The One Who Got Away is Back

Present 10 ♡ Heart of Glass

I came back to the apartment to shower and get a few changes of clothes like it was a freaking hotel. Poonam watched me as I zipped up my duffel bag and gave out a big sigh that almost sounded sad.

"I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks?" And it was a question, because I had no idea what she was going on about, here.

"You've finally found someone to fuck on the regular," she said. We heard Rakim's cackle all the way from the kitchen, no doubt in response to his girlfriend's quip. But she wasn't done yet. "You're even staying overnight. That's such a good sign, especially coming from you."

My nose wrinkled because she was referring to that long standing streak of mine, where as soon as I noticed things getting serious I would disappear into thin air like a magician. It was as if she knew that was exactly what I was thinking of doing, except that instead my body was taking me through the motions of getting ready to spend a couple of nights in a row with Miguel at his place. I flopped on my bed, weak under the weight of my doubts.

"We're moving too fast," I said. "It's been, what? Not even two weeks since we went out on a date?"

She shrugged but still sat next to me, saying, "Time is relative. Especially between you two."

I groaned because she had a point. It wasn't like Miguel and I were perfect strangers, where this would definitely feel like warp speed. I knew him since I was fifteen, and the better I got to know him the more I felt for him.

My roommate surprised me by putting her arm around me. It was a logistical challenge, with her being small, dainty and adorable—physically, at least.

"I remembered a conversation we had about him at the Magic Cafe once."

Ugh, we talked about him a lot and we still were. I was such a boring friend and about to start apologizing for it when she continued.

"Remember? Something about real couples that worked and stayed together being something like a one in a million miracle." Poonam's eyes fixed on mine with determination. "You did end up moving down to Miami to get your chance and this is it, you freaking idiot. Don't blow it."

She physically snapped my jaw up and shut my mouth up.

Holy shit. She was right, at least on account of that conversation. I thought moving to a bigger city would help me statistically, and her suggestion had been Miami, and like a prophecy, it had come true. Except that it was only my reservations what were blowing this honest to goodness miracle.

It didn't matter what had happened in the past, the missed opportunities and the distance we'd put between us. What mattered was that there was a real shot now, where Miguel had in the sweetest terms made it clear that he wanted to be with me and yet I was still questioning why. Why he'd pick me. And I knew deep down that I wanted to use that as an excuse to pull away and eventually do my usual Houdini.

Except I couldn't do that with Miguel. I had packed up those essentials in that duffel bag because a part of me wanted to hope that this really was my miracle.

I bit my lower lip, wishing the pain would keep the tears away that threatened to fall and I asked her, "How do I keep myself from ruining this?"

Poonam opened her mouth but it was Rakim's voice that came out.

"Easy, you just say yes to whatever he wants." We both turned to look at him standing by my bedroom door. He waved a spatula as he spoke. "If he wants to go out, you say yes. If he wants to stay in, you say yes and get undressed. If he's hungry you say yes, you are too. Men are simple creatures."