The One That Got Away

Chapter 7

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The One That Got Away

Chapter 7

It was Monday.

It was raining.

My least favourite things happening together, must have been an indication that something wasn’t right this morning. Rather than staying in bed waiting for Tuesday to come and for the rain to stop, I got out of bed. I put on clothes and went for breakfast, noticing that there wasn’t much food and I’d have to go shopping later on after university, in the rain! After breakfast I headed for the door and grabbed a coat from my wardrobe on the way out.

Walking to university was not a highlight of my day either! I got completely soaked and ruined my shoes even though they were ‘rain-approved’. Stupid idiotic shoes.

THEN when I got to Vincents’ class, he wasn’t there. I was at least fifteen minutes late, which meant he wasn’t coming in today. We had a free period because apparently ‘Mr.Mava-can’t-come-in-today-class’, why didn’t I know anything?

I messaged Vivi asking where he was to which he replied, he’d be there soon and asked me to meet him during lunch period in his office.

*

Walking towards Vivi’s office I heard talking, did he have an appointment right now? The door was slightly open so I poked my head through, Vivi’s back was towards mine as was the other persons’ in the room, so they couldn’t see me. I noticed the other person was in fact another lecturer who lecturers English lit, she’s fairly nice.

Trying to pay some more attention to what was going on, I stopped myself, I was being noisy. I’d just go and come back later. I kept thinking that until I saw her place her hand and my man’s upper arm. Then, I decided it was ok for me to listen in!

“You ever need anything again, you know where to find me”

“Yeah, thanks! It was really kind of you. I didn’t know I was gonna have a problem this morning, until today everything was working fine, then this morning, nothing came out. Usually I’d stroke the engine a bit and it’d be fine, today it seemed I needed a ladies assistance ”

Placing her hand in his she said

“I’m glad I could have been of assistance to your problem Vince”

Vince? What problem? I heard chuckling and figured it was my chance to leave. What problem did he have? Why didn’t he call me? Why didn’t he mind the constant flirting? Why didn’t he mind her touching him? Why did I feel that he was enjoying it? Why did I feel that he was now keeping something from me?

Why did I walk home, in the rain after that? Because I felt broken.

*

Going straight to the shower, passing Mason on the way in, telling him not to disturb me but to ask Carla to come talk to me when she got home, I turned on the tap and waited for the bath to fill.

I was thinking about everything with tears rolling down my eyes when Carla walked in. Her eyes turning from panic and worry to registering what happened and sympathy.

Sitting on the side of the bathtub and stroking my head with one hand, playing with the bubbles with the other, she asked what had happened. I didn’t even have an answer to that question so I just burst out crying.

“Oh honey”

That was all that was said that night, till I left Mason and Carla in some peace and quiet before they went out to dinner since it’s Mason\s last night before he had to leave for uni the day after.

*

The day after, I did go to college, but left after my lecturers finished feeling the same as I did before, confused and upset.

During my lecture with ‘Vince’ I barely looked up and not once did I look into his eyes, but I felt his glare on me all through the lesson.

I was walking home with my head down when I heard the sound of a ‘hoot’ coming from next to me, I turned to see Vivi in his car staring at me with a sad smile. Rolling down the window he stared at me for a couple seconds before telling me to get it.

I did as he told me to because honestly, I was tired, cold and it was still raining.

As I got inside his warm, heated car I didn’t say anything, I just stared up ahead with a frown on my face.

Lifting up my chin and turning it towards him Vivi asked me what was wrong.

I muttered “Nothing” and stared out the window.

“You didn’t come to my office at lunch yesterday, I called you when I got home, Carla picked up and said you didn’t want to talk to me. What did I do wrong?”

I looked at him, properly, for the first time since I got in the car. Gosh he was so beautiful.

“I passed by yesterday”

His face changed to a confused look, obviously not understanding what I meant.

“By your office I mean, you were busy”

“I was in my office all lunch period waiting for you, I was alone all the time”

Guess he must have forgotten his helping hand.

“What about Ms.Doll? I don’t think she’s a nobody, especially after she lent you her helping hand!”

By that time we arrived outside my apartment so I got out and slammed the door

“Thanks for the lift Mr.Mava”

With that I turned away and ran up the stairs to my floor, not wanting him to see me crying.

 *

A couple minutes later Vivi came and sat by my side outside my apartment, with a confused look on his face.

“Nothing happened with Marthese this morning Maria, hell how could you even think I would do something like that to you, to us?!”

By this point, he was shouting, obviously upset by my accusation. I didn’t say anything, what could I say? I knew, deep down, that he wouldn’t do anything like that, but seeing them together, hurt me, a lot.

“I was scared”

Vivi looked at me, sadness coating his eyes

“Scared? What did you have to be scared about?”

Looking away from him, too embarrassed at this moment

“She’s beautiful and I’m plain jane”

“Look at me”

Sensing that that was a command rather than a question I did, and saw pain and love in his eyes.

“Hell Maria, when are you going to understand? It’s not her I want, I’d rather be alone at this point if I couldn’t have you, because honestly, I’m in love with you, you’re beautiful, inside and out. I know it, but please don’t doubt my love for you”

I saw the sincerity in his eyes and the truth he spoke in the way he spoke it. I know I said I wouldn’t cry in front of him, but these weren’t tears of sadness, but tears of joy.

Tears of joy, because the man who I’m in love with, loves me back.

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