Texting / Shawn Mendes

Unexpected.

How can everything change so unexpectedly? How can two people who talk, text and see each other every day just destroy the bond between them? Why are we so selfish that we don’t let our ego aside and work on our relationships? Why do we cut people out of our lives and put others in, instead of only adding people? Well, I don’t know. We are human beings, selfish, imperfect people who make choices without taking into consideration the consequences.

I feel betrayed. Leaving everything behind for someone is not an easy decision, but when that someone is truly important to you, you take the risk thinking that he feels the same, that he’s actually willing to do the same for you. I’m ‘locked’ in hotels while he’s out having fun with Emily and the guys, and I’m wondering why am I even here?

Being in a desperate need of seeing other people, I get ready and leave the hotel. Walking around holding my bag and my favorite novel, I’m looking for a quiet place to spend my evening. Fortunately, there is a small café next to our hotel and I walk in.

There are only a couple sitting at the corner and a group of guys sitting at the table in the center of the small café. The walls are painted in different shades of blue and pleasant music is playing from the speakers that are hanging in every corner of the room. In the back of the café is the cashier and behind it there is a pink haired girl with a nose ring and a barista uniform. As soon as her eyes meet me she smiles and stands up from the small chair that she was sitting on. "Welcome to memories. What would you like to drink?" she asks when I reach the counter.
She takes my order and I place my book on the counter as I'm looking through my bag for my purse.
She stares down at my book and the smile on her face gets bigger.
"This is my favourite book."
"It's my favourite as well.
I've read it way too many times to the point that I know every conversation between the characters." I laugh and she does as well.
"Me too."  and she continues making my drink.
When I pay for my drink she says "I'm Sophie by the way."
"Malia. Nice to meet you." I reply and shake her hand.
I take my drink and my book and sit at the table near the window. I drink my coffee and stare outside where people are walking in rush to their works since it's a Monday morning. There is a street musician playing his accordion and people gather around him enjoying his music. Kids play together at the corner with a ball and I enjoy the view, remembering how much fun I had last summer with my cousins in their pool. I text my mom, asking her about my grandmother's health and if dad came back home.
When I have enough of people’s quick lifestyles, I start reading my book. Hours later and I decide to take a break.

“Malia?” a surprised voice calls my name and I look up from my book. It’s Grayson.

“Grayson?” I walk towards him and hug him.

“What are you doing here?” we both ask at the same time.

“Small world.” I say and smile at him. His green eyes scanning me and he returns the gesture.

“Yeah. Are you here by yourself?” he asks looking at the table where I was sitting.

“Yeah.” I reply and keep my gaze at the wooden floor.

“Oh cool want to walk around a little?”

“Sure.” I grabbed my bag and my book, said goodbye to Sophie and left the café.

We walk around the busy streets and Grayson is talking about his small argument with his girlfriend, asking for my opinion and how to make up for her. I am actually jealous of their relationship. They both made mistakes but they are both trying to find solutions. That’s how a healthy relationship is.
I change the subject as soon as I realize that Grayson is trying to ask me if I am in a relationship since I honestly don’t even know anymore.

We walk around but I stop as soon as I see him. Him with Emily. I should turn around and walk away… he hasn’t seen me yet. But I can’t. It's like my feet are glued and my eyes can't look anywhere else but him. I’m staring at them. My mouth is shaped in an ‘o’ as I look at them talk and laugh. I almost wish he saw me, I almost wish he came and talk to me.

My heart hurts at the thought of them together and the time stops when his eyes meet mine. It feels like there is no one else around but him, it suddenly feels like the streets are empty and it's just him and me, despite the fact that we are in the busiest area of the town.
He stops talking and stares at me as well. Grayson place his hand on my shoulder asking me if I am okay.

Shawn’s eyes lay on Grayson and his face drops. Emily turns and looks at the direction that Shawn is looking at. Her long blonde hair flying back away from her face as her smile drops and a shocked expression paints her delicate face.

I turn to Grayson and tell him that there is a small restaurant at the corner that we can go. He agrees and we leave. I’m walking away but his face is all I think of. Every memory of us, every conversation we ever had and every lame joke we ever said, fly away in front of me, making a knot in my stomach and the idea of leaving him becomes a reasonable option.

Someone pulls me back abruptly and I fall hard on my back. I'm lying on the ground, my head is spinning and I almost don't want to get up again.
I look up confused and Grayson is looking at me worried.

“Malia? What are you doing? Are you trying to kill yourself?!” he offers his hand to help me stand on my feet again and I accept it. He must have seen my confused expression and he sighs.

“You almost got hit by a bus.”

What?

“Oh.” Is all I manage to say.

We keep walking towards the restaurant without talking. We found a table and we sit.

A few minutes pass by until I finally give up.
I couldn’t hold my tears anymore. I started crying and Grayson walks me outside the restaurant. I keep crying but my eyes never leave the floor. It seems that I do this a lot lately.

When I run out of tears, I apologize to him and he smiles. I look at him and he opens his arm for me to hug him and I happily do so. We sit at a bench and I talk to him about the boy who made me a hot mess.