If We Climb This High
That Was Then
*Angel's PoV*
*January, 2006*
"Angel!" Austin banged on my bedroom door, shaking the doorknob. "Let me in. Please."
I buried my face in my hands, letting out a choked sob. "Go away, Austin."
"No. Let me in and tell me exactly what happened." Austin's knocking grew more and more desperate. "You know I'll break down the door if I have to."
I sighed. He wasn't bluffing -- he broke into my bedroom last time I refused to let him in. I wiped at my eyes and turned to face the door, reaching to unlock it.
No sooner had I turned the lock, then Austin rushed into my bedroom, dropping down next to me and wrapping his arms around me, pulling me into his lap and murmuring into my hair. "Now, what happened?"
"It's... It's Evan." I sobbed, referring to my boyfriend of the last two years. Or at least, he used to be my boyfriend. "H-He broke up with me. Because... because he wants... to be with Claire." I took a deep breath. "You know. The cheerleader. Apparently... they've been going behind my back for... months." I buried my face in Austin's chest and sobbed.
"Shhh." He rubbed my back gently. "You'll be okay. Evan's just a jerk. You don't need him anyway."
"I-I loved him." I cried, curling into a ball.
"I know you did." Austin murmured. He got up, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Come on. Let's go downstairs."
*A couple hours later*
Austin walked over to the couch, where I sat, huddled in a blanket. We handed me a bowl of chocolate ice cream, and a spoon. I offered up a small smile -- he knew that chocolate ice cream always cheered me up a little. He sat down next to me, lifting my legs and placing them in his lap.
Just in case you're wondering, no, there was not, and never had been anything romantic between me and Austin. He was my best friend -- We grew up together. We'd been really close since we were in preschool. During the weekends and breaks, he practically lived at my house. He was always there for me when something like this happened.
I ate my ice cream in silence, lost in thought. A sudden thought occurred to me, and I stopped, fresh tears pouring down my face.
Austin glanced over and saw me crying. "Hey." He scooted closer to me. "What's wrong?"
"Austin," I sobbed. "What if I never find another guy like Evan? What if I never fall in love again? What if I never get married, or have a family? What if I spend the rest of my life alone?"
"You won't." He hugged me. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, we can make a deal."
I sniffed. "What kind of deal?"
"If both of us are still single when we're twenty-five, I'll marry you." Austin said, quite casually, as if commenting on the weather. "Deal?"
I thought about it. I didn't have romantic feelings for Austin, but he was my best friend; he knew all my secrets, and no one could make me smile like he could. I honestly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with him.
I smiled. "Deal."
Austin held out his pinky, a smile on his face. "Promise?"
I giggled, wrapping my pinky around his. "Promise."
*January, 2006*
"Angel!" Austin banged on my bedroom door, shaking the doorknob. "Let me in. Please."
I buried my face in my hands, letting out a choked sob. "Go away, Austin."
"No. Let me in and tell me exactly what happened." Austin's knocking grew more and more desperate. "You know I'll break down the door if I have to."
I sighed. He wasn't bluffing -- he broke into my bedroom last time I refused to let him in. I wiped at my eyes and turned to face the door, reaching to unlock it.
No sooner had I turned the lock, then Austin rushed into my bedroom, dropping down next to me and wrapping his arms around me, pulling me into his lap and murmuring into my hair. "Now, what happened?"
"It's... It's Evan." I sobbed, referring to my boyfriend of the last two years. Or at least, he used to be my boyfriend. "H-He broke up with me. Because... because he wants... to be with Claire." I took a deep breath. "You know. The cheerleader. Apparently... they've been going behind my back for... months." I buried my face in Austin's chest and sobbed.
"Shhh." He rubbed my back gently. "You'll be okay. Evan's just a jerk. You don't need him anyway."
"I-I loved him." I cried, curling into a ball.
"I know you did." Austin murmured. He got up, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Come on. Let's go downstairs."
*A couple hours later*
Austin walked over to the couch, where I sat, huddled in a blanket. We handed me a bowl of chocolate ice cream, and a spoon. I offered up a small smile -- he knew that chocolate ice cream always cheered me up a little. He sat down next to me, lifting my legs and placing them in his lap.
Just in case you're wondering, no, there was not, and never had been anything romantic between me and Austin. He was my best friend -- We grew up together. We'd been really close since we were in preschool. During the weekends and breaks, he practically lived at my house. He was always there for me when something like this happened.
I ate my ice cream in silence, lost in thought. A sudden thought occurred to me, and I stopped, fresh tears pouring down my face.
Austin glanced over and saw me crying. "Hey." He scooted closer to me. "What's wrong?"
"Austin," I sobbed. "What if I never find another guy like Evan? What if I never fall in love again? What if I never get married, or have a family? What if I spend the rest of my life alone?"
"You won't." He hugged me. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, we can make a deal."
I sniffed. "What kind of deal?"
"If both of us are still single when we're twenty-five, I'll marry you." Austin said, quite casually, as if commenting on the weather. "Deal?"
I thought about it. I didn't have romantic feelings for Austin, but he was my best friend; he knew all my secrets, and no one could make me smile like he could. I honestly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with him.
I smiled. "Deal."
Austin held out his pinky, a smile on his face. "Promise?"
I giggled, wrapping my pinky around his. "Promise."
10/3/13