Battle of Hearts: Two

Epilogue

"I ain't gotta call you baby.
And I ain't gotta call you mine,
I don't have to take your heart,
I just wanna take your time." ('Take your time'- Sam Hunt)

"But, I thought you liked me," whined my boyfriend Greg and I exhaled sharply. I roamed my eyes around the restaurant we were having dinner in. It reeked of the salty smell of Chinese food and the decor was mystical as if it hid the secrets of a generation of diners. Through the glass window I could see people rushing to their homes from work. I would be doing the same if it weren't for Greg making plans for an early dinner.

Our relationship was going slow and steady. I had liked him since the first day I saw him at our office. His cute pale face had a tint of red, from the embarrassment of dropping his files on the first day. The blue suit and red tie he wore made him look like a corporate Prince charming. He was a new recruit and we worked at the same position but in different departments. He was Assistant Finance Manager and I was Assistant Marketing Manager. The attraction was instant and undeniable.

He was exactly the guy whom I would eventually fall in love with. He had a wonderful sense of humor, adventurous spirit and excellent culinary skills. And we were the perfect mix of casual and romantic. He knew when to keep it light and when to be intense. Both emotionally and well, sexually. Of course, we were meant to be a couple. It was inevitable.

We had been dating for six months and everything was going smoothly until today when I found out something about him at the office. The way he was acting so surprised that I was breaking up with him proved that he was a good actor. "I did like you, until you went behind my back and tried to sabotage my career!" I half whispered and half yelled.

"Wha... What are you talking about?" The lines on his forehead showed fake confusion.

"I'm talking about the time I told you that I had good chances of getting a better job at another company. You were so jealous you told your colleagues about it and now the news has reached to my boss!" I seethed in anger. It would destroy my reputation in the company I was currently working in. "Do you want me to lose my job just because your male ego cannot handle a woman in a better position than you?" I firmly put down my hand and glared right at him.

His frown turned into a blank stare and his façade was no longer needed. The charming smile and witty remarks were long gone. It was like I didn't know who he was at all. "I knew you were competitive, but I didn't know you were so serious about it." My voice softened as I recalled the wonderful days we had spent together simply talking until we fell asleep.

"I'm sorry, Ally but I don't think you are fit for the job you interviewed for. I have a better résumé than you and I'm still not getting the kind of recognition I deserve," He stated with a distorted face.

"Who the fuck are you to tell me that I don't deserve it?"

"Oh please, I'm better in marketing than you and I have a degree in Finance," He slowly pronounced each word to emphasize the irony of his statement.

I couldn't look at his face anymore, without physically hurting him. I got up from my seat, "I always thought I was more career oriented than most people until today. You're just an insecure man, Greg. I can't believe I once loved you."

"Yeah, go ahead. Break up with me just because I care about my career." I heard him cry out in frustration and I shook my head realising how petty and stupid he was.

I stormed out of the place, my open hair flowing behind like a trail as I paced to the subway. I wasn't paying much attention to the familiar surroundings of New York city, the place I had called home for five years. After college, I took up a job I was offered during campus recruitment. Then one year later to make my résumé shine, I went to a graduate school in San Francisco for MBA. I was sure since the beginning that I wanted to work in the financial capital of the world. That brought me to the city that witnesses people rise and fall every day. The city where dream comes true- New York city. My dream came true too, I had a job I loved and the friends who loved me. I dated many handsome and average looking men. Only two of whom lasted for more than year. All others met the same fate as Greg.