"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know."
"Please groan, please wake up and scream at me."
"Just please wake up" I was jolting him sprinkling some water.
With a jolt, he woke up - " Why am ... I on the floor "
Oh so he doesn't remember. He doesn't remember I hit him.
FUCKING ZACH. BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.
"Here, let me help you off the ground"
He was still blinking his eyes slowly trying to take everything in. He finally opened his eyes. In the little light from the candle I lit I could see his ocean blue eyes and the way they looked at me - like they looked at me so intently I was scared he might just kill me with that stare. First it was just him looking at me, then there was this fury and rage filling up in his eyes as he held his head with his hands.
Was he really in that much pain or was it just pure angry? Did he remember me hitting me? I mean I was supposed to be alone at home and he just dropped in with no warning, a girl ought to get scared right, that too when there is a blackout outside.
I extend my hand again to help me off the ground.
"Don't you dare, Kingston" He said in the coldest tone.
He tried getting up, after few attempts he slowly sat up looking at me so coldly I felt shivers pass through me in middle of a hot summer night.
"You hit me. YOU HIT ME WITH A TRAY. A FUCKING TRAY. " He was almost screaming
" I was alone, no one was supposed to be home. What was I supposed to do with an intruder in middle of a fucking blackout?"
"You could have called out - who's home?" He was still talking in a cold tone but at least he wasn't shouting.
I mean I could have actually, but no way in hell I was going to agree with him.
" I could have but I would have hated to warn my intruder" I reply with a similar coldness in my eyes.
"You hit me Kingston, the least you can do is apologize." He said so much more calmer and much less colder. It was he felt suddenly at peace as he was getting his sorry back.
I mean I was wrong, not all wrong though. I was indeed protecting myself. But I did hurt him, we have hurt each other a million times but it was never physical. I didn't want to apologize to him but something in me felt I should. I did hit him with a fucking tray, thank heaven he is fine.
*"Bien, tonto, te golpeé, fue por mi protección, pero aún así te lastimé. Así que mejórate pronto y deja de hacerme estupideces como pedir perdón. Y esto mi amor es lo que me gusta llamar venganza." I looked deeply into his eyes just like he did while speaking in French.
Well now he wouldn't be the only satisfied one. NOW THE SCORES ARE EVEN. I had a content smile on my face. Now this is a perfect night, even more perfect than what I was having before because what I love the most is - Revenge.
He was stroked the side of his head, he definitely looked impressed with what I did there.
"Did you really apologize or just said a bunch of crap ?" He asked
" I don't know, you tell me did you really apologize in French or just some crap" Now that the scores were even, we were back to square one.
I touched the back of his head, he looked startled. "Woah, What are you doing"
"Oh My God! You are really as dumb as I thought you were. I am not you so I won't kiss to make up. The reason you were so mad, I hit you, so let me see if you are bleeding or where it hit" As I went on to check there was a small bleeder, luckily it wasn't a lot. I cleaned it with water and did his first aid from the kitchen cabinet.
He was silent like he agreed with what I said, this was a first because he always has so much to say. I was finally done with the dressing and he looked at me with a appreciative look in his eyes, like it was his way of saying thank you.
"What were you even doing here in the middle of the night"
He deflected my question holding the candle and getting up. He looked so tall in the dark from down here. " Let's go, its going to long night"
"Excuse me, go where ?"
" To the balcony, come, it is going to be long night. It's a full city blackout for another six hours."
" I am sorry -------- What ? A blackout for six hours. How do you even know?" I was genuinely surprised.
" Well I read the newspaper unlike you. I like to know what is going to happen around me" He rolled his eyes as we made our way to the balcony.
Within the light from the street lights, I could see him much more clearly, he hadn't even changed before coming here. He was wearing the same white shirt. His hair was still messy. He still had some chocolate by the side of his lips.
"Just so you know, I do read newspaper, I just don't read French."
"You mean you don't know French" He said smiling shaking his head.
"Enough with this, you didn't tell me what you were doing here?" I had to deflect the question, I hate being told I cannot do something. Damn it I should started a book on learning French. I could have thrown a good few words on his face to wipe of that smirk.
" Well I had a date tonight." He said staring right at the night sky, he did not even look at me while talking.
"You had a date. Ok . You came here. I still don't get it."
" You really want the long version, do you " He asked finally looking at me
" I just found out I have six hours with you, you might as well give me the long version."
He laughed a bit at that, then got up and went out with the candles and got a stereo with CDs. Yes Audrey likes older things, she keeps things like stereos and CDs. By stereo I mean the old fashion vintage types for CDs.
" I ask you a question and you bring a stereo."
He puts on one of Audrey's CD and starts the stereo.
"Wait - I forgot one more thing."
"Are you even going to answer the question because you seem like you are running around."
"I will answer, I just remembered I have six hours here with you. To bear six hours I will need music and all the wine in the world."
CLASSIC. Just when I thought I might actually be able to have a decent conversation with him.
He brought some red wine and sat down making him comfortable. After we both had a glass of wine in our hand.
He started -
" So, I had a date tonight. I was already late after the cake tasting. By the time I reached home, she was there. She was waiting there with Harry."
"Oh, I'm Sorry" I didn't know he had such a rough night.
"NO NO, you got this wrong, she was with Harry, she was talking with me, she was talking about me and how she may be - falling in love with me." He said looking disappointed.
" Wait in love with you - I didn't know you had a girlfriend."
"Thank you - Exactly my point, even I didn't know that I had a girlfriend. I mean I have gone on dates with her when I visited Paris but it all more of a fling. So imagine my surprise when I hear her say that." He said looking a bit content as if he was finally letting things out
" So you ended it with her and came here "
He laughed a little, " No no, I was running out of there. I had to get out. Harry caught me and came running behind me and we had a huge argument, he felt that I should give her chance and a chance to love or whatever bullshit and then I came here."
"Wait, so she might love you and you ran away, just like that."
"Obviously I am not going to go on a date with a girl who wants such bullshit."
"You think love is bullshit?"
"Well let's see, love makes us do stupid things. Like today you did."
" Wh - at "
"Well let's see in the time where you pretended to my fiance at the cake tasting"
"That was to annoy you - I did nothing stupid."
"Well you downgraded yourself, you brought some other woman into the picture."
"I did that to make you look bad."
"When a man gets you, he wouldn't be that foolish to have any other woman in his life."
I don't know if it was the wine or him or whatever he said, everything I left back in San Francisco started coming back to me all at once. The Betrayal. My Ex. My Best Friend. The fact that a man had me but still got another woman who happened to my best friend, sorry my ex best friend. It all just got very much real, the heartbreak, the pain - everything came back.
He noticed how much I changed since he said that - " You fine- you look pale"
The fact was no one had even asked me if I was fine because I had told no one about it, he was exactly asking about that but somehow he was asking about that. I was in a very vulnerable state by this time and I am sure he isn't interested in my sob story and neither am I interested in crying in front of him.
" I'm just -- tired. Let's call it a night. You can stay here or take Audrey's room"
I couldn't exactly sleep but I was in no state to talk anymore. I put earphones and my own music to try and escape this gut-wrenching pain. I was in my dark paradise.
* Translation -
Bien, tonto, te golpeé, fue por mi protección, pero aún así te lastimé. Así que mejórate pronto y deja de hacerme estupideces como pedir perdón. Y esto mi amor es lo que me gusta llamar venganza.
Fine you fool, I hit you, it was for my protection but still I did hurt you. So get well soon and stop making me stupid things like saying sorry. And this my love is what I like to call as revenge.