Pam woke up feeling hungry and a little heaviness in her head. Although she was sober, the exhaustion made her feel weak. She let Vince walk her back to her unit. They were walking together with Ronna and Jim but the two had to take the cab just a few meters away from walking. Ronna was completely drunk. As she is living north of the metro, Jim accompanied her for safety.
She felt weird last night. On the way back to the condominium, for some reasons she felt like some is gazing at her ready to attack. This is business district it is unlikely that she can be attacked by someone. Nevertheless, having Vince walk her back her pad was a good thing. She was hesitant to invite him inside; she is living alone after all. Good thing, Vince bid her farewell as soon as he reached the unit's doorstep.
'Should I send my clothes to laundry or do some grocery,' she asked herself while walking towards the bathroom to brush freshen up. Her unit is modest for a single lady. She was ready to take her brewed coffee and sit at her favorite spot in her veranda when her phone rang.
"Hey Miss? What's up? "
"Jenna!!!" She almost spilled the coffee as she put it down to the table taking her seat. She is excited to hear her voice.
"Why do I feel like you have forgotten something?"
"Did I?" Pam muttered. As far as she knows she is either taking her clothes to laundry or doing some grocery in the next hour. "I missed you? Why did you call?"
"OMG! Seriously? Aren't we meeting later at High Street?"
"Oh? Is it today or next week." Pam has forgotten about this date with Jenna who is coming back for quick vacation from a project assignment in Dubai. "It doesn't matter, I will be at your disposal but can we meet at Luxent instead?" referring to the mall in the central district which 5 minute ride from where she is.
"I'd be honest I forgot about it. I need to do laundry and do some grocery. Bet we can squeeze this in our itinerary if we meet within the area."
Jenna sighed, "I can't forgive you that you have forgotten about this date with me. You owe me a good lunch!"
"Shoot girl! Steak at Marios."
"Deal! You are forgiven"
Luxent is posh community like mall at the center of the business district. The place has to offer something for everyone. It boasts of selection of restaurants and Café too. It targets office employees on weekdays while on weekend it targets friends, couples and families to spend quality time. During weekend a market like set up is in the middle of the open space where people who are organic enthusiasts and vegan can get hold of fresh and quality goodies.
"I didn't realize you are still into organic stuff." Jenna smiled while helping her pick some vegetables in one of the kiosk.
She got into organic food and consumables while dating Tim. One of the good things that turned out of the relationship they had. Pam is about to pay her loot when something caught her peripheral vision. She suddenly panicked and this caught Jenna.
"What's wrong girl?"
"Nothing, let's go grab lunch after this."
Too late Jenna looked where her eyes seemed to be looking at a while ago. Adjacent to them, he saw a man dressed casually in beige shorts just above his knees, a white polo shirt and a Nike running shoes. It was Tim! Beside him is a lady in one piece a line dress with yellow and pink floral design. It doesn't show her curves but it gives out a dainty look. She was wearing flats. For a tall guy like Tim who is 188cm, a lady like her is probably 165cm.
"Why don't we greet…" Jenna was immediately cut off by Pam who is pulling her by the wrist away from the market stalls.
"It's lunch time."
They walked silently towards Marios Steak House. Jenna realized that even if it was more than 5 years ago Pam is still affected with what happened.
"Pam.." Jenna snapped her finger while they wait to be seated. "Do you still feel hurt when you see him?"
"No." It was a quick retort, obviously a lie.
The waiter led them into a seat near the window with seats facing each other. They quickly order and Jenna began talking once more. "Why are you running away from him?"
"I am not running away." She said defensively. "In fact, if I am running away, I should have asked to be pulled out to the current project."
"Oh my! Does it mean you are once again working with him?" Pam gave her a quick nod.
"And the worst thing is, I feel like he has something against me. I tried to be objective about it since this is work, I felt like being attacked silently."
"Does he knows?" Jenna was careful to ask.
"Nope and I don't intend to explain anything." She is clear about it whatever happened to them its all in the past. There is no use to explain why she left. Neither is she entertaining the need for Tim to explain. She will always be the one who lost in that relationship, in that game.
"You do know his friend Mark right?"
"Hmm"
"I dated him for a month or so. "Jenna casually said. She was 2 years older than Pam and more experienced when it comes to relationship. "You were in Singapore when we dated, about a year when you left."
"Hmm." Pam was cutting her steak trying to focus on eating despite the lost appetite. However, she is all ears in what Jenna is saying. Jenna did not mention this before.
"You refused to talk further about him for a long time. So I guess it was no use to tell you what Mark told me, besides I am after his bed performance not some stories." Jenna was giggling as she told Pam about it.
"You lustful lady!" Pam is in fact waiting for Jenna to continue.
"When you suddenly resigned and left Tim, he was devastated. He was looking for you. I was avoiding him, so we never get the chance to talk." Pam was looking at Jenna keeping her composure while chewing on her food mechanically. "He requested to be assigned in a project in London. Tim has always been in the upper side of relationship, Mark said it hit him hard when you dumped him like that."
'Yeah like I dumped him. He probably cannot take the fact that someone he played on, declared the game over without a warning.' Pam said to herself.
"I think you two did not have proper closure. He doesn't know what happened to you and likewise he probably misunderstood you."
"It doesn't matter. What is there to close? It's not like I am opening something again." She is determined to live single. Pam believes that everything will be forgotten. There are a lot of things to focus her strength and attention. Not another man. Despite what he did to him, she still wishes for Tim to treat that beautiful lady, he seems to be so much in love with, in all honesty. Not like how he treated her. The silence allowed them to enjoy the final cuts in their steak.
Fate is cruel. Of all the people they could bumped in to while leaving, why does it have to be the perfect couple.
Pam face immediately recovered from getting distorted. Tim's eyes met hers. She stiffened her next reaction depend on what he would say or do.
"Small world." Tim said cordially. Like as if nothing happened last time.
"Hi Tim, good to see you." She had to respond nicely.
Lissy was lovingly looking at Tim seeming to ask when he said, "this is Pamela, she currently work in an office project."
"This is Lissy." Since they were holding hands there is no need to add label to their relationship. Pam quickly introduced Jenna as well, although in reality, there is no need for such to Tim.
Some things or event which no matter how hard we try to forgot or put away, are subconsciously part of you.