Lisa
"Yes, yes, Henry, I will marry you!!" I let out excitedly, eyes closed and my hand stretched out, waiting to feel the unusual coldness when Henry slides the ring in my finger.
Five seconds later, I opened my eyes and saw him staring blankly at me. There was no ring in his hand and I was confused. I could have swore he was about to propose just now.
He had been staring at me with a naughty sweet smile on his face since I walked in, and I just knew it was about to happen when he came to my side and went on his knee. I was too excited and shut my eyes in anticipation while I shouted a yes even before the question came.
"I was getting this…" he let out while showing me the tiny strawberry in his hand.
"It fell off while… wait, you thought I was proposing? Why would you think so?" He asked with no remorse in his eyes.
"Of course I thought you were, and what do you mean by why would I think so?" I asked with a keen perusal.
"We've been dating for five years, Henry! Don't you think that's enough time to decide if you want to marry me and pop the question? And then, you were so extra about this date, you told me to look beautiful and expect surprises, I thought you were giving me hints!" I let out while trying to keep my cool and voice down.
I had already made enough fool of myself, any more would only cost me the rest of my dignity left.
"What? I always ask you to look beautiful for every date and I was hoping we could talk about… us." He replied and somehow, my heart skipped a beat.
I've seen enough videos online to know what comes after such dramatic pauses.
It was about to go down!
"Talk about us?" I asked while he reached across the table and held my hand. I wanted to pull back but I didn't. I was already feeling a bitter aftertaste in my throat and I just didn't want to embarrass myself and cry.
"I need to confess, babe. I've found my true love, we've been dating for six months now." He let out slowly.
The silence in the room became deadly immediately. It was as if the walls and everyone in it could hear the bomb he just dumped on me.
"What? Your true love? What are we then? What am I?" I quizzed desperately while he leaned back in his chair.
"It's actually not me, it's you… no, it's me, not me?… scrap that, bottom line is, I found her and it's not you. I'm sorry but it's over." He let out while I searched his eyes but couldn't find any remorse.
"Henry, five years and two months and this is what I get. A breakup and a cliche line that you couldn't even use well? Oh my goodness…" I let out in a shaky tone but he didn't say a word and was just staring at me.
"I guess it's goodbye then." I let out and then stood up while he just pressed his hands together in a nonchalant manner.
I grabbed my purse and then made for the door. I instinctively turned to look at him a last time and I saw him already on his phone smiling.
Really? Not even the decency to let me leave before talking to his 'true love'.
I was mad with fury, I looked to my side and saw a waiter going to serve some drinks.
"Excuse me, I'm going to need these…" I said and then grabbed two glasses of wine from the tray.
I hurried towards Henry and emptied a glass on him.
"What the heck! How dare…" he couldn't finish the sentence when he looked up and saw me.
"Adios my friend, send my greetings to your true love!" I yelled at him and emptied the other glass on him.
"Thanks love, you can add it to his check." I said to the waiter with a satisfied smile and then walked out, happy as a clam…
*************************************************
"Are you there yet?" Suzie asked over the phone. It was her call that woke me from my thoughts.
"Not yet, I think I'm five minutes away though, right?" I retorted and then gestured at the driver for an answer and he nodded affirmatively.
"Yeah, five minutes." I affirmed too.
"Alrighty, let me know when you're there. Are you okay though? Don't tell me you're still thinking about him, are you?" Suzie quizzed while I looked out the window and blinked very hard to keep the tears away.
"I'm not. I'm fine, I promise." I assured her.
She blew me a kiss over the phone and we hung up.
Suzie is my cousin, but we weren't that close until recently when I desperately needed to relocate. California was first on my list and Suzie was the only one I knew there. She was really welcoming, she got me a place and even an interview for a job…
"We are here." The driver said.
"Really… wow." I replied as I peeked out the window and saw the house.
It was different from my place back in New York, it was a bit bigger and cozier . The grass added to the lovely aesthetics and I immediately knew I was going to have a nice time there.
I hopped out of the car while the driver helped me get my things off. I had just two boxes, which I dragged with both arms and made for the door.
"I hope you enjoy your stay." The driver said with a smile.
"I hope so too, thanks." I muttered with a soft smile and walked away.
A wave of cold air hit me as I entered and closed the door behind me. The sudden cold shiver reminded me of my loneliness and definitely brought back memories.
I've been trying so hard all day to fight back the tears but I couldn't anymore. Tears freely flooded my face as I stood at the entrance and scanned the entire living room. Everything reminded me so much of the life I had just left behind. One that included Henry.
I had promised myself to stop hurting over him but how could I? We were together for five years… well, it was only four and a half years, I was all by myself in the relationship for the remaining six months.
He had already found his true love, my best friend, Mellie, and all the time, I never suspected a thing until that evening he broke up with me at a date I thought was going to be my proposal.
I went home heartbroken and cried my eyes out. I needed some consolation so I called Mellie, but I heard Henry's voice in the background instead.
Mellie was the true love he found. My best friend was the one! And they were together six months before he had the decency to tell me…
I dropped my things on the table and crashed on the sofa next to me. My phone started ringing just then and Suzie's face lit up the screen.
"Hey, I just got in now, was about calling before your call came in." I said gently.
"That's good then. Are you good though? How are you finding the new place?" She asked and I sighed.
"I don't know yet, but I think I will like it. It's different from what I had back there though." I replied.
"I know right, just give it time, you're so going to love it." She said excitedly.
"Still going for the interview tomorrow?" She asked.
"Yeap. I don't have a choice. I've already blew my savings, I need the job." I replied.
"I'm switching to FaceTime now, I don't like the way you're sounding, I need to see your face." She said and then switched.
"Your face is swollen and your eyes are red, Have you been crying again?" She asked with much concern written over her face.
"It's not what you think, it was just nostalgia, you know, that feeling of moving into some place new. I'm okay, really…" I assured her.
We talked for a while more, she tried to keep my company and cheer me up for over two hours before we called it a night and hung up.
It was already late, I hadn't eaten all day and I wasn't even hungry. I just wanted to sleep, that's if my eyes would let me.
I've lost sleep over a month now since I got the news of Henry's proposal to Mellie. We were together for five years and he never made up his mind only for him to date my best friend for six months and then proposed to her.
I blamed myself for the longest time, I felt I wasn't loving or caring enough. I looked for every reason to make myself feel bad and wallow in pity, because it was actually my fault. I made my entire life about Henry, I was basically living for him. I changed everything about me from my looks, job, opinion, just to get his validation. I was madly in love with him.
I made the decision to relocate a week ago after they announced their wedding. I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to be far away from them for my sanity…
I didn't know when I slept off on the sofa but about two hours later, I suddenly woke up to some faint noises around me. I quickly sat up and found out someone was trying to break in.
An intruder!
I got up quickly and looked around the room for something to defend myself with. I couldn't find any so I ran into the kitchen. I couldn't even find the knives so I grabbed the empty bottle I saw in the corner and hid behind the door.
The man entered and I could tell he was coming in my direction. My heart started beating so fast and hard, it felt like I would pass out any moment but I managed to keep my eyes wide opened.
"Please don't hurt me!" I screamed as I jumped in front of the man, pointing the bottle at him.
He was scared too and quickly punched the bottle with so much force that the recoil pushed me to the ground hard and I had to land on a hand for support.
"Who hte hlle rae yuo adn whta rae yuo diong ni ym husoe...? I saw his mouth moving but I didn't understand a word.
All I could think of were those pink soft lips moving in a sexy slow motion. For a minute there, I forgot about my sprained arm and was completely lost in his dark eyes.
He was so tall and fit, I had never seen anyone so handsome. Despite being so late, and dark, he looked like a celebrity model who popped right out of the TV. He looked at me with those dark beautiful eyes, making my heart sing and beat with wild joy and pride that I didn't understand. He was so hot and I got lost in his mesmerizing gaze.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?" He yelled at me, harshly pulling me out of my wild thoughts...