The writer and the boxer - a sweet romance

Chapter 10

"Please forgive my stupidity. I should have known that you were a stranger to your neighbours"

The text came through on what should have been day 30 but it was 5 days too late. I refused to reply and opted to glance the way of his female friend's apartment.

He was standing on the balcony with eyes raised toward where he pictured I should've been, which I was secretly. I glanced away and back to my laptop where I was trying to put my thoughts into perspective. Feeling my deadline crawling closer, with hopes of finishing off the book. I knew who would be able to help and so my mobile was in my hand once again as I speed dialed my friend Michelle.

"Mich he was apartment sitting for a girl"

"Hi Miche. How are you doing?" I heard the exasperation in her voice.

"Sorry, I'm being selfish. How are you honestly?"

She sighed before answering.

"It's been hectic and I'm considering going to court and 'wow'."

"Yeah, wow is right"

"So it was the model I was talking about"

"Ahm, I still don't know actually"

"What??"

"I didn't bother to listen to yet another explanation"

"Wait, he was trying to explain and you shot him down?"

"Well yeah Michelle. He didn't even mention her from the get-go"

Her voice became calmer, "Maybe he thought you knew who lived where you saw him?" she said more speculatively than questioningly.

"Maybe," I fumbled out my answer, "but he could have still spelt it out or written it in neon." I had found back my angry voice.

"Not everyone is Tony, Jen. Not everyone has a 'dirty little secret'"

I could hear the concern in her words and the pain of the memory found its way to my lungs and stilled my breathing for a moment.

Tony was years ago and here I am still unable to conjure a proper stream of breathing by just hearing his name.

I survived his world but not before living a big fat lie. He said those same words to me, 'I love thick women', but had a slim woman on his arm the day he announced his engagement while I was part of the crowd thinking I was the one he wanted to spend his life with. That shock knocked me back to reality and I sadly let go of 3 years of being a 'big fat dirty well-kept secret'. Not even his fiancee knew about me, well not in the capacity of a long-term relationship. She knew me as I had helped him bring his company to success while I used to be a subcontracted analyst but now I'm following my dream to being a writer.

I used to see her in the hallway and in passing but never once surmounted it to a relationship with the man who snuggled into my dimpled booty while hands massaged the Double D's. Her small frame never seemed a threat while we copulated or when we were enjoying each others company, but to keep up such a pretense for 3 years? That changed my entire lifestyle and self-esteem.

I shrugged my shoulders and said my 'see you later'. I hung up my mobile, a bit irritated with the memory and also with how I had handled things. 'It was always better to nip it in the bud,' I said to myself, content with my decision.