Alesha jumped as someone touched her on the shoulder. She had been standing on a bridge, overlooking a river. "What in the…" she said as she turned around quickly. "Oh, it's you," she mumbled turning back towards the water.
"I'm sorry," Nick said softly.
Alesha shrugged. "No reason for you to be."
"Yes, there is. There are many reasons for me to be sorry."
"Well, you don't have to apologize to me. You're doing what you want to. That's your right as a human being. I don't want to stand in the way of what makes you happy," Alesha said softly.
"You make me happy, baby," Nick said placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her gently around to face him. "I'm sorry for leaving with her. I didn't think."
"Do you love her?" Alesha asked looking up at him.
"I did love her, at least I think I did," he sighed. "I don't know. She always throws my life into chaos when she shows up. I want to be friends with her, but she wants more from me that I want to give."
"And what exactly is it that you want to give?" Alesha asked sarcastically. Sighing, she looked away from him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean it," she said as she slowly started walking away from him.
"Don't leave me Alesha. Please? You promised me you would never leave me again," he begged.
"I'm not leaving YOU Nick," she said stopping and turning to face him. "I'll never leave you. I'm here for you always. I just…I just can't deal with…THIS," she swept her hand in front of her. "I can't deal with not knowing when she's going to come between us."
"You're breaking up with me?" he asked shocked.
"I guess…if that's what you want to call it," Alesha said softly. "I'd rather label it reentering the real world."
"What does that mean?" he asked, confused.
"It means that in the real world, girls like me don't get guys like you. We can be friends and all, but as far as the happily ever after fairy tale…it just doesn't work out," she sighed. "I'm still your friend. We'll always be that. I couldn't NOT be your friend, even if I wanted to."
"But you can't love me anymore?" he asked quietly.
"Oh, I still love you. I will always love you," she said looking at him. "But I just can't live in the delusion that you could be happy with me."
"But I am happy with you. I'm so god awful UNHAPPY when I'm NOT with you. I can't bear to be without you. Please don't leave me, Leshangel," he pleaded with her, the tears starting to fall.
"Don't cry, Nickybaby. Please don't cry," she said walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him. "I just don't want to be hurt. And I don't want to lose you."
"It's not a fairy tale, baby. It's real life. Our real life. I want to share it with you. Please let me…please don't walk away from us, I couldn't bear it," he whispered as he clung to her, afraid if he let go, she'd disappear.
"Shhh…Nicky. This is for the best. You'll wake up tomorrow and realize that," she kissed him softly and let go. "I have to go now," she said stepping back, turning, and walking away.
