The Phantom Heartbeat

Chapter 10: When you least expect it

I saw my blurry reflection in the liquor in front of me. It had been 2 weeks since the time we decided to take a break, and it hadn't been easy for me. Whatever I did, wherever I went: she was on my mind constantly, from the moment I opened my eyes in the morning until the time I closed them at night. I clenched the glass, took a swig and aggressively put it back down again.

The bar was deserted. Only one other guest occupied a seat in the corner, his trench coat slung over the backrest as he casually lighted a cigarette. My head felt numb, my mind kept drifting off to her, wherever she was at the moment. The bartender went to the back to get something and left me alone with my thoughts.

The sound of the front door opening, the sound of light feet stepping swiftly over the floor. I didn't bother to look. Not until she called out to me, that is.

''Hey!'' a cheerful voice said happily. I looked to my right. A girl quickly rushed over to me, her blonde curls dancing around her shoulders, her chest bouncing ever so slightly as her green eyes were fixed upon the sad human being sitting behind the bar. I knew who this was.

It was Violet, Diana's step-sister, who was the same age as I was - unlike Diana, who was two years younger. She halted in front of me, and her smile quickly disappeared as she saw the mood that radiated from me. ''What's wrong?'' she asked worriedly. I looked away, at the bar, at my glass. A lump started to form in my throat, preventing me to speak.

''Diana and I, we. . .'' that was all I managed to utter. She slowly climbed upon the stool next to me and didn't say anything for a while. ''Did you guys break up?'' she at last asked carefully. ''Kinda'', I squeaked. As the bartender noticed a new customer had come in, Violet ordered a drink. I opened my mouth to do the same, but she placed a hand on my arm, shaking her head.

''Don't.''

I closed my mouth again, as Violet took a sip from her drink. We sat there like that for a while, in silence, both thinking. ''She didn't tell me'', Violet said. ''I'm so sorry. I always liked you guys together.'' My eyes started to sting. She looked at me. ''If there's anything I ca-'', she started, when suddenly her phone started to ring. ''I'll be right back'', she assured me with a smile, and took the call.

Her voice seemed very far away, as I covertly took a swig from her glass. Diana. Diana. Diana. Her name resounded through my mind. Her figure covered my eyes: my skin burned, longing for her touch. It was as if I was living in some form of extended nightmare, refusing to wake up. Some kind of sleep paralysis.

''Aw come on, really? You can't be serious. . .'' Violet exclaimed somewhere in the distance.

One tear escaped my eye when she joined me again at the bar. I casually tried to wipe it away, but she noticed. She looked troubled, but then she smiled at me, as if she'd come up with something.

''My friend just called. We were supposed to go to a concert tomorrow, but something urgent came up and now she can't make it - but now I have an extra ticket and I don't know what to do with it!'' she cried, feigning desperation. ''That's a shame'', I mumbled, while I placed my cheek on my hand.

She looked at me with a tired look. ''If only there were someone I knew who was willing to go with me!'' she tried again, placing her hand over her eyes, but glancing at me through her fingers. ''I'm sure you have lots of friends who'd love to join you'', I said with a lame voice.

She suddenly stood up, her hands upon her hips. ''Hey'', she snapped, but when I didn't move an inch, she grabbed my collar and came really close to my face, so I could smell her perfume and feel her breath on my lips. I started to blush lightly as her fiery green eyes stared at me menacingly.

''Listen'', she said slowly. ''You and I are going tomorrow. 6 PM at the train station. Got it?'' she finished with an authoritarian tone. Sheepish, I nodded slowly.

She smiled as she let me go. ''Good. See you tomorrow then'', after which she finished her drink in one go and left the bar. I stared at the door, my brain working overtime as I tried to process what the hell just happened.

In the corner of the room, a cigarette was being lit casually.