Golden Hour

Chapter 19

Some days made me wish I could set fire to my memories and dance upon the ashes.

First came more canceled classes. Others switched to remote learning, but that left me with only five. Not nearly enough to carry my costs. 

Through no fault of my own, my superiors had all but made me redundant in three separate language schools. Of course, it happened right when I needed money the most. Damn it!

By the second Friday in March, I'd lost all my in-person classes. Wait and see, remained their constant refrain. Let's hope it'll blow over soon.

With each passing day, COVID worsened. It didn't seem in a hurry to leave, and I couldn't afford to fall further into debt. If a pandemic hadn't fallen at our doorstep, I could have taken a job at a store or a restaurant. 

But now? 

How in the holy hell would I escape this mess?

It would embarrass the heck out of me if I couldn't keep my promise to help Emily with my share of the rent. She'd fared even worse than me, many of her clients refusing to work remotely. 

My best friend could move back to California, but I didn't have any family in the States apart from my aunt. I didn't have any family here either. Where would I go? What would I do?

I didn't want to return to the States. I really didn't.

Pressing my forehead against the window of the bus, I exhaled a heavy breath. Please, God. Give me a break. Just one. That's all I ask.

Twilight had fallen before I hurried toward the train station with only five minutes to catch the next one to Bournemouth. I raced toward the mouth of the underground tunnel. The one that led to the train platforms. 

There he stood. The last person in the world I could bear to meet.

Thomas.

"Did you get the flowers?" he asked in his deep baritone. 

I walked past him without a word.

He followed me.

Not right behind me, of course. Oh, no. He tailed me from a fair distance like a hunter observing his prey. But I could hear his calm, steady footfalls behind me. Echoing in the tunnel.

Clomp-clomp. Clomp-clomp. Clomp-clomp.

Keep calm. Don't run.

When I cast a cursory glance behind me, Thomas kept his keen eyes trained on me. After I'd faced front, I could almost feel his glare burning through my clothes and searing my skin.

Thomas didn't speak. He simply shadowed me. Clomp-clomp.

Calm. Composed. On the prowl.

What happened to his new girl? Why wasn't he stalking her instead of me?

My heart thudded against my ribs while I considered my options. Of course, Thomas had probably calculated his every action so that I couldn't protest. 

What would I say to the police?

Hello, my ex is walking behind me in the train station. Following me. But not hurting me in any way. Or even talking to me. No...it just doesn't feel right.

Not such a fool after all. Thomas could pretend to be a determined passenger hoping to catch his commuter train home.

Didn't he understand? It was over.

I kept walking. Expressing silent gratitude for the clusters of witnesses all around us. Cast a glance up the stairs at my platform. Half full. A decent number of passengers were waiting for the same train, thank God.