His Lost Mate

Chapter Six

                "They can stomach it," I replied, taking a seat at the breakfast bar, "even when I have a steak, it has to be really dead or I feel like I'm going to puke from the sight of the blood. Not that I have a problem with blood, it's just the idea of that being a living being in the first place." I shuddered at the thought and laughed lightly. "You probably think I'm a wuss."

                "No," she shook her head, "I know people like that, so you're not." She paused for a second before sighing loudly and turning to me. "We should talk."

                "About?"

                "Leon," she answered and my heart thudded at the mention of his name. She turned back to the frying pan, "sunny-side up?"  

                "Please," I nodded in reply.

                "Okay, so don't think I set you up and tried to be your friend," she told me, "y'know, because I wanted to speak to you about Leon 'cause that's not the truth. I want to be your friend and I'm just one of those people who have to say something if they need to be said." She pulled a plate out of the cupboard and placed an egg onto it. "Fried bread?" I replied with a yes and she added a piece of bread to the pan. "But, this is about Leon and his, I suppose, intentions for you. I know you probably hate him right now and, believe me, I've already had a word or two with him, including a couple of swear words. Leon is an idiot." She placed the bacon onto the plate and flipped the bread over to its other side. "I'm sure you will agree, but he has good intentions. He's not one of those sleazy guys who will keep you around and then blow you off; he definitely wants to keep you here forever." She turned to me. "I mean, I get it, I really do. When he'd told us that he'd found you, everyone was so happy, until he told me that you'd run off from him and that he wasn't coming home until he found you. It got a little too much and his old man, who is away at the moment, commanded he came back." She turned around and switched the stove off before placing the piece of fried toast onto the plate and bringing it over to me. "Sauce?" She brought me ketchup, once I'd told her, and a knife and fork. I squirted the ketchup in the corner and started to eat whilst she continued to speak. "It broke his heart when you went away, but when he told us all who you were and that you probably thought it was some sort of one-night stand, we all understood. No one hated you, so don't worry. In fact, everyone was anticipating the return of you since, we believe, the fates always bring lovers together."

                "I didn't run away," I told her, "I had a train to catch to Rome."

                "Okay, but you could've woken him up, right?"

                "And, what's wrong with letting him sleep?" I questioned.

                "How would you feel if you woke up and the guy had left you, huh?" she asked, looking slightly peeved off.

                "Oh, don't blame this all on me," I put my knife and fork down before standing up, losing my appetite, "I don't want to sound like a whore, but Leon wasn't exactly the only guy I slept with when I went travelling. Come on, I'm young. I've had guys leave me before and it doesn't even bother me."

                "But, this is different," she breathed out, "don't you understand? You're meant to be together and the fates have brought you back here together, can't you see that? It's love, Coral, and that guy in there is deeply in love with you."

                "He doesn't even know me!" I shouted at her and then quieted my voice, praying that no one heard that in the room down the hallway, "how the hell can you love someone if you don't know anything about them? After a simple one-night of fun? Love is something you feel after a long period of time, not after meeting them once."