Chance Upon A Tempest

Chapter 42

Jimin drives the dark streets, heading towards your home. Feeling a sobering combination of guilt, regret, worry, and dread, he admonishes himself. "Fuck! I knew going to dinner with Veronica was a fucking mistake. I should have never agreed to it. God! I'm an asshole." Then he realizes that he never told you about where he was meeting Veronica for dinner and asks himself, "How the hell did she even know to find me there? How did all this get so fucked up?"

When he arrives at your home, he parks his car across the street and waits. As he waits, he continues to call your phone, hoping that you'll answer, but when you don't, he isn't surprised. After leaving yet another message saying the same things, he texts you again for the umpteenth time.

Jimin:
Kitten, please.
I know things looked bad, but I can explain.
I just need to talk to you.
Sweetheart, please.
I'm sorry you had to see that.
Please....

He has no idea how long he has been waiting. Jimin checks his phone for the thousandth time but sees nothing new. In his heart of hearts, he knows that a return call or text isn't coming from you; at least, not tonight. What he is afraid of is that he will never hear from you again. He tells himself, "I need to put myself in her shoes. If I saw her in that position with another man, would I ever want to speak with her again? Would I ever give her the time of day? That would be a resounding no. But, if she asked, would I at least try and hear her out? Fuck! I need to talk to her. I need to explain. I can't believe I did this."

As soon as he drove away from Veronica, she has been calling and texting him repeatedly. When she had first called him, he thought it was you and almost picked up the call. When he saw the caller ID displaying Veronica's name, the disappointment he felt was more than he can express.

While waiting for you to come home, he reads Veronica's confused and hurt texts.

Veronica:
Where the fuck are you going?
What is happening?

Veronica:
Can you just answer me?
Who was that?
Is that the new girl?
Goddamn it, Jimin.
At least have the common decency to answer me.

Veronica:
Is this how it's going to be from now on?
Why are you ignoring me?
I just want to know that you are okay.
Just text me back, so I know that you aren't fucking dead in a ditch somewhere.

Veronica:
Jimin, I've never asked you for anything.
And now, I'm just asking you to tell me that you are okay.
You can't run off like that and expect me to not worry.
Putting sex aside, I'm your friend.
We've known each other for a decade.
Just text me and let me know that you are alright.
I am really worried about you.

Finding himself in the same exact position as Veronica, Jimin feels bad about continuing to ignore Veronica's texts and decides to let her know that he is okay.

Jimin:
Ronni, I'm fine.
I'm sorry I left the way I did, but the woman that I went after is the most important woman in my life.
I can't lose her.
I should have never agreed to see you tonight.
I don't know what else I was expecting when I agreed to meet with you.
All of this was my fault.
I knew you were coming to seduce me.
But I went anyway, thinking I can handle putting on the brakes.
It's pretty evident that I still can't seem to say no to you.
So, Veronica, I'm sorry.
But I can't see you again.
If you call, I won't answer.
If you text me, I won't respond.
You aren't the one I want.
You never were.
I am very sorry for stringing you along for so long.
I hope you can understand.