"Do you think she'll be okay?" Mrs McCurry asked her husband. They both stood at the end of the stair case waiting for Dionne to come down.
"I'm sure she'll be fine. This is just her own way of getting better." Mr McCurry replied as he rubbed her shoulder.
"How do I look?" Dionne stood at the top of the stairs as she lifted one leg up to strike a pose. She had minimal make up on with her, the red lipstick she put being the highlight. Just eyeliner and maybe some eye shadow. That was all. She looked like the sassy queen she was, except that this time, she was faking it.
"You look good honey, here's the sandwich." Mrs McCurry lifted the lunchbox where she packed the sandwiches in.
"That's great mum!"
"Easy!" Mrs McCurry reached out to hold Dionne. She almost fell while running down the stairs on heels.
"Thanks!" Dionne chuckled as she collected the lunchbox from her hand. "Mom, dad, I'll be going." Her parents could only sigh at the sight of her back.
...
Dionne didn't head to the mall first. She sat down on a bench in the park, staring mostly at couples who were probably out on a date.
"Here" a man dressed in a hoodie and some sweat pants handed her a can of coffee. She couldn't make out his face because of the hoodie cap and face mask we wore. But with the way he was dressed, she concluded he was out on a run.
"Thank you" she muttered as she took the coffee from him.
"Do you mind sharing what's on your mind?" He asked.
"Nothing really. Just got my heart broken."
"Is that why you are moping on this bench, crying over spilled milk?"
"It's not just any spilled milk. I patiently waited and endured for the hot milk to cool down. I did my best not be impatient, not to give up on it, I thought that, yes, soon I'll have a taste of it. But what happened. Just when the glass was on my lips, it slipped from my hand."
"You could just get another glass of milk, and this time you'd be more careful."
"I don't have the heart to wait for another glass. What of all the years I spent waiting for the spilled milk. I honestly thought it was time for me to be happy, but...I guess not. I guess the joy I felt while waiting for the milk is what I should hold onto. I can't let go, not after all I've been through."
"Do you know what you look like to me right now?" The man asked. Dionne turned to look at the man. Even with all the coverage on his face, she could tell he had goddamn amazing features. She had a knack for discerning the handsome ones.
"Pathetic. You look really pathetic. Waiting for something that was probably never yours in the beginning."
"I honestly don't care what I look like right now. Pathetic, foolish...I don't really care, so far I can still get the remaining drops of my milk."
"What about the people who waited with you. What do you expect them to do? Drown in your misery as well?. Now that's selfish."
"I don't know why I'm telling you all this things. I'm sorry but I have to go." Dionne didn't want to think about her parents, it'll make her will waver.
"Wait!" The man called and Dionne stopped in her tracks.
"Call when you want a shoulder to cry on about your spilled milk. Bye" He handed her a contemporary business card.
"D.A.X coffee shop" she read out. She looked ahead and saw him jogging and he was slowly getting out of sight.
She headed to the mall to go do what she came out for. Just when she was at the entrance of the mall, she couldn't believe what she saw.
Ginny and Christopher, walking hand in hand while smooching occasionally. She stood frozen as her eyes turned bloodshot from rage.
"What do you want to get?" Christopher asked as he rubbed Ginny's head.
"A sexy lingerie for our wild night" Ginny said shyly as she hit his chest with her fisted hands lightly.
"Naughty girl" Chris said as he slightly pinched her waist.
Dionne scoffed when she saw their interaction. This shameless people, she'll surely make them get a piece of her right now. She walked to where they were and blocked that path. Their eyes widened when they saw her.
"D-Dionne"
*Slap*
"Don't you ever call my beautiful name with that smelly mouth of yours." Dionne said to Ginnny
"What's the mea-"
*Slap*
"No one dares question me" she turned to face Christopher.
"So this was the reason. Because of this slut, this garbage, you left me, huh?."
"How dare you call me names" Ginny reacted, "You guys are no longer together. He left you at the alter remember?!"
*Slap*
"How dare you!" Ginny screamed like a mad woman when another slap landed on her cheeks. That was two slaps in a row, it hurt badly. Compared to her, Dionne was as calm as spring water. Her poise and beauty weren't affected in anyway. As for Christopher, after that slap, he turned mute.
By this time people gathered and were videoing the scene but Dionne didn't really care. She was going to let it all out.
"Look me in the eye Christopher," Dionne ordered and Christopher slowly raised his head to look at her.
"If this dirty little thing was the reason you abandoned me at the alter, then I'm done crying over spilled milk. I was trying to lick it off the floor, but it was already stale and I didn't notice it. With my charms I'm sure the heavens will bless me with one that is not stale nor hot that I have to wait. It will be the right temperature, just perfect enough for me to be able to stomach it." Dionne enunciated each word so that it'll sink deep into them.
Christopher and Ginny looked at Dionne with confused gazes. Did she lose a knot? why was she suddenly talking about milk in the middle of this serious conversation?.
"Dionne, I know you're hurt by what happened, but you need to understand that's it's over between us." Christopher said.
"Do you have amnesia?, I remember telling you that it's not over until I say it's over!" Dionne said as she folded her arms under her breast. She slowly got close to Christopher and looked him straight in the eye. Their lips were almost touching. When Ginny saw this, she got vexed and tried to shove Dionne. What she didn't expect was the force Dionne used in pushing her instead, she flew straight into the crowd. No one even tried to help her.
"Dio-"
"It's over!" Dionne cut him sharply. She walked to where her bag was dropped, picked it up, and walked out of the mall elegantly.
Every one present in the crowd cheered Dionne as they admired her confidence. She really showed those losers who was boss. Christopher stood still as he tried to grasp what just happened. It was really over.
...
The McCurry family were seated in their dinning room.
"I saw the video..." Mrs McCurry smiled warmly as she reached for her daughter's hand.
"You did really well my daughter. I'm so proud of you" Mr McCurry praised.
"I'm sorry mum and dad for all the heart ache I've caused you. I was just trying to come to terms with how Christopher could to bear to leave such a pretty girl like me" Dionne said on a light note and everyone laughed.
"It's good to see you standing on your feet again. With that being said, your mother and I want you to go study abroad. Just pick a course and we'll settle everything. It'll be hard for you to recover in a small town such as Greenville. The talks about your ruined marriage will be on everyone's lips for some time until they find another gossip to feast on. We think this is the best for you." Mr McCurry ended with a sigh.
"I'll go." Dionne agreed immediately, "I've been wanting to go on a vacation and meet new people. The girls here are really not up to my standards, I want to see my competition. Let me see who is more prettier." Everyone laughed again. Dionne's parents were so happy she got over this hurdle really fast. The doctor said it takes years for some people to get over denialism and their daughter did it in a matter of days. Their daughter's was really strong.
"When would you like to leave?" Mr McCurry asked.
"Tomorrow." Dionne said seriously.
"Are you sure?" Mrs McCurry asked worriedly.
"Yes I'm sure."
"Alright, tomorrow it is."
...
"Have you decided to finally cry?" The man from the park earlier asked Dionne. She had walked into his shop late at night when he was almost closing.
"Do you always wear a mask and hoodie?" Dionne didn't answer his question previous question.
"Yes...it's my fashion. People are always blinded by my handsomeness, I have no choice. "
"Narcissistic are we?" Dionne chuckled as she took a sip from her coffee.
"I learnt very well from someone" He chuckled as well. "I'm guessing you didn't come here to ask about why my face is covered right?"
"Hmmm" Dionne hummed in response.
"So to what do I owe this great pleasure of having miss..."
"Dionne"
"Yes, miss Dionne visit my coffee shop."
"I'm going abroad."
"When?" He asked
"Tomorrow"
"And...?"
"I just thought of telling you. Don't ask me why. I just felt like telling you."
"You did great!" He answered, "Make sure to call me on the phone. We can still build our friendship even if you're abroad. My shoulders are still here."
"Promise...?"
"Promise"
No one would believe this two just met today. They seemed like childhood best buddies.
"So, do you really make this coffee your self?..."
"Yes I do."
"I don't believe that. It tastes so good!."
"Everything I do comes out perfect"
"Hmph, brag one more time and I'll give you a really hard knock!"
And just like that they talked into the night until Dionne decided it was time to go home. She didn't even know the guy's name, she didn't even want to know. She just felt this certain closeness to him, probably because no one apart from her parents showed genuine care towards her. She would have added Chris to the list, but he was old news.