The Inc Affair (Pty) Ltd

8. 2nd Rate

"We had a great last lunch together. How about a last kiss?"

Silence, and so much eye contact.

One kiss. That's all it'll take. He won't be able to stop, and soon we'll be ripping each other's clothes off. I was that confident in myself, in us.

His phone's notification ring tone had us break eye contact, and my plan fell apart faster than I could recover it. "The driver's 10 minutes away. We should get going."

"Y-yea..."

Disheartened, I followed him out to the elevator. Damn looking like a second-rate! I needed serious pampering. Premium spa treatment.

"Emily, it's not you-"

"Oh, my gosh..." he did not just do that spiel on me. Not the snowflake.

"It isn't-"

"Please stop."

"It's not a white lie to blow you off, Emily. I can't kiss you, even for the last time. I'd be violating my agreement with Stephanie," he said. Agreement in Nik-speak meant relationship. "I don't-"

"You don't cheat."

"I wasn't going put it like that, but yes."

I responded with a nod. "Do you really think you can trust this girl more than me with your projects? Do you think she understands how much you're willing to sacrifice?"

"Em-"

"You were willing to sacrifice us, and you did," I took a deep breath. "Fine. You're with her, and that's that." Nik had really moved on. I knew what I needed to do to find closure, solace. Jenna it. And I'd crank it up to an 11 and a half. Stalk my nemesis on social media and cry about her relationship status with Nik over frozen yogurt.

"What did you say her last name was again?" I asked.

"I didn't."

"It doesn't matter," I carelessly threw my hand in the air, "I'll know when she's on New York tabloids with her skanky hands on your chest or whatever... while I walk around looking like a second-rate."

"Em, no one can ever replace who you are to me." Those words melted the heart that was earlier broken into pieces. "And as for looking like a second-rate: no matter what you wear or how..." he looked at me up and down, "badly you present yourself-- gee, I mean what is this? I'm pretty sure I didn't buy these."

"It's Jenna's," I regrettably replied.

"Well, regardless, I somehow find you beautiful- if I'm not speaking out of turn."

"You are. You're not allowed say things like that..." my voice changed, but I held my tears back. I had just washed my face looked and refreshed. No need to go back to that state.
Regardless, I didn't like how I looked when I cried, neither did Nik. I cleared my throat, and held my head high. "Well, now I have to hug you as your punishment."

"I'll take it."

I felt a kiss on my head as we embraced. I looked up and saw him looking down at me.
Nik was about violate his agreement. There was a lot I couldn't tell from face value, but that much I knew. He never broke eye contact even when the elevator doors opened.

But.

"Emily Harris," I heard a woman's voice shout. I didn't recognize it, but bitch ruined a beautiful moment.

Ugh, it was probably a person who knew me from school or childhood. We were in my hometown after all.

"Sorry, I-"