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Things don’t last forever. Fruit and vegetables rot, blankets get dirty and rip, shoes get worn out, and people break up.
It’s not like they were ever going to last. That’s what Timothy keeps telling himself anyways. It’s not like they could be out and proud in a small town in the 80s. It was a foolish fantasy of his and he got swept up in it.
Ron told him to “move on.” Well, in the nicest way possible of course because Ron was always nothing but nice with him even when he was breaking up with him. It explains why he can’t hate him.
After Ron left Timothy dove headfirst into his career and went to the same college as Jolie and Ken. He majored in animation and he set his sights on getting hired at a major animation firm.
Even though Timothy was content on staying in his dorm drawing until graduation, Jolie disagreed. While he kept her off for a while, eventually he was going out with her to clubs and to the occasional campus building they snuck into (courtesy of Ken). By his second year of college Timothy was a much more well-balanced person. He was still working on not, well, working so much, but baby steps.
He never really went out with the intention of dating, he just wanted to have fun with his friends. Which is why he’s a little confused when Ken wants to set him up on a blind date. But after a week or so of Ken’s persistence, Timothy finally agrees.
He…honestly doesn’t remember most of the date. The only thing he could remember about the girl was that she had these blue grayish eyes that Timothy swears he has seen before, but couldn’t place where. He was glad for it to be over.
Except it wasn’t. To make a long story short, he ended up meeting this girl again. Timothy didn’t even remember her name so he jokingly called her “Kay” and it stuck (turns out her name is Kaylee).
Being in a relationship with her was comfortable. Or, Timothy guesses simple is another word for it. Not that Kaylee is boring, it’s just that she is simple. She wants the cliche white picket fence and a dog and Timothy… Timothy didn’t know what he wanted.
Being in a relationship really blurred his future that he envisioned for himself. He never really argued because relationships were about compromise and it’s not like it was a toxic relationship. This is just how he had to live life, it was simply an obligation. When he thinks about doing this for the next five, ten years his response is always “yeah sure.”
It’s not like he was being held hostage or anything. He could leave anytime he wanted to. Did he particularly enjoy this relationship? Not really.
Timothy read somewhere about an ancient torture technique called Chinese Water Torture. You’re placed on your back and a water source slowly drips onto your forehead. At first, it doesn’t bother you. But after hours and hours you can go mad.
That’s how Timothy would describe how he felt. Just a monotonous series of drip drip drip . Over and over and he’s just wishing and praying he’ll eventually go numb, get used to it.
~~~
Timothy doesn’t know how he got here. Well, that’s a lie. Kind of. He knows how he got here physically, by car. But mentally and emotionally? No clue.
And the worst part is he can’t really blame anyone but himself. He put himself in this position. You make your bed, you lie in it or whatever.
So here he stands, at his freaking wedding venue, having an existential crisis. Except he had to reason to have one! Nothing in the past half an hour has triggered this, Timothy just assumed he was overreacting.
It was actually shaping out to be a very nice wedding. Kaylee was in her element planning it, which in turn made Timothy feel even more insane. But he knows this isn’t her fault. It’s just him and his messed up brain trying to ruin things for him.
Besides his brain, the universe has decided to mess with him too. All his friends came to help with the wedding, and that was really sweet and kind of them but someone unexpected showed up.
Ron showed up. Along with David and Exer, of course. But Timothy hasn’t seen Ron since they broke up because he didn’t want to face him. He knows that their meeting/reunion was inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
The worst part? Timothy still can’t bring himself to hate Ron. Because he’s just as sweet as he was four years ago, except now with longer hair and more languages under his belt. Which is totally not making it impossible for Timothy to stare.
He’s sitting at the venue bar because Jolie quite literally dragged him because “was going to go insane if he kept pacing” so here he is. But with his mind running a thousand miles an hour, he’s finding it impossible to sit still.
So he does what he does best, sneaks around. He hops over the bar's countertop (it’s easier now that he’s grown a couple inches) and starts rummaging around underneath. He doesn’t have a set goal in mind besides not thinking so much.
Timothy smiles as he finds a pack of soda in a mini fridge. He pulls one out and puts it on the counter before hoisting himself up. He was going to hop over again, but he was interrupted.
“Drinking? At ten in the morning?” Ron questions in a teasing tone. He’s looking down at Timothy with both hands on the countertop. “Not alcohol, no. With what I’m going through you’re lucky I haven’t started earlier.” “Wedding anxiety?” “…sure. Let’s go with that. Here.” Timothy hands Ron one of the sodas. He hops back over to sit on a barstool.
“So you got any advice?” “Advice for what?” “Y’know, all this,” Timothy gestures to their surroundings. “I am not married, Timothy.” “Well duh. I’m just saying you always knew what to say when it came to relationships. Y’know, back in high school.” “Well we are not in high school anymore, no?”
Of course they aren’t. Four years have passed since their graduation (and breakup). But even though everyone’s changed and grown, their friendships were still built in high school. But sitting together, talking like they never stopped in those four years, it almost feels like they’re back in art class together.
“Wait, what do you do for work?” “You don’t know?” “No, nobody ever gives me a straight answer.” “I teach kids languages. During the summer I am a private translator.” Timothy almost spits out his soda. “So you get paid to translate gossip?” “Essentially.” “You got anything good to tell?” “I sign many NDA’s Timothy. Now your turn.” “I work for a big animation firm. But I’m working on my own shows’ pilot. It should be done in the next few months.” “That’s really cool!” “Not really.”
“You always undervalued yourself, Tim.” “Well I think you always overvalued me, Ron.” He can tell the game they’re playing. He understands it better than his own future. It gives Timothy a sense of senseless safety that he knows he won’t have for long.
“Tim! Hey, c’mon!” “Wait, what are we doing?” “I’ll explain later!” Jolie grabs Timothy by the arm in a frantic manner and then they’re off.
~~~
The wedding was nice. Timothy wishes he could use other adjectives to describe such an experience, but he can’t. They did their vows, the rings, they kissed and it was official. But every minute, every second closer Timothy got closer mto officially being married, there was this persistent nagging voice in his head telling him “no, don’t do it, no” but Timothy justifies it as cold feet.
He doesn’t call off the wedding. He doesn’t scream and fight and beg to be free from the future he’s about to be chained too. Because this isn’t a movie. Calling this off would cause a lot of collateral damage that Timothy is really trying to avoid.
So yeah, he gets married. He can say he’s reached a milestone in life now. The voice in his head nags once again “but what’s the point in achieving a milestone in life when you didn’t achieve with the one you want? The one you-” Timothy wishes he could tell the voice to shut up.
As he laid in bed the night before he came to a realization. That the one conversation with Ron made him feel happy. God, it made him realize Ron was who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. That scared him, obviously. Because who could he tell this too? Once again, collateral damage.
He sits on the table on the side of the dance floor, trying to make light of his mind and why it just now decides it’s time to have a crisis. “I like your flower crown.” Why must Ron always have a sense for finding him? “Thanks. I made it myself.” “Really?” “Yeah. I wasn’t too keen on the florist messing with my head flowers.” They both laugh at that. “Promise to make me one?” Ron inquires. Timothy gets an idea. “Oh! Wait here!” Timothy runs off. Five minutes later he comes back with a flower crown. “I made multiple of these. I was kind of in a frenzy. So, here.” “What?” “Take it. Unless you don’t want it-“ “I want it.” “Okay then.”
Timothy steadies himself on a chair, standing up on it and putting the crown on Ron. “There.” He gets down from the chair. The two talk for half an hour before Timothy’s being dragged off, and that’s how the night ends.
In the end, Ron is left holding the flower crown in both of his hands. The rest of them had just finished cleaning up, and it was time for all of them to head back to their respective sleeping quarters.
“I’m over him,” he says.” Ron hears a teasing voice from behind. “Shush David.” “Can't silence the truth!” “I can silence you.” David walks up to him. “Fair, fair. But that doesn’t answer my question.” “If I answer, will you shut up?” “Swear on my mother. Now, do you still love him, Ron?”
“I do.”
~~~
Two years later Timothy walks into the cafe, slams his wedding ring on the counter, and says one thing. “I got a divorce.”