The Lonely People

Chapter 9- Just Listen

"The way you walk into a room may seem normal to most, but to me, it's like finally catching your breath after you've lost it. Your embrace is something history books will write about one day. You could carry the Atlantic in your arms with ease, if needed. And your heart. Your heart is what amazes me, it's something I wonder if even a god could create. Your love is what man works their entire life to find. It's the kind of thing you could lean the world on. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love every inch of your existence."

 

-Unknown

 

Chapter 9- Just Listen

Listening to your favorite song can make you feel you can do anything you ever wanted to. You could rule the world, talk to your crush for the first time, approach a stranger and light up his/her day, anything you can imagine. It has the power to do that. It can make your day so much better by just listening to it once.

I felt that today. After last night, I wasn't quite myself. Caitlin had left to go back to Juilliard for the next few months until Christmas. Her parents couldn't afford for her to come here for all of the other breaks that she got. But I think I could manage just a few months without her. But after she left, I reminisced all of the great times I had with her and my father, the two most important people in my life. I had to get out of the house so I went to my usual place at the coffee shop and read my favorite book, Summer at Tiffany written by Majorie Hart.

It is a memoir based in the 1930's during World War II where a woman, Majorie, and her best friend work at the famous and expensive jewelry store over the summer. She falls in love with man in the war. Her life seemed so simple yet beautiful. The only thing she ever had to worry about was her relationship with her boyfriend and if he would return from the war. I've always wanted to live back in those times when all of the women wore those big fancy hats, gloves on their hands and dresses for every occasion. I loved how everything was so cheap, you could get a piece of candy just for a few cents and any clothing was just a dollar or two, depending on where you would get it. I wanted my life to be as simple as that, but of course, that wish would never ever come true. I was stuck here with a best friend who wasn't even remotely close to me, a father who sometimes forgets who I am, and a stalker who wasn't very subtle, coming straight towards me.

Zayn was at the edge of my table with a bright smile on his face and a brown paper bag in his left hand.

"Hi Angelica, fancy meeting you here," he said this was too much enthusiasm. He always seemed too happy to see me, and I never understood why. I barely even know the guy and the same for him.

"Hey Zayn." I forced a fake smile towards him because I wasn't in the mood to be bothered; I just wanted to read my book in peace while I drink my coffee.

"So I was thinking, we should hang out sometime, you know, to get to know each other." Oh god, I could not get away from him, I feel like he's everywhere I go. He was nice but he was trying too hard. I couldn't handle it much longer.

"Look Zayn, you're really nice and anyone would be so lucky to be with you but I don't have time for relationship at the moment. I've got too much on my plate as it is and I can't have a relationship to add onto that. I just can't right now. I am really sorry."

He started to nod slowly as if it just came to him what I just said.

"I think I understand, but you don't have to make something up to get out of hanging out with me, if you didn't want to you could've just said so." And with that he left and rushed out the door. Even though I didn't know him enough to run to him, I did anyways.

I quickly ran out the door to catch up to him but he was already half way down the block.

"Zayn please just listen to me! Please!" I knew he could hear me, the streets where quite, like always and we were the only two people in sight. "Zayn I can explain why I said what I said, and I could explain if you could let me!" Once I finished my sentence, he turned around and was coming straight towards me. His eyes were set straight on me, the anger was clear as day in his eyes. But he had no right to be angry because we didn't know each other enough to even have this conversation. I was getting a little self-conscious about myself so I pulled my cardigan closer to my body and crossed my arms.

“You didn’t have to lie to me like that! What was the reason for that? You didn’t want to hurt my feelings? Is that it? I can take it okay, I’d rather you tell me the truth than you lie to me! That hurts, okay. Because I really like you, and I don’t want you to keep lying to me.” He paused and sighed and seemed to take everything in. I was about to answer him to tell him the real reason I couldn’t be with him, but before I started to, he turned around and started to walk away, but I wouldn’t let him do that to me again.

“Woah, you don’t get to do that again, it’s my turn to argue. I have two points to make okay, and you have to listen to me because I listened to you. My first point, I don’t know you enough to actually go on a date with you.”

“But that’s-“I cut him off to finish what I was saying.

“Let me finish. It takes me a while to actually feel comfortable with someone new. That’s why I only have one friend in my life, and that is for reasons for later. I know you asked me to hang out with you to get to know me but that is too fast for me and if you really want to get to know me you’re gonna have to wait. Point two, I actually don’t have time for a relationship right now. And because I actually think you’re a decent guy, I’m going to tell you why. I don’t normally tell people this but my father has Alzheimer’s. I have to take care of him and a relationship won’t fit with what I have to do to make sure he’s okay. He is my first priority, and I would never abandon him.”

There was a long pause for a while, with Zayn and me staring at the ground. I really hoped he understood my father would go before anyone else, possibly even Caitlin.

Just as I was starting to think we would never get onto the next conversation, Zayn spoke up.

“I’m sorry Angelica. I shouldn’t have assumed anything so fast. That was wrong of me and I hope you’ll forgive me. I do want to get to know you and if you want time, then I’ll give you all the time you need. I’ll try my hardest not to pry into your life, but there are no promises.” He winked at me and started to move closer to me. Just as we were only mere inches apart from touching, I literally pushed him away. I set my hands on his chest and gave him a gentle push back.

“I thought you understood my conditions. It is going to take time. More time than you think.” 

Woop! I finished another chapter! And I’m starting to have second thoughts about this story even though it’s getting more and more reads every day but I mean if you guys actually like where this is going then I shall keep writing for youJ well I have to be writing more now for another story. I’m starting two more books called the pink straightener and flight 347. You’ll see what they’re about sometime in the futureJ