The Bad Boy's Decision

Chapter 7: Harmless coffee?

"Bullshit! There's no such thing as a 'harmless coffee' when it involves an ex who you just so happen to still be in love with." gloats Anna, sending me a knowing look and shaking her head, disapprovingly.

I puff out an exhausted breath and throw my hands in the air in mock surrender.

"Jesus, Anna. I had coffee with him, it hardly calls for a patronising head shake." I retort, feeling slightly pissed off at her belittling stare.

She too throws her hands in the air in a dramatic manner, emphasising just how unhappy she is with the situation.

"He's engaged to another woman, Amelia! Why the fuck is he asking you to go get coffee with him in the first place?" she asks, her voice getting much louder now.

Deciding I don't have to listen to her anymore, I enter my kitchen and throw last nights dress, along with Aidan's shirt into my washing machine, setting the dials for a 'quick wash'.

After arriving home this morning, I found Anna in my apartment, eating my food and watching my T.V, seemingly taking advantage of the 'spare key for emergencies' I'd given her when I first moved in six months ago. I made the honest mistake of telling her about my 'coffee date' with Aidan and she didn't take the news all that well. Thank goodness I kept the whole 'Aidan accidentally admitting he loves me' fiasco under wraps; she'll lose her shit if she finds out.

Entering my kitchen, she casually leans against the doorframe and exhales a steady breath.

"Look Amelia, I don't mean to be a bitch, I just don't think you two meeting up alone is a good idea. You'll only get even more hurt." she admits in a much softer tone now.

Pressing the 'start' button on the machine, I go to stand up and rest both my hands on the counter top, sighing as I do so.

"He's marrying another woman Anna, I don't think it's possible to get 'even more hurt'." I reply, in a sad tone that has me cringing from the inside, out.

"Amelia." comes Anna's soft and gentle reply which, in turn, only annoys me more.

"Please don't pity me, this whole thing is my doing. I'm the one who broke up with him four years ago; he moved on and rightly so. I have no right to feel anything but happy for him and I'm trying, I'm really trying to but it just hurts so much seeing him with her." I say, feeling the familiar sting forming from behind my eyes.

Anna doesn't hesitate in moving from the doorway and has me wrapped up in a bone crunching hug in a matter of seconds. The action has me fighting back the urge to cry even more as every single emotion I've been bottling up these last twenty four hours comes rushing back, with a vengeance. It's almost as if the reality of the situation suddenly hits me in the face and I allow my heart to break all over again at the sad realisation of having lost him forever. Unable to hold it in any longer, I completely break down on Anna's shoulder, expressing my pain and suffering through my cries.

"Shh, you're okay, I'm right here." she whispers, softly in my ear while gently stroking my hair in a comforting way. "I'll look after you, I promise." she admits, a sense of desperation leaking through.

Her words remind me of Aidan's plea to her yesterday and somehow only manages to make me feel even worse. I pull away from her embrace and stare into her blue eyes which now resemble cold ice.
I can sense she's worried, through both seeing and feeling it radiating off of her in waves of unbearable amounts and the look of utter concern in her eyes is quite frankly the cherry on top. I try and offer her a reassuring smile while wiping at my tears but judging by the sympathetic look that follows, I assume I've only succeeded in worrying her further.