Nearly two years later you felt much better and you were even in a relationship with one of your fellow bartenders. As much as you had missed Brendan in the beginning, you were used to a peaceful life with no media circus and being in a loving relationship. You hated to admit, but sometimes it happened Brendan crossed your mind. Memories of how you used to fight, just to make up later, how he had woken you up every morning, sometimes clouded your mind and brought you to the verge of tears. But on the other hand, Josh made everything just to see you happy. At first he was afraid you'd miss all the media circus, but when you assured him you had hated every time a reported shoved you a mic under your nose and started asking you random questions about Brendan, was certainty something you wouldn't miss, he became much more confident. Yes, he was different that Brendan, but you loved him.
It was lazy Friday night, when you were both off duty, and you were cuddling on your bed, enjoying each other's presence when Josh broke comfortable silence: "So, you never really told me what happened with you and that hockey player."
"Brendan Gallagher is his name," you corrected him, your teeth clenched.
"Yes, with him."
"Nothing...," you tried to avoid talking about uncomfortable theme, but Josh didn't seem to get the clue: "I read somewhere it was pretty nasty. That he admitted he had been cheating on you."
"Josh, can we please not talk about him? Or my relationship with him."
"Leila, sweetie, you know every thing about any relationship I ever had. And you are mysterious about dating that Brendan guy like he was some kind of a secret spy," he tried to joke, but you heard in his voice, he was getting mad.
"It's not like I am proud of that, Josh, but I really don't want to talk about it."
"As you wish," he replied and practically shoved you off him.
"Josh..." you tried to apologize, but he turned his back to you and soon you heard his snoring. However, he couldn't make you believe he was actually asleep. Dating him for a nearly two years and living with him for the last year, you knew exactly how he sounded when he was deeply asleep and how when he was just pretending to be asleep, like then.
Mad at him, for his childish ignorance, you huffed and turned around, your back turned to him. You were about to close your eyes, when you noticed screen of your smartphone light up. You stretched your arm and checked who was calling/texting you that late. And the number you saw, made you think you were dreaming. It was the same number you had texted two years ago and hadn't seen it since. Aware of Josh's presence, you swiftly yet quietly slipped off your bed and hurried to the lower floor, where you finally dared to pick up the phone.
"Brendan?"
"Hi, Leila. Am I disturbing you?"
"No. Yes. What do you want, Brendan?"
"Second chance. Please-"
"Are you out of your mind? You are calling me at 10 p.m., expecting me to give you a second chance. Beside, how do you know I am not working?"
He chuckled on the other side of the line, sounding like a little kid who got caught stealing candies from a candy jar: "For the last year, I was always in the same bar you are working. No, you never served me, I was always being careful enough."
"That's called stalking, Brendan Gallagher," you informed him coldly. Rage of his late-night call was mixing with old sparks of affection and that was pissing you off. He had been the one who had dumped you, he had told you weren't good enough. And now he had nerves calling you?!
"I know, I know. But I couldn't let you go... I couldn't get used to the fact you were no longer with me. And when I saw you were quite close with one of your fellow bartenders, I had realized how much I screwed up. How much I screwed up our relationship. And I realized I might had lost you."
"Congratulations on figuring that one out, you had lost me."
"So it is true? You are with that bartender?"
"Yes, I am. And you are with that bitch who was supposed be my best friend, remember?"
"We... are not a thing. Not anymore. I dumped her... She- she was not you. Her body next to mine...I don't know, it didn't feel right."
"And it took two years for you to realize that? Good job, never thought pucks damaged your brain."
"Leila, please, just hear me out. I am begging you, I am lost without you."
"No. Goodnight, Brendan," you cancelled the call and slowly went back upstairs. Although you managed to keep stern voice and not burst into tears, it didn't seem right and you found yourself thinking maybe you should at least hear what he had to say.
"Who was that?" Josh mumbled.
"No one. Go to sleep, we have to work tomorrow."
The next morning you woke up next to empty space. On Josh's pillow there was pinned a small piece of paper, which read: "Went for a jog. Can you make pancakes and fresh orange juice? Love you, Josh."
You grunted in your pillow and rolled on the other hip, when your mind was suddenly occupied with Brendan's call last night. How sorry he sounded and how much he wanted to get another chance. Only half-knowing what were you doing, you dialed him back. He answered after fifth ring: "Brendan Gallagher?"
"Morning," you said hesitantly, half expecting him to hang up.
"Leila! So glad to hear you again? What's up?"
"Don't try to talk to me like we are friends. I just want to know who was that person in your body two years ago."
"If I could only turn back time..."
"But you can't, so you better start explaining."
" I don't want to do it over the phone. Can we meet? Please?"
You sighed in defeat. Part of you wanted to tell him go leave you alone, but the other part was dying to see him again, to hear what he had to say. Even if he wouldn't say anything smart, you were dying to hear his voice (and you hated to admit that).
"Fine. Where and when?"
"Thirty minutes? My apartment?"
"And you are out of your mind. Why would I come to your apartment?"
"Please. I just want to talk to you, I promise."
"Yeah, I am sure you do."
Sarcasm in your voice was hard to ignore and even Brendan must had heard that.
"I am asking you to come to my place to hear me out, not to sleep with me. Leila, you know me."
"Oh, I thought I don't. You told me that two years ago, remember?"
"I don't know what was wrong with me."
You sighed again, more because of yourself, not him. You felt your heart melting, beating much faster that whenever you were with Josh.
"Okay, you won. I'll be there in thirty," you hissed and hung up before he could say anything else. You grabbed another piece of paper and quickly scribbled: "Got to go. See you in the afternoon. P.S.: Juice is still in a fridge."
You grabbed your keys, your wallet, your car keys and hurried out. Thirty minutes later you parked your car in front of Brendan's block and exhaled deeply. Seeing him after two years...well, you never thought that'd happen.
Hesitantly, you walked towards his door and knocked lightly. Not even a minute passed before he opened the door, wearing only his sweat pants and small grin.
"Hi again, Leila. Come on in."
"Hi. I see you are not in a bad condition."
"Yeah, maybe on the outside, but on the inside I am a mess."
"Glad to hear that. So... you better start talking."
"I am so sorry I cheated on you. I could say I am truly sorry, but I'd lie. Words can't describe how... trashy I felt when I threw you out. When I admitted I was having an affair."
"I could forgive you cheating on me, but how you behaved..."
"I know, I know. I couldn't sleep at nights, I was thinking about how I must have hurt you when I acted like a moron. I was afraid."
"Oh yeah? Of what?"
"Of you. I thought you'd go straight to media and try to destroy me by washing dirty laundry in public."
"And acting like a moron would prevent that? I'd never do that to you, you should've known that."
"I know now. So... what now?"
"Now, I will return to my boyfriend. And you...I believe you have something to do. Practice?"
"In the evening, yes. Why can't you stay a bit longer? I would like to hear more about your boyfriend."
"Oh, I can tell you he is sweet, caring, loyal, hardworking and a great kisser."
He approached you, towering above you like a giant above a dwarf, and leant down. His lips crushed in yours and before even realizing, you were shoved against the wall, his body leaning on yours. You kissed him back, wanting this kiss to never end. But it did, when he hardly pulled away, only to whisper: "Better than I am?"
His forehead was resting on yours, you felt his heart pumping blood even faster and in that very moment you realized, you may had liked Josh, but you never stopped loving Brendan. And as much as you hated to admit, you were just waiting for him to call you and apologize.
"No," you replied and kissed him back like you had never did before.
Part 2 of Break up/ Make up story for taryn_brooke , hope you like it:)
Thank you all so so so much for 5k reads, all your votes and comments, they actually make me feel like i am worth something. I must admit I never expected that many reads and I am really, really thankful for every read, vote and review, especially since my English teacher in high school made me feel worthless and said I can't speak/write in english :(
Sorry for that long A.N, just wanted to express how truly thankful I am :D
