Not A Second Time

Chapter 4

George’s POV:

We walked into the bar, catching Tessa and Shyla on their way out. Isn’t this lovely? “Oy!” Ringo yelled. I sighed; I thought we decided to give this a rest for the night. The two girls came over.

“You two!” Tessa yelled. “Stay out of Cleo’s life, you’re scaring her, and she shouldn’t be hurt more than you already did.”

“But…”

“Enough of it! You can just strut into her life, thinking you can woo her and win her back. Snap out of your little fantasy, whoever you are, you already broke her heart once.”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Well then why did you do it? Why are you back? Wasn’t seeing her broken, helpless and crying once enough? Why do you have to put her through this again, she loves someone else!”

“First of all, the name’s Ringo, and I’m not going to hurt her.”

“Damn right you’re not. We’re not going to give you a chance to do that.”

With that, they left the bar. Ringo took a step towards the door when I grabbed his collar. “That isn’t the best choice, maybe you should just let her blow off steam tonight.” He thought about it for a second and headed over to the bar. Finally, I thought. That’s all the drama I can take in one night.”

We both just got a regular beer, and I decided to talk to him about this. “Hey Rings, are you sure about her?”

He looked at me, surprised. “Of course I’m sure,” he replied. “Why?”

“Well, you’re getting involved with a married woman. That might not be the best path to choose.”

He sighed. “I have to try. I’m not going to give in so easily because another guy is standing in the way.”

I nod and take a swig of my beer. I hope Ringo knows what he’s getting into.

Cleo’s POV:

I sit and wait patiently on my couch, bundled in my blankets. The door opened and Shyla and Tessa sat next to me. “How are you feeling?” Tessa asked. I shrugged and she sat the loaf of bread on my lap. I smile and open the package, taking out a slice and shoving it in my mouth. I don’t know why, but whenever my emotions are acting up, I turn to bread. Maybe it’s the fluffy texture, or maybe the fact it has little to no taste but still make me feel better that makes me want it. It’s better than wanting junk food.

As I take another slice out, Shyla asked “So what’s your story with him?” I feel a tear rising up, but I don’t let it escape. I take another quick bite of my bread before answering.

“When I first moved to Liverpool, I was just a weird girl. So one of my so called ‘friends’ wanted to take me somewhere. So I got on a dress and she said we were going to see a movie. Instead, she led me into a bar. She and some other girls pretty much made me have a few drinks, it was the first time I had drank. They later left me. Some band had been playing the entire night, and the drummer came up to me. He introduced himself, and I let him buy me a drink or two. I had no idea how to get home from there, so I told him my address and he knew where the area was. So he offered to walk me home. When we got to my house, he just grabbed me and kissed me. It was wonderful, and he said he wanted to see me sometime. So we started going out. Roughly about a year later, we went to a film. He was acting strange. When we got to my house, he broke up with me. I moved away the next month because I was getting teased for being dumped by a member in a band, I was heartbroken and I was depressed. So we came back here, and I met you two.”

I realized I was on the edge of tears, so bit into my bread. As soon as Shyla said “That’s horrible!” I lost it. I started balling and balling. It took them a moment to ask “Cleo – do you still have feelings for him?” I shrugged.

“You’re married!” Tessa exclaimed.

“Yes, but Allen is never here! I never see my own husband, the man I love! I have never even slept with my own husband!” I yelled.

“That’s it; I’m talking to Allen.” Shyla said, making herself comfortable.

“No, he’ll come home late and I hate staying up.”

“I don’t care if he’ll be here at 6 in the morning, I’m talking to him!”

As soon as she yelled that, my neighbor (and close friend) knocked on my door saying “What are you girls yelling about?”

I looked at Tessa and said “Will you go let Calvyn in?” She nodded and went to the door. Calvyn was a close friend to all of us, he was like one of the girls. He came in and looked at me. “Is something wrong Cle?” I lost it again and Tessa and Shyla hit him with a pillow.

“What did I say?” he asked, his hands up in surrender.

Tessa explained the situation to him. He nodded and said “I’m staying with you guys to. If I had a girl as nice as Cleo, I wouldn’t be like that.” He winked at me and I kicked him a bit. He was always like that with all of us.

“I’m sleeping guys. Wake me up when he’s here.” I told them. I laid down and fell asleep.

-------

“Cleo wake up Calvyn looked out the window and saw him in the parking lot!” Tessa said, hitting my sides. I sat up.

“Did he see him?” I asked.

“No, hide.”

We all hid behind the couch. We turned off the light when it happened.

He came in, some girl pretty much on top of him. They didn’t even turn on the lights, they just opened the door and fell on the couch. I was shocked beyond belief.

Calvyn got up and turned on the lights. He recognized the girl, his co-worker. “Riplee?” He asked, shocked.

“Calvyn?” She asked.

I got up, and saw Allen shocked as hell. “Allen?!” I asked, almost screaming, almost crying.

“Cleo, shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

Tessa came out from behind the couch. “Shouldn’t you be with your wife?”

Riplee looked at him. “Wife?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know!” he yelled. “Don’t make me the bad guy, we’re both in this together.”

Shyla decided to blow up on both of them. “ALLEN YOU ARE HAVING A FUCKING AFFAIR WITH YOUR WIFE UNDER HER OWN ROOF, WHICH SHE HAS TO PAY FOR ALL BY HERSELF BECAUSE YOU’RE NO FUCKING HELP. YOU SHOULD JUST GO, SAME WITH THAT TRAMP NAMED RIPLEE!!!” Shyla took them both by theirs shirts and threw them outside, slamming the door.

I couldn’t help but cry. Break down and die. I just fell down. Shyla came over to me and started hugging me. “I guess I was right – he never loved me.”