You Actually Did It

“Sigh, seriously? Again? You’re really doing this again?” questions Gabby to her friend and our main character Justin.

“Yes! I swear to you Gabby, this year’s gonna be different.” says Justin.

“You say that every year Justin. Doesn’t it get old?” questions Gabby again

“Not to me it doesn’t. If you believe enough in your heart that it can come true, then it can come true!” answers Justin enthusiastically.

“Oh dear Lord. Here we go again.” says Gabby with some level of concern.

Justin Sky and Gabby Crimson have known each other since they were twelve years old. They’ve practically been inseparable. Where there was one, there was an extremely high chance of the other being close by. Justin’s always been a bit of a wild one and a dreamer, whereas Gabby is subtle and tends to stick with reality.

“I’m telling you Gabby,” continues Justin to his life-long friend, “this is the year where I keep my New Year’s Resolution.”

“That’s what you said last year.” replies Gabby with a smile. “And the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before……….”

“I get it. I get it. I suck at it.” interrupts Justin unamusingly, but only slightly since him being mad at Gabby can only last about five minutes.

“Justin, we’re twenty-four. You’ve been saying that for the last five years.”

“Look, I know. People don’t usually keep their resolutions. But, I’m trying, and I’m not giving up.”

“You’ve been trying to get into a relationship for the last five years, and failed so miserably that even a homeless bum has just as much, if not better, chance as you do.”

“Ouch! You didn’t have to stab me in the feelings like that. Maybe if you weren’t so pessimistic, you would be in a relationship by now.”

“Yeah but here’s the thing, unlike you, I actually have a type and taste that I like. You on the other hand basically go for anything that breathes.”

Justin, having been defeated by this round of dissing, of which Gabby wins about 70% of the time mind you, sits on his living room couch. He knows that Gabby is right. He’s tried so many times, but ultimately failed at getting a girlfriend. He’s tried with so many girls, but has never even gotten as much as a kiss on the cheek. He didn’t want to believe that there wasn’t a single girl out there for him. But what started as blissful hope, was now turned into slight, but only slight, desperation.

As he sits on the couch, he is reminded of his past trials while festive jazz music plays in the background. Not even the fireplace could warm up his soul right now. He’s honestly tried everything. From getting a new look, to getting in shape, to being a surprisingly good entrepreneur (I’m not even joking, the guy’s loaded). But now, he lives by himself, in a big and very nice looking house, and no one to share it with (also, he’s not great with animals, so pets are out of the question).

Gabby is a frequent visitor, especially since she lives five to ten minute from him. She lives in a normal sized house and works a stable office job. She’s had a few relationships in the past, but none of them were of any fulfilment. It’s either she was too depressing for them, or she got bored of the relationship. Compared to Justin, her relationship life has been a breeze.

“Look Justin, I…..I’m sorry. I didn’t m….mean to go that far” says Gabby as sits next to Justin with a concerned look on her face.

Justin gives a slight chuckle.

“It’s alright. You just won this round, that’s all,” replies Justin with a gloomy smile on his face.

“It’s just that,” continues Justin softly, “I just…….you know………I just wish that I was good enough for it, you know. You’re not wrong in what you said. I’ve messed up literally every single time. Now, I think I’m just destined to be alone.”

“Don’t be such a drama queen” says Gabby. “You just haven’t that special someone yet. And yes, you’ve failed worse than Brazil against Germany in the 2014 World Cup, but that doesn’t mean you won’t succeed.”

“I know. It just sucks.”

“Well yeah, how else is it supposed to feel like?”

“I………..don’t know. I guess ……… something different?”

“Easier said than done.”

“I know right”

They both smile and softly laugh at their conversation. Gabby is the only person in Justin’s life that he can confide in, and Justin is the only person in Gabby’s life that doesn’t consider her lifeless. They’re basically each other’s Yin and Yang.

Justin’s father left both him and his mom when he was seven for another woman. A year later, his mother got into a new relationship. When his mom started having kids from her new husband, she slowly started neglecting Justin, especially since Justin was the splitting image of his father. His mother kicked him out when he was ten, stating that she couldn’t love him anymore, and that she wants no reminder of his father whatsoever. This tore Justin into piece. Thankfully for Justin, his father’s sister took custody of him. She, whose name is Tina by the way, is the reason why Justin is the way he is. She always looked on the bright side of things, and this rubbed off on Justin.

Gabby’s parents were both in the army, so they weren’t around that much. When she was four, her father was killed in an ambush attack. Two years later, her mother was killed in a missile explosion. She was raised by her aunt on her mother’s side. However, Gabby’s mother and her aunt greatly disliked each other because Gabby’s mother stole her father away from her aunt. The aunt only ever did the bare minimum to take care of Gabby, never once showing her even a small drop of any sort familial love and affection, hence why Gabby is a rather gloomy individual.

As the two sat in Justin’s living room in silence, reminiscing of the highs and lows of their lives, a thought came to Justin.

“Hey” he says to Gabby.

“Yes?” she replies.

“What if, and hear me out…….?

“This should be good.”

“I’m serious here.”

“Knowing you, that’s a bit hard to process”

They both laugh at that. It was so true.

“What if……….I’ve already met the one for me, and I just didn’t know it”

“Are you sure though? You longest relationship was only a month long”

“Listen, I know that, but what if I’ve already met her. But we got off on the wrong foot at first?”

“Look Justin, you can’t go back to those past relationships again.”

“But what if Gabby? What if?”

“Justin, I’m telling you. Don’t.”

“But why not”

“Because it’s dumb”

“How is it dumb?”

“Because it is”

“Why?”

Their voices growing louder and louder.

“Justin Sky! For Christ’s sake listen to yourself! This is nonsense, even for you!

“Look it weird, but I think I got a shot if I got a second chance one that I’ve dated before.”

“You think you can just go back to the many girls who full on dumped you?!”

“Why are you getting mad at me? It could work out!”

“Are you seriously going to do this?!”

“I am! And I think I can do it if I just got a sec………..”

“AM I NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU JUSTIN?!??!?!?”

And just like that, everything went dead silent. Justin is shocked at what he just heard. He looks at Gabby. She barely ever gets emotional. For as long as he’s known her, he’s never seen her show any kind of sadness. And now, here she is, standing in front of her, with tears in her eyes, and her head down.

“J…...Justin?” starts Gabby, tearfully with her hands over her face.

“Yeah?” replies Justin.

“Why do you………always do this? Why do ………..you keep doing this? Why? Why Justin Why? You keep on chasing people ……..who aren’t interested in you?”

“Gabby, w……what are you…….. saying?”

“Am I not pretty enough Justin? Am I not enough of a woman? Am I just not worthy or something?”

Justin slowly walks in closer to Gabby.

“Gabby? Are you saying………….”

“Yes. Justin………………..I’m in love with you.”

Justin is the most confused he has ever been in his life. He never thought that Gabby would have ever seen him that way.

“Gabby……I………I”

“You what Justin?”

“I never knew you felt that way about me”

“I have. Ever since we were in middleschool. Everyone always said that I was too depressing. But not you. You always saw something in me that no one else could. You have no idea how many times I considered ending myself. You’re the only thing that makes me want to keep on living and to keep on getting better,” says Gabby sorrowfully.

Justin, now with tears in this own eyes, says to Gabby, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry Gabby. I didn’t know, I swear. I never knew.”

“You couldn’t have known. Everyone knows guys don’t notice anything” says Gabby.

They both tearfully chuckle at that.

After hearing Gabby’s confession, Justin moves towards Gabby even closer.

Gabby’ still very teary eyed, looks up at him.

They stare at each other for bit, reading one another.

Justin breaks the silence.

“Gabby?”

“Yes Justin” she answers as she’s still sniffling.

“Can I…..no…..may I…….”

“May you what?”

“May I………..hold you?

“I…..uh…sure”

Justin wraps his arms around Gabby. He embraces her tightly, not wanting to let go any time soon. Gabby is surprised at this, but then she starts hugging Justin herself. They hold on to each other for a while, embracing each other like as if their lives depended on it.

“Gabby?”

“Yes Justin?”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Justin, look…..”

“No. Gabby. I’m so sorry. I’ve hurt you for so long.”

“It’s ok Justin. Don’t hurt your head over it.”

“Gabby?”

“Yes?”

“Will you let me……..”

“Will I let you what?”

“Will you let me make it right?”

Gabby’s face brightens up. She has been waiting for this for so long. From when they were in middleschool, to when he started dating (and failing), to when she started dating, to this point in time. It was as if she couldn’t feel any pain or hurt anymore. She was right where she wanted to be.

She chuckles softly. Relived that finally, he saw her as more than just a friend.

“What is it?” asks Justin.

“I have a confession,” she replies, still chuckling.

“What?”

“I only ever dated to distract myself from the fact that you were dating”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But you keep on coming back to me every single time.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that I was that memorable.”

They both laugh at that.

“Gabby?”

“Yes Justin?”

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

Gabby pauses for a minute, and then responds.

“Congratulations Justin. Looks like you finally managed to keep you New Year’s resolution.”

“Yeah. Looks like I actually did it,” says Justin with a soft smile on his face.

The two laughed, still tightly embracing each other. They looked into each other’s eyes, now instead of tears, there was a mutually satisfying love with one another. And as the clock struck midnight, they kissed.