C'mere (Paul Banks fanfic)

Obstacle

Lee kept calling. Rhi changed number. People kept asking. Rhi shut down all her social media accounts. Lee started showing up at her building. Rhi stopped showing up to work.

She had told him they would re-schedule the wedding, but she just didn't feel like it anymore. She didn't feel like marrying him, or talking to him, or ever looking at his face for that matter. 

The night she broke up with Lee - though she didn't know she was breaking up with him at the moment -, Rhi went to bed thinking about Paul. Did he deserve to be his rebound guy? Would he understand she needed time before she could give him the type of relationship he was worthy of?

So time passed, and as it did, Paul understood Rhi was not going to use his hoodie as a pretext to call him. He thought maybe she had gone back with her fiancé. 

-

- I told you I needed space, Lee, and you've given me anything but... - She mumbled, hiding behind a fake smile the real frustration that made her blood boil. 

This was the third time he came to her office this week. She couldn't believe his nerve.

- I just feel awful, I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't breathe... - His anguish was clear even in the strained whisper he was forcing out of his mouth.

Rhi eyed Lydia, who bit her lips and shrugged. 

"You need to get him out of here before he throws a tantrum like last Tuesday" Ly's eyes begged. Her mouth didn't move. But Rhi knew what she had to do.

She took Lee by the elbow and asked him to go out of the building with her. He lifted up his gaze, his blue eyes overflowing with hope and gratitude. Rhi rolled her green ones and sighed with contempt.

-

- I'm such an idiot. - Paul whispered to himself as he decided to walk by Rhi's office building. 

He could walk by either Broadway or Fifth. But only Fifth was right outside that place he had visited so many times during that terrible lawusuit affair. Well, not so terrible. He'd met Rhi then.

He began feeling really nervous as he turned around on 23rd Street. He felt light-headed as he approached that door.

And then he saw them. Rhi, her glorious amber curls bouncing around her precious face. She was smiling, a strange smile. And then... the fiancé. Tall, dark, blue eyed. Pretty fucking good looking.

Paul felt not only stupid, but humiliated. He didn't even know why. He turned around and went back right where he had come from.

-

Rhi stopped short and turned around, standing right in front of Lee. She had to look up to see his eyes, since he was much taller than her.

- Alright, you need to stop now. Let me detox. Let me think about it. You showing up everywhere is not helping your cause.

- But...

- But nothing, Lee. I'll call you. Bye.

She began walking again, and she caught a glimpse of a slim man. He had a trillby, a lot like the hats Paul used to wear. She sighed, dreamily this time.

The reflection told her Lee was following her again. She threw a stern look his way. That was enough to make him stop... at least for the day.

-

- I should stop doing this to myself. Paul concluded.

After he had decided to wait, he decided to forget.