Love Me Again

Gabe

Pulling up to the beautiful country house, I take a deep breath, ready for my weekend stay. One of my oldest friends is getting married. Of course, I am happy for him, but I have reasons to be nervous. It’s been a few years since I saw him after I moved away. However, there will be one thing that is even more difficult. The one that got away, my ex-girlfriend, will be there too.

It’s been five years since our breakup, and I haven’t seen or heard from her since I left. I cut off all contact with her and disappeared. It is a mistake that still haunts me every single day. It was foolish of me to let my family influence my decisions. I was young and foolish, only twenty-one. It wasn’t all their fault; I should have been smarter and not listened to them. Their controlling and messed-up behaviour led them to push my older sister away.

Peyton and I started dating when we were fifteen. We may have been young, but our love was truly real. In my heart, she was the woman I wanted to spend my life with, but I ruined our chances. We shared all our firsts together. We had mapped out our future. If these events had taken place, my life would have been different.

Gathering my courage, I climb out of the car and head inside. The wedding isn’t until Sunday afternoon, but they wanted the guests to have some fun beforehand. Tomorrow night is the rehearsal. My stomach is in knots, and my hands are sweaty as I enter. I arrived earlier than I was told. My goal was to be in my room before anyone else arrived. I need a little more time before I’m ready to see Peyton. I will be meeting with all the guests for lunch and drinks this afternoon. It’s a small wedding, with only around fifty guests, which makes me surprised Anthony invited me, considering we haven’t seen each other in ages.

The country house resembles a hotel more than a home. It’s owned by a wealthy family, which leases it to guests for 9 months of the year. This is a popular spot for events like weddings and charity functions. I rush to the reception to pick up my room and keys.

“Hello, sir, welcome.” The receptionist smiles sweetly.

“Hello. I am Gabe Manon. I am part of the wedding this weekend.”

“Of course. I’ll find your room number and get the key for you.” She replies.

I thank her and wait. It doesn’t take long. Room ten on the second floor is where I am. She offered to show me, but I insisted on finding it myself. I rush to find it. I need to get out of sight as soon as possible. I set my bags down to open the door. As I inserted the key, a familiar laughter echoed down the hallway. I freeze. No, please, no. I know who it is. That laugh is forever etched in my memory. Smiling, I close my eyes. It’s been so long since I heard that sound. I’ve missed it. Peyton’s laughter always sounded like the sweetest melody. I can’t figure out how close we are.

Peeking over my shoulder, I notice her walking in my direction. She either arrived shortly after I did or was already here. She has no bags, making me think she got here before me.

She isn’t alone. She is with some guy. It seems like he’s a bit older than her. He embodies the classic ideal of tall, dark, and handsome. His body was covered in an expensive suit. He’s the exact opposite of me. Our only shared trait is being wealthy. His arm is linked with hers. She is laughing and smiling. Her smile made my heart race. I loved waking up to it each morning. The fact that we moved in together at eighteen was a big reason why my parents disapproved of her and our relationship. Their control over me depended on my staying with them.

I compose myself quickly and dash into my room to avoid her seeing me. I sigh, drop my bags, and lean against the door. I hear them walk by my room, and it sounds like the door next to mine is opening and closing. It is confirmed when I hear them in the next room. Great! It is not what I need, having her with another man next door.

Seeing her with him was incredibly painful. Five years have passed, and I expected seeing her would be easier, but it’s still hard. Of course, I knew she had been with other men after me, but seeing her with one in person hit me differently. Peyton should only be with me, not another man. The blame rests solely on me.

Does this mean I’ll be subjected to hearing them have sex? Hearing her scream another man’s name would be agonizing for me. There’s no way for me to change rooms because they’re all booked. This is the karma I deserve for what I did. I deserve it. I utterly destroyed her. I shattered her heart, broke all my promises, and destroyed our future. Her expression when I ended things haunts my dreams.

Frustrated, I groan and head to the bed, lying down to stare at the ceiling. Coming here was a mistake. I should have invented an excuse for not being able to go. Peyton is more deserving of this than I am. I think she and Anthony remain close, and she’s best friends with his fiancée, Kaitlyn. Did they tell her I would be attending? I sure hope so because I don’t want to catch her off guard. She’ll recognize me. I haven’t changed since she last saw me.

Is it too late to leave? I cannot do that. It would be rude of me. Anthony seemed excited to be seeing me after three years. I have no idea why. I’ve been a terrible friend. I left for London and didn’t come back until a month ago. We didn’t really keep in touch like friends should, only texting and calling occasionally.

I have no idea how I’m going to survive this weekend! I’m keeping it hidden because I don’t want to spoil the wedding for anyone. I can fake a smile and pretend everything’s okay. It shouldn’t be difficult. I’ve been doing it for the past five years.