IN ONLY 1000 WORDS

Story 5: Little Do You Know

I walk into the same café as usual, ready to meet my boyfriend Jared for lunch. I say hi to one of the waiters, then turn the corner to our usual spot. I stop in my tracks. There in front of me, is Jared kissing one of the waitresses.

He mutters something, possibly cussing, and pushes her away in surprise. Then notices me, springs out of his chair and starts spewing an apology. "I swear it's not what it looked like. She kissed me, not the other way around-"

"You wouldn't have let her kiss you if you cared about me..." I say uncertainly. I wish I could unsee that. I want to forgive him on the spot. But how do I know he hasn't been with this girl countless times behind my back? My eyes threaten to well up at the thought, but I will myself not to cry.

"I didn't kiss her..." he says again. "Please trust me."

"I would trust you with my life," I say. "But apparently not my heart." I start to walk out, more disappointed in him than I thought I would be. I wish I hadn't seen that.

He calls me back, "Please, just give me another chance. Do you still love me?"

"Yes."

"Can we try again?"

"No."

"Not ever?" He asks, hope seeming to leave his eyes. I can't meet his gaze.

"Not today."

.....................

One Month Later

It's pouring outside, so I tug on my raincoat and pull it tighter around me. I go to the garage and get in my car. Time for another day of school.

Things have been extremely awkward between Jared and I the last month. For the first week or two he kept trying to apologize. He even left a couple little flowers in my locker. But I hadn't been ready to forgive him yet. I mean I saw him kissing another girl.

But now that I'm finally ready to listen to him, he's given up. He's stopped trying to apologize, and win me back. He wouldn't listen to me now if I said I wanted to talk. I'm too late. Little does he know, I would give anything to go back to how things were.

The only class I can't avoid him in is science. We sit right next to each other. Lately he's been silent, only talking to me when necessary, and only about assignments.

I park my car in the school lot and open the door. I immediately get drenched from the pouring rain, and of course I forgot an umbrella. I pull my hood over my head and start sprinting to class. I'm gonna be late.

I get about halfway there before someone comes up behind me and holds their umbrella over my head. I turn to see who it is and thank them. Jared.

Me being the flustered idiot that I am, I just turn my head and keep walking while he struggles to keep up with me. "What, don't I get a 'thank you'?" He asks. When I'm silent he says, "Please, just talk to me."

"I thought you didn't want to talk to me. You've been silent in Science."

"Only because you refused to say a word to me." He says. We stop walking but he keeps the umbrella over me, letting the rain soak him. His voice drops to a whisper and I can barely hear him over the thunder. "What can I do to get you to forgive me?"

"I..." I take a breath and realize something. "I already have. I just have a hard time forgetting it." I can't get the picture of him and that girl kissing out of my head. "I wish we could go back like it never happened, but we can't."

"Just give me another chance."

"How can I be sure you won't do it again?" I ask. "I'm...not ready."

"How much time could you possibly need?" He says in exasperation, his voice rising. "It's been a month and I haven't even looked at another girl. But the longer you keep me waiting, the less I'm gonna try for you. I'm getting tired of you dragging this out, frankly. Forgive me or don't. Don't keep me in between." His voice breaks.

"Don't you know it's killing me too?" I say, voicing my thoughts for the first time in a month. "Every time I see you in the hallway, or in science, or laughing with all your friends, I'm reminded that we're not together. And I'm reminded why. And all I want to do is run to you and pretend none of this ever happened but I can't. Because I can't trust you anymore."

His big, hazel eyes are filled with regret. He's silent for a long time. I hear the late bell ring in the distance, and the campus becomes deserted. I don't care. "At least let me explain what actually happened that day." He takes my silence as an okay to continue. "The girl at the café, she was my waitress for a few days. She flirted with me a few times and gave me her number, but I never called or texted. I never flirted back. Then one day she decided to sit down with me during her break. I tried to be polite and make small talk, but the next thing I know she was kissing me. I pushed her away and then you were there in front of me."

I want to believe him. It seems like he's telling the truth, but I don't know what to say. He speaks before I get the chance. "Can we try again?"

I look at him for a long time, the rain coming down in sheets around us. My clothes are soaked through and my hair is dripping wet, but that's the least of my concerns. His hazel eyes search mine, waiting for an answer.

"Okay."