is it over now? [tom blyth]

11.

Meg and her fiancé didn't skimp out on the hotel. In fact, I don't think they skimped out on any part of this wedding planning process, including the bachelorette trip.

The Villa Lotus Penthouse. On top of a hill in Nice, two full apartments looking over the ocean that everyone had taken 20 minutes to snap photos of whilst still carrying their bags. It was mesmerizing and it was taking everything in me to not take photos and send them to Alana or my mum or literally anyone. My mum might actually care, but I think at the rate that Alana and I are travelling at, she would take it as a brag.

I hadn't taken our chat off mute, so I hadn't seen the numerous text messages from her demanding some kind of sign that the flight had been good, and we were safe. I didn't care to give her that much information, so my phone remained in my back pocket whilst I watched everyone disperse to their rooms. Meg had told me that I would be sharing a room with one of Alex's friends from back home, that she had a room made up into two single beds to accommodate.

As I walked around the apartment, taking in the view over the ocean and the glistening French couture, felt an extra presence in the room. I glanced over to the archway that led to the hallway that hosted the bedrooms. Kira, leant against the wall with something between a smirk, a scowl, and a smile on her lips.

"She really went all out," she chuckled lightly, making me mirror the action.

"That's one way to put it." I smiled, looking back to the balcony before walking over to my bags and picking them up. "I am sorry about Alana. At the airport."

Kira just shrugged. "Doesn't bother me. You chose to date her."

Ouch. That one stung. I was fighting the urge to correct her, say that it wasn't really my choice, that it was out of spite and hurt over what I had done to her, but the lump of words hung in my throat and didn't move. Not even when Kira flashed a soft smile at me and turned back down the hallway.

When I found my room, it took everything in me not to peek through the cracked-open adjacent door that I saw Kira enter just moments before. I could hear the giggling of her and Alex flowing through the opening, my heart sinking at the noise. It was like having a dagger through the heart, a reminder of what could have been, what should have been, if I didn't mess it all up.

It felt like the world was constantly trying to remind me of the ways I had destroyed the love of my life. All the ways I had ruined the possibility of a happy ending with someone who brought me more joy than I could even imagine. Now I am left with the reminder of her in a stale, angry form. Her words to me are full of bitter hatred for how I left and are the final nail in the coffin that she is happier now than she ever was with me.

But the smile, the soft, delicate smile she gave me in the hallway. It was enough to fill me with a droplet of hope. Just small, no bigger than the smallest drop of rain during a sun shower. Enough to tell me that not all love is lost.

-

A beachfront villa bar, rented just for our group down by the water, with a pool bar, deck chairs and the sun setting over the horizon. It was still warm enough to feel the last drops of sun for the day on my skin as I stood in the pool, a drink in hand. Alex's friend, Sierra, swam beside me with a wine glass in hand.

She had arrived just an hour ago, apologising for missing the group flight due to work, cracking a beautiful smile and situating herself in our room. Once the awkward greetings were out of the way, Meg hustled us all down to the coastline and into the private pool and bar area.

"So, Tom," her voice dripping with a soft sarcasm, "what do you do then?"

I looked over at Sierra with a confused look. I know not to expect everyone to know who I am, and honestly, it is a joy when they don't, but I couldn't help the look that I threw her way, causing her to screw her face up.