Like the first time I saw you

Chapter 9

Hero's POV:
I want to kiss her, as if I had never done it, as if her lips are something unknown, as if I don't know their flavor by heart.

I've been waiting for this moment for too long since we broke up. She's caressing my cheeks and I try to lift her from the ground, due to the difference in height. It's incredible as little things like these give you an immense joy.

If she didn't have a ponytail, I would have tucked her hair behind her ear.
I support my forehead on hers and I'm about to kiss her, but it's all too good to be true.
"Wait..." she murmurs. She has still closed eyes.
"Why? What's wrong?" I say in an equally low voice.
"I can't...I have a boyfriend."
She looks low and I feel the blood quickly running through my veins.

How is it possible that she has forgotten about me so quickly?

"What the fuck, Josephine?!"
"I'm sorry...it's just-"
"Who is that asshole?" I interrupt her.
"Don't call him that." I hope she's just joking.
"Who is he?"
"You don't know him. His name is Jack."

Fuck Jack, he has what I'd like to have.

"And when did you meet him?"
"I've met him two months after we broke up. Just it." She's not even able to look at my eyes.
"Also, I don't think I should talk about these kind of things with you." she adds.
I get pissed off even more. She can't be serious.
"So you can kiss me while you have a boyfriend- basically deceiving me- but you can't tell me about him." I try to remain calm, but my world is falling apart.
"I haven't even kissed you!"
"Perhaps because although you may want it, you still got that minimum of common sense that doesn't let you do other bullshit." He simply states.
"What is your problem? You should be happy for me, because I love him." This time she looks in my eyes, but they're not the same happy eyes I saw some time ago.

Deep in my heart, I know she doesn't love him, I hope she's saying this bullshit because she doesn't want to admit it to herself that she wants to be with me. But Jo is so stubborn that she, herself doesn't understand what she wants.
"So why isn't he here?" It still makes no sense to me.
"He had to work. He doesn't try to check my life as you would do."
"I'm not trying to check your life, I just wanted to know if you're okay. But when I see you, especially after what we had, my brain doesn't work anymore. And I wanted to kiss you, I wanted to talk to you and hug you like we did before. Anyway, I know you don't want me here, so I'll disappear from your life like you want me to." I say, feeling so destroyed.

"I don't want you to disappear. We could see each other sometimes..."
I am speechless.
"Are you offering me a friendship? Seriously?" I blurt out.
"Why not?"
Am I really willing to accept to be friends with her, just to have her next to me?
"Okay." I murmur.
"Really?"
"I don't have a choice." That's so true, unfortunately.
"Okay so...we could see each other tomorrow if you're still here..." I cut her off.
"I'll be in LA for a while. I have a project with a magazine."
"Well, so tomorrow. I'll text you, okay?"
"Okay." I say.
I give her the last look and go back to my hotel.

Shit. Marcus. I'll text him and say that I'm not going. I'm the worst friend ever.

Actually I can be a good friend for Josephine.
I just need to repress my feelings for her.