When The Stars Align

Chapter 10

I looked at him again and then my heart gave in. I nodded, and James sat in front of me. I was about to open my mouth, but the phone prevented me from doing it.

 "I am sorry." I told him picking up the call. James motioned me a hand like letting me know it was ok.

"Hi baby!" I said smiling as I heard my daughter's voice on the other side of the line.

 While I listened to her latest adventures I watched James. His hair covering part of his face as he looked down and beat his feet a bit, I guessed he was nervous. He had his fingers wrapped and his thumbs were circling, that was definitely nervousness, then he just stretched a hand and reached for the only frame I had on my desk and that was Sarah's photo.

He got up and walked around the room looking at the photo. For a moment I stopped listening to my daughter as I watched his expression, he was serious, thoughtful, it was the second time I'd find him that contemplative looking at Sarah's photograph. When I hung up the phone he put the frame back to its place and sat silent.

"Is there anything wrong?" I asked him a bit afraid of what he would have to say. James shook his head.

"She doesn't look anything like the guy you were dating." He said. I raised an eyebrow not sure of what he meant; James continued. "He was Native American, I remember him."

"Oh...he's not the father." I said and trying to seem confident.

"So you had another boyfriend?" He asked. I just nodded trying not to go deeper with that subject. The more we'd dig the closer we would get to the truth and I didn't want that. James seemed, all of a sudden, uncomfortable and quite honestly so was I.

"So, you wanted to talk, you came here to talk." I told him because I didn't know where to begin or what to say. "I should have done what you've done to me ten years ago." I provoked.

"What did you want me to do? You said me in my face that you didn't remember..." He stopped and then choked a bit. "...You know." He simply said.

"I don't remember it even today! I wasn't lying. You got me drunk and then you gave me a joint. I wasn't used to smoke, and you knew it." James got up off the chair and threw his arms in the air.

"What? Now you're telling me that it was my fault?"

"Maybe!" I shot. James smiled and sighed.

"This is ridiculous..." He whispered.

"The fact that we're here discussing things we did 10 years ago? Yes, it's ridiculous." I agreed with him.

"Do you know how much you hurt me Andrea?" He sat back on the chair and looked me in the eye, making me shudder a bit. "I liked you...and you just pretended it was nothing the next day." There he was confessing what he felt for me only at the wrong time.

"I don't remember. I just remember dancing with you and then there was a blank. I am sorry and if you think this is easy for me or it was easy back then it was not. But there's nothing I can do." I said refraining to tell him I also liked him.

"Bullshit! You were just too embarrassed to have fucked the weird kid from school." He blurted and pissing me off.

"Hey!! I was never like that! I always talked to you and was never afraid of what people would say. That is unfair. Why can't you just believe what it is obvious! James I was too drunk and too gone, how come you didn't notice it? I could also say you took advantage."

"I did not!" He yelled. "I didn't force you to do anything. I was also drunk...I thought..." He stopped talking shaking his head lightly. "Do you know what you put me through?" I got up and tapped on my desk with my hands.