Incandescent

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Charley

This is it. He's going to propose. I mean a fancy dinner, and how nervous he was acting. He has to be proposing. Oh and here he comes. My heart fluttered as I watched him make his way back to our table. Oh my gosh, I can't believe it. I shifted awkwardly in my seat as I tried to keep my smile at bay. This is it. Shane sat down with a huffed and pushed his blonde hair out of his face. His green eyes met mine when I held his hand in mine. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked, surprisingly I kept my excitement to a minimum.

He slowly withdrew his hand from mine and shifted in his seat. This is it. "I don't think this relationship is going to work." He said.

"Yes, yes—what?" I said in disbelief.

"You're a great girl, Charlotte—"

"Save it." I said through tears and got to my feet. I stared down it him. "You piece of shit." I hissed and threw my drink at him.

"Charly!" He exclaimed as he got up and hastily tried to dry himself off.

"Fourteen years, Shane! Fourteen long years of dating and now you decide it's not working! Are you serious?" I yelled at him and began hitting him with my purse. I could feel the eyes of everyone around us, people that had known me my whole life and the same people who've never seen me like this. I looked around with tears in my eyes as the reality of the scene I was making made a wave of embarrassment wash over me. I turned on my heel and stormed off to the exit. I made a run for it when Shane called after me. 

My makeup was ruined by the time I got to my car. Shane was inches of me when I finally found my keys. "Charley, wait!" He called after me.

"Buzz off, Shane!" I hissed and climbed into my car. He grabbed the door before I was able to close it.

"Charley at least let me explain myself." He pleaded. I looked at him through tears. I didn't trust my words enough for me to speak. "I've been feeling like we've been pulling away....for years—"

"And it took you this long to realise this?" I questioned through my clenched teeth. "Why didn't you say something? We could have found a way to fix that. And because of the way you went about this....it seems to me that you didn't want to try. So answer me this.....is there someone else?"

"N-no of course not—"

"Right," I said not believing it for a minute, "you have until tomorrow to get your shit out of my house." I said dryly and slammed the door in his face and drove off.

The drive home was long and tear-fill. I pulled into the driveway and ran to the front door before the sprinklers came on. My cat, Mochi, sat behind the door waiting for me. "Hi baby," I said sadly as I took him into my arms, "aw." Purring, he rubbed his face against my nose  as if he knew I was sad. I pressed a kiss on his grey, fat, round head before I put him down and closed the door behind me.

"You want some milk?" I asked. He flickered his tail in response. I kicked off my shoes and went into the kitchen with Mochi hot on my tail. I poured him some milk before I went into the bathroom to get myself cleaned up. After washing my face and brushing my teeth I looked at myself in the mirror. My brown eyes were red from crying and my lips were stained from my lipstick. I guess it's staying that way,  I don't have the energy to try to get it off. Sighing, I pulled my hair into a bun atop my head, made my way to my bedroom and threw on some comfortable clothes before I joined Mochi in bed.

It wasn't until I saw a photo of Shane and I at my store's grand opening when the tears began again. I turned off my lamp to prevent Moch from seeing me cry. I know cats have night vision but as long as I can't see him I'm fine. Not even seconds later Moch came and rubbed his face against mine before laying beside me. I hugged him and cried into his fur until he got tired of me. I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow to mask my wails and I stayed like that until I fell asleep.

-

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the front door opening. That must be Shane. I thought angrily. I got to my feet and began throwing his clothes out of his drawers and closet. I was done and brushing my teeth by the time he mustered the nerve to knock on the door. He stuck his head inside. "Morning." He said after staring for a few minutes. I glared at him and went back into the bathroom. I washed my face then grabbed his things from the cabinet before going back into the bedroom.

I found him folding his clothes into a duffel bag. "Here." I said and placed them at his thigh. He looked up at me with sadness in his eyes. I looked away as tears began to burn my eyes.

"I thought about what you said last night and....you're right. I should have said something and for that I'm truly sorry." He said. The tears were rushing out of my eyes like a geyser.

"Why isn't this working for you?" I asked through trembling lips. He stood and took my hands in his.

"I'm unhappy, Charley. I've been unhappy for a long time—." He began. I pushed him away, sobbing now.

"I did everything I could to make you happy," I croaked, "everything."

"Charley—" he began as he reached for me. I slapped his hands away.

"Don't touch me!" I hissed. "You have a hour to get out of my house." I said hoarsely. I pushed him out of my way and marched out of the room and into the kitchen. I wiped my face with a napkin before I made myself some coffee.

An hour must have passed when Shane dragged his duffel bags out of my house and by that time my untouched coffee was cold and probably salted by my tears.  I was staring into space with no tears left to cry. Shane's words kept replaying in my mind. I'm unhappy, Charley.  I'm unhappy. Unhappy. I had a strong urge to cry but I couldn't.  I looked down at my hands. "How did I not see it then?" I asked myself. "His unhappiness. How did I not see it?" I sighed. It doesn't matter now. I got up and tossed my coffee into the sink before going into my room to change into some sweats.

It's been months since I've went for a jog, 11 months almost.  I didn't have the time to since I opened my store. And now seems like the best time to start jogging again. I fed Moch then pulled my hair into a braid and out the door I went.

-

Damien

I was having breakfast when Dave walked in. "Home already?" He gasped, "is that a tear? Tsk, tsk. I hope you have my money ready.....pussssy." He sang on his way to the fridge.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh I went through with it and I even offered to go again but she couldn't handle another round."

"Yo! Seriously?" He asked with a smile. I nodded. "Congrats Dame, but you're still a pussy."

"And you're a dick for not telling me that she's married."

"First of all last I heard they were separating after he found out about her little secret and secondly, if she wants to step out on that loser that's none of your business." He stated. "She made a commitment not you."

"That's pretty shitty even for you."

Dave shrugged. "The streets are cold and unforgiving, Dame, you can either be a pussy or make it yours."

"Hmph." I breathed. Make them yours? Does he mean to harden my heart? Last night did struck something in me but that disappeared the moment I woke up cold and alone this morning. I don't think I'm cut out for the streets. If that makes me a pussy then so be it.

"How was it at least?"

"Weird but kind of hot." I replied and sat back in my stool.

"Don't tell me you like that shit." He said in disbelief.

"I can't say I do or not mainly because we didn't try a lot but it wasn't the worst thing."

He sat down with a breathy sigh. "Well when you figure that out—just be careful, ok?"

"Yeah." I assured.