Burned

Chapitre 6

At night, I feel better. My headache has disappeared. My friend is out and I have the apartment to myself.

I pour myself a glass of white wine and approach the boxes, hesitant. I stand for a moment facing my past. I sigh and start to open one.

Inside, I find several mementos of Ben and me. Everything reminds me of the pleasant times I spent with him. Tears start coming out of my eyes involuntarily. I liked him, really. That's why it's so hard to try to get him out of my head like this.

I hold a photo of us at a car race in my hand. Sobs then escape my throat under the effect of the pain my heart feels. I knew that opening this would be like opening a Pandora's box.

My feelings overwhelm me, but I continue to sort anyway. I have to get through all this, don't I?

I make two piles: one for what is salvageable and another for what I don't want to see anymore.

***

Once the boxes are sorted, I'm on my third glass of wine and have a big pile of stuff to get rid of. I feel calmer and have regained control of my emotions. I'm still sniffling a little and my eyes are red and puffy, but I should be able to move on.

My wedding dress is still in its cover, and I haven't been able to get it out. It's too early to talk about that. I think I will return it, but not right away.

I fill two boxes with the things I want to get rid of. I pile them on top of each other and leave the apartment. I find myself wandering down the hallway, barely seeing anything. I press the elevator button and wait for it to open.

When it finally opens, I go inside and try to press the button for the basement, where the trash storage is. The boxes threaten to fall, and my vision is obstructed. I lose my footing, but a strong hand grabs me and steadies me.

"Go easy on that," says a deep, warm voice that I could recognize among thousands.

I suddenly dropped my boxes on the elevator floor, and find myself face-to-face with Mr. Sexy. His blue eyes soften when he realizes it's me.

"Hello, beautiful" He said to me while running his hand through his hair.

He moves a little closer to me, and suddenly I am struck by his scent. My heart races when a smile lights up his face. His teeth are dazzlingly white. I hadn't noticed it the day before when I spoke to him.

I'm surprised to see him here. Especially since I'm still wearing my night shorts and camisole underneath my robe. At the moment, I feel a little exposed. However, I answer him:

"It's you... What are you doing here?" I try to close my bathrobe discreetly.

His gaze travels down my bare legs and up to my lips. Finally, his eyes meet mine. The corners of his lips rise slightly.

He pressed the elevator button and said calmly, "I was hoping to run into you."

"But how... how do you know where I live," I began.

Then I remembered that he probably left my apartment this morning.

"Baby... don't you remember our hot night?"

He moves closer to me and tenderly slides his finger along my jaw, bringing his face closer to mine. I stopped breathing from his proximity and the contact of his skin against mine, which completely inflamed me. My body seems to recognize his touch and react instinctively to it.

He frowned and said, "I'm offended."

"I usually leave a lasting impression on women," he told me with a teasing smile on his lips.