Her Younger Mate (Old Version)

Chapter 7: About Oliver And First Dates

'Anna?' His pleading voice again was as smooth as ever.

'Oliver?'

'Anna. Where are you?' he sounded worried or maybe I heard what I want to hear.

'Why do you care? If you call me to tell me that I am a whore, you are too late. Elena already beat you to it.'

'First, who is Elena?'

'The girl you used to call Emily, Emily Elena.'

'Oh, I see. I don't call you because of that. There hasn't been one single day in which I wake up and you are not in my mind. I tried to hate you but I couldn't. I tried to forget you but it was impossible. Truth to be told, it does not matter how much you hurt me, being without you is far more painful.' He sniffled. 

I had fucked up. I was a horrible person who should be grateful because he had come back, right? Just that I wasn't. It had been three years trying to reach him, to apologize, to just hear him say: I hate you, forget about me. But, he hadn't said that. He had ghosted me. So, now, I owed him love? 

I had forced myself to forget everything about him. I wouldn't drop everything to run back to him. He was better off without me anyway.

'Three years, Oliver. It took you just three years to talk to me. You did not even break up with me. I could not even apologize. During those three years, I waited for you to come back to at least curse at me. Three years... and seventeen days... Seventeen days!'

'Seventeen days?'

'Yes. If you had come back for me seventeen days ago, I would be all yours.'

'And now?'

'Now, I have someone else to wait for...'

He gasped. 'Are you dating someone else?'

'No. I am not, but I am waiting for someone else.'

'Anna... Come back to me. It does not matter what you do just come to me. I need you.'

'Goodbye Oliver... I loved you...'

'No, Anna I love you. Wait!'

I closed the call and tears I did not bother to wipe were now racing down my cheeks. My cell phone kept going off, but I was numb, wondering all the ifs and the could-have-beens... Half an hour later I came back to reality and picked up my phone in my trembling hands and answered without looking at the caller id.

'Oliver... I cannot come back to you now...' I said with a raspy voice.

'Anna?'

'Yes... You-- you are not Oliver...' I held back a sob.

'Nope, I am Alexander.'

'Xander the Charmer!' I sat straight on my bed wiping away some tears with the back of my sweater. 

'The one and only. Now, why are you crying again?' he asked with a concerned voice.

'Long story. I do not want to talk about it again. I am feeling like shit now.'

'I guessed as much. Care to join me for lunch?'

'Is Mr. Charmer asking me for a date?'

'Maybe' he said playfully.

'Because if that is the case, I would have to say no.'

'Friendly date? No hidden intentions. Just two friends having lunch together.'

'I just ate,' I deadpanned. 

'Even better. I will go get you and we can hang out before having lunch. Friendly date...'