Chapter 4: Bittersweet Symphony

Up until writing the last chapter I didn't know that there would be hints of Jellie in this too so I hadn't included it in the beginning summary. You know how that inspiration goes. So I am including it now, there will be hints of Jellie in this story too! ) This is the final chapter.

Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Try to make ends meet...

I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet yeah...

I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now...

Craig only entered The Dot to get a cup of coffee for himself and Joey but he instead found himself face to face with Ashley, and this time she was alone. She actually looked like she felt as he did: confused, annoyed, and just a bit gloomy. So he decided it couldn't be that bad if he just talked to her, get it over with. "Hey, you're out and about early." She was sitting at the counter just sipping a cappuccino, at the sound of Craig's voice her head jerked up and she managed to give him a quick smile. "Yeah, I can't sleep much lately so I just get up and go." Craig pulled up the stool next to her and sat with his body turned to her. "So, I thought you should know, Ellie and I aren't seeing each other anymore. She probably already told you though." By the somewhat surprised, and vaguely relieved, look on her face he got his answer before she responded. "Actually, she didn't."

She turned to face him the way he was facing her. Tilting her head just slightly, and giving him what seemed to be a genuinely concerned look, she asked, "Why?" Craig glanced down for a moment, slightly embarrassed and wondering how he was going to put what Ellie said to him. "She just said it wouldn't work out." This wasn't enough for Ashley, she prodded him further, "Come on, there has to be more to it than that." In the back of his mind he wondered how she could still read him so well; remembering Ellie's words and thinking that perhaps she was right after all, he simply decided to just tell her. Taking a deep breath, he quickly blurted out, "Okay, she said that I wasn't over you and that she didn't want to be second to that."

For the first time that day, Ashley finally looked up and really looked Craig in his eyes. She nodded and said, "That's funny, because that's pretty much exactly what Jimmy said to me." Taken aback by the news that apparently Jimmy and Ashley were no longer, he forgot about the insecurity he felt just seconds ago. "He broke up with you too?" Nodding once again, she let out a small laugh, "Yeah, I guess they think more alike than they may have thought." Craig gave her a serious yet somewhat hopeful look. "Do you think they're right?" It was a semi-awkward conversation, but they had been through too much together to be uncomfortable about discussing their feelings for one another. "I don't know, maybe, do we need to figure it out now?" "No, I don't think so. How about we start with something simpler, you hungry?" She smiles and places her hand on his that is resting on the table, "Starved." Unfortunately for Joey, his coffee didn't get back to him until well after lunch when it had already turned cold.

As she promised him right before she left to go to Craig's a few nights ago, Ellie went to see Marco to tell him how things had gone. He welcomed her with a hug and a smile. "You know I'm so proud of you, El. And trust me, there's another guy for you just waiting to be the one who never gets over you." Ellie smiled at this, thinking about the person she was going to see after this stop. "I know, Marco. Thanks for being such a good friend." "It's my pleasure. And don't you underestimate how good a friend I am. Now, my question is, who's the new guy?" Ellie laughed and playfully hit Marco in his arm. "Jeez, is it that obvious?" He responded by mussing her hair as he often enjoyed doing when he messed around with her. "To the outsider, no. But just who did you think you were dealing with?" Just to drive his point further he waggled his eyebrows at her. "Well, too bad, that's all you get for now. I'll let you know how it goes later." "Alright, but you better be prepared to bring plenty of details. And at least tell me this, is it who I think it is?" She laughed again, "God, you're relentless! It probably is but I promise I will tell you more after I go see him." "Okay. Have fun, be good." This time Ellie returned Marco's eyebrow move, "Of course."

Ellie's heart pounded as she walked up the walkway to Jimmy's house. She didn't quite understand it, but somehow seeing him with Ashley and realizing that Craig wasn't actually the one for her, she came to the conclusion that Jimmy just might be and that she didn't think things through when he had asked her out and she rejected him.

His mother answered the door and welcomed her in to wait for him on the couch. As Jimmy wheeled into the living room, to say he was shocked to see Ellie sitting there waiting for him, and what looked like nervously wringing her hands, was an understatement. He was bitter about the whole Craig situation, but he couldn't help but put on a bright smile for her. She just had that effect on him. "Hey, Ellie. What's up?" Ellie finally noticed that she had been wringing her hands and quickly set them next to her legs instead. She assumed it was a good sign that he smiled at her, so she smiled back. "Hey, Jimmy. Well, I just wanted to stop by to see if you wanted to hang out or something." Jimmy's smile suddenly faded and was replaced by a puzzled and slightly angry look, "What about Craig?" She expected this to come up, she just hoped that she would say it all right. "That was a mistake, Jimmy, its over. I made the wrong decision, and I'm really sorry that I couldn't see what you were offering me at the moment and I understand if you have changed your mind." Jimmy's smile started to return as she continued to speak. "What I should've said after you asked me that was 'yeah, I do want to take it to the next level'. So if the offer still stands, that's my answer." He said nothing, but simply took her hand in his and brought it to his lips to place a kiss on it. She took that as a good sign.