In The City

Chapter Six

I woke up because of some sort of commotion in the bathroom.

I flickered open my eyes. I scanned my surroundings. I was in Christo's room the last thing I remember was falling asleep on the couch while Christo worked. He must have, seeing how uncomfortable he was moved me here. I appreciated the sweet gesture and made a mental note to thank him for it. I looked the room and for a moment in time It felt like nothing had changed; the deep blue color of the walls, sleek clean lines of the furniture and glass the prominent glass wall were all there. I considered this place my second home. I was twenty again again and in love.

I sat like this for a long time, until I realized that there were no indicators of our relationship anywhere in the room anymore..

To my right on the bedside table,where a photo of us on holiday in Paris used to lie, was nothing. I felt removed, or rejected I'm not quite sure. I guess a part of me must have believed the life I left behind would remain exactly the same. Like when I absconded the world, my would here, stop turning and everything would remain frozen in time.

Time passes, things change and people move on. Through the haze of sleep and nostalgia It was imperative that I clarify the facts: I wasn't twenty anymore. Christo and I would never be together like we once were. I felt great pain at the old revelation. We were irrevocably finished.

I immediately nipped that pain in the bud because I knew well how severe it could be. The minuscule feelings for him? They were probably just a product of ye old nostalgia. It's probably just one of the various dreams I had about Christo and I together last night. Their frequency was determined by how much of my day and surroundings reminded myself of him. The reminders didn't have to be large or dramatic. I've learned in life the smallest things can have the greatest and lasting impact. I don't still have feelings for him anymore. I've moved passed that. He probably had too. He was strong, I admired that about him.

What happened before we in my classroom was pure lust. I coached myself. Pure unadulterated lust. I sighed. And threw the covers over my head.

________________

"I should probably go investigate what that was." I muttered to myself as I stood up rather unsteadily.

Shit. I was exhausted. My whole body felt stiff.

How long had I been sleeping? I wondered vaguely as I pottered along to the ensuite bathroom.

I actually wasn't really sure what I had expected to find. But what I didn't expect to find was a woman desperately picking up the toiletries she knocked down off the shelf.

Oh shit. This must be Chris's girlfriend! What explaination could I possibly give this poor woman. She'll think the worst of me- of him. He i am standing in his clothes. I'm a home wrecker!

She hadn't noticed me yet and I genuinely considered grabbing my handbag and running out of the door. I was about to make a break or it when an older woman entered the room shouting in a thick Spanish accent. I didn't recognize her at first.

"Heaven have mercy! Ina what are you messing up now? Do I have to show everything to you?" She tsked and then continued. "Hopeless. You're hopeless! You know I have the right mind to-"

She stopped mid sentence when she saw me standing there. She stared at me as if I were an apparition. She moved slowly toward me cautiously as if I might of disappeared at any moment. She reached out and tenderly touched my cheek and then cried:

"Katerina! You've come back to us. Praise The Lord!"

She pulled me into a huge hug and squeezed me tightly.