"You really did screw me over, you know," Remi said casually as he took his last bite of his toast. Winter break had just started today which meant he slept in on a Monday and it felt great. The beautiful woman rolled her eyes and washed her plate before turning around and leaning against the counter.
"I didn't come here for that."
"I'm just teasing, come on," he shrugged walking over to the kitchen and placing his plate in the sink. "Oh, and I don't wash things right away like you do anymore."
"I can't wait till you stop living this bachelor life," she laughed.
"Yeah, well, not gonna' happen for a while," he said and placed a hot kettle on the stove for coffee.
She tucked her hair behind her ears. "Listen, I've been wondering..."
"About?" he asked unsuspectingly as he turned the stove on high. He looked over his shoulder and noticed her scheming look.
"I need to try something for my sake."
"What are you even talking about?"
She leaned away from the counter and took a step forward. She slid both her hands to side of his neck and pulled him closer. Lips touched and she pressed deep against his, moving at rhythm. She kissed him for a few more seconds sucking and nibbling on his bottom lip before she stepped back and frowned.
"Damn it," she muttered under her breath.
"Um, what the hell, Aria?" he arched his eyebrows with a disapproving look.
"I'm sorry I just needed to know if there was something there and obviously there isn't," Aria Cole frowned.
"Okay, what is going on?" Remi crossed his arms.
"I broke it off with Keegan and I always wondered if it was because we still had something that we let go off or I truly didn't like him and I feel relieved that I left him because I truly didn't see any future with him."
"Could have just asked instead of sucking my face," he scowled.
"Yeah, yeah," she ignored, "Shit. You're not with someone right now, right?"
"No."
"Okay good, or else I'd feel even more awful for that."
"Look, I think you're fine. If you didn't see anything with Keegan, that's fine. You can start seeing other people."
"Darren asked me out on a date."
"Do you want me to tell you to go?"
"I think I need a nudge."
"I knew he liked you even when we were together. You should try it out."
"I think I will especially now that I know that we have nothing at all. I'm kind of glad that we're over."
"Me too and I'm glad that we're still friends and fair advice, try not to kiss your ex-fiancés in the near future."
"You're acting like I have many ex-fiances," she frowned.
"Well... you are difficult."
"Hey!" she swatted a hand on his arm.
He chuckled and held his hand up in defense. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Anyways, what time is your thing at again?"
"At three."
"Okay, cool, I'm gonna jump into the shower."
"Alright. Thanks for still being in my life."
Remi smiled. "Of course."
"Is there someone though?"
"Eh..." Remi pondered. "I don't even know," he chuckled, running his hand through his hair.
Mari stretched her reach by going on her tip toes and linking the delicate streamers to the wall with tape. She settled back with her feet fully planted onto the top of the ladder and exhaled loudly, squeezing her eyes and calming herself down.
"Hun, I told you that you didn't have to do decorations. You're not even getting paid," Petra Romeldo, her mother's assistant, chuckled.
"Yeah, well, my mom will know that I did it and she'll reward me with other things," she perked her chin up in confidence. She could hear Blake's chuckle from down below. Petra rolled her eyes and marched towards the event team who were apparently not following the correct floor plan.
"Manuel, what did I tell you?" she yelled and started to flail her hands in the air delegating tasks. Mari gulped and tore another strip of tape and that was held between her legs and set it down right by her foot. She stuck it onto the end of the new streamer and started to lean forward to the wall onto her tip toes again.
"How are you afraid of heights but okay with traveling?"
"Jesus Christ Blake! Don't distract me!"
"I'm going to get married, have kids, watch my kids graduate from high school before you finish lining this wall with streamers."
"Ha-ha," she rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips and looking down. She immediately regretted that when she realized how small and far Blake looked from her. She was several feet above him and in great danger and ready to plummet to her death.
"Just let me do it."
"No! I want to make my mom feel bad that she's sending me to my dad's this weekend after all that her sweet daughter is doing to help her with her events."
"Ah... so this is the guilt trip mechanism."
"Maybe," she squeaked, avoiding eye contact.
"It's only a weekend! We just started break - just visit your dad and get it over with."
"No!" she said, childishly.
"Fine, you can do your guilt tripping elsewhere. Not when you're moving slower than a sloth. Come on, get down."
"No."
"Mari..."
"Blake..."
"Get down!"
"No!"
"I'm going to shake the ladder."
"No! No! Okay! I just... I can't..."
"Can't... what?"
She licked her lips and crouched down holding the side bases of her ladder. She watched Blake's furrow an eyebrow as he watched her shiver in fear.
"Blake, I just can't. God. Is it so hard for you to understand?"
"I'm right here! If you fall, I'll catch you,"
"Yeah, right."
"You don't trust me?"
"You cannot just catch a free falling fat person!"
"Not again... You're such a... girl!"
"You didn't even deny it!"
Blake pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are not fat. Now, come on. Or you jump, and I'll help you land. Your choice."
She waited a few more seconds before walking down the first few steps. Her eyes widened and she shook her head frantically.
"This was dumb. So dumb. I can't."
"Few more steps. Just three more and then if you jump, it'll be an easy landing, I promise!"
"Jumping is so much more terrifying than just walking down."
"Then walk down."
"But I can trip and fall!"
"Oh for god sake," Blake growled. He was starting to lose his temper.
"Okay okay, geez!" she frowned, walking down three more steps.
"Do you wanna jump?"
"If it'll get me down faster."
"You are literally ten steps away from the bottom."
"Ten big steps!" she corrected. "Ready?"
Blake nodded his head. She inhaled loudly and pushed her weight off the ladder and towards Blake. He immediately grabbed her waist and helped her land safely onto her feet.
"See," he shrugged, immediately letting go of her waist and climbing up the ladder.
"I'm gonna' need you to always be there when I need to jump off a ladder."
"It's a deal," he chuckled. "I've just never heard of someone who couldn't get off a ladder."
"Well, I'm not your average girl."
"That I know, Mari. That I know."
Allie held a Sangria bottle in her right hand and two glasses lingering in her left hand. She lifted her elbow and awkwardly knocked on the door making sure not to drop the items in her hand. After receiving a promotion to become the head of the Literature department, she knew the best way to celebrate is with some casual mind-altering substance with her best friend.
Granted that now her crush on him was a little bit more consuming than the usual, she decided to suck in her fear and hold her head high. She also had to blame Liza for her sudden confidence. Her friend could write a lengthy novel to boost her self-esteem and now with a dab of make-up and dawning smile, she waited for the door to open.
Remi opened the door and cracked a smile. He was buttoning his shirt as he allowed her to step in. Her heart was racing but immediately stopped when she noticed a gorgeous redheaded woman in the kitchen lingering over the stove, who turned over her shoulder and smiled.
"Al, what's up? I was just going to text you! I heard!" Remi applauded and wrapped his arms around her. Allie couldn't bring herself to really embrace his hug as she stared at the woman who was finally pouring coffee from a kettle into three mugs.
"Thanks," Allie smiled and sat on the arm of the couch waiting for him to acknowledge the stranger. She didn't look familiar at all and she knew that Remi hadn't met someone recently enough to have someone make them coffee.
He ran his hands through his damp hair and wiped the drops of water sliding down the side of his face and with the fresh smell that she inhaled from their hug, it was obvious that he had just stepped out of the shower. The woman, on the other hand, was dry and in an incredibly fitted professional dress that wrapped around her body and halted right at her knees. Her perfectly loose curls cascaded down her shoulders and back right before her curves. Allie knew better than to feel jealous but she couldn't blame herself. This person was already making her regret skipping gym time last week. The woman handed two mugs to Remi and Allie and sat on the other couch taking her first sip.
"Al, this is Aria and Aria, this is Allie," Remi introduced them. Allie smiled but behind that smile, she already knew the first thing about her. Aria was his ex – the biggest ex of all time – the ex-fiance. She felt lame for immediately knowing that but how could anyone forget their crush's ex's name. Allie couldn't.
"Allie! Oh, I've heard so much about you," she gushed.
"I hope good things," she teased.
Aria chuckled. "Oh, he did, of course," she assured, patting onto his shoulders. "How is it working at school? I can't imagine being surrounded by little kids. I figured it makes sense for Rem since he loves kids."
"Yeah, well," Allie sipped from her mug, "I love kids, too, so it works out just fine. I was just stopping by to celebrate my promotion."
"Congrats! That must be exciting!"
Allie nodded her head and shrugged her shoulders, nonchalantly. Damn her for being beautiful and nice. She still had so many questions for Remi. Why was Aria here? When Remi was in the shower? Are they getting back together? She knew she wasn't some little girl anymore but she felt like one just trying to piece what might be going on in front of her.
"So, I should be going though. I need to get ready for my meeting," she said and leaned down to to hug Remi and side kiss him on the cheek. She walked over to her heels, sprawled by the door and slipped right into them making her appear even taller. "It was great to finally meet you, Allie! I wish I could stay longer and talk but I have this thing and it would be a disaster if I'm late to it."
"It was great meeting you, too, and no problem! Good luck!"
Aria smiled and grabbed her purse before stepping out the door leaving her and Remi behind. Remi grabbed the wine bottle and popped it open by the side of the wooden table in front of her. She jolted at the initial pop and watched as he effortlessly poured it into the two glasses in front of him.
"That's your ex, right?" Allie blurted. She pressed her lips together and mentally slapped herself for that.
"Yeah, she is," he replied. "She's got this realtor conference going on downtown and decided to stop by before and catch up. She literally called me up this morning and asked if I was home and what my address was and then here she was eating breakfast with me. I forgot how much she can drink coffee."
"She looks great," Allie responded.
"Yeah, that's her thing for her job. Anyways, I really don't feel like doing much. Wanna' just stay in and watch a movie or something?"
"Sounds good to me," she smiled and pulled her feet up.