Always You

Chapter 16

{Layla}

"Look at Rug getting all dolled up." One of the boys on my team tease.

"Haven't you heard? she's got a date tonight." Another chimes in.

I make a show of rolling my eyes at them before deciding to give them the middle finger as well. They take it in jest and laugh.

"Right, I'm out of here. Bye boys." I say in farewell, walking out the locker room. Almost walking straight into Jonesy. "Hey butt, haven't seen you in a while, how's life with the misses?"

"A few teething problems but nothing serious, it's really good so far. I'm even thinking of proposing sooner rather than later." He smiles brightly.

"That's great to hear. I'd love to catch up but I've actually got a date tonight."

"Oh yeah, with who?" he asks, although the smirk says he already knows the answer.

"With Meg."

"As in your ex? that Meg?"

"Yes, a lot has happened since you moved out and went radio silence on me." Going to go all psychologist on me, I'll bring out the guilt trip. Boom, big guns.

"Sorry, I got caught up in the honeymoon phase." He says, not sounding a tiny bit sorry, instead his voice is full of love for his girlfriend.

"Clearly, and I don't hold it against you. We'll have to meet up one day soon and catch up properly."

"Sounds good. I hope tonight goes as well as you hope for." He says in parting before walking in the locker room. Bloody psychologist, why wouldn't tonight go well?

--__--__--

I park the car and walk with a skip in my step towards the restaurant. Nothing and no-one is going to stand in my way now I have a chance with Meg again. The one girl I loved and nearly a decade later, after spending some time with her, have found myself hopelessly falling in love with once again. Her giving me a second chance was such a long shot even after our first encounter. Part of me felt it would never happen while the rest maintained a steady optimism.

From experience I know how stubborn she can be, after all we were together for two years with nobody any the wiser. I thought her no dating rule was going to be just the same. Then again, she always did have a way of surprising me. There would be moments that would be completely out of character. She's always kept me on my toes.

Like now, there she stands outside the restaurant. A navy-blue dress, down to her knees, a black belt cinching at the waist and a light blue denim jacket. She looks amazing.

She turns my way and I think at first, it's because she's seen me but then she ignores me and engages with the woman next to her. Where did this woman come from? As I watch the woman happily hugs Meg and kisses her.

What is going on?

Suddenly I find myself back in my car, I don't even remember walking away. My shaking hands clench and unclench a few times before I decide to head home. If I stay here, I'll only end up making a scene.

--__--__--

"Oh, so you are alive then." Meg says with heat.

"Yes, I'm alive." I say back without looking towards her. My temper simmering away.

"Where were you? we were meant to meet at the restaurant, I waited and waited yet you never turned up. I thought something must have happened to you, yet here you are."

"Found I didn't have an appetite when I get there, and see the girl I'm meant to be going on a date with, kissing someone else."

"So, wait, you're telling me that you did turn up but just turned around and came home. You see me talking to someone else and just abandon me. I've been worried about you. I called the station to see if something had happened but they said you'd left on time. I figured if you'd been in an accident they would have heard."