Together, against all odds
RYAN
The chill air hit me as I walked out of the restaurant, biting against my skin like it knew I deserved the discomfort. It had been an hour since Violet left. An hour of self-loathing and regret.
I’d stayed inside as long as I could, hoping she’d come back, replaying every word I’d said, every mistake I’d made. But eventually, the walls had started closing in, and I’d needed air. Not that it made me feel any better.
An hour. Sixty unbearable minutes. It felt like a lifetime.
I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. What the hell had I been thinking? Letting her walk out like that. Letting her leave with that look on her face—hurt, betrayed, and so far away from the bright, sunny Violet I knew.
I couldn’t blame her. I wasn’t even sure I deserved her at all.
My hands clenched into fists as I leaned against the cold brick wall outside, the world around me blurring into a meaningless hum. My mind was a storm of regrets and what-ifs. What if she didn’t come back? What if this was it?
I flagged down a cab, the car pulling up to the curb.
The driver looked up at me expectantly, waiting for me to give the destination.
“Where to?” he asked, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.
But my mind was blank. I didn’t know where I was going. Hell, I didn’t even know what I was doing anymore.
“Uhm…” I stuttered, about to tell him I didn’t know, when a voice rang out across the street.
“Ryan!”
My heart froze. That voice.
For a moment, I thought I’d imagined it, a cruel trick my mind was playing on me. But then I heard it again, louder this time.
“Ryan!”
I turned around, my heart slamming against my ribs.
There she was.
Violet.
She was running toward me, her cheeks flushed, her hair wild from the wind. Her chest heaved as though she’d been sprinting, and tears streamed freely down her face.
“Vi—Violet,” I stammered, stepping away from the cab as my voice faltered.
Before I could say anything else, she reached me, throwing herself into my arms. Her hands clung to the front of my jacket, and she buried her face against my chest, her body trembling against mine.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice shaky and raw. “I shouldn’t have walked away. I just—”
I wrapped my arms around her tightly, cutting off whatever she was about to say. “No,” I murmured, my throat thick with emotion. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m the one who messed up.”
She didn’t pull away, and I held her closer, feeling her tears soak through my shirt. Nothing else mattered in that moment. She was here. She hadn’t left for good. And for the first time in an hour, I felt like I could breathe again.
—
“So… how are you?” I finally asked, running my fingers gently through her hair as she rested her head on my shoulder.
It had been fifteen minutes since we’d walked to the nearby park. Fifteen minutes of silence, save for the occasional sound of Violet’s soft sobs and the distant hum of the city around us.
She shifted slightly against me, her breath warm through my shirt. “I’m good,” she murmured, though her voice was barely audible.
The silence stretched again, heavy and loaded.
“I’m sorry, Mouse,” I said at last, my voice breaking through the stillness. “I’m sorry, really. For everything. For hiding the truth about Amelia. For not telling you sooner. For making you feel like I didn’t trust you enough to handle it. I should’ve told you the moment I found out, but I didn’t, and that’s on me.”
I paused as she shifted slightly.
“ I was ashamed,” I admitted.“Because I didn't want you to know how careless, how selfish I was. I didn’t want to risk losing you, Vi. You’re the best thing in my life, and I couldn’t stand the thought of you leaving.”
Her lips parted slightly, and I could see the conflict in her eyes—the hurt, the doubt, but also the tiniest glimmer of understanding.
“You should’ve trusted me,” she said finally, her voice shaking. “Ryan, I love you. And I know you have a past—I’ve always known. But you’re not that person anymore, and you don’t have to hide from me. I can take it. I would’ve taken it.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, and I felt my resolve crumbling. “I know, and I’m sorry. I should’ve trusted you. I should’ve believed in us.”
She nodded slowly, her hand brushing away a stray tear from her cheek. “I’m sorry too,” she said, her voice barely audible.
I frowned, taken aback. “For what?”
“For everything,” she said, her voice trembling. “For lying to you about the party, for hiding things from you when I should’ve been honest. I’ve made mistakes too, and I hate that I hurt you.”
I let out a soft, wry laugh. “So basically, we’re both a mess.”
She looked up at me, her lips quirking into the faintest smile. “Pretty much.”
“Well, good to know we’re on the same page,” I teased, nudging her gently.
She laughed quietly, the sound warming something deep inside me.
“We need to promise each other something,” she said after a beat, her tone turning serious.
I nodded. “Anything.”
“No more lies,” she said firmly. “No matter how bad it is, no matter how much we think the truth will hurt, we tell each other. Always.”
I held her gaze, feeling the sincerity behind her words. “Deal,” I said. “No more lies. Ever.”
She exhaled softly, a weight seemingly lifting from her chest. “We’ve been through too much together, Ryan. No Amelia—or anyone else—can come between us now.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, raising an eyebrow at her. “Look at you, getting all sassy on me. Who knew you had it in you?”
She rolled her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “What can I say? You’re a bad influence.”
“I prefer to think of it as bringing out your inner badass,” I shot back, earning another laugh from her.
But then her expression sobered, and she looked at me intently. “What about her?”
“Her?” I repeated.
“Amelia,” she said, her voice steady now.“What are you going to do about her?”
I drew in a long breath, letting the question settle between us. “I’ll face her,” I said finally. “We’ll talk. I need to handle this the right way.”
Violet nodded, her hand slipping into mine and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You will,” she said softly. “And no matter what, we’ll figure it out. Together.”
The words hit me harder than I expected, filling me with a sense of hope I hadn’t felt in a long time. Together. That’s all I needed to hear.
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