A short story about the life of Katherine Russo- the CEO of the nation-wide news outlet 'Cup of Truth' and Jamie Caldwell- the head of 'Flash'- the leading brand in women's fashion as they both decide to tie the knot in accordance with their parents...
•Katherine• The waitress placed the coffee in front of me and the sandwich in front of Jamie. We were joking around, talking but mostly laughing. It felt nice to laugh loudly, to laugh noisily. It felt light.
'You only won because I went easy on you,' he said, offering me a bite of his sandwich.
'Oh come on!' I taunted. 'You would've been stuck at love (0 points in tennis) if I hadn't let you get those two points.'
Jamie pointed to the sky and smiled. Pushing my jaw till my head was also faced towards the large, glass window in the cafe.
The large window was surrounded by green creepers growing around the rusted white decorative railings. There were flowers in artistic pots, tiny hexagonal frames with dried leaves and flowers inside and a little love seat right next to the window. Jamie and I wanted to sit there, originally, but a young high school couple were occupying the space.
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I looked at the sky as he told me to and tried to take it all in. The blue sky was now dipped in shades of purples, pinks and oranges as the sun hid behind the almost black trees. I took a sip of the coffee and saw Jamie staring at me from the corner of my eye.
'I can't believe you actually enjoy this,' I said, sighing. 'You're like a character from some high school romance movie. Who even likes sunsets anymore?'
He turned around to face me and cupped his face with both his hands.
'Don't you?' He asked, pouting.
I shook my head to say no. 'The fast life is the life for me.' I smiled pointing to the customers rushing in and out of the chaotic cafe. 'Things that aren't predictable, that are ever changing and that challenge me- those are the things I like. Rafting, shooting, boxing, cliff diving, paragliding, even running around on a beach- things that make your heart race.'
He smiled softly, still looking at me while I looked at the sky. For someone who forced me to watch the sunset, by consistently pushing my head to face the view, he didn't seem the least bit interested in it.
'You must have had your fun in high school, but I didn't,' he shrugged. 'I never got the chance to bring flowers, pull out chairs, spend the night stargazing and slow dancing. I never got that so I guess, I just want to experience it once.'
'Those are all overrated.' I turned to look at him now. 'Flowers die in a few days, the stars are there so that it's dark enough to put your hand under a girl's shirt and dancing is more fun when you're letting loose.'
'Looks like you speak from experience,' he smirked, nudging me. 'Don't tell you're one of those heartbroken kids who never got over it.'
'Real romance is flirting with danger,' I said softly, 'and life is already hellish without me going out looking for more dangers.'
He looked at me, his eyes blinking slowly and from across the table, reached out and touched my lips. There was a pause and for a moment- both of us froze. We looked into each other's eyes and remained still.
Maybe, a small part of me wanted to give in to whatever that touch meant. Maybe, a small part of me wanted to believe that the touch was soothing, consoling, comforting. I felt the weight of his fingers on my lips and the warmth in my cheeks as I pulled away with a jolt and he took his hand back- slightly apologetic.
'Real romance is loving and trusting. Is there a greater danger than putting your heart in someone else's hands?' His face seemed blank, like there was a huge mix of things going inside his mind- and that it was so complicated that none of them could properly express themselves.
He tapped my hand gently and I raised an eyebrow. He hesitated.
'Don't get angry at me,' the pause told me what he wanted to ask about- only one thing would make him cower like that. 'But, don't you even want to try and remember? Are you not curious at all about who I am?'
I had called it. Of course it was going to be about the dissociative amnesia. It couldn't be anything else. I knew this would be brought up some time or the other but I had been trying to be a little hopeful.
'I am curious, it's in my nature to be curious.' My voice was softer than usual, like a whisper meant to be forgotten. 'But I have spent years of my life, trying to put that behind me, trying to be who I want to, instead of trying to figure out who I was. I have spent too much energy and time obsessing over what happened and now that I'm past it, I don't intend to go back to square one.' I leaned a little closer. 'Curiosity killed the cat and all that.'
He nodded, placing his hand on mine. I would've pulled it back but I guess, I was too tired or maybe his touch was a little comforting, so I didn't pull away. I just let my hand rest there, under his as the warmth from his palm flowed into mine.
There was a certain silence between us, a comfortable one, as we stared at the sun go down, our hands touching gently, small smiles plastered across our faces.
I hated lying and I hated liars but here I was, lying through my teeth. Those words that day had brought back more than I was comfortable with.
The same words had been swimming through my head for days and nights and the dreams and flashes I have been having of a little girl and a little boy sitting on a hospital bed in the middle of the night, had never seemed so real.
'Katherine, you might have forgotten. But I could never. It's etched into my mind.'
I had forgotten, but now, I remembered more than I could handle. I remembered the laughs and stories I shared with a 12 year old Jamie who refused to leave my side. I remembered it all but more importantly, I remembered him.
And I have never been this afraid to forget.
~ A/N: I hope this week brings what you guys need most. I love you all. Don't forget to vote and comment <3
