Before Happily Ever After

CHAPTER 9: Kamille

It pains me to see him hurting like he is and feeling as bad as he is about himself. I feel almost helpless-like there's nothing I can do and I hate that. 

For the next few days, Larkin seemed to be caught up in trying to get loans from places we haven't tried asking from and honestly, I just didn't want to think about it. So I focused mostly on the bakery. 

Today was the third day of training Cassidy and she seemed to catch on quickly and since it was real slow, we both sat down at one of the tables and had a muffin and some coffee. 

"Thanks again for this job." She smiles. 

"You're welcome." I replied. 

"Can I ask you something?" She asks. 

"Of course." I reply. 

"I hope this isn't too personal or anything but I have always loved hearing stories about how couples meet. So, how did you and Larkin meet each other?" 

"Well, it's quite interesting. You see, back in high school, he used to bully me." I began. 

She looked up from taking a piece of muffin looking up at me in disbelief. 

"He bullied you?" She asks. 

"Yeah. I know how it sounds, but it's true." I assure her. 

"Wait, you mean to tell me that he use to bully you and you married him?" She asks confused. 

"Well, I didn't marry him right away. In fact, it wasn't until several years later that I saw him again and at first, I didn't trust him of course. He still needed to prove himself to me. In which he did." I smiled as I think about when we met again and what all we had gone through. 

"Wow. I have never heard a romantic story like that before." She laughs a little bit. 

"Yeah but, I guess romanticism is not all about Prince's and castles." I chuckle. "I myself never thought things like that would happen, especially with someone like him and how cruel he was to me in school but, he really had seemed to have grown up." I smiled. 

We both next shared a moment of silence before I asked her about her love life. 

"So, do you have any boyfriends? Girlfriends?" I start asking. 

"No. I mean, before I moved here, I was living with my boyfriend of three years and one night, after working a late shift at my old job, I walked in on him cheating on me with my so-called best friend." She shakes her head and takes a drink from her coffee. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." I tell her. 

"Eh. He's not worth wasting tears over." She shrugs. 

"Still, that sucks to hear." I tell her. "I mean, I used to be with someone who treated me like shit. Thankfully, I finally got out of it." 

"Was he another one of your bully's too?" She asks. 

"No. Although with the way he treated me, you'd think that he was. He didn't start off being that way. Just one day, he became something I had never seen before and felt unsafe. Finally, one day, I left him." I finish telling her and start thinking back when I was in my first relationship ever with a guy named, Ashton. 

I honestly haven't thought about him in a very long time and for obvious good reasons. It's a part of my past I don't like thinking about or even talking about. Back at that time, I was willing to settle for less than I deserved and didn't think too much of myself. That was someone I don't wish to ever become again. 

I try to shake the thoughts out of my head and change the subject when thankfully, Larkin had walked in from next door with a very genuine smile and seemed happy about something. 

"Hey baby." He walks up to me and bends over to give me a kiss. 

"Hey." I replied with a smile. "This is Cassidy, she's the new girl I told you about." I introduce them both to one another. 

"It's very nice to meet you." She smiles at him and shakes his hand.

"You as well." He replies. "Sorry to interrupt but Kamille, I have to tell you something." He starts. 

"Okay." I smile at him and then excuse myself and we start heading back towards the office. 

Once inside, he shuts the door then takes hold of my hands and looks into my eyes. 

"What has gotten into you?" I laugh a little at how adorable he looks right now. 

"Moments ago, I got someone to loan me the money to build that last half of the gym." He states. 

"What? Who?" 

"Mr. Denton." He says. 

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)