" her eyes widened.

"Tawny, I'm really sorry." He swallowed and stood up. "You know, I tried being all cool and mature about you and Jason, and letting you be happy and stuff,"

His eyes dropped to the floor, feeling angry with himself. "...But I can't."

Tawny's heart started racing, barely comprehending what was happening. His eyes were so dark, their usual spark gone.

"Sorry Tawny." He put his hands on his head and backed away slowly. "Congratulations."

"Louis wait." She walked up to him. He stopped, feeling his cheeks go red.

"You really were going to let me go?" Louis shrugged and started walking backwards again, trying to save some face.

Tawny looked down. Louis was halfway down the hall, his back to her.

"I'm not marrying Jason."

Louis froze. He turned back around.

"What?"

"I couldn't."

He looked at her, stunned for a second, slowly feeling the warmth trickle back into him. He laughed a little then flashed one of his classic Louis smiles.

He ran up to her and twirled her, her feet spinning off the ground. She felt slightly guilty for being happy after just breaking up with Jason, but it was hard not to be. He set her down.

He beamed, pleasantly surprised at her reaction.

"Does this mean..." she smiled at him. "Yeah." She leaned in to kiss him.

"But wait." He rubbed his forehead. "Just in case I don't get the chance to say this again." He looked at his feet.

"I thought I lost you today. It was the strangest feeling in the world." He put his arms around his neck. "I just went crazy. I ran all the way over here from my apartment, all drenched in sweat. It was nasty."

Tawny raised an eyebrow and laughed a little. "What I mean to say is that I never really appreciated you before, but now I do." He rubbed his hands together nervously, feeling himself get red again. "And I don't wanna lose you, ever again."

Tawny laughed, trying to think of how many times she'd heard him say that. "So is that it?"

"Yeah."

She smiled and stared at him until he looked away, then slowly put her arms around his waist. He smiled and followed suit, feeling like an idiot.

"So..." Louis bit his lip, building his confidence. "Shall we make out then watch a movie?"

Tawny failed at concealing a smile. "Oh, definitely." She wrapped her arms around his neck and met him half way, not holding back.

A couple cat calls followed by cheering came down the hall from a couple of her neighbors. They separated and blushed slightly.

"Here, lets go inside." Louis closed the door behind them. Tawny put in a movie.

Louis flopped down on her bed and patted the spot next to him. "Come sit here right next to papa." She rolled her eyes. He winked at her. Tawny sighed and sat down next to him.

Besides the occasional roars of laughter, they were quiet the rest of the night, feeling what needed to be said was already clear.