Past vs. Present

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I wake up and check the time, noon. I get up and head to the bathroom. I do the morning routine and take a shower. Now I smell fruity! Okay. I go and change into a pair of grey joggers and a green tank top, then I go and work on unpacking the rest of the boxes. The place is pretty nice. Just one bedroom, a cozy living room and a kitchen. It’s not too big but I don’t really need a big flat, considering it’s just me for right now. Once I’m all unpacked it looks pretty good. It’s got more of a red and white color scheme and I love those colors together. I feel like this place really fits me. It’s about 6 in the evening now so I should really grab a bite to eat. I need to go grocery shopping but that can wait until tomorrow. I slip on a pair of black converse and pull my streaked hair up into a high ponytail. I slip on a grey jumper and walk out the door after grabbing my purse. I go to the storage place and drop off the moving truck. “Um is there a bus stop or something around here?” I ask the lady at the counter, handing her the key to the truck. “Just down the street lovie” she said. She was about 60 and had the warm smile of a happy grandmother. My grandmother would always give me that smile. The kind of smile that gave you hope, the kind of smile that warmed you straight to the heart. I thank her and head out of the little returns building. I then walk down the street and see the faded bus stop sign. Just as I approach it the bus that was loading pulls away. “Wait!” I yell. “Hold on I need on!” I scream, desperately trying to get the drivers attention. The bus goes straight passed me, so I’m forced to wait for the next bus to come around. I sigh and walk over to the bench and take a seat. I look up at the sky and see the clouds gathering. “Bloody hell” I mutter to myself as it starts to rain, softly at first until it starts to pour. I pull my knees up to my chest in an attempt to warm myself up. “Need a lift?” I hear a nasal voice ask. I look up and it’s the last person I expected to see. “Marcel?” I ask, tilting my head. “Yes. Now you’re going to get sick if you stay out here. So do you want a ride?” he asks me. “No. I’m good, the bus should be here anytime I think.” I say. I really don’t want to go with him, he seems a bit weird. “Come on Jay, if you looked at the schedule you’d see it comes in a half hour so unless you want to get pneumonia I suggest you come with me.” He says and makes a little snort thing at the end. I sigh and lift myself off of the bench. “Fine” I huff and get into the passenger seat of his car. “So where are you headed to?” he asks. “I don’t know. I was hoping to find some restaurant in town, I’ve got to eat something” I say. “Alright, I know a good place to eat just outside of town.” Marcel says in his annoying voice. I’m trying not to be rude but honestly dude, get a cough drop or something to clear that up. “Okay” I say and look out the window. I watch the rain drops slide down the window, and smiled at the scene of a couple with their young child, the child splashing in a rain puddle, the parents smiling, a look of love in their eyes as they watch their small daughter. I sigh, not even realizing it, but Marcel- who I’d forgotten was there- noticed my sigh. “Are you alright?” he asks me. “I uh yeah. I’m just fine.” I say, looking away from the window. One day that’ll be me, holding on to the man I love and who loves me back, watching our child proudly. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice we were here until the car had stopped. “We’re here.” Marcel quietly exclaims. I nod and say a quick thank you and get out of the car. I look up to see a small diner. I open the door and a smell engulfs me. It smells delicious, like when your mother cooks you a home meal full of spices. I smile to myself as I walk into an empty booth and wait for a server to come over. “Hi welcome to Cindy’s my names Mark what would you like to drink?” a man, probably in his thirties asks. “Um.. I’ll have a lemonade.” I say as he hands me a menu. He nods and walks away to get my drink. I open up the menu and look at the dinner options. As I skim through I see something that catches my eye. Something I haven’t had for ages. Meatloaf. I used to love that stuff. Yup that’ll be what I get. The little bell attached to the door at the front of the diner rings and I look up out of curiosity. I see the person I’ve been seeing too much of the past two days. “Um Jay you left your purse in my car, so I thought I’d bring it to you” he says, handing me my red purse. “Thanks” I say awkwardly, setting the bag next to me. I just realized how much I owe this guy. I mean think about it, he gave me his spare tire, he gave me a ride when I was out in the rain and now he brings me my purse. I don’t like it when I owe someone. “Mind if I join you?” Marcel asks squeakily. Oh god. “Sure” I say and he sits in the booth across from me. I owe him a bit less now I guess. The waiter comes back with my lemonade and asks what Marcel wants to drink. “I’ll take a cup of tea.” He says. He goes off to get Marcel’s tea and we just sit here in silence. “So are you just moving to London? You were in a moving truck yesterday” Marcel asks. “Yeah. I just moved here from Cheshire.” I say and he nods. “Me too. But I moved here about a week ago” he says, with a bit of sadness overcoming hi features. “Where from?” I ask. “Cheshire, Holmes Chapel to be specific.” He says quietly. “Hey! I’m from Holmes Chapel too. I’m surprised we never knew each other until now” I say thoughtfully. Although I know why I never knew him. Most of the people I knew were clubbers just like me. That doesn’t really seem like Marcel’s kind of crowd. He just hums in agreement and it’s silent until Mark brings his tea over. “Do you guys know what you’d like to eat?” he asks. I look at Marcel and he nods. “I’ll have the meatloaf” I say, handing him my menu. “And I’ll have the same thing” he says, also handing in his menu. Mark nods and walks away. “So why did you move?” I ask, trying to ease the uncomfortable silence that has taken over. “Oh. Well my mum died in an accident, and I couldn’t just stay there. Where everything reminded me of her.” Marcel explains. I nod. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did she die?” I ask, curious. He nods. “We were driving home one night, and there was a car swerving down the road, the driver was most likely drunk. They swerved into our lane, and slammed right into us. My mum died on impact, I just got a few cuts. But the worst part is that the driver was so selfish, so cowardly, that they just drove away. Didn’t even check to see if we were okay.” Marcel explains, hatred burning in his eyes, towards the person who did that. What he doesn’t know, is that person is me. “That’s awful.” I say, meaning it too. “Excuse me I have to use the ladies room.” I say. He nods and I head to the small restroom in the back of the diner. I step in, lock the door and splash some water in my face. I dry myself off and look at myself in the mirror, coming to the realization. I not only killed someone. I killed the boy who has been nothing but nice to me these past two days mum. I killed Marcel’s mum. I calm myself down and do back to the booth where Marcel is sitting. The next thing I do surprised us both. I slide in next to him and give him a big hug. Not a regular hug, this is too much of a big deal to give a regular hug. The kind of hug that allows you to know someone cares. And I do care. I care because I killed someone who meant so much to him, and he didn’t deserve it. I pull away and go back to my seat. We just sit there in silence, looking at each other until the food comes. I think he has green eyes, but I can’t tell. Mark sets down our order and looks at us, observing us both. “I’ve never seen a couple where the two are so different until now.” He says, looking at us once more. My eyes widen. “No, we’re not a couple” I say, at almost the same time as Marcel. Mark’s face flushes. “Oh well I assumed, and the way you were hugging earlier and I’ll just shut up and allow you to enjoy your meal” he stammers out and walks away. I just laugh and start cutting my meatloaf. Could you imagine? Me and Marcel dating? That would possibly be the most dysfunctional couple ever. He’s so nerdy and put together, while I’m more tough looking and laid back. There would be more bickering with that than there would if you put a middle aged divorced couple in the same room. Honestly how would you assume that? I start eating my meatloaf and smile to myself as I swallow the first bite. “What is it?” Marcel asks, referring to my smile. “I haven’t had meatloaf in so long, not since my mum would make it. That was probably about 4 years ago.” I say, remembering coming home to the warm smell of meatloaf every Monday night. “Why’d she stop?” he asks. I sigh. “She had her reasons” I snap. He just gives me an odd look and goes back to his meatloaf. We finish in silence and after about 5 minutes of bickering I pay for the dinner. We walk out of the diner and Marcel looks at me. “Do you need a ride home?” he asks. “Um. Yeah if it’s not a trouble” I say. “Oh it’s fine” he smiles and we walk over to his car. I tell him where I live and we head off. “I love this song!” I say, turning up the radio to have Royals by Lorde playing loudly. I dance in my seat and me and Marcel laugh and for the first time in a while, I am genuinely having a good time. After a few more songs and much more bad dancing, we arrive at my building. “Well bye. Thanks” I say, not sure if I’m thanking him for the ride, the tire, or giving me a real reason to laugh. But for whatever reason, maybe all three, I thank him. “It’s no problem” he says with one of those weird nasal snorts at the end. I laugh and head off to my flat. It’s on the first floor so it only takes about a minute to get there. I sigh, walking through the door, changing into a pair of grey cotton shorts and a white crop top with the English Flag on it. I go to grab my phone out of my purse and realize I left my purse in Marcel’s car again. Not caring about how I’m dressed, I slip on a pair of flip flops and go out to see if he’s still there. I shiver as I take in the chilly London weather, but brush it off seeing that white SUV I was recently in. “Marcel!” I yell as he pulls up to me. “I see you’ve forgotten something again?” he says nasally, handing me my purse. “Thank you. It seems like I’m thanking you a bit too much huh?” I say, maybe cracking a smile. “Um. Yeah” he says, his voice had gotten noticeably deeper and raspier. I look to where his gaze is at and I notice him staring at my exposed legs. “Marcel! My eyes are up here big boy!” I say laughing as he snaps his head up, a blush spreading across his cheeks. “Well I’ll see you around maybe” I say and he nods. I watch as he pulls away and head back into my flat. Well today was… interesting you could say.

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How was it you lovlies? I hope you enjoyed it! I don't really have much of an authors note so yeah.

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EAT NOODLES AND TALK WITH AN ITALIAN ACCENT