Tell Me Your Name

Different Lives

On Friday, Tori went back to the café at 6 AM. She sat at the same table she's sat with Sabrina before. The place was deserted initially, some moments later people were hustling in and out of the café minding their own business. She watched for some time until she decided she'd be better off sketching on the pad she brought along with her.

Came midday, however, and Sabrina was still MIA. Tori stood up from the table as the café had started welcoming guests that looked like they were about to have their lunch. A little disappointed, Tori slowly gathered her things to leave.

I thought I'd see her today, she thought.

She hastily pushed past two people who seemed very eager to take her seat, bid farewell to Ted, and made her exit. Still, with a glimmer of hope that maybe she'll bump into her, she looked at both sides of the street, but that day no Sabrina showed up.

***

Meanwhile, Sabrina buried herself with work on Friday trying her best to finish some chapters before she goes out of town to visit her agent. It was a long overdue visit she kept postponing because of her Writer's Block, but since she's been able to write frequently now, she's almost halfway through the book. The entire time she's been writing, Tori had also frequented her thoughts. Her, being the muse, was not an unlikely thing.

The next day, Sabrina went on to the trip outside the city. It was about an hour's worth of "careful driving," as she would call it. Once she reached her agent's home, Agnes, she immediately parked and knocked on her door.

A plump woman with flaming red curly hair opened the door. Her eyeglasses askew and her gaze surprised.

"Sabrina, dear. You're here!" Agnes exclaimed.

"I told you I was on my way."

"Oh yes, you did. Come in."

She was ushered inside her home and everything looked like a mess.

"What are you up to?" Sabrina asked.

Then as if waiting for her cue, a beautiful pale gray German Shepherd came rushing towards Agnes, putting her a little off-balance until she fell down the couch.

"THIS... is what I've been up to! Meet Rio!" Agnes exclaimed.

They both shared a hearty laugh and Agnes tried her best to calm the dog down. She said she was dog-sitting for a friend but she didn't think that Rio would be such a handful. It took a moment before they could sit down, and the moment they did Agnes started on Sabrina's book.

Sabrina looked at Agnes closely as she was flipping through the pages, her face didn't give away any expression if she liked it or not. Her palms began to sweat a little bit. But Agnes finally leafed through the last page of her manuscript and sighed.

"Oh, dearie..." she started. It made Sabrina's heart leap a little.

"...it is such a relief to see that you're back on track Sabrina!" Agnes exclaimed with thrill.

Sabrina sighed in relief "Thanks, Agnes. It took a while, yes."

"Not so much, dearie. At least you made it within the year." She reached out to Sabrina's hand and added, "I am positive the publisher will love this." She said with a shrilly voice.

Sabrina's eyes brightened with excitement, "Are you sure?"

"Yes! The story is serendipitous and fluid. It feels like it could happen to anyone!" Agnes shrieked as she flipped through the manuscript. "I cannot wait for the next chapters, dear."

Sabrina was glad to hear this comment. She was blown away by the plotline she's created. She can't help but thank her muse, however, and thought...

I wonder what she's doing right at this moment.

***

It was a sunny Sunday when Tori stood outside the café at 7 AM half expecting to see Sabrina at the same spot they'd shared but also half-aware that Sabrina won't show. She stood there for a good 5 minutes and decided to take a walk away. She had a feeling that the chances of her seeing Sabrina on a Sunday are slim especially because it's church day.

If she's even religious, she thought.

She has found herself struggling to paint her last 2 masterpieces.

The exhibit is meant to showcase women in different forms, and they should exude emotions and feelings at a single glance. Tori thought, but I'm running out of ideas.

She continued to walk East without thinking. She loves Sunday mornings, there aren't many people around and the traffic is almost non-existent. Half an hour has gone and finally, she felt her knees buckle a bit from all that walking. She saw a bench and decided to sit there to think.

As she sat there, she thought about the last painting she did... It was a girl amid an abyss surrounded by dark tones of blues and grays.

Then out of nowhere...

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Startled, Tori looked up and saw a familiar face - Joanna. She is Tori's ex who is now married to a man her parents' thought was fit for her, before she dared to tell her upfront though, she thought it was way more convenient to cheat on her by being with the guy while still with her... for 3 long months.

She raised her eyebrows and responded unenthusiastically;

"Oh. Hey."

"What are ye doin' here?" Joanna asked.

Tori stood up and sighed, "I didn't even realize where I was. I'm going." She started to walk back when Joanna called out to her.

"Tori."

Tori froze where she stood and slowly faced Joanna, "That's Victoria for ye."

"Tori, it's been a year." Joanna sighed. She brushed her hand through her thick brown hair and looked down at the pavement... "I'm sorry, okay. Can we not be friends, at least?"

Tori gave a sarcastic chuckle and started to walk away again.

"You... are something," Tori replied sarcastically and turned to walk away.

"It's not like we didn't have history!!!" Joanna yelled and added, "Also, the fact that you still visit this place means that I still mean something to you..."

Victoria stood unmoving.

"Don't I mean anything to ye any more?" Joanna asked almost pleadingly.

Tori replied indifferently, "Just coz my feet led me to this neighborhood, doesn't mean I was thinking of you."

"And no... You don't mean anything to me. Not anymore." She said before leaving.

She showed a tough countenance, but she was shaking inside.

It's never fun to bump into exes. She grunted, then looked up thinking...

God oh God! Please let Sabrina be at the café tomorrow. If she's not there, I'm not going back to that café. EVER!