He played with the gold band on his finger, twisting and turning it as if it was something new. And maybe it was. Whatever it had signified in the beginning was not what it had become. Not by far.
In the beginning it served as a promise. The idea made him laugh. It was bullshit. Promises of her love, her devotion, her heart. All of it unraveled into lies; her cover-ups, her infidelity; her remorseful admissions. It didn�t matter anymore.
He heard the front door swing open and shut. She had come to collect the last of her things. Her footsteps padded gently up the stairs, winding through the familiar hallways until she entered their bedroom. This had been her home. A place of warmth and unconditional love. Above all it had been a place of comfort. But she didn�t want comfort. She wanted excitement and passion and conflict�things that just weren�t there with Justin.
�Hey.� He murmured. �I put whatever was left in that box over there.�
�Thanks.�
�Mhmm.�
�We can go to lunch sometime this week if you want.�
�Sure. Give me a call whenever you�re free. You�re okay with living arrangements and everything? If you need a while to look for an apartment, you know you can stay here.�
She laughed softly, something he knew was solely for his benefit. Even in that laughter there were lies. �I know. I�ll be okay though�I�m moving in with Dan.�
�Almost slipped my mind. I�ll mail you the papers next week.�
�Sounds good.� She took the box and left the room.
A bitter smile greeted his mouth. She was the first girl who had ever paid him any attention. He had been an awkward sixteen-year-old and she, a gorgeous and seemingly wise high school senior. They formed a fast friendship. She then became the first girl he ever loved, the first girl who ever loved him in return. One week after his eighteenth birthday he asked for her hand in marriage, and she accepted.
And there it was. He had considered himself one of the luckiest men alive. To have a woman so obviously beautiful, so exceptionally intelligent, so in love with him. The idea was almost inconceivable. It was ironic now. How it began as a fairy tale only to unfurl into a nightmare. Despite that, Justin knew he would remain in contact with her. He would be her friend, her confidant, whatever the hell she damn well needed. It was his nature.
He played with the ring, twisting and turning it as if it was something new. But it was old and worn. Four years had aged the meaning of the ring drastically. A ring that once held promises of a world and a life and a future now symbolized nothing but lies. And it was over.
�The end.� He spoke with a conviction that was foreign to him.