It had been about five years since Piper had seen her ex boyfriend Ryan. They tried being friends after the break up and it worked for a while until he got a job transfer that moved him from San Fransisco to London England. They eventually lost touch, but in a few hours after all these years they will finally see each other once again. Her best friend Amy was getting married and she was going to be the Maid of Honor. She was really excited about it. She had been best friends with Amy since they had been six years old and couldn't imagine anyone better for her than Drew .
"Hey Pipe," Amy chirped as she almost skipped into the living room, her arms full of Bridal magazines."
"Amy more of those? Seriously? How many do you need?" she asked her laughing.
"Piper, I have to have everything perfect for my wedding. Everything"
"It will be, everything in your life is always perfect" she said flatly. She was always so jealous of Amy, she always got what she wanted, not saying she was a spoiled brat or anything but it just seemed that luck was always on her side, she worked her ass off for everything she got and deserved it all. But couldn't she pass some of the good luck onto her.
"Do me a favor babe?" Amy asked her looking up from her book.
"What?"
"Can you go pick up Ryan at the airport?"
"Ryan?" she asked shocked. "As in my Ryan? I mean my ex boyfriend Ryan?"
"What other Ryan is there?"
"For what? Why is he coming here? Why me? I haven't talked to in in years"
"Because Drew and I have an appointment and he's Drew's best friend, he's coming into help us with the wedding."
"Uhh I guess I can, but what do I say to him?"
"Piper just be your usual charming self, Ryan will be just as nervous as you."
"So he damn well ought to be Amy, he's the one who cheated on me. You know I have never forgiven him for it. Just when I think things couldn't get any better between us he drops the bombshell that he was sleeping with Daisy for the last few months of our relationship.. I thought we were going to be just like you, everything planned, mapped out and we'd always be together."
"Pip, does it matter? This is about what I want right now and it wouldn't be the same without Ryan."
"Fine fine, I'll go get him when is his flight coming in?
"About an hour" so you better get a move on.
"Thanks for the warning Amy" she sighed, got up grabbed her keys and walked out the door, heading to pick up the one man she hated the most, and the one she couldn't picture her life without.
She got in her SUV and placed a CD in the player, ramping up the volume. She wanted to try and drown out her thoughts. She drove to the airport slowly. What would normally take her twenty minutes to her forty five. She parked the car and walked slowly to arrivals.
She was scared to death to see Ryan again, how was she going to react? How was he going to? She didn't want to ruin Amy's wedding with them fighting. No she had to be the adult here, put their feelings behind them and try to show a united front for the sake of Amy. Her stomach was in knots as a swarm of passengers came into the arrivals lounge.
"Piper?" Ryan asked shockingly
"Hi Ryan long time no see." She gulped.
"What the hell are you doing here? Wheres Amy?"
"She's too busy planning the final details of the Wedding Ryan so it's looks like you are stuck with me. All I need to know is where you are heading and I'll take you there. You don't have to say anything, I'm not happy about this either."
"Well all she had to do was tell me to take a cab and I would have she didn't have to send you to get me." he said snippy.
"Look Ryan, we're going to have to get along at least in front of Amy and Drew, we can't ruin their wedding because of our past. Which is totally your fault to begin with."
"Whatever Piper. Just get me to the hotel. I don't want to make a scene right here and I am sure as hell you don't either."
"Whatever Ryan, which hotel is it?"
"Renaissance" he stated plainly.
"Fine that's not that far from here, come on lets go and get this over with."
"Pipe, can't we talk about this. I told you endless times I was sorry."
"Ryan that means shit. You screwed her behind my back, not just once but countless times. Do you realize how much it hurt me?"
"It was a big mistake Pipe, look I know its not enough but I really am sorry, just come up to my room we'll have a drink and talk, please?"
"Fine, and you're right its not enough, I can't forgive you."
Silence swept over them as they headed to his hotel. It wasn't too far and Piper was grateful of her radio. She reached over and switched it on, turning it down from the full volume she'd had it on earlier.
"You are looking great Piper how have things been with you?"
"I'm fine. Things are good."
He laughed, "You never were a great liar Pipe were you? Come on, talk to me."
"Why? It's not like you wanted to keep in touch in the last five years." She replied with a bitter tone, keeping her eyes focused on the road.
"Look Piper, I am just trying to talk to you, you know make conversation. Since when have you been so shut down?"
"Since the day I walked in on you and her screwing in our bed!"
"Look Pipe, I'm not sure what to say"
"Don't say a thing, just shut up."
"Fine," he replied as they pulled up into the hotel parking lot. "So are you still going to come in or do I take it as red that you aren't?"
"I will, we need to set some boundaries about this wedding. We need get some things straight. Look I'll go park the car and you check yourself in and wait for me before you storm off to your room or I'm leaving, you got me?"
"Wow you really turned into a cold hearted bitch didn't you" he snarled. "Of course I"ll wait for you, hurry up I really need a beer."
"Only when it come to you Ryan."
"How many times do I have to say I am sorry to you? I really am sorry about everything. I fucked up, I know I did. Do you have to keep rubbing it in?" He shouted as he got out of the car and slammed the door. She sat there for a few minutes and rested her head on the steering wheel, tears falling down her long lashes and landing on her lap as memories came flooding back to her. She still loved him, she always knew that but was really hit with those feelings when she saw him again, but she just couldn't come out and tell him, she feels that she needed to punish him. To make him pay for fucking around with one of their best friends. She wiped her eyes and drove to a spot near the entrance. She turned off the engine and got out, slamming the door behind her.
They just sat there in his room for about ten minutes downing beers but both not saying a word. Both knew what they really wanted but neither going to make a move on it
"Piper," he started breaking the silence, "I never stopped thinking about you. I always regretted what happened. I was younger, stupid and a complete loser. You didn't deserve me anyway."
"You're right I didn't deserve you" She spat back at him and then softened a bit. "I never stopped thinking about you either Ryan, I've been with a few other men but I always compare them to you, and no one ever lives up to you."