call me again → cmbyn ✔

3- the other end of the line

oliver ✰° ✧ ⁎ ·˙․

love is a funny thing, it can take you down one road and then up another. i was in love, or so i thought i was. summer might have been an experiment for me.

i didn't mean to hurt elio, i just didn't want to tell him that i had a lady waiting for me back home. it wasn't cheating as we were on a break but as soon as i got home i proposed to her, there was no more confusion.

she was hesitant already, so i decided to not tell her about elio and i. but soon she was asking all about italy and as far as she knows me and elio were; close.

i'm not sure how we got to the conversation, but next summer me and my fiancé are going to go over to italy and stay with elio and his family again, we may even do the ceremony there.

it's been a few days since i called elio. i called again and his father answered the phone. that's when we organised us coming over again, he told me that elio needed grieving time after the news. i had to force myself not to cringe at the thought of his pain.

it broke my heart that i'd hurt him, but i'm in love. i know if elio were here he'd say that he's in love with me but things happen and he's a smart enough boy to understand.

back in the US, i got a job as a college professor. i do different lectures on different things but it's all a blur, because of all the kids i teach i only see elio.

it's not because of love, it's because we understood each other. he was my soulmate, but in a friend way, 'platonic'. i just needed to talk to him.

"ollie" i heard a feminine voice. i turned my head towards the door, immediately leaving my cloud of thought.

"oh, hey love" i said softly and sent a small smile in the direction of my fiancé.

"what're doing in here?" she asked me, coming a little closer and perching in the seat next to me. we were in the living room where she did her art work, we had two living rooms and so there was no need for me to be in here. i just needed some time away from the trail of emotion that followed me everywhere i went.

"just admiring your work" i lied and kissed her head, bringing her closer to me. the truth was, that she painted from images i described to her from italy. when i came in here, it was like reliving my time, before the inevitable end.

"aw, i love you" she chuckled and placed a kiss on my cheek. i rose from my seat and stuck out my hand to bring her up with me. we walked through the hall together hand in hand.

now, you may be wondering how i could come back from italy and jump straight back into this relationship, and truth be told i don't know how i did it. i guess i missed the feeling of a woman. i'm definitely straight, no doubt about it, i guess i was just confused during our break.

we met in high school, freshman year. i was the jock that was also top of my class, every girl fell for me (even a few boys) but i chose her because she was special. dark brown hair, considerably smaller than i was and just all cute and helpless.

we fell right in love, but it all came tumbling down when she had an affair with our neighbour. i was confused at first, thinking it was all my fault. so i got into my study and began on my way to becoming a college professor, which is why i applied to the summer internship with elio and his family.

when i got back, i felt so lonely and she'd been living with her parents who adore me and her together. it just felt wrong that we were apart so i let her back into my life and a few months later here we are engaged.

"oliver, why do you keep daydreaming my love" she asked me, i came back to reality and saw the beautiful woman in front of me, holding my hands.

"sorry dear, just got a lot on my mind" i admitted, opening the door to our shared room and walking to the window, peering out. i couldn't help but wonder how elio was doing, but i dare not call again to find out.

"well talk to me, i am your fiance after all" she chuckled and wrapped her arms round my waist, her head coming to the side of my shoulder.

"just, about work and all" i lied, i keep lying to her. i turn in her arms so we're facing each other and press a soft kiss to her lips. she smiles as we both pull away, i get a strange feeling being with her, different to with elio.

"we should go visit your family soon, they've been asking me when they get to see you." she said. my eyebrows drew together

"i'm not seeing them, they hate me being Jewish. plus they'll want to celebrate christmas which i don't do" i told her, she knew all this already so i don't know why she's bringing it up again.

"alright oliver" she said and detached herself from my arms. she sighed and sat on our bed.

"i want to celebrate christmas, so maybe ill go spend it with my family, and you can go to italy and spend it with your other family" she said, a slight venom in her voice.

"i won't apologise for what i believe in" my hand scratched the back of my neck

"i didn't ask you to" she looked to the ground, clearly guilty.

"okay, well what are we going to do then?" i ask quietly. i don't understand why we're fighting about something that had never been a problem before.

"i don't know oliver, i don't know"

my name seemed foreign coming from her mouth, after the six weeks it's spent in someone else's. why can't i get him off my mind, it wasn't love, i hope it wasn't.

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[editing sarah]
this seems to be the chapter that triggered everyone (sorry about that friends)

word count: 1071