Chapter 5 “Lost”

Sunday morning I woke up smiling. I couldn’t believe I was with the guys again, they made me so happy. My cell phone started ringing and I looked at it reading Tom’s name on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Happy Birthday!!! Can you come today?” Please say yes, please say yes.

“No sorry I did everything could… But thank you baby.”

“Yeah… But after work will you call?”

“By the time I get home you’re probably sleeping. Come on just one more week. I promise.”

“Ok. I miss you. I love you.”

“Yeah. I gotta go now, bye.”

I went downstairs to breakfast with Tanya.

“Ok. Sit the fuck down and start speaking.”

“There’s nothing to tell. I was there, had a fun time with them, came back. That’s it.”

“And what were you and Brian talking about at the door last night.”

“We were saying goodnight. And he left.”

“And he kissed your forehead very romantically.”

“No. He kissed my forehead very friendly.”

“Keep telling that to yourself…” she was so annoying.

“How’s Michelle?” God, no. I couldn’t tell her they weren’t together anymore.

“She’s good.”

“Good? What did she say to you?”

“She wasn’t there.”

“Where was she?”

“I don’t know.”

“Didn’t ask Brian?”

I didn’t answer this time. This girl could read my face like anybody could.

“Oh.My.God! Brian divorced didn’t he?” I kept eating my cereal. “Jesus Christ! He did! Aaaaaahahahah! You know what you’re gonna do now?

“What?”

“You’re gonna break up with that fagg lawyer that you call you’re boyfriend and you’re gonna call Brian and say that you love him and want to make babies with him. NOW!!!! ”

“Shut up!” I stormed into my room without finishing my breakfast. I got dressed and saw I had a text message.

“Hello beautiful! What you dream about ;)?”

It was Brian. I only wish my boyfriend texted me like this.

“Good morning. Actually, I think I was too tired to dream. But I had a blast yesterday.”

“Glad to know I entertained you Freckles. I mean me and the rest of the guys of course ;)”

“Of course ;) Today I’m kind of busy so maybe tomorrow we can hang out?”

“Aaawwww, miss me already? Sure, we can meet tomorrow freckles! Just tell me when.”

“After work. You guys wanna go somewhere specifically?”

“We’ll figure that out later ;)”

We finished that conversation and I went downstairs.

“Hey, Claire, today I’m gonna spend the day with Peter and I’ll only be back tomorrow, do you mind?”

“No. Of course not. I have plans already…”

“You mean Brian?”

“No. I mean Tom. My boyfriend, remember? He’s not able to come here today so I decided I’m going to surprise him by going there.”

She looked at me with a soft smile.

“Girl… You have no idea what you’re missing…”

I decided to stay home for lunch and then head out to West Chester. He was working so I had to do something until he got home. I went to the shopping, bought new clothes, and ate something on the way. Before I knew it was already late. I went to his apartment and knocked on the door.

“Crystal. Come in love.”

Crystal? Who the fuck was Crystal?

I opened the door to find a room decorated with red rose petals all over the floor, music playing on the background when suddenly Tom came from the bathroom wearing a bathrobe with a bottle of champagne in one hand and two cups on the other.

“Baby… This is not what it looks like…” I couldn’t think straight I started shaking.

“Who the fuck is Crystal?”

“I’m Crystal. Who the fuck are you?”

I turned around to see a tall blonde girl at the door dressing like a slut. I was crying a river already and shaking more and more.

“Don’t you talk to me ever again!” I ran as fast as I could and drove back home. I never stopped crying and when I got home I remembered I was all alone and I cried more and more. I couldn’t call Tanya, I didn’t want to ruin her night. He was the only one who I could call.

“Bri…?”

“Freckles? Wait, what’s wrong? Are you crying?”

“I don’t want to bother you, but you think y-you can come over he-here?”

“Are you ok? God! I’ll be there in a minute. Hang in there Claire.”

After some minutes of uncontrollable crying the bell rang and I opened the door jumping to Brian’s arms.

“Shhh… It’s ok. I’m here… Shhh.”

He came inside and we sat on the couch. When he was about speak I cut him and hugged him tight.

“Oh, ok. We don’t have to say anything. Take your time…”

When I stopped crying held my hands to his chest and said

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on now?”

“He cheated on me. I was going to surprise him, only to find out he’s been cheating on me all along…”

I started crying again and he hugged me caressing my head. After a while I looked at him.

“Thank you Bri.”

“It’s nothing. Where’s Tanya?”

“She’s at Peter’s.”

“Oh, hey, wanna watch a movie?”

“That would be nice, but not a romantic movie…”

“Don’t you think I know you freckles? We’re gonna see this. It’s still your favorite?”  he asked showing me the dvd of Nightmare on Elm Street.

“Yes.”

I don’t know what happened but after sometime I forgot about the movie and started thinking that it really felt good being like that with Brian again. We were snuggling into each other on the couch and his hand was running through my hair. I was so comfortable. Those tattooed arms around me made me feel safe. And those arms were the last thing I saw because we fell asleep like that.