~MAY, 2021~
~BEN~
"I think it's enough, you can't do this to yourself" James literally screamed at me taking glass from my hand
"James, give me glass back and leave, you have pregnant girlfriend home, you should have been with her not me" I protested
"You think I'm going to leave you this drunk alone? Kennedy is pregnant but that doesn't change her understanding" he said
He took bottle of tequila and glass from me and walked into my kitchen as I was sitting on the floor in the living room leaning against couch.
"I thought we are friends but you're not telling me anything Ben" he said sitting next to me "What is happening? Why are you doing this to yourself?" he asked looking at me seriously and gave me a glass of water
"My life is fucked up" I said taking a sip of water
"You are fucked up not your life, brother" he said tapping my shoulder "what's happening?" he asked
"Better question is who is happening" I mumbled leaning my head back on the couch and closing my eyes
"you're worrying me even more now, Ben" he said, and I looked at him
"You remember the girl I've been talking about few times?" I asked and he nodded
"I actually met her before, we went to the same school and in that period of time I had a crush on her, she was much different than she is now but I liked her just because of who she was then but that's past and no matter now, the point is that at first I didn't remember how we actually met but she seem familiar to me and when I remembered everything I told her and that's when things went wrong" I sighed
"We said to stay friends no matter what happened in the past but after that we barely even talked, only when I need to go on check-ups but that's so fucking professional, more professional than our conversations were when she first came" I said remembering everything what was happening between her and me past few days
"Did you...?" he didn't say till the end, but I knew what he wanted to say
"I'm not James" I said not sure in my answer but if it change for me, for her won't, not after everything
"Why don't you call her tomorrow and try to talk with her?" he asked seriously
"She doesn't want to talk with me" I mumbled
"How do you know that?" he aske
"If she didn't want to talk with me when I told her that she looks familiar then she won't talk with me now either" I said, and he just sighed along with me
"You need to do a step as soon as possible" he said
~MANUELA~
I fell asleep for only few hours and woke up barely opening my eyes because my eyelids clung of tears. I stood up and went to living room not really in mood.
"here" Sophia said giving me pills and water
"thanks" I mumbled and drink it
"Any better?" she asked, and I shook my head
"It didn't help, I'm even worse now" I said, and she just hugged me
"You really like him, don't you?" she asked still hugging me
"I hate myself for saying this but yes" I whispered
"You need to talk with him" she said looking at me and holding my hands in her
"I'm not sure if he wants to talk with me, he was the one who got our communication on such a professional term" I said
"And he is the one who said to you to stay friends" she remembered me
"But-" I stopped as I heard my phone ringing from the room
"Get it" Sophia said and I went to see who is
As I took my phone in hand my heart skipped few beats. I quickly walked back to living room with phone in my hand
"Who is it?" Sophia asked as she saw me
"him" I whispered sitting next to her
"Pick up" she cheered
"I-" she took phone from my hand and answered the call
"Hey, Ela, um, I know we aren't on the best terms last few days, but I was wondering if you will want to meet up and talk with me" he said stuttering and I looked at Sophia who was looking at me smiling, nodded and folding her hands begging me
"Hey Ben, I-um-" I looked at Sophia as she was making puppy face
"please" she mimicked
"Um, okay" I said, and Sophia started whining
"Are you free tonight?" he asked
"Yes, yes, I am free tonight" I said trying to calm Sophia down because she became crazy
"Is 7pm okay?" he asked
"Yes, sounds good" I said as my heart was beating faster than ever before in my life
"You choose a place, just text me the address" he said
"Um, okay, see you tonight" I said and took phone from my lap with shaking hands
"See you tonight Ela" he said, and we hang up
"See, you said you don't know if he wants to talk but not even a minute later he called you asking you to hang out with him" Sophia cheered happily just like a teenager whose friend just got into relationship with her long time crush
"Just shut up" I said leaning against back of couch as smile came on my lips
"Yes, you're smiling, oh, thank god" she said and sighed
"I need to choose a place where we will go" I said and looked at her
"you're both private so some place where many people can't get in" she said as I thought about some places and soon enough text Ben with location of it.
Not a full minute later I got text back from Ben in which he said he will make a reservation for us and picked me up in half seven since Aqua Shard is half an hour away from my apartment.