I yawned loudly, stretching up onto my tiptoes and bending my exhausted body backward in a long, languid motion. The action elicited several satisfying pops from my aching bones, as if releasing the built-up tension. My stiff body felt as rigid as the bones of rocks.
Twisting from side to side, I kicked my legs out, feeling the muscles strain. Then, grabbing the hem of my skirt, I pulled it up and allowed myself to sink down into a perfect split. Bending my body back, I curled one leg forward until my knee touched my chest, stretching out the tension.
"What are you doing?"
Ah, right. I had forgotten I still shared this office with him. Rolling my eyes, I shut them, trying to ignore his presence as I had been doing all day. Earlier that morning, the audacity of him kissing me in front of the children, knowing I couldn't push him away — the problem wasn't the kiss itself, but the effect it had on me. I had refused to speak to him since then. How dare he make my heart thump with that single, infuriating action?
"Laverne, what are you doing? This is an office!" Of course he had to play that card. Instantly, I pulled myself back into a normal, upright position, rising up onto my knees before standing fully.
"Lavender," he sighed tiredly. I ignored him, making my way back to my desk. My therapist had told me I should try doing the things that used to make me feel better — the things I'd had to stop because of him. She said the key to finding myself again was to regain all that I had lost. So that's what I was doing, indulging in my usual post-stress routine.
"Lavender," he tried again, but I grabbed my bag and started shoving my belongings into it. "Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender…" I took a deep, steadying breath.
'Just ignore him, he is not here,' I silently sang to myself, keeping my gaze resolutely focused on the task of packing up my belongings.
"Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender…" his voice rang out, each repetition of my name dripping with deliberate, taunting slowness.
Snapping my neck around, I shot him an evil glare, my eyes narrowed to slits. Yet, he merely smirked, obviously relishing in his ability to provoke me.
'Anger is bad, anger is red. I'm not angry, so I'm not you,' I recited the mantra in my head, trying to quell the rising surge of fury.
"Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender…"
Closing my eyes, I conjured up the image of the rainbow in my mind. 'There are seven colors of the rainbow, all so pretty and bright. I prefer to change indigo to pink because pink is cuteness and love,' I silently affirmed, focusing on the soothing, vibrant hues.
"Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender…"
'Don't you walk away
Take all the love you can find
Reaching deeper into your mind…'
"Lavender, Lavender, Lavender, Lavender…" his taunting voice rang out once more, each repetition of my name dripping with mocking derision.
That's it! I was going to turn around and scream at him, to unleash the full force of my fury. But then, a sudden, overwhelming wave of dizziness swept over me, sending me crashing down to the floor.
"Lavender!" he cried out, his tone shifting from cruel to one of genuine concern.
I wasn't entirely unconscious, but nor was I fully coherent. My head throbbed with a searing, debilitating pain that elicited a whimper of agony from my lips. "Crap!"
YOU ARE READING
It Should Have Been Like This (The Revised Version)
RomanceLavender faced the ultimate betrayal after discovering that her fiancé, the man she loved most, had been using her all along. He had only dated her to seek revenge against her father and to claim everything her late mother had left her as a gift to...
