Park bench (DISCONTINUED)

Loving Him Bad

Chapter 10

DALIA

IT'S been nearly three weeks since Fabian has been back and it's the 10th of December. Christmas is arriving soon and I'm worried about the bookstore. I still haven't managed to pay off the rent for it yet and it's tradition that The Candle-Inn bookstore holds up the pre-Christmas party before Christmas Eve. I haven't got decorations up. No food has been sorted and I've just got under two weeks to plan everything out. Kimmy-Lee is still away and I'm pretty sure she's going to be at Brakestone all Christmas. I don't even know if she's going to be back in time for New Years. New Year's Eve is the day the bookstore does a festival. We sell free books, getting only one free and the rest on half price, children reading sections and refreshments. It's all going to be chaotic to say the least and until I have the money for the rent, I'm afraid that there won't be anymore traditions to uphold. I'm up to my head on stress. I don't have any other covers for the bookstore so I'm having to run it myself even though I have many meetings with the bank about holding back the due rent for at least till next year Summer. I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't disappoint the town in not fulfilling the traditions that have been happening since I first opened it. History says, that the building I have right now, was a florist. A really really popular florist seeing it was the only one in town and many celebrations have been happening there. Now, I run the only bookstore in Seaview and I'd hate to make everyone feel sad and disappointed.

The bell above chimes and Natalia walks in. I watch her wearily as she slightly limps. She has double the amount of make up on and I become weirdly suspicious. She smiles at me but there's no light in it. I know it's weird, me caring but I've never hated her. Just merely disliked her. But it doesn't mean I don't care about her. It's stupid. I'm 23 and still holding a vendetta against her. My New Years resolution is to amend all my relationships with various of people. Including Fabian. But that'll take a little longer than planned. He needs to earn my forgiveness and I have just the thing.

"Hey" Natalia greets me and I show her a real smile. Her eyes shine with hope and I sigh.

"Hi, I haven't seen you for like, nearly three weeks now. Where have you been?" I ask her worriedly.

"Oh you know, just here and there" she says vaguely. This is a pretty small town, so if she was here and there, I would have bumped into her frequently.

"Right. So, how are you?"

"How am I?" She asks me shocked. I nod my head.

"Yeah, how are you feeling? Catching a cold? Hating the snow?" I see her posture relaxing.

"Oh, right Yeah umm, I'm great. Really great" she smiles brightly and I nod my head smiling back.

"That's great." The door opens again and Natalia and I face towards it to see Fabian walking in. "You okay?" I ask him as he approaches us. He looks up and I see the teary look in his eyes.

"Sort of, I think." He sighs and wipes his eyes. "I don't know"

"Tell us" I probe softly.

"They're releasing dad's body tomorrow. I need to go back and do his funeral" I look at Natalia and the sadness in her eyes shines through. I see it. She still loves him. I look back over at him and realise that maybe... I do too. But this time, he's mine. I'm going to make him mine, but first, he needs to make me want him. He needs to show me he's worth fighting for and that I'm worth fighting for. I take Natalia's hand lead her towards him. We both wrap our arms around his waist and he hugs us both back.