FIVE YEARS APART

"Makayla get in here."

"Camilla, what do you need? I'm on a deadline."

"How well do you know Tristan Garcia?"

""Only from what I seen on T.V. Why?

"Well I have it on good authority that you know Tristan Garcia very well. Tell me the truth Makayla."

"Fine here's the truth. At one point in my life me and Tristan Garcia were friends but that was a long time ago."

"Why do I get the feeling you are lying to me?"

"Camilla, Tristan is my past. I don't want nothing to do with him. Why are you even asking me about him?"

"Because we have the biggest opportunity to put the paper in a position to succeed and you are going to help."

"This involves Tristan."

"Yes and I don't want to hear a no."

"What do I have to do?"

"Tristan has specifically asked for you to do an interview with him. I was shocked when he asked for you by name."

"Fine, I'll do it. When?"

"Tomorrow. He told me to tell you to meet him at our favorite place."

"Whatever you say boss lady."

"Good."

"What did Camilla want?"

"You won't believe it Mia."

"Tell me."

"I have to give an Interview with Tristan Garcia."

"Super Bowl Champion. Super Bowl MVP. NFL MVP Tristan Garcia."

"Big fan."

"Who isn't? Why do you look like you received the worst news possible?"

"Because I have."

"Anybody would love to have this opportunity. What gives?"

"I never told you the truth have I."

"What truth?"

"The truth about me and Tristan."

"You know Tristan Garcia?"

"We were best friends. We went to the same Elementary school, junior high school, high school and college. We did everything together. Then one dayI told him my feelings."

"Oh My God! Makayla. What happened next?"

"Nothing good."

"He broke your heart."

"He did. Now after five years I have to see him again. I promised myself I would never have to see him ever again. Thanks to Camilla I have no choice. My career is on the line."

"You've grown a lot. You're the best reporter in the business. Don't let anything or anyone set you back."

"I won't."

"What are you looking at?"

"A picture."

"I can see that. Who's the lady in the picture?"

"She is well was my best friend. She's a reporter for the Times, Makayla Nash."

"You just won the Super Bowl. Why do you look like you lost? Put a smile on your face."

"I'm happy Jace see the smile on my face."

"Tristan, I've known you since you got drafted. You can't fake anything. Tell me the truth."

"Makayla Nash was my best friend. All throughout our school years she was always there for me. She was always in the front watching me play. Then one day she told me her feelings and I took the easy way out. I ran away. I sent a text to her and let's just say I hurt her in the worst possible way."

"This interview is not just about yourself but making it right with Makayla."

"I thought about Makayla for the last five years. I got through all the big games by looking at this picture. The last picture we took together."

"I'm sorry."

"It was my fault."

"Have you ever had feelings for Makayla?"

"I did. I still do."

"So, what happened?"

"My father happened. he told me I didn't need any distractions and the biggest distraction was Makayla. I believed him. Boy, was I wrong."

Tristan looks at Jace

"Jace, my whole career has been about making every one happy. I put smiles on the faces of kids, went out with women, spent hundreds of dollars to make them happy. I play the way I do to make coach and the team happy and never once was I happy. Sure, I love playing football but it hasn't been the same without Makayla."

"What of she hate's your guts?"

"It's a chance I will have to take."

"You want me to go with you?"

"You go everywhere with me Jace."

Looking at a picture

"What am I going to do with you? I miss you. I hate you. You broke my heart. I never trusted any men because of what you did to me. Why do you have to come back into my life?"

"Hello."

"Hey Chica. How's it going?"

"Not good Jordan."

"Bad day at work. Come have drinks with me."

"I wish I could. I have to prepare for my interview with Tristan."

"Wait did you say Tristan, Tristan Garcia. The idiot who broke your heart. No wonder you had a bad day."

"What do I do?"

"Be stron. Be tough. Don't show any weakness. You got that?"

"Yea, I got it."

"Call me when you are done?"

"I will. Bye Jordan."

"Bye love."

"Hey Mia is everything ready?"

"Yes, here is the digital recorder and an extra note pad just in case."

"Thanks Mia. You're a gem."

"You want me to come with you?"

"I would love that."

"Where are we going?"

"Lake Blue Ridge. Me and Tristan always use to go to the lake almost every day. We would go there to study, talk, look at the stars and just to be together."

"Is that the place where you fell in love with Tristan?"

"It was and where he broke my heart. Going back there is going to be bring up memories I don't want to relive."

"It's a good thing I'm going with you. To help you through this."

"Thanks again Mia."

"It's what friends do."

"Stop pacing you're making me nervous."

"Sorry can't help it."

"Sit Tristan and don't move until Makayla gets here."

"Do I look nervous?"

"Do you want a mirror to look at?"

"I'm good thanks."

"Is that her?"

"Yes, It's her still as beautiful as ever."

Oh My God! there he is."

"Don't be afraid Makayla."

"You're right. I can't be afraid. Tristan is my past. This is for work."

"That atta girl."

"Hello Tristan."

"Hi Makayla."

"Hi, I'm Jace Tristan's friend."

"Hi, I'm Mia Makayla's friend."

"Shall we get started."

"We shall."

"Okay. Tell me what it feels like to win back-to-back championships?"

"There's nothing like it. The atmosphere was electric. I loved it both times."

"You won your second MVP. What does it feel like?"

"I don't play for the awards. I play football to make the fans happy. I'm glad the league recognized me for how I play the game."

"Why does your answers seem forced?"

"My answers are all me."

"Cut the crap Tristan. I know you. Why did you bring me here? This is not for an interview."

"I want to talk to you away from the public."

"Why?"

"This is hard for me to say."

"Hard for you to say. Are you kidding me? You're the one who broke my heart through a text. You were my best friend. You took everything for me. My trust in men, trust in myself. How dare you bring me to the very place where you shattered me. This interview is over."

"Makayla, wait."

"I got to go Mia."

"Tristan, you good."

"No. What do I do know?"

"Why did you ask for the interview?"

"This wasn't about the interview. This was about setting right a wrong I committed. I made a mistake five years ago. This was my chance to apologize to Makayla and tell her I loved her for so long, that I always thought about her and I miss her."

"Let me talk to her. Maybe I can convince her to talk to you."

"Here's my number. Call me when you spoke with Makayla."

"I will."

"Makayla open the door."

"Mia right."

"Yes, I work with Makayla."

"What's wrong with Makayla? I've been trying to call her to see how the interview went."

"The interview didn't go well."

"What did he do?"

"I think it was the place where we were at."

"Where were you?"

"Lake Blue Ridge."

"Oh no that's the place where Tristan broke Makayla's heart."

"What do we do?"

"The truth is I don't know."

"Did Tristan say anything to you after Makayla left?"

"He told me that seeing Makayla wasn't about the interview. He wants to make things right with her and that he loves her and always has loved her."

"That stupid idiot man."

"You're damn right he's a stupid idiot man and you can tell him I said that."

"Can we come in?"

"Sure."

"I don't like Tristan but I think you should talk to him."

"How can you say that after what he did to me?"

"Because I know you look at that picture every day Makayla, the last picture you and Tristan took together. Your feelings for him haven't change. I know you still love him."

"What do I say to him?"

"Say what's in your heart."

"Okay."

"Do you want me to call him and tell him you're ready to see him?"

"You have his number?"

"Yes, I do."

"Tell him to come to my place."

Knock on door

"You can do this Makayla."

"Hi Makayla, I brought these for you."

"Pink Roses, You remember these are my favorite roses."

"I remember everything about you."

"Come in."

"Thank you for seeing me. Today didn't go as I planned. I should have told you the truth. But If I told you the truth you wouldn't have come."

"Tristan, it's hard for me to see you after all this time. There are times in my life when I needed my best friend. When I needed you. It was hard and still is hard for me to trust anyone. I have friends but it's not the same."

"I have the same problem. I love playing football and making everyone smile, the truth is I never once smiled not since you left my life. I let you leave because of someone I believed and trusted. I shouldn't have listened but I did."

"Who was the person?"

"My father."

"I never liked him."

"He only wanted my money. He knew he couldn't get my money if you were in my life. He made me get rid of you so he could get his hands on my money."

"Where is he now?"

"I got rid of him. I don't care where he is. I care about now, about you and me."

"This is a lot for me to handle. I don't know. I just don't know what to do."

"I love you Makayla. I loved you since forever, that'a what I know."

Makayla crying

"Tristan please."

"Say you love me."

"I love you."

Tristan and Makayla kiss