Break-Up to Make-Up

The next day was thankfully Sunday, which meant the coffee shops were both closed, and everyone could get some much-needed rest after the busy and chaotic day.

Punk, however, had barely slept an hour. Not just because he could hear Cole snoring on his couch the entire night, but because he couldn't stop thinking about AJ and the possibility of her being frightened of him. Of being disappointed in him for not telling her the complete truth of his past.

Part of him wished the coffee shop was open today so that he could get up and focus on something, but all he could do was lay in his bed, stare at the ceiling, and pray to a God he didn't believe in that he hadn't messed this up.

"You want some coffee?" Cole eventually appeared at Punk's bedroom door, "I was gonna go out and get some."

"You'll have to make it here. The coffee shops are closed." Punk said, sitting on the edge of the bed, running his hands over his tired face.

"So, there's nowhere you can get coffee from on a Sunday?" Cole asked with shock.

"No. You just gotta make it at home." Punk nodded, "I got a coffee pot. Help yourself. I think I'm going to go out and take a walk."

"You ok?" Cole asked him.

"I've been better." Punk nodded.

"You're really in love with this chick, huh?" Cole said. He'd never seen his friend this way before.

"Yeah. I am." Punk nodded, "And I think I might have screwed things up." He shook his head, "Like I always do."

"She'll have a cooler head this morning. I'm sure you guys can talk it out." Cole said, trying his best to say the right thing, "How's that hand?" He asked, noticing Punk's bruised fist as a result of Luke's face last night.

"Sore." Punk concluded, "Did I go too far?" He looked over at Cole.

"Maybe." Cole nodded truthfully, "But… that's the thing about you, Phil. You go to war for the people you love. It's not always wise but… you do it because you want to protect them. That's how I know this girl is a big deal to you." He said, "That guy was clearly harassing her."

"Yeah, he has been." Punk nodded.

"Maybe one punch would have done it, though." Cole suggested.

"Yeah." Punk scoffed, "I just don't know what to say or do to show her how sorry I am."

"I'm sure you'll find the words." Cole nodded, "I come here for one night and you get into a fight. Maybe I'm a jinx."

"Yeah, you're not invited back." Punk scoffed with a smile, "Sorry the night ended badly. It's not how I wanted it to go."

"I had fun." Cole shrugged, "The Fair was cool, and I enjoyed meeting AJ. I hope it won't be the last time I see her."

"I hope so too." Punk nodded.

"April, open up." Lyla said, knocking on AJ's apartment door. She'd been knocking for five minutes and had gotten no answer.

"Ok, I'm coming." AJ grumbled, still in her pyjamas, making her way out of her bedroom and unlocking the door to let Lyla in, "It's early."

"It's 9am. This is very late for us." Lyla reminded her, "I thought we could have breakfast together."

"Can I stay in my pyjamas?" AJ asked.

"You can do what you want, honey." Lyla nodded, making her way over to the kitchen with the grocery bag she was holding, "Where did that thing come from?" She pointed to the giant teddy bear, which was sitting on the sofa, which AJ may or may not have cuddled all night.

"Phil won it for me last night." AJ said, shutting the apartment door over.

"She's cute." Lyla said.

"Are we just pretending last night's conversation didn't happen?" AJ asked, "Cause it feels like we are." She said, making her way over to the kitchen where Lyla was.

"I was just in my feelings last night." Lyla said, "It's something I should have spoken with you about it before now. I've just always kept it to myself."

"Why?" AJ shook her head.

"Because of exactly how you reacted. I didn't want you to think it was your fault." Lyla said.

"You clearly loved this guy, and you broke up with him to move here with me." AJ said, "That sounds very much like it's my fault."

"I made the choice." Lyla said, "I wanted to come here with you."

"To look after me? Because I'm so fragile?" AJ asked.

"No, because I wanted to." Lyla said, "After seeing you so broken for so long after your attack, I just wanted to see you find yourself again. I wanted to be right by your side. I made that decision."

"And you regret it?" AJ asked.

"Never." Lyla said fiercely, "It's just… seeing you with Phil these past months… the way you guys look at each other, how head over heels you are with him… it just made me remember how much fun I had with Lewis at the time. How good it felt to be with him."

"Why didn't you tell me how much you liked him? I had no idea." AJ shook her head.

"You got attacked and I never wanted to bring it up. I didn't want to sit with you and go into the details of mine and his relationship. That didn't seem important."

"Well it would have been important to me, Lyla." AJ said, "Your life didn't have to stop just because mine did."

"I know. I should have told you." Lyla nodded.

"How often do you see him now?" AJ asked curiously.

"Just whenever I go visit my parents. Twice a year, maybe." Lyla shrugged.

"And you spend time with him? Do you sleep with him?" AJ asked.

"Yeah." Lyla nodded, "And then it's like breaking up all over again when I have to leave."

"To come back here?" AJ asked, "To be shackled to me?"

"Would you stop?" Lyla groaned, "That is not what I mean, and you know it. Being here with you in this weird little town has been the best years of my life. I wouldn't change it for anything. I couldn't imagine my life without seeing you every day. I couldn't do it." She said, "I'm just telling you how I feel about this guy. I never wanted to because I knew you'd blame yourself."

"Well how can I not? I'm clearly the reason you're not together." AJ folded her arms.

"No, you're not." Lyla said, "I left New Jersey with you because I wanted to. Do I get curious sometimes about what would have happened if I stayed? Yeah. And I have more so recently because I see you with Phil and I… I want that too."

"And you had that with Lewis?" AJ asked.

"Something like it. Yeah." Lyla nodded.

"Well… Phil is a big asshole." AJ shrugged as Lyla smiled a little.

"A big asshole that you love." Lyla said, "No denying it."

"Wouldn't Lewis ever come out here?" AJ asked, "Couldn't you guys make it work?"

"We've talked about it when I've been to visit." Lyla nodded, "His job is there. And his mom has poor health, so he looks out for her. It's not really an option."

"Would you ever move back?" AJ asked, although she wasn't sure she was ready for the answer.

"I have thought about it but… I can't imagine it working. I can't imagine not seeing your face every day." Lyla shook her head.

"I can't imagine not seeing your face every day." AJ frowned, "But… I want you to be happy, Lyla. I don't want you to be saying what if or thinking about what could have been. You've really been meeting up with him all this time?" She asked.

"Yeah." Lyla said quietly.

"You should do what you think will make you happy. That's what you always tell me, right? Well, this friendship works both ways. I hate that you felt that you couldn't tell me. I'm here for you as much as you've been here for me. You know that, right?" AJ nodded.

"Of course I know that." Lyla frowned, "I just didn't want to upset you."

"You're silly." AJ shook her head with a lump in her throat, feeling tears welling in her eyes.

"You're silly too." Lyla nodded, tears in her own eyes as they wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed tightly.

The only thing that interrupted their tight hug was a knock at AJ's door.

"I'm popular this morning." AJ scoffed.

"No betting on who that is." Lyla laughed a little, drying her eyes as AJ made her way over to the door, opening it up and finding Punk standing at the doorway.

"Nice pyjamas." Punk nodded, noticing she was wearing pyjamas which had croissants on the boob area.

"They are nice." AJ nodded bluntly.

"Is now a good time?" Punk asked her, noticing Lyla was over at the kitchen.

"Depends how long you plan on staying." AJ said, "Your hand looks sore." She noticed.

"It is." Punk nodded.

"You didn't get arrested or charged?" AJ asked with surprise.

"No, he didn't want to press charges." Punk said.

"Then you're lucky." AJ said, "Where is Cole?"

"He's back at my apartment. Unhappy that he has to make coffee at home instead of getting it from a shop." Punk nodded.

"Poor little city boy." AJ said.

"Can you just let me know what I need to do so you'll forgive me?" Punk asked, "I… I was so afraid that if I told you the whole truth you would go running in the opposite direction. And I didn't want you to. I'm not proud of what I did. I hate it."

"Make it make sense to me. I'd maybe understand if you were close to your brother. But it's very clear to me that you grew up despising him." AJ said, "So why go to all that trouble to keep him out of prison?"

"Because he's still my brother." Punk shrugged, "I can't explain it. He's a fool and he's definitely where he belongs but… no matter what our history was, when he called me begging for help… I couldn't say no to him." He said, "So I only have myself to blame. I know that. But here… with you… I've finally felt like I'm moving on from that shit."

"You promise me there's nothing else you've forgot to mention?" AJ asked, "Because if you lie to me again…"

"I promise you. I swear on Linda's life." He nodded as he watched a small smile threaten to push through on her face, "You know everything. I'll never lie to you again. And I certainly will never hurt you. Ever."

"You told me one time that you felt like you'd kill someone if they ever hurt me." AJ nodded. It was something she had thought about all night.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Please don't." AJ suggested, "I'm not saying Luke didn't deserve to get punched but… you went too far. And everyone saw it. I don't wanna be responsible for that kind of anger in you. Even if it's out of love." She nodded.

"I hear you." Punk said, "And I'll work on it."

"I know it came from a good place, though." She nodded.

"Am I making breakfast for two or three?" Lyla called to them as AJ and Punk looked at one another.

AJ could see the desperation in his face for forgiveness. She knew relationships were never straightforward or easy. In fact, sometimes they were incredibly hard. But she supposed that's how true love was tested and measured.

"You hungry?" AJ asked him as his face lit up and he nodded.

"Starving." He smiled, watching her step to the side to let him into the apartment.