I'll Be The One Part 3

[VirgosAngel19]

After three days of being hooked to a respirator, Ruby was finally allowed to go home. Through those three days, Larry sat by her side. He brought her fresh flowers everyday.

"Why are you still here?" asked Ruby as she walked into her house only to see Marcus seated in the living room.

"I just wanted to see if you're okay, and I wanted to talk." said Marcus.

"We have nothing to talk about." said Riby dryly as Larry helped her to her seat.

"I want to explain myself." said Marcus.

"Look Marcus, she just got home, let her be. She needs to rest." said Larry.

"No Larry, I want to hear his so called explanation." said Ruby sitting back into her seat.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" asked Larry sitting next to her.

"I'm sure. I wanna see how good he can lie."

"Look, Larry, could you leave us alone for a minute?" asked Marcus.

"I'm not sure..." started Larry when Ruby touched his arm.

"Leave us alone, Larry, I'll be okay. Besides you look tired, go home and get some rest."

Larry was a little hesitant at first but he did as she wished. He didn't want to leave them alone because he had wanted to spend the day taking care of her. But he figured there would be other times for that.

"What's up man, how you feeling?" asked Mark, Larry decided he wasn't ready to go home yet so he headed over to Marks' house.

"I'm good, just left Ruby." said Larry as he plopped down on Marks' couch.

"Oh yeah, how's she feeling?" asked Mark sitting down next to Larry.

"She's doing good. That b**** Marcus was there when I took her home."

"Oh word. I thought that n**** would've packed up and left by the time she got home."

"Naw, he there talking about he wanted to talk."

"About what?! She caught him with his ass in the air."

"I know, I wanted to stay, but she told me to leave. Man it hurt like hell seeing her hurt like that. I mean, you didn't see her, there was so much pain in her face that day."

"Yeah I can imagine how you felt to see her that way."

"Yeah, I wanted to run to her and hold her in my arms but I couldn't. All I could do was stop her from trying to kill that n****."

"It'll be aight man, look at this way, he pretty much cleared the way for you to come in."

"I hope you right, I want her so bad."
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[VirgosAngel19]

"Look Ruby, I never meant to hurt you." said Marcus.

"Don't even give me that sorry ass line." said Ruby shaking her head.

"I didn't, look I'm sorry. I was gonna tell you."

"When? On our wedding day? Or did you forget that we were talking about marriage?"

"No, but how was I supposed to tell you that I fell out of love with you?"

"Anyway you possibly could. It would have hurt but I would've eventually got over it. I would rather you be happy with someone else than be unhappy with me."

"Ruby I'm sorry."

"Yeah you are, you don't have to keep telling me."

"Ruby."

"Look, just get your s*** and get out."

"I don't want it to end like this. I don't want you to be angry with me."

"Well you should've thought of that before you screwed that b****."

"Can we at least still be friends?"

"Get out." said Ruby, by this time she had made her way over to the door and opened it.

"Fine, I at least tried." said Marcus walking out.

Ruby slammed the door and slid down the door as she burst into tears. The man she loved for seven years was in love with another woman. How was she to cope with that?
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One month later....

"Hey girl, how you feeling?" asked Whitney walking into her bestfriends house.

"I'm aight, thank you for coming over." said Ruby shutting the door behind her.

"Oh girl, you know I'm glad to chill with you whenever."

"You know you don't have to."

"What did I just say?"

"Okay, so we pigging out tonight?"

"No, I need to watch this beautiful figure of mine."

"Whatever."

"What I'm still trying to catch me a man."

"I miss that."

"What?"

"Having a man."

"I don't know why you tripping, you know Larry want you."

"Girl please, that was in the past. He don't still want me."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"What?"

"Nothing except, you better get him before someone else do."

"He don't want me like that, we're just friends."

"Like I said, keep telling yourself that."

Ruby thought about it for a moment. Could he still want her like that after all these years. But then she thought about those little things he did.

Throughout the month Larry had been there for her. Making sure she was alright, making sure she ate. There was a point there where Ruby felt like she didn't want to do anything but stay home and cry.

Ruby started to notice things about Larry that she forgot was there. She forgot how caring he was, she forgot how sweet he was, she forgot the man she once had feelings for. And those feelings were resurfacing.

"I don't know." said Ruby.

"Look, y'all could have something special if you give it a chance." said Whitney.

"But..."

"But nothing, give him a chance."
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[VirgosAngel19]

Throughout the week, Ruby began to think about Larry a lot more often. She realized that she did want to try something with him. But if it didn't work out, how could they keep the friendship they had?

"So Ruby's coming over huh?" asked James.

"Yeah, Whit too." said Larry.

Larry was throwing a little get together for his friends. He really just wanted it to be him and Ruby but he felt she wasn't ready for that yet.

"Are you gonna make your move tonight?" asked Rufus.

"I don't know, I mean, what if she aint feeling me in that way?"

"You want know unless you try." said Tamir.

"Yeah, at least throw the hypothetical out there and see how she reacts to it." said Mark.

"Yeah but..."

"Look who do you think of everday?" asked Rufus.

"Ruby."

"Who can you see yourself making love to?" asked Tamir.

"Ruby."

"Who can you see just sitting back laughing and chilling with?" asked James.

"Ruby."

"Who can you see spending the rest of your life with?" asked Mark.

"Ruby."

"So with all that being said, why wouldn't you give it a shot?" asked James.

"I guess there's no reason not to."

"Well then, go for it." said Mark smiling.

"Aight, I will." said Larry nodding his head.
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"I can't believe you recorded that." laughed Whitney as they sat around watching old videotapes.

"Y'all are so silly when y'all get around each other." said Rufus' girlfriend Karina.

"Aint they though." said James' girlfriend Sharon.

"Man, we just know how to have fun." laughed Larry wiping his eyes.

"So Ruby, where's your boyfriend Marcus?" asked Sharon.

Everyone quickly looked at Ruby, who just sat and looked at Sharon. Her smile was slowly beginning to fade.

"Uh baby, I told you they broke up remember." whispered James into her ear.

"Oh, I'm sorry." said Sharon.

"It's okay, you didn't know." said Ruby her eyes watering up.

"Okay, lets get back to the tape." said Larry seeing the hurt in her eyes.

As they turned their attention back to the tv, they saw Ruby and Marcus fooling around. Larry had completely forgotten that he had videotaped the two of them acting a fool, as did he forget that after that, he interviewed them, just for fun.

As Ruby sat and watched her and the former love of her life talking about how much in love they were, she began to cry. She no longer could stand it, so she ran out of the room.

"I'll go see if she's okay." said Whitney.

"No, I'll go." said Larry already half way out of the room.
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Larry found her on his patio crying her eyes out. When Ruby realized he was there, she ran into his arms. Larry stood there rubbing her hair, telling her she'd be okay, and that he was there. When she got her tears out, they continued to stand there in the embrace.

"I'm sorry I reacted that way." said Ruby after a few moments of silence.

"It's okay, it was my fault for turning on the tape." said Larry still holding on to her.

"No, you were just trying to have a good time. I doubt you even remembered that that was even on the tape."

"Still, I should have looked over it."

"Stop blaming yourself, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay." said Larry as he let out a little laugh. The two stood in silence for a moment, his arms still wrapped around her.

"Thank you." said Ruby as she looked up at him.

"For what?" said Larry.

"For always being there for me."

"I'm glad to do it."

"But you don't have to you know that right?"

"I know, but like I said, I'm glad to do it."

There was yet another moment of silence, but instead of breaking it by speaking. The two began to kiss passionately. It was the first time they had ever shared anything like that. They quickly began to lose theirselves in it. For a moment, they were the only two people in the world.
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Part 4 Coming Soon!!!

[sexysmile]

I don't know what to say except...damn that kiss was LONG in the making. Good story girl...keep it up!!

[aDRUfan4LiFe]

I agree with SS, that kiss was waiting to happen! Can't wait to read more.

[CarolinaCutie]

Awwww...this is soooo sweet! And yeah...I agree about that kiss as well--woo hoo!