Sip by Sip

Chapter Seventy-Three: Neither Spoke

    Gemma couldn't find a way to explain to her boss why she was late. There goes the promotion, she thought wearily, as all of her excuses were terrible. She wasn't the best lier.

    The rest of her Thursday was just as bad. She worked harder than ever, trying to make up for her tardiness. And it wasn't easy for her to work her hardest when she was hungover.

    Noah, on the other hand, arrived on time to his work, after reluctantly agreeing to carpool with Mia. Neither spoke on the way there.

    Neither spoke once they arrived.

    Actually, Noah thought, we haven't spoken since she asked if I needed a ride. He began to wonder if maybe she was just as guilt ridden as he was. This lifted his hopes a bit, if they were both guilty they could bury that Wednesday night in their past, forgotten, and never revisit it again.

    He also realized that he had slept with Mia on the four week anniversary of knowing Gemma. That, out of everything, made him feel the shittiest. He planned to return to the coffee shop after work, just in case she would be there.

    He confronted Mia just before he was about to leave.

    "Mia, I don't think either one of us feels good about . . . you know, what happened." He looked to his feet, "I for one know I don't. I think we should call this off, whatever this is, before it begins."

    She sighed. "That's just it. You seem hell bent on this not working, and I can't figure out why. I just . . . I don't think I understand. There has to be something I'm missing, right?"

    He looked her straight in the eyes, "Yeah, you could say that."

    She remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate.

    "Well? What is it?" She demanded finally.

    "There was a reason things didn't work out between me and Juliana . . . " He paused, choosing his next words carefully, "And she is that same reason things can't work out between us now."

    "She?"

   "I'm-"

Something flashed in her eyes, and she cut him off.

    "Don't you fucking apologize to me! What is it with you? Why is there always someone else? I've waited my turn, I really have, but I'm never good enough! What makes me so disgustingly unavailable to you? Why don't you want this to work!?" She screamed, causing a few of our coworkers heads to turn. She realized this, and lowered her voice into a growl like whisper, "Why never me? How could I be so repulsive in your eyes?"

    She didn't wait around for an answer. She had already caused a scene, wasn't keen on sticking around. But just as she was about to exit, she spat, "You know, I loved you. I adored you. To me, you were my world. Too bad you could never look at me the same way."

    He watched her leave, and everyone else watched him watch her leave. He felt empty, void of emotion.

    It wasn't fair. She wasn't being fair.

    But neither was he, and he knew it.