[ WP ] One last time

Three months after our second break up. In that three months, we'd exchange the occasional text. Something innocuous like `` hi'' and a quick reply of `` hey''. That was it. I told myself she was fine, that I was the only one hurting, because it was easier to deal with. But I remembered I'd broken up with *her* the first time. I'd hurt *her* that first time. We were even now. I told myself that when I walked out the door to meet her. We were even and this could be a fresh start. 
 
 I did n't know if that was what she wanted, of course. She called me, and we talked. After an hour, we agreed to meet at the coffee shop and talk. I liked talking with her. I *so* liked talking with her. And I did, for three hours until the sun had gone down, and I needed to get to my night shift, but I called a friend to cover for me. We were close to something, to breaking through the wall that time had built. 
 `` Jack, how can we do this again?'' 
 I went for it, a glorious swan dive into a bad sentence. `` Because we love each other.'' 
 She took a sip of her tea, she did n't like coffee, and stared at me. Her lips were curved down, but it was a cover. I knew that expression. It was the one she gave me when I said something really aggravating, but she could n't help but appreciate my sincerity. Well, I told myself that was it. Finally, her expression broke and she flashed some teeth and laughed a little. `` Have you no shame?'' she asked me. 
 `` A little. I mean... well, you know.'' 
 `` I do,'' she said, looking down at the table. `` Yeah, I do. That's what I'm talking about. Jack, I love you, you know that, but we are a disaster. I do n't know if I can keep it up.'' 
 `` We have to try again. Lucy, these feelings wo n't go away. Not for either of us. Another try.'' I tried to put all my love into the words, to make her listen. I tried to smile, but butterflies were attempting to claw their way out of my stomach. I guess they were n't butterflies at that point, more like angry hornets. The hornets were pissed. 
 She sighed and looked in my eyes. She pursed her lips and took a sip of tea to delay whatever it was she was going to say. I was on tenterhooks, just waiting for her response. `` One last time, Jack. We'll give it one last time.'' 
 I grinned and leaned over the table to kiss her, and she kissed back. We'd do better this time, I thought. We were even now. 

