Andy's POV
I could help but feel nervous walking into the bar tonight, this was it I was leaving, saying goodbye to everyone I have called family for the past 4 years.
Oliver is standing by the door when I walk in; he turns toward me and without saying a word, comes over and envelops me in a hug.
"I guess you heard then?"
"Yeh, Frank told me today, Andy look are you sure this is what you want?"
I look down slightly, not sure how to answer him.
"Its not what I want, its what I need". Oliver rubs my back, I look up and notice Nick, Gail, Dov and Traci over by the signup table for Karaoke.
"You singing tonight, Oliver?" I ask with a sly grin on my face.
"Ha, do you even need to ask?" I laugh as I walk towards my group of friends.
After everyone has debated who was singing what, we go and find seats at the bar. I am already 4 tequila shots and 3 beers down, and I have only been here an hour. My excuse being I have had to listen to Oliver and Dov sing twice already.
I'm about to order another beer, when Noelle says the last thing I would expect to hear in the world.
"Next up, a one time performance, by….SAMMY" I pretty much choke on the mouthful of beer in my mouth.
I slowly turn my chair around to face the stage, and sure enough there is Sam, he's looking straight at me, about to start singing.
Still feels like our first night together
Feels like the first kiss, it's gettin' better baby
No one can better this...
Still holdin' on, you're still the one.
First time our eyes met, same feelin' I get
Only feels much stronger, wanna love you longer
You still turn the fire on...
So if you're feelin' lonely ‒ don't
You're the only one I ever want.
I only wanna make it good
So if I love you a little more than I should...
Please forgive me ‒ I know not what I do.
Please forgive me ‒ I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me, this pain I'm going through...
Please forgive me if I need you like I do.
Please believe me, every word I say is true...
Please forgive me I can't stop loving you
Still feels like our best times are together.
Feels like the first touch, still gettin' closer baby
Can't get close enough.
Still holdin' on, you're still number one.
I remember the smell of your skin,
I remember everything,
I remember all your moves I remember you, yeah!
I remember the nights, you know I still do.
So if you're feelin' lonely ‒ don't
You're the only one I ever want.
I only wanna make it good
So if I love you a little more than I should...
Please forgive me ‒ I know not what I do.
Please forgive me ‒ I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me, this pain I'm going through.
Please forgive me if I need you like I do
Oh, believe me ‒ every word I say is true.
Please forgive me ‒ I can't stop loving you.
He gets half way through the second chorus, when I can no longer handle it. I have to get out, I grab my jacket and run out the closest exit, I slow down once I'm outside gasping for air, I know there is silence inside; no one sure of what was going. Wasn't he with Marlo? Why was he singing that song to me? Maybe Marlo was behind me? No I would have seen her earlier. The door behind me bursts right open; I stare at him, and feel a sense of déjà vu, right here where we are standing now, is where Sam broke up with me all those months ago.
"Andy….."
"Don't, Sam" I turn around to walk home.
"YOU NEED TO FORGIVE YOURSELF" Sam yells, I stop dead in my tracks, I feel like I slammed into a brick wall. I start hyperventilating, I feel like everything has stopped in time, the world motionless, completely quiet, no sounds of the city can be heard, until he speaks again.
"I shouldn't have ever blamed you, Andy, you didn't do anything wrong, when you left the first time… I get it, you were just trying to protect our jobs, you were trying to protect us, and then Jerry, that wasn't your fault Andy, you know that, leaving a second time, Andy, I know I hurt you, you didn't walk away from us because, really at the time there was no 'us', I walked first, I broke my promise never to do that, I know all this now. I'm sorry Andy, I really am. But you can't leave, not again, I know you want a fresh start, I know you want to escape the loss and the tragedy and all the hurt that is here, but you can't escape it, not until you realize, you didn't do anything, not until you forgive yourself for being human! It will always be there, until you deal with it. I'm asking you to turn around, I'm asking you to walk back TO me, I'm asking you to make new memories, here, with me".
My body starts shaking, as the sobs increase, and then suddenly I fall, I'm crouching on the ground, as all the emotion comes out. Sam comes over and kneels down beside me.
"What about Marlo?"
"We broke up, right before you came over today"
"Oh" is all I could say.
" What do you Say Andy, can I ask you to dinner?" I look at him, I can see the desperation in his face, and for the first time since I have been back, I see the love in his eyes.
"OK" was all I could manage.
OK, so 4 chapters written and posted. Let me know what you think (if you made it this far) ...please! :)