Lust - Victoria

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My eyes as wide as ever, I looked over at Dola, to see if she had noticed something. She was smiling at the screen, totally absorbed in the world of magic and wizardry. I myself was in my own bubble of magic, but for different reasons. I picked the phone back up and typed a response.

"How did you get this number and why are you texting me Victoria?" Sent. I had never spelled or spoken her name. It felt so right. This time she didn't take as long to reply.

"You have my ring." I hesitated. How would she know it was me who took it? Instinctively my hand reached into the pocket, touching the cold jewelry. I wouldn't give away the last thing I had left to bring her back to me.

"I don't, sorry." Again, she typed, but then stopped. I kept checking on my friend, but she was concentrated on the movie. It felt illegal to talk to Victoria like this. Only now I realised I had tilted the phone away from Dola the whole time, as if I had something to hide. Then a new message.

"Send me your location, I am coming to pick it up." I pursued to stare at the screen of my phone in desperation. Victoria in my house. In my home. I didn't want that. I promised not to attach strings. Of course it was too late for that already, but I wasn't planning on pushing it. Despite that, it would mean admitting I lied.

"I told you, I don't have it."

"I know you are lying."

"What the hell Victoria?"

"You have something that belongs to me Ameya."

"I will see you tomorrow." I knew she wouldn't be there anyway. But it felt good to pretend I would be able to see her the next day, and it was a good way to end the conversation. When she didn't reply either, I put my phone back.

"Everything sorted?", Dola asked and I smiled at her, trying to hide the way she had startled me with her sudden question.

"Yes, sorry, just some work stuff." Work stuff. Victoria definitely was a lot to work out so technically I wasn't lying to her. She laughed a little when the notification sound went off again but I instead went cold, a slow shiver running down my spine. She motioned for me to go ahead.

"I'll pause the movie, I need to use the bathroom anyway", she added to that and crawled out of the blankets. I waited for her to disappear behind the door and then as fast as I could grabbed my phone. It was Victoria again.

"I miss you." I didn't know what to reply. I missed her more than anything in the world: her touch, her voice, her lips. Before I could return the statement she texted again.

"What are you wearing?"

I reread her message a thousand times, just in case I misunderstood the question. My cheeks were burning red. I looked down at myself. The truth would have been the same as what she had taken off in the afternoon. Of course I couldn't say that. In fact, I didn't want to say anything at all. Despite it being none of her business, I wasn't ready for this sort of relationship.

Saved by Dola's return from the bathroom, I put my phone back to where it had rested, deciding to just leave the chat like that. For the whole of the movie, I didn't get any more messages, nor did I when I was lying alone in bed that night.

For the first time in a week, I didn't dream about Victoria. Nothing casual and nothing sexual either. I felt rested and not obliged to draw her in order to get the images of the night out of my head.

Instead, I picked a dress I had never worn before, to feel more confident about myself. I woke up so early that I had time to paint my nails, put my hair into a nice braided updo, match the heels to my earrings, and put an extra effort into my makeup.

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. While driving my hands along my hips, I couldn't help but imagine what Victoria would think about this. I was sure she would have loved it.

Dola honked outside so I hurried to grab my files and run outside. "Hey babe!", she smiled brightly at me, once I opened the passenger's door.

"Hey you, thanks for driving me."

"No prob, I told you I love doing this." I knew she was sincere about it, she enjoyed the time we spent in the mornings. And I had to admit, I as well had missed her rides.

With a bit more motivation than usual, I watched her speed off way too fast, as usual, and approached the building. When I saw the organisation woman, I actually grinned and beamed a friendly "Hello" towards her. She looked at me in confusion but returned the greeting, then continued her way.

Arrived at the meeting room, I knocked and entered. As soon as I found her standing by the long discussion table, my smile faded. I felt the familiar twinge of excitement I got every time I saw her. My eyes travelled down her body in a way they shouldn't.

She was wearing a black lace bra with transparent aspects, that didn't leave much for imagination. Her crimson red pants clung to her waist, cupping her curves perfectly. She wore her hair down, falling down her shoulders in loose, slight waves.

I knew she was looking at me too. What was she doing here? Why did she change her mind? I didn't dare to ask her, so I simply ignored her presence until she would be the one to approach me. She didn't. Not one of her words were dedicated to me, only short italian phrases to her bandmates.

Damiano pulled me out of my gaze by hugging me in his welcoming way.

"Good that you're here Ameya, we have a lot to discuss today! As you can see, Vic joined us this time so we might have to summarise everything we discussed so far." I struggled to keep my eyes on him while he was talking, as they seemed to always search for Victoria's blue ones.

I nodded and sat down at the long table, across from Victoria. I assumed it would be better than being seated right next to her. I then began to put together everything we decided on up to this point, looking down at the papers as an excuse to not having to look at Victoria too excessively. However, I didn't come very far, when she interrupted me.

"That won't work." Her tone was cold as ice and reminded me of the scariest woman I knew. She didn't leave much possibility to a misunderstanding of her side. Though I wouldn't give up just yet.

"We considered the budget and came to the result that we can easily rent out the place to ourselves."

"It's not personal enough."

"It's the studio you recorded your first album in, of course it's personal."

"But it has no reference to today."

"It's where it all started!"

"It won't fit the whole camera team inside."

"We measured it twice."

"Okay, I just don't like it."

"I don't give a shit, you didn't care to show up once for these meetings so you have no word in this."

Then silence. I was breathing heavily from all this back and forth. Everyone was staring at me. The tension was so thick, you could almost hear it. I wanted to take back what I just said, it was rude and unprofessional and I didn't mean it either way.

Some more moments of tension later she slammed her palms onto the surface of the table and stood up so abruptly, the chair doubled over behind her.

"I'm out.", she said and stormed towards the door. I instinctively jumped up as well.

"Victoria wait, I'm sorry." It had no use. She was already gone.