Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding 1)

"You don't trust me right?" he asked mournfully.

"Stupid question," she quipped.

"Right. Well I guess you have no reason to."

"Yep," she said popping the final sound and staring out across the city.

"I really couldn't help it though."

"Oh this should be good," she said sarcastically. "You're going to tell me how you couldn't help but propose. Wonderful."

"No, I was going to propose. Can you just look at me please Lex?" he pleaded.

She turned and glared at him. "Do not call me that. Why did you string me along if you knew you planned on proposing?" she asked.

"Well I knew before you got here that's what I was planning to do, but then you showed up and I couldn't think about doing that."

"Then why the hell did you drag me down here? I was supposed to be here to convince Bekah you were ready to commit to her. You told me you just wanted her off your back that you had no intention of doing it. If you really were ready to commit, then why didn't you just f**king tell her that and leave me out of it?"

"Because she found the ring," he cried throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.

"I might hit you again if we continue talking about this," she threatened.

"She found your ring," he said more calmly.

"Yes, I f**king realize that moron. The ring that is now currently on her finger. The ring that was meant for my finger," she said waving her left hand around in the air. "Is nothing sacred, Jack? Go ahead. Please try to explain to me how her finding my ring has anything to do with me being down here."

"Because she flipped out and was shrieking, jumping up and down, going insane when she found it," he told her deflecting the glares she was shooting his way, "and then I crushed her when I told her it wasn't for her."

"Guess you changed your mind," she muttered angrily.

"No I didn't."

"Jack, get out of the f**king cab," she told him. "Sir, can you pull over right here?"

"Ma'am, we're on the highway."

"He can walk," she told him.

"That is illegal. I cannot let you out of the car until we are off the interstate," he said zooming down highway 85 towards the airport.

"I'm not going anywhere anyway," Jack told her.

"Then I'll get out and hail another cab," she told him turning back towards the window.

"Lexi it's a duplicate," he told her reaching out and turning her head towards him. She yanked her face out of his reach.

"A...wait…what?" she asked staring in the blue pools of his eyes.

"A duplicate. I had another one made, because I couldn't give her your ring," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a rather familiar black box. He flipped the top up and Lexi stared down at the wedding ring he had almost given her once. It was as exquisite as she remembered with every detail cut to perfection.

"How do I know this isn't the duplicate?" she asked staring down at the ring and knowing that no one could really duplicate this. The ring itself had an old time-y appearance and was completely unlike anything else she had ever seen.

"Why would I go to the trouble of getting you a duplicate?"

"To cover your ass?" she guessed.

"No to show you that, no matter what happens, you truly will always have a place in my heart," he whispered tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The cab pulled into the line of traffic in front of the airport.

Lexi pulled her gaze up from the dazzling ring and met Jack's look. "I appreciate the fact that you have one redeeming quality Jack, but that is all it is. Just a measly hint of redemption with six years of disappointment."

"No matter what you do, it will never make up for what has happened between us. I will never trust you. I will never again be comfortable around you. I will never look at you or think of you without considering the destruction you have train wrecked through my life.

"I hope you the very best in your future, because without you in my life I think I might finally have a future. And as angry as I am with what you have put me through, I am so very glad that we are now at this moment. This moment means I can move on to bigger and better things without you constantly weighing on my shoulders.

"I will never again turn a corner in New York terrified that I will run into you and even more terrified that I won't. I can go into any coffee shop I want. I can hope for love again. A love that will be more than anything you ever attempted to give to me. Because the love I am looking for will be reciprocated one hundred and ten percent. There will never be another someone to distract our affections, because you will not be in the picture.

"So as sad as this day is for me, as I am losing a part of myself with the loss of you, it is really just the beginning for me. It is like cutting off the spoiled part to get to the juicy center. So I would appreciate it this time, if you did not try and contact me, because as I'm sure you know I deserve much better. I want everything this time around and I deserve it," she said holding her head held high as the cab came to a stop in front of the airport terminal. "Take him back to Bridges Enterprise," Lexi commanded stepping out of the cab.

"Lex," Jack called hopping out of the cab.

"Don't call me that," she cried turning around and facing him. As always Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was crowded thousands of people destined to travel all around the world. Families were huddled together hugging and kissing their farewells to their relatives. Lovers were embracing as they came and went through the hundreds of sliding doors. Business men and women carrying similar black luggage took hurried steps around the slower passengers. A few heads had turned at Lexi's exclamation, but she was beyond caring.

"Fine. Lexi," he said taking a more hesitant step closer.

"What do you want? Because all I want is you mercilessly out of my life," she spat at him.

"I know and I'll get out of your life. I'll let you live yours. Can I make one last request?" he pleaded.

"Take, take, take. That's all you do. What more could you want?" she beseeched him.

"Just a final farewell," he said taking another step towards her.

"No," she said her voice hitching as his hands reached out and lovingly cupped the sides of her face. "Jack no. You are engaged," she whispered.