Hey guys! I'm hoping this will be the best chapter yet because I'm gonna take this one slow. I noticed that my writing is worse because I tend to move very fast, so this migght be longer. Hopefully.
Enjoy!
8:15.
Two hours after Fitz was going to meet me.
Two hours after he claimed that he would tell me something that would turn my world upside down. My foolish heart almost believed that he was going to propose.
But the clock was still ticking.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Pitiful glances were shot to where I was sitting.
Sympathetic whispers where told to others.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
Alone at a candlelit table, alone with an empty wine glass, dressed to impress.
I don't know why I stayed. Why I didn't hold my head high and walk out the door. It was that little shred of useless hope that kept me clinging to his presence. That little thought that maybe he was just stuck in traffic. That he had to take an extra shift at work and he couldn't call because his phone had died.
And so the seat in front of me stayed empty for another hour.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
The restaurant had almost emptied, with the exception of a few stragglers here and there. Even the waiters had resorted to whispering words of reassurance and comfort into my ear. Complementary bread sticks were refilled.
Tick, Tick, Tick.
I glanced at the clock.
9:30.
My eyes burned harshly, tears threatening to be released with with one small sorrow.
They escaped, running down my checks and landing on the locket he had given me on our anniversary.
'To remind me of his love.'
I twiddled it in between my fingers, tracing my fingers along the beautiful flower pattern.
How could I be so foolish? How could I not see through his facade?
The fault is mine. For believing that I would really have one of those fairy tale endings,for ignoring the fact that he was distant and hid his texts from me, for thinking that he loved me as much as I loved him.
I. Should. Have. Known.
I was the smart Sophie Foster, a strong and independent woman who ran her own business and did her own laundry. The woman who had survived as a kid in and out of homes, who strove to be the best of the best in school, who had supportive friends that helped her through it all.
I was Sophie Foster, completely invincible.
Then why did it hurt so much?
As much as I tried to stop the overflowing tears, they kept coming and coming and coming. I was powerless.
Finally, I gathered up the last drops of strength I had within me and decided to leave, and never, ever come back.
To this restaurant.
To this town.
To Fitz.
A sudden movement caught my attention, my eyes still blurred with tears.
A stranger had sat in the once-empty chair in front of me.
"So sorry babe, traffic was terrible and then there was a sale on towels at Jcpenny, so I thought you might appreciate them for the apartment bathroom, and work was extremely hectic, Janice had spilled coffee over my shirt and Karen was no help whatsoever, so obviously, I had to..." the stranger babbled loudly, attracting the attention of a few annoyed customers. I looked at his face in confusion, wondering what in the world was going on.
"So, to make it up to you, tomorrow night we'll go on a romantic carriage ride and go off into the sunset. How's that sound?"
My brain clicked at I put together the pieces and realized that this stranger was trying to save my sorry behind. My heart melted at the gesture.
I quickly decided to play along, knowing that this was going to help me tremendously. "It's okay. I understand, honey, I know that Janice is a pain. Let's go home, and we can watch a movie."
I smiled sweetly at him, and he smiled back. It was a blinding smile, one of the best kinds that are so infectious and sincere you just want to melt into a giant puddle of happiness. I absolutely loved it. It made me forget all my sorrows, my pain, and it brought out the ice blue in his bright eyes. They looked like gems in the light.
"I'm Keefe, by the way," he whispered, holding out a hand for me. I gladly took it.
"Sophie," I whispered back as we walked hand in hand out the door.
The autumn weather had swept in, leaves changing to bright colors and coating the sidewalks so that you could hear the crisp crunch of a leaf underneath your shoe. I loved Autumn. The crisp breeze nipped at my bare arms as I shivered, realizing that I had spent so much time on how to impress Fitz that I didn't plan weather into my outfit. Stupid dress.
"So why did you come and save me like that?" I questioned, sincerely curious. I looked at his face, extremely gorgeous one I might add, as he smirked and pulled off his jacket draping it around my shoulders.
"No one deserves to get stood up, especially someone like you," he said softly, refusing to meet my eyes.
I blushed heavily as I took in his words.Suddenly, I had an idea. I smiled as I rummaged through my purse in search of a pen, and scribbled furiously on the back of a receipt. I could feel his eyes on me, confused. Finishing, I stuck the pen back into my purse at turned to look at him, my smirk rivaling his own.
"You still owe me a romantic carriage ride," I said smiling. "Pick me up at eight."
I sauntered to my car, glancing at the silhouette of Keefe in the rear view mirror as I pulled out of the parking lot. He was staring at the receipt, a subtle smile etched on his face. He looked...
Happy.
And when I looked at the mirror to see my own face,
His expression matched my own.
Ok guys, it's not perfect, but it's definitely better.
No Fitz Hate!
