TORYN SAT NEXT TO BRANDON WITH her feet tucked under her, holding an ice pack to his face. It's been three days and although Brandon was fine, his jaw was swollen and hurt severely whenever he spoke. The doctor found no fractures but his mouth would be in pain for at least a week before it started to ease down. He was advised not to talk so much and only eat soft foods.

Toryn switched hands when the ice pack started to become too cold. For an hour each day they would do this. It helped ease the swelling down for a while. They sat on the couch watching reruns of Martin. They hadn't really talked about what happened much. From what Toryn heard Brandon was sucker punched. Brandon promised that he was going to stomp a mud hole in Takashi next time; but Toryn really didn't want the violence.

"You want some soup?" Toryn asked, turning toward him.

He just shook his head no, keeping his eyes on the screen. Ever since the incident with Takashi he's been in a bad mood. He didn't really talk much and when he did his answers were short. None of this shit would've happened if Toryn wasn't speaking to some weirdo dude she claimed was only a friend. Brandon hasn't been in a fight in years, he didn't deal with that kind of shit.

"Well do you at least want something to drink? You have to stay hydrated."

Brandon shook his head no, his eyes on the TV.

Toryn sighed, knowing he would be pissed. She was guessing he was feeling slightly embarrassed because he lost the fight; but Toryn wasn't worried about that. The main thing was that he stuck up for her and that was all that mattered. She wasn't that type of female to put him down over something like that.

"Brandon look at me." Toryn said forcing his chin in her direction. "Baby relax, I'm not worried about that stuff. You're a businessman and you have more important things to worry about. We're past that."

Brandon just yanked his face out her hold. Toryn huffed, there was nothing she could do. He was a man and his pride was hurt, he couldn't rest until he was redeemed. In the back, just barely Toryn heard her cellphone's ringtone. She got up as she tried to walk at a normal pace as if not to bring any suspicion. She already knew who it was.

Grabbing her phone off the charger she saw Takashi's name on the screen. He's been calling her ever since what happened and she's been ignoring him. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. The only thing she was grateful for was that he did give Brandon the money to replace her phone and it was definitely put to use.

"Stop calling my fucking cellphone." Toryn hissed into the line violently as soon as she answered, looking back at the doorway to make sure Brandon wasn't coming. Takashi called her phone nonstop and she was able to hide it so far, but one of these days Brandon was going to see.

"I need you to meet with me—"

"Fuck you." Toryn said, hanging up. She began to march toward the door when the phone began to ring again. This time she spun around and went back to put it on silent, but just as she did, something told her to answer it. It was just this feeling she had.

Picking the phone up, Toryn didn't even get to say anything before Takashi laid into her.

"Hang this phone up on me again, I dare you. I'll smack the fuck outta you, Toryn. Don't play with me yo'. Don't you ever do that shit again."

Toryn closed her eyes, not even bold enough to call his bluff this time. Instead she decided to take the calm route, "Takashi leave me alone."

"Yeah I will, after you meet with me, that's what I was calling to speak to ya dumb ass about."

"Meet you? What's the matter with you? No."

"Look, either you meet me or I pull up at ya'll condo. And I know where you live too, the exact floor and everything. The internet works wonders."

Toryn wasn't convinced though, what if he was lying and Takashi didn't know where they lived?

"I'm not begging you to see me, just so you know. I'm just asking, so don't show up if you want, but if you don't I'll show up to you guys." He told her the address of the place he wanted them to meet before hanging up without giving her a reply.

*****

TAKASHI WATCHED TORYN COME sashaying into the coffee shop. He could spot at least three different name brands in her attire altogether. There was no need for him to call out to her because the shop was very small and she would be able to see him. Seconds later that's just what happened as she laid eyes on him when she began to scan the small café.

Toryn walked over to the table and sat down across from him without saying so much as a hello. Takashi had a huge smile on his face as usual, but Toryn was not smiling as she watched him. After a moment of silence, Takashi busted out laughing because he already knew what she was mad about. The fact that he had put her boyfriend to sleep, but if that was the case he was not in the wrong because Brandon showed up to his place of employment.

"What's wrong with you, pretty?" Takashi chuckled.

Toryn narrowed her eyes, "Takashi fuck you."

"How your boyfriend face feel?" He laughed.

"That's funny? That's why we don't talk now. You thought it was cool to put your hands on him?"

"You thought it was cool for him to come to my job and try and fight me? You lucky I didn't violate and piss in that nigga mouth while he was sleeping."

Toryn put her hand up and just looked away, she couldn't do this anymore. She only came because Takashi told her after this he would leave her alone. At first she ignored him obviously after what he had done to Brandon; but if they both wanted closure she figured a face to face would be the best way to do it. This was his last chance to say anything he wanted to get off his chest because after this she was done.

"Takashi I didn't come here for this. Let's not, please. Every time we get together this is all this is. Arguing and screaming. Not this time." Toryn said calming down significantly.

Takashi himself calmed down once she did.

"I'm just at a place in my life where I'm happy and I don't need the negativity behind me."

"I agree." He mumbled.

Toryn sniffled, "I just feel like this should be our last time seeing each other. Memory or not. I just feel like we're so bad for each other, you know?" She really wanted to say he was bad for her, but to keep the peace she kept it neutral and put herself in the mix. "Let's just stop being friends, for good. No more we talk this week and hate each other the next. I literally mean no communication ever. Do you think that's good? To just strengthen the both of us."

"I agree." Takashi said again with a genuine smile, "...it's funny because I was gonna say the same thing. My counselor told me it's better to let go some people from the past if you want a future. Maybe we aren't good for each other. So I understand."

Toryn smiled but tears soon filled her eyes, it was all so bittersweet. He finally understood. A tear rolled down her cheek because they had so many memories together, but it was time to move forward. She was sad about it but she had to let go if she wanted to move forward in her life.

"Aww, come on man, don't cry." Takashi said wiping her tears. He reached his left hand across the table and Toryn took it. Their fingers were laced together, making anyone who was paying attention make them more look like a couple having an intimate moment. But it was only a beautiful and peaceful ending to a toxic friendship. Toryn's free hand sat on her stomach and Takashi's on his lap. "Brandon knows you here?"

"No, but it's okay. This has nothing to do with him, right now. This is for me."

Takashi nodded his head.

Toryn kept crying so much a waiter who noticed had to bring over a stack of napkins. Toryn thanked her and they ordered drinks while she tried to compose herself. After a good two minutes, Toryn finally looked at him. "Last time at the cemetery you said you had a counselor. So it sounds like your getting help."

"Yeah. I see an anger management coach regularly, three times a week. And I see a psychiatrist once a week. He diagnosed me with erotomania. It's basically something where in my head I believe someone is my sexual object or that someone is in love with me. He's not sure if I have it yet, but he believes so."

Toryn was almost blown away because it almost described how Takashi acted perfectly. As if she was his tool and no one was allowed to go near her but him. She nodded her head, wiping her eyes as she had a flashback of the time he got so angry he lashed out by pretending that he was going to rape her to 'teach her a lesson.'

"So—"

"Yes I felt that you were my item and that I controlled you. I don't know why I just did. I guess because you were quiet and mousy I took that as you needed dictatorship in your life and you weren't capable of taking care of yourself. And the mental disorders just boosted my reasoning more. I assumed you would need to be babied for the rest of your life, but never gave you the chance to see if you could be fine on your own."

"You put me through so much Takashi...you were always so angry. Why?" She whispered, "Just over the smallest things, you'd flip out and lose your mind. I couldn't understand. It wasn't just anger it was rage. Like it's been cooking inside you forever and it just explodes."

Takashi didn't have an answer for that, it wasn't something he couldn't explain. Maybe that was part of naturally having a bad temper. His reaction seemed normal to him so he couldn't explain something he didn't see as an issue. "I don't know Tee Tee, I just...I don't know."

Their drinks were placed on the table; a Long Island ice tea for Toryn and a Diet Coke for Takashi. Toryn was a little hungry but not in the mood to eat right now. She would get upset and probably throw the food up. Her mind was too heavy with the situation going on at hand right now.

"You confused me a lot growing up. One day you hated me and the next day we were best friends."

"Because you confused me, Toryn. You were fine with the little touchy feely thing we would do and literally five minutes later you wouldn't want me to touch you. I got angry because it made me lost on what to do or say."

"No I was fine with it until I met Samir." She said tired of explaining it to him for the millionth time.

"Exactly."

"Exactly what, Tee?" Toryn stressed, not getting his point. This is the thing that scared her about him. He was so delusional and could never see his wrongdoings. "I was suppose to stop it, he was my boyfriend."

Takashi sat back in his seat and took a sip from the can of Diet Coke. He looked at Toryn. "I don't know man, I just felt like sometimes you did certain things where you wanted me to chase after you and that you wanted the attention."

Toryn tried to pull her hand out of his but he caught it quick. He gave her a look and gently squeezed her hand showing her he wasn't gonna let go.

"Don't do that, man. We're speaking like adults and we're laying everything we feel on the table. There's no reason to get mad Tee. Just hear me out."

Toryn pulled in a strong inhale before she let it out and agreed, nodding her head.

"I say that because we've been together forever. You might have only lived in my house for three years, but we've known each other since we were five. So that day when you just up and left with Samir to New Jersey, I felt like you wanted me to chase behind you."

Toryn smiled, "But I didn't Takashi. I was just being a teenager."

He nodded his head, if she said so then he had to just apologize for that and accept his wrongdoings. "Alright and I'm sorry. I guess because you broke apart from me so unexpectedly that I didn't know how to establish boundaries anymore. So I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Toryn smiled and nodded her head, making Takashi playfully huff when he had to reach across the table again to fix her up. He picked up a napkin off the table and gently wiped her face. They were still holding hands as he smiled, patting her face gently to not smudge that black stuff under her eyes. Eyeliner or mascara. One of those, he didn't know.

"I don't know, maybe not now. I just feel like you were so difficult sometimes. You used my mental illness to play this game of chess. You were so horrible to me, you'd tell me things or lie to me to keep me under you. You did certain things and were quick to blame my schizophrenia so everything I say would be invalid. It was just so many things. You didn't allow me to live."

Takashi had to disagree with a lot of the things she was saying, but in his sessions with Doctor Maine, he was taught to just stay quiet and let someone voice their opinions. Being louder then her wouldn't make him right. Besides, he already said his piece last time when he chewed her out at the graveyard, he'd give her the opportunity to say how she felt.

"Maybe you don't love me and never have, but was in love with the fact you were able to control me and hated it when you couldn't. Me having boyfriends or going places and meeting new people killed you because you knew the more people I had in my life, the less likely it was I would need you one hundred percent, because I had others."

Takashi said nothing and just listened.

"You were just so manipulative, so disrespectful. You lowered my self-esteem whether you like to admit it or not. You weren't easy to be around and it was extra difficult for me because you were my only friend."

"I hear you, I know I was a little over the top sometimes. I had some wild moments I wasn't proud of, said and did some things to you I wish I could take back. But we're here and can't turn back the hands of time. All I can do now is ask for forgiveness. I know it's a lot to ask right away but we are moving on and part of moving on is starting over fresh."

"It is." Toryn mumbled. She was silent for a while until she slowly nodded her head, whispering. "I can forgive you."

Takashi smiled and got up, opening his arms. Toryn got up and stepped into Takashi's hug as he wrapped his arms around her. She cried into his chest as he softly pet the back of her head. He never thought they would be here, but it was reality.

"Stop crying Dork, you always crying."

Toryn's fingers gripped the back of his shirt, she hadn't heard that name in so long. So many flashbacks hit her. Her heart was aching, part of her hated to do this but she knew it wasn't healthy for either of them. It would be naïve of her to even give this friendship one more go. People didn't grow up over night.

Takashi pulled away, this time using his own shirt to clean her face up. They both sat back down and resumed holding hands. This time entwining both fingers on both hands together. Their hands fit together like a glove, looking perfect. Takashi smiled first, licking his lips.

"So, any baby names?"

Toryn giggled, sniffling. "Yeah it's a girl, so I was thinking of Felicia or maybe Mia."

Although he could give one fuck, he was maturing and wanted to show it, so forced himself to ask the question. "What about Brandon, what names does he have?"

"Just Jasmine or Destiny."

"Felicia, Mia, Jasmine, Destiny...okay. How's everything, you guys good?"

Toryn was glowing at just the mention of Brandon. His mom was still bratty as fuck. She did pipe down a bit and Toryn was guessing Brandon had to pull her to the side and speak to her, but she still had those moments where she was saying something slick or throwing the side eye. Toryn learned to deal with it for now, because if Brandon proposed Paula would be put right in her damn place.

"Yes. Everything's great, Branny's wonderful."

Takashi screwed his face up, "Ew, Branny? That's what you call him?"

"Yes Taka, just like I call you by a nickname."

"Yeah but mine sound better." Takashi fake snarled.

Toryn rolled her eyes and twisted her lips to the side. "Mm hm. What about you and..." she trailed off and closed her eyes as she tried to think about it. For the life of her she couldn't remember his wife's name. She knew it was something with a C. When people weren't in her life too often she didn't have a clear image of them. Toryn would be able to still point Braelyn out in a crowd. She remembered her face, but her name was a blank. "Cassidy?"

Takashi laughed, "You way the hell off, it's Braelyn."

Toryn laughed, "Yes, I mean Braelyn. How's she doing?"

Takashi shrugged, "We kinda sort of starting the process of a divorce. I guess she just got tired of putting up with me."

Toryn didn't know what to say, so she just pat his back. "I'm sorry."

"It's all good. Look, why don't we hang out for the day?"

Toryn glanced at him already becoming skeptical, she didn't like the sound of that. They were suppose to be leaving each other behind, not starting their friendship over. Takashi saw the look on her face and put his hand up to clarify. "I'm just saying, it's our last day and we should just chill out. For old times sake. Just as friends."

Toryn thought about it for a moment then agreed. Even if he started acting sour, it was there last day together so why wouldn't she? Toryn smiled and allowed Takashi to pay for their drinks as they headed out. Toryn had took a taxi here and was expecting to take one back but instead got into the passenger side of Takashi's Lexus.

"Where we going?"

"You'll see." Takashi mumbled.

Half an hour later they pulled up to Coney Island and Toryn put her hand over her mouth, laughing hard as hell. It was packed for it to be an okay day outside. Everything looked exactly the same, Toryn didn't have on a sundress this time but instead a Prada sky blue t-shirt, denim jeans and a Gucci sweater. They got out of the car and Takashi stuck his hand out for her to take.

Toryn took his hand which was extremely warm as they walked into the park. They went up to the ticket booth and purchased some tickets for rides. Takashi looked down at her. "You pick the first thing we do."

Toryn chose a basic ride that went up in the air and came down. The point of it was it tickled the stomach during the drop. Takashi chose a roller coaster next. They went back and forth all over the park like kids, getting on everything they could. Before they knew it hours had past. Takashi was buying everything, from their snacks to their tickets. He had probably spent over $120 which is double the amount his mom gave him when he was fifteen but he didn't care. It was his last day with his best friend, he'd spend his bank account if he wanted.

"You pick next ride." Takashi informed as they walked along the board walk.

Toryn had gotten herself a little hot so her sweater was tied around her waist. They walked side by side as Toryn squealed, looking at him knowingly.

"What?" Takashi questioned, looking at her expression.

"I know the ride I want us to go on."