The Ex-Files

[Chapter 1: The Moon's Realization(s)]

When Vera and Justin met it was like the sun just started to shine (but to keep to our metaphor of the sun let's just say it was like the sky turned blue for the first time instead). The scene is set in a very cliche place which should have been the first warning sign for Vera: A coffee shop.

We set the scene in freshmen year of college, and like almost every student, coffee is something that is essential for living. Vera walks into the establishment and is fully ready to approach the cashier in order to attain her drink, that is until she is shoved to the side by a very frantic student, you guessed it, Justin. Much like the moon and the Earth are not supposed to do, they collide. Vera's wallet flies out of her hands and Justin's binder filled with unsecured papers go in the same direction. Vera, being much smaller than he is, plummets to the ground, landing on her ass. It's mortifying really and so just before Vera is ready to start firing dirty words at her attacker, she notices his face. And boy does Justin look apologetic. He rushes past her to retrieve her wallet then quickly returns to help her off the ground, tenderly grabbing her arm.

"Shit, I'm really sorry. Are you okay?" Justin's appearance over all should have flashed big red signs too. You know what they say, boys with big brown eyes and sweet smiles are just looking to give you trouble. But Vera forgets this crucial rule about boys and gets lost in those honey eyes of his, completely forgetting why she had wanted to curse him out in the first place.

"No, I'm fine, thank you for picking up my wallet. Oh! Your papers!" Vera then drops to the ground and begins to fuss over Justin's fallen papers, he holds his binder open for her.

"I'm Justin by the way." He smiles.

"Vera. I haven't seen you around campus, what's your major?"

"Music. Yours?" Vera feels stupid for asking the question know when she takes notice of the guitar strapped to his back and the music sheets currently in her hands.

"Literature, I want to become a writer." Yet another warning sign Vera disregards so easily. Two creative people are always bound to create artistic destruction. They both stand together and Vera hands Justin the last of his music sheets. He offers to buy her a coffee to make up for knocking into her but Vera insists it's okay. Now, this is where Vera and Justin should have ended. Justin nods, and smiles at Vera, telling her he'll see her around he guesses. And Vera nods in agreement. They are both so close to being saved from the inevitability of their downfall when Justin changes his mind, halfway out the door.

"Hey, Vera?" Justin scratches his head. Vera turns toward him, ignoring the cashier asking her what she would like to buy.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you come down to the music hall this Saturday, my band is having a concert there, they'll be food." If the knowledge of Justin being in a band didn't steer Vera away, nothing would, and that exactly happened. Justin ticked way too many of Vera's boxes, he was already too perfect. She failed to see this.

"I'll go, just for the food though." Vera grins.

Justin narrows his eyes playfully, "Sure Vera, just come for the food."

The two were great in the beginning, really. She was the groupie he never had and they complimented each other oh so perfectly. Vera was always at every concert, keeping tabs on the many girls who wanted what she had, but also there to be Justin's number one fan.

Almost a year later though, the fantasy they had both been living stopped, jerked to the left, and sped right along the wrong side of the road.

***

It was one fateful night when Justin spewed the words in Vera's dorm room, "I think we need to talk."

"Talk about what?" Vera's back tensed and her hands began to sweat, she saw this coming. After all, the sun had been shining a lot lately.

"Us, Ver, about us." Justin motioned for Vera to sit by him, he needed her closer for whatever cruel reason, even when he was about to tear apart the only thing keeping his tides at bay. "I think you know what I'm going to say right?" Vera nodded ever so slowly. "I just- this just-, god Vera, we've become a damn cycle, okay? And well, it's boring. There, I said it." Vera's emotions were always a hurricane and it was no surprise when her sadness flipped to anger, it was her only defense.

"Oh so I'm boring to you now huh? Is that all I've ever been to you Justin? Something to entertain you? Cure your boredom?"

"Hell, Vera no. Of course not."

"So that's not why I saw you kiss Sarah after your show last week." Oh that's right, the Earth had kissed the sun that night and it sure as hell made fire now. Justin's eyes bulge and he found it hard to breathe.

"Fuck, Vera, how-what- how do you know that?" Vera stood now.

"Thought you were hidden, huh? How could you forget that I always wait backstage for you Justin?" Tears were in her eyes now, but there was no sadness. All the prior warnings she had been given were only now clear to her. Despite being sweet, Justin was just like the rest of college freshmen boys. They were only looking for one thing at this age and it was entertainment. It was just so clear to Vera now. She had always been second to Justin, for everything. She was always on the sidelines cheering him on and not once did he do that for her.

"It was a mistake Vera, I never wanted to do that to you. That kiss ended as quickly as it started, I swear. I cared Vera."

"Sure you did, It's just all been a game to you though right? Toy with the girl's feelings and then once she's no fun just throw her away." Justin now stood, towering over Vera.

"You're talking utter bullshit Vera, I fucking cared about you, and still care. Just because I don't want to date you anymore doesn't mean I never cared!" Vera shook her head and walked to her door, opening it.

"Get out." Vera said coldly.

"The hell I am, we are going to sit and discussed this like civil adults and you are going to understand me. I don't want to end this on bad terms, what we had was great Ver it really was."

"It's too late for that Justin, I want you to get the hell out of my dorm. What we had was awful and I can't believe I'm only now noticing how all I did was revolve around you. You're a selfish bastard and I want you to leave, now." Vera's last words punched Justin in the gut and hurt had actually been in his eyes now. But much like Vera, his defense was anger too.

"Well you know what, fuck you!" Justin grabbed his coat off Vera's bed and then moved to get close to her, to the point where he was breathing on to her face. "And you know what else? You're right. Sarah is way more entertaining than you ever were and I'll definitely be telling her I'm single as fuck tonight." He sinisterly grins in Vera's face before smoothly walking out of Vera's dorm.

***

That is how Vera and Justin start and end, at the fragile ages of 18. But, that story does not continue, it ends right there. This story starts five years later with a writer who has begun a highly regarded magazine internship and involves a young hopeful musician.

This is not your conventional love story with two starlets waiting to meet but with a moon and Earth that were never supposed to meet in the first place, and never wanted to meet again.