She Wasn't You

Chapter 16

2000

All good things must come to an end, right?

We were reaching the end of the school year and with it came the end of my relationship with Tanya. It had been going so well until we had a new student join the school and unfortunately our class.

Fernando caught Tanya's attention the second he arrived and to make it worse, he was Portuguese which automatically meant they were drawn together, his English wasn't great but Tanya had such a caring side to her that she took him under her wing which was understandable and I respected her wholeheartedly for that but it drove us apart as Fernando naturally went everywhere she did. I don't think she meant for it to happen, but it caused cracks between us and in the end we mutually decided to end our relationship and just go back to being friends.

We did actually remain friends. We still occasionally meet to catch up now, as much as I miss her cherry lip gloss, it just wasn't meant to be and that was fine with me. I understood.

But what I couldn't understand, Katie. Is why to this very day, I still can't shake you from my daily thoughts. Why could I never let you go?

Do you remember when Tanya and I had broken up? Do you remember how hearing the news made you felt?

It took me a while to get over the break up but I had noticed for some time now that your relationship with Ricky was over too. This would have been a prime time for me to make you my priority again but my heart and mind just wasn't ready to jump into something else, even you. Shocking isn't it?

I remember the looks and the smiles began between us in passing again, eventually we did start talking but purely on a friendship level. It appeared neither of us were ready for each other at that time.

I became more confident as the attention towards me from other girls was now at an all time high. I was known as the guy who showed affection to his girlfriend in public, I was the one who stood up for and protected his girlfriend. I was in demand, Katie but I wasn't mentally available.

My appearance began to change.

Remember when I used to shave lines into my eyebrows? Just like the boybands and I actually beat David Beckham into doing it. And you loved that look on me. Do you remember when I walked by the window in the PE department and you banged on the window to get my attention and you pointed to your eyebrow and gave me the thumbs up?

Do you remember that, Katie? Because I will cherish that moment in time for the rest of my life. It was one of the only times you went out of your way to prove to me how much you liked me.

You gave me the confidence from that moment on, that's when I really started to take more care in my appearance, this was all for you.

We felt closer than ever before but our hearts were miles apart but we had another 4 weeks of school before the summer break to try and fix that.

And we did, didn't we? For once we had no distractions from other boys or girls. We had a free run at one another, perhaps our last chance at happiness and this time I wasn't going to let anyone come between us. This was our time now.

I made a point of making sure I was available for you at every opportunity, I would rush to find you after class ended to walk you to your next class, even if it meant me being late for all of my classes, it didn't matter because I had some time with you.

Yes, of course Nicola was always around and the other Katy. The Katy with a 'Y'. Who I really liked, she was quiet and always seemed to look down her nose at me, she was a little bit posher than the majority of the school but she had my respect, she was a little odd at times and I think she was jealous from all the attention you received for the guys but she hid it well enough.

Do you remember the last day of school that year? When we kissed outside of the school gates? I would normally have walked you home but I had to stay back for football training. Honestly, it felt as if fireworks had been let off inside my stomach, our first kiss! Wasn't it something special? Do you remember?

I think I was walking on air for weeks after that. I had to go on holiday with my family for the first two weeks of the summer break but we kept in touch, just. Back then we couldn't use our phones in Europe without needing a bank loan to pay for calls and texts but I always had enough spare change on me to call you every third day on a pay phone. You always seemed so distant with me when we spoke on the phone.

Didn't you like speaking on the phone?

Or had the fire in your stomach for me burnt out?

Out of sight, out of mind? Was that the case?

I had my suspicions that Ricky had slithered his snakey self back into your life while I was out of the country but obviously had no proof so couldn't go around throwing accusations.

I'd be back soon enough to prove to you that this time was our time to shine.

We would be couple goals in school next year.

Katie and Tommy 4eva...

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