Before You Leave Me

2. Summercat

July 23rd, 2011.

The train starts slowing its speed at the same time my heartbeat's increases.

Here I am.

I descend the train and make my way through the small station, my bicycle under my arm. If I were older, I'd probably have my own car and I wouldn't have to do this on a bike, but since I just turned 16 I guess the driving will have to wait for a couple years.

I get on the bike and start pedaling, not before checking my iPod to check there's still time to get to where she is.

I don't think Victoria knows I'm coming. Although yesterday I made damn sure I knew exactly where she was going to be and what she was going to do.

Please don't think I'm a creep. I just want to surprise her. Join her for yet another day on the beach. The third one this month, or is it the fourth? I can't remember. All I know is they don't seem enough. I need more time with her.

The beach is a horrible idea.

If only she knew how much I dislike it. But Vic loves it.

She loves running to the sea even if the water is bloody cold, dive in and emerge with a cheeky grin as she comes to me to splash me. I would start cursing immediately if anyone else did it. But you haven't seen the smile on her face when she does that.

When she's at the beach, tanning on the sand that gets in places where sand shouldn't get and under the sun that makes everything sticky and... yuck; she's different. She's happy. And for some reason, that makes it all okay.

I get to the village where her apartment is a lot sooner than planned. It's still at least an hour and a half until she meets her friends to go to the beach.

I take the bike to a food van in front of her apartment and wait in line to get some churros for breakfast. I mean, I just pedaled 8 kilometers after 30 minutes on a train. I deserve a treat.

I look around, thinking what will I say when I see her. Her, with her denim miniskirt, her cream top and... wait. That's Vic.

I shake my head and look twice before realizing she's walking past me.

"Victoria!" I call her.

I see her turn around, with a weird look on her face as she looks around, trying to know where the shout came from.

Then she spots me.

Her eyes widen a little. She seems surprised but not as surprised as I thought she'd be.

Maybe she knew that I was coming after all.

"Hi" I smile as she walks to me.

"Dan, I..." she mumbles, looking down and turning bright red; "I'm leaving to the city today"

Oh, great.

She's leaving to the same city I was just an hour ago.

"You know my grandad is ill and since it was cloudy and we weren't going to go to the beach, my mum thought it was a good idea to go and visit him"

I sigh.

"Okay" I answer, not knowing whether I should laugh or...

Great, fucking great.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

July 23rd, 2016.

When Victoria's friends find out about everything I've done to her since the breakup, they hate me. She hasn't told me, but I know. I'm the asshole who keep talking to her to ask her for advice when it came to getting the girl. I'm the dick that kept her updated about my sex life.