Cliché Love

#12 Turn on The Love

She sat tapping her feet against the office floor getting her colleagues attention.
"What is it, Emma?" Her friend asked as she stood up to pace the corridor.
"Well, Edward called he wants to talk to me tonight." She replied in a hushed tone, rubbing her forehead in tension.

"So?" Lisa, her friend, failed to see the need to get worked up over a small conversation.
"Well, you know Bob from human resources, I had gone out with him a few days back." She muttered still pacing the carpeted floor.

"Bob? Bob the flirt?" Lisa asked, looking at her incredulously.
"Yes, though nothing happened, we just went to a restaurant, spoke and," She trailed off, remembering that night.

She was having an extremely tough day at office and Edward was giving her a hard time too. All she wanted was to go to her apartment and cuddle her sheets while watching a rom-com. But, life being unfair, she still had two hours to go.

At the peak of her annoyance period, Bob showed up. With all his charm and cunning words. She had avoided the blonde head for years put together but when he came at that moment, she was relieved to hear his lies.

She wanted a break through so when he asked to take her out for dinner, she didn't refuse, though she did think it unprofessional for her to maintain a relationship with the likes of him.
The restaurant they went to was fancy and had all kinds of classy people ranging from celebrities to billionaires, she knew Bob was at a high position but she didn't know how high.

They spoke over their meals. She has seen Edward calling her cell but she refused to let him destroy one day she wanted to live in. Soon it was time to leave, Bob drove her home and just as she was about to get out, he stopped her.

She was shocked at his ragged hand holding her forearm. She looked at him as he leaned in and that's when she realised the intensity of the wrong she had committed.
She immediately pushed him away but wasn't fast enough as he did place his lips on hers.

"And what?" She was immediately brought back to the present as she heard Lisa inquire.
"Well, he tried to kiss me. And he might have even landed a peck." She mumbled back in embarrassment, when she had returned home she was welcomed with Edward sitting on the couch. She was absolutely terrified but he didn't show any sign of anger so, she had inevitably forgotten about it.

"Oh god, Emma." Lisa gasped back, she could feel her friends judgemental eyes on her but she knew that she meant well.
"Yes, know he has been acting weird lately, I think he's going to break it off." I sat back in my office chair feeling guilty tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Emma, just tell him the truth. I know Edward, he'll understand. Don't worry, okay?" Lisa sympathised.
Just as she was going to reply her phone rang displaying an image of her four year boyfriend.
She picked up the call and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"
"Emma! Come down, I'm here."

"I'll be right there." She mumbled back, hanging up.
She looked up at Lisa who still gave her the same look.

"Well, here goes nothing." She whispered as she assembled her things and left for the lift.
"Emma, over here!" She heard him call out to him.

He was dressed in a navy blue suit and a white shirt with a blue tie. He looked like absolute perfection. His hair was pushed back and his eyes shined as he pulled her into a hug.
His cologne caught her by surprise as she lingered in his arms.

"Come on, Em." She didn't know if she was reading into things or he actually did sound a bit off.
She didn't voice her discomfort but followed him to the car.
The car ride was unusually quite with Edward questioning her every once in a while about work.

She gave him monosyllabic answers as she rested her head against the window.
The restaurant they entered was beautiful. She was truly taken aback by the way they had set up the entire hall.

"Wow, Edward. This place is magnificent." She muttered holding on to his arm.
"Come on, I have saved us a seat." He chuckled pulling her to the booth he had booked for them.

The rest of the dinner went on smoothly as her mind strayed from her betrayal.
Just as she was selecting her dessert he looked at her, and she saw him stare into her soul.

"Emma. I have been meaning to ask you." He started but before he could finish, she panicked and blurted out.
"I'm sorry I went out with Bob."
"Who?" The whole world seemed to spin as she saw his face morph into one of pain and suffering.

"I-I," She couldn't form any sentences as he looked at her for an explanation.
"What do you mean, you went with Bob?" He inquired again, hoping she'd give her an answer.

"I don't know why I did. I'm really sorry. I know your upset but nothing happened, I swear." She rambled on, stealing glances at his face.

He just sat their stunned as the Tiffany's box dug into his thigh. He was going to propose today but hearing her wrong doings he knew not what to do.

"Do you, do you-" He struggled to spit out the words as she stopped talking. "Do you like Bob?" He finally asked as her eyes widened in horror.
"No, no, never. I haven't ever spoken to him before, it just happened. I don't like him at all. I only love you." She stated in one breath.

"Why did you go out with him?" He asked, still not satisfied.
"I don't know why, I was having a tough time at work and I didn't know what happened." She didn't know how else to tell him, the look on his face broke her heart a she realised he has no clue about her unsaid betrayal.

"Why didn't you confront me?" Edward looked at her, his heart heaving at her fleeting eyes.

"I don't know. I'm really sorry, Edward. My intentions weren't explicit." She tried to explain her wrongs but she failed as his face still showed the same disheartening look.
"I don't understand, Emma." He muttered. He looked at her once again. Her face looked pained, quite mirroring his.

"I know, Edward. What I did was unforgivable. But please, please do reconsider. I love you, and have for quite a while. No other compares to you." She pulled on his hand and squeezed it but he was fisting something. She turned his hand and gasped at the black velvet box on his palm.

She looked up to him to see him staring at the box.
"Wh- How?" She couldn't form sentences as the weightage of her confessions.

"I thought I'd start our new journey, Emma. You just created our biggest obstacle before we even started the car." He whispered fisting the box and lowering his hand. He didn't meet her eyes and she didn't know what else she could do.

They sat in silence as he paid the bill and got up to leave.
She shivered a little at the cold wind hitting her bare shoulders. It didn't take long for a warm coat to place itself on her shivering form. She was met with his familiar scent and her heart froze at his gesture. He still cared.

Without thinking she knelt down, on the pathway as on goers gave her looks of disdain.
"What are you d-" Edward started to question as he noticed his girlfriend knelt down.

"I love you, Edward Fitzgerald. With all my heart and mind. I know forgiving my mistakes would take years, that's it you try. But please, I'm asking you to give me one more chance. I'll show you. Please." His eyes widened as he immediately pulled her up in her shaking form and hugged her.

"Emma, you don't have to! I'm just shocked, I hadn't expected this. You don't need to do this, I love you too and enough to forgive you for a small misunderstanding. It's just taken me by surprise. I still love you the same. I just wish you hadn't gone into the arms of another man when I could've helped you." He took her face in his arms and looked at her.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, looking at her.

"A million times over."

***********