FicWad

Keith walked through the long corridors outside that led to where he had parked his car. He couldn't wait to get back to his apartment. Yet another night of loneliness, of mindless studying to take his concentration off of his solitude. He wasn't a bad looking guy; in fact he was quite attractive. His braininess never really helped him out though. He was always a 'nerd' in high school and well, didn't really date much if at all. He was always ashamed, until he came to the college. It was a different environment. People had their own lives and didn't really bother to get involved in the little dramatic episodes that are so popular in the High Schools. To keep his mind off the loneliness he felt deep inside, he threw himself into his schoolwork. He didn't bother to pay attention to the women that passed him in the halls. None of them looked his way anyhow. Then one day, he met Della.
She never really spoke. She normally kept to herself and her schoolwork. She seemed to ignore what was going on around her. It wasn't until one fateful day, that the professor of the chemistry class assigned them to be lab partners did he really get any chance of talking to her. She was an interesting and intriguing person. Right away there seemed to be a spark. Keith realized this one night, as he lay awake in bed unable to sleep. She ran through his mind. He loved her smile, her uniqueness, even her name was different. This was a frightening realization. The whole time, Keith didn't want to do anything but concentrate on school. Getting involved, even just emotionally, was too risky. But everytime he was with her, he couldn't think of that, she made it seem like they were the only two people in the world. Eventually their little study dates and hangouts turned into more. Much more. They started really dating and Keith, couldn't help but fall in love.
A year passed, and since they were still together, he had such a beautiful night planned for her. He bought her favorite roses, dimmed the lights in his apartment and lit the fireplace. He cooked her a romantic meal and even took the time out to set up the table exquisitely. She was late however. At least 2 hours passed, and still Della didn't show up. He blew out a candle in the middle of the table and preceded to go to the kitchen to put the uneaten food in the fridge, when there was a wimpy knock on the door. He rushed to open it. There stood Della, in tears, in his doorframe.
"Della! What's wrong baby?"
"Keith, I am so sorry... I came here to tell you.... that..."
"Tell me what? You know you can tell me anything... I love you so much."
"Keith, I can't see you anymore. I have to end our relationship."
She cried, she was clearly upset. Keith really was more confused than anything. He couldn't say anything... he just managed to stand at the door, staring at her. Finally, trying to choke back his tears, he was able to speak to her just as she was about to turn away.
"Della wait, don't you love me? I thought that we had something. Was I wrong?"
"Keith don't do this. You don't understand. I have my reasons but that isn't one of them. You are the best person I have ever met. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't know you. If I didn't love you. You just don't understand... you can't understand. Goodbye Keith."
She outreached her hand, bringing it to his face. Then she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. Then she walked out his open front door.
Keith was alone now. All alone, now he really had no one. He slammed the door and paused for a moment. Then he went to the table and pulled off the tablecloth. That sent all the dishes, wine glasses, plates, everything, crashing to the wood ground. He then ran to his room and slammed that door. He threw himself on his mattress, and stared at the ceiling. What just happened? Did he really just lose the only person that had ever meant anything to him? He couldn't take any of the thoughts that ran through his mind. So he turned on his side and wept himself to sleep.
The next morning, he didn't want to get out of his bed. It felt as if all his energy had been completely drained from him. He was numb. His eyes were swollen from the tears, and his head pounded violently. He couldn't escape. No matter where he went he would see her beautiful face. He couldn't live without her. He never really realized how much he loved her 'til now. Wow, doesn't it figure he thought.
"I guess that saying is true... you really don't ever know what you really have 'til it is gone. I have to see her." He realized he was talking to himself when the lady from down the hall gave him a weird look. Embarrassed but determined, he ran out the door and headed to her house.
When he arrived, there where what seemed to be miles of cars in the driveway and down the street. He somehow found a place to park and walked up to her doorstep. When he rang the bell an elderly woman answered.
"Can I help you young man?" He hadn't been called young man since middle school and he was taken by the words.
" I am looking for Della?"
"She is in the kitchen helping with the food... you can come in if you like." She opened the door wider and he walked in. She led him to the tiny kitchen that was in the back of the little colonial home. Standing at the sink with another young woman was Della. He stood there in the kitchen door for a few minutes trying to think of things to say. Nothing came to mind when the other young woman noticed him there, Della turned around and stared a moment at Keith.
"Oh my god. Gloria, I am going upstairs. Make sure he leaves." She said to the woman, and then she walked up the stairs. He followed her and knocked... hoping for a response.
"Della, please open this door, I need to know why this is ending. I can't make any sense of any of it. Please."
"Keith go home. Just let it go. Let me go...move on. That's what you NEED to do."
"No Dell, I wont. Not until I talk to you."
"You aren't coming in here Keith. I can't talk to you." Keith turned the knob of the bedroom door, and to his surprise, found that it was unlocked. So he pushed it open to see her sprawled out on her bed with millions of pictures surrounding her. She was crying.
"Maybe if you locked your door you would have been able to get rid of me."
"Damnit, I meant to. I just forgot I guess. Why wont you just leave this alone?"
"Because Della, I love you and I know you are in pain, but I need to know why. That is the only way I can be there for you to help you through whatever it is you are going through...please."
She looked down at the pictures that were in her lap and all over the bed.
"My mother..." she finally whispered. "She died last year, and my father, he can't exactly live without her. Their love was just so solid, but he can't do it. And I can't just leave him alone... I don't want him to be alone." She dropped one of the pictures of a woman as she leaned in to cry on his shoulder.
"So then, why didn't you just tell me? Why did you break up with me?"
"Because, don't you see, you would never want to be tied down by me or my father. You have worked so hard in college and it would be pointless. I figured that if I let you go, then you could live the life you were supposed to have. That you could be happy and you couldn't resent me."
"I am only truly happy when I am with you Della. Hell you actually thought that would have made a difference? And how could I EVER resent you? I love you with my soul. My entire being. I want to be with you for always. I wanted to marry you."
"MARRY ME? Really? Well, I want to marry you too. You are the only person I could even imagine living out the rest of my days with. But what about your life?"
"You are my life. And I love you for that Della...Always."

Then Keith kissed her softly taking in all the love that she conveyed in her kiss. He would make her happy for the rest of his life, he vowed, until his dying day. And a few months later, She vowed the same thing in front of all their families and friends.