“I can’t believe he didn’t remember me” I said crying out loud in front of my own boss as he was comforting me.
“Come on April obviously you are way better without him” He replied back as he handed me another pair of tissue so I could wipe my eyes. Taking the tissue out of his hands I wiped the tears that were fresh on my cheek.
“H...how? It’s been six years. Six years I had to wait until we got together, but there was just always something that came in the way and when there was nothing this happens. I can’t believe this happened. I can’t move on…I still love him Leo” I told him softly. I was breaking up from the inside as much as I was from the outside. My chest was hurting from my heart race and my heart itself physically being broken.
“April you don’t love him” Leo said looking at me sadly as I felt his big hands grab mine from my lap that was on top of the duvet of my bed. Looking into his crystal blue eyes I nodded my head as a yes.
“I...I do Leo I do. I don’t know what I’m going to do without him. I don’t know what I’m going to do without him. I waited all this time for him no one else but him. And now….now it’s all just been chucked into the bin” I said resuming back to the water works. Leo rubbed my hand softly with his thumb as he sighed.
“Where’s that brave girl gone that fought with anyone who messed around with her?” Leo asked me. I sniffed and looked up at him with my drowning eyes. “Where’s the girl gone that didn’t take no for an answer? Where’s that girl gone which always fought for her word? Where’s that girl on whom I first saw in my office door?” He asked gently. My eyes reflected back into his as we both made contact but didn’t utter a word until I broke it.
“She left hours ago. She left when the man of her dreams broke her heart” I replied back in a monotone.
“April” Leo said in a peaceful voice.
“I just want to be left alone” I told him.
“But y-“
“Please” I said pleadingly.
“Fine. I’ll go and I’ll even order something for us to eat I’m horrible at cooking” And with that he left the room shutting the door behind him. As I drowned in my sadness even more
**********
“Are you feeling ok now?” Leo asked me as he looked at me from the other side of the table. Nodding my head I took a bite out of the vegetable samosa letting it fill my taste buds. Leo had ordered some Indian Food as he wanted to take something different than Pizza. “Come on April talk to me” He said tiredly this time, looking from my plate I saw concern written all over his face.
“I’m fine. I’m honestly ok. I might not show it but I need some time to just…sink in all of this” I told him. He sighed loudly and carried on eating his food. Lies. Whenever someone asks me if I’m ok, the only response I’ll give them is a lie because I’ll never be ok. I’ll never be just fine or happy when the person who I thought loved me walked out of my life and just thought that playing around with my feelings was going to be ok.
“I’ll tidy up from here you should get some sleep” I told Leo as I stood up from my chair and took my plate in my hands. Leo looked up at me and gave me a blank look.
“How about I help you and then get some sleep” He replied back with a small smile. This just reminds me of the time in my job interview.
(Flashback)
“Mr Salvatore is waiting for you” The secretary told me as she gestured me towards the door. Standing outside the door I took a deep breath as my heart beat was racing as I knocked on the door.
“Come in” The guy behind the door said. He sounded young; if he’s young then he is most likely to be an asshole. Opening the surprisingly warm handle (it’s probably because of my sweat) I opened the door and saw a blonde man smiling behind the desk. A smile magically appeared on my own face as I saw that I had one hot looking boss. He stood up from his chair and gestured for me to sit opposite of him. Sitting down on the leather seat the smile was still glued on my face.
“You must be April” He said looking at me with his own smile stuck on his face or his probably just trying to hide his inner emotions.
“The one and only” I replied a little too enthusiastically. He chuckled as his blue eyes twinkled in amusement.
“So why do you want to work here, in my company?” He asked as the smile had now left his face. Breathing out, I placed my extra achievement folder on his desk and looked him straight in the eye. I could just fill him up with lies on how this is the company that does everything according to my comfort or tell him the truth.
“You know what. I’m going to be honest with you, I could have just walked in here like a hundred of other people and just told a lie straight to your face…but I’m not. The reason I want to work in your company is because there are no other companies that I know who are asking for employment…I don’t even want to be here. I’m here by regret simply because no schools want me to be a teacher in their schools as according to them I don’t fit their standards. I know where I wanted to work. I wanted to work in New York, my home town but I had to move here, find a College and get a job so I can help provide for myself and my family. I didn’t have a choice so I know I’ve just screwed up this interview but you have no idea how good that felt…to just let it all of my chest. So thank you for your time Mr Salvatore but is there still any chance I can get this job” I asked him. All this time he just looked at me with a straight face and the only emotion that was being shown was from his icy blue eyes but it was very unreadable.
“You’re hired” I think I’m hearing voices in my head.
“Wait…what?”
“You’re hired. You know what I have had millions of people walking in here telling me lies and there’s a reason I’ve said no to all of them, because I’ve been waiting for a person like you to walk in and not fill me in with lies. I have no idea why schools don’t watch you because you have a pretty awesome CV. So Miss Lily you will start walking for me next week Monday nine am don’t be late” He said with a small smile on his face.
(End of flashback)
“Hey are you ok?” Leo asked as I snapped back into reality. He had stood up from his chair and was standing in front of me as he placed his warm hand on my cold arm.
“I’m fine. I was just thinking about when you first hired me” Leo smiled wider as he laughed slightly.
“That was someday wasn’t it?”
“It sure was”
“Now come on April. These dishes aren’t going to clean themselves”
************
“April you ready?” Leo asked from downstairs.
“Yeah just give me a couple of minutes” I yelled back. Leo and me watched World War Z last night and might I add my mood did lighten up a bit. I don’t need Bryan in my life; I don’t need to wait on him! If he’s moved on so should I. I’ll show him that I’m better off without him no matter how much it might hurt and how much nights it’ll make me cry, I’ll show him. Important information which I ended up finding out from text message is that it’s my high school reunion so I get to surprise the girls which would be awesome. I told Leo to come along with me as I would feel lonely and most importantly because Bryan would most likely be there. Touching up my makeup I grabbed my flats slipping them on as I walked down the stairs. Leo was on his phone and cleaned up very nicely. He had on a blue button shirt with a pair of faded blue jeans, he must have noticed I came down because he looked up and just stared at me.
“You look…wow” He said gesturing towards my dress.
“Thanks now come on we’re an hour late already” I told him.
“It’s good to see that you’re smiling again April” He said going serious. Giving him a small smile I nodded myself.
“It really is”
We walked to my car in silence and got in reaching to the school within a couple of minutes as the roads were traffic free. There were banners around the front of the school and the principal standing at the front just talking to some pupils. I missed this place so much.
“April come on let’s go” Leo got out of the car walking over to my side and opening the door for me, I got out and closed the door shut as Leo handed the car keys to me.
“April is that you?” The principal asked. Nodding my head I walked towards her as she gave me a small hug.
“Oh it’s so good to see all of you again, all grown up and everything” She looked behind my shoulder and smiled at Leo.
“Oh sweetheart I don’t remember you” She told him. Leo laughed and stood by my side.
“I didn’t come to this school I’m just here with April” He told her. She nodded her head and gestured for us to walk inside the school.
“She seemed to love you” Leo told me.
“I was a goody-two-shoe that’s the only reason” I told him. He chuckled and looked around the hallway and the lockers.
“So you came to this high school?” He asked.
“Yeah I pretty much did” I replied.
“Seems too low for your liking” He said as he scrunched his nose up.
“Or high for me”
“Whatever you say Miss Lily”
“And whatever you say Mr Salvatore”
“Ok now shh. Don’t call me that in front of your friends or anyone it’ll seem strange”
“Alright Mr Salvatore”
“Look we’re here now shh April” He said sternly but was smiling at the same time. Rolling my eyes I opened the doors to the Gym and saw that everyone were huddled around in groups as a band was playing in the distance on the stage. Just from here I could spot Fiona, Selena, Hailey and the rest of them. I can’t believe I’m looking at them after such a long time.
“Come on Leo” I told him. We easily walked through the crowd as a smile was on my face as I saw that none of them noticed me. Standing just a few feet away from them they were still engrossed in their conversations. Awww none of them have changed and it makes me happy.
“Guys” I yelled. They looked up at me as their eyes widened. Fiona screamed and ran towards me embracing me in a big hug as the rest of them came and joined as well. I laughed and saw that Leo was smiling at me as he saw the meeting of the friends who got parted. They let go but still held onto my arms.
“When did you come?” Hailey asked.
“How are you?” Selena asked.
“Oh my gosh you dyed your hair blonde!” Fiona said grabbing a strand of my blonde hair.
“I will answer all of your questions but I missed you guys so much!” I screamed as we all hugged again. We all laughed as we all parted but still stayed huddled together in a group. “Ok you guys this is one of my friends I made in Italy. Leo these are my friends” I said tapping all of their friends. Leo rolled his eyes and smiled.
“I noticed that when you guys attacked each other” He said laughing.
“Did you come with April then?” Fiona asked him.
“Yeah we came for a business thing” Leo said.
“Oh you’re here for business. For how long?” Fiona asked.
“About a couple of months” Leo replied back to Fiona. She nodded her head and looked back at me.
“Wait….are you April’s boss?” Selena asked.
“Yeahhhh” Leo replied looking uncomfortable now
“But you’re so young” Hailey said looking at him carefully.
“Yeah I know. I took over for my old man” Leo said replying to Hailey. Hailey nodded and kept on staring at him, in fact they were all still staring at him.
“You guys can you like not stare at my boss” I told them all. They all looked away as I had embarrassed them but Leo had seemed to enjoy the staring.
“April we need to um….tell you something” Fiona said suddenly grabbing hold of my arm. Looking over at Leo he backed up and signalled his hand to the drinks on the table, nodding my head he walked away leaving the girls and me behind. “You guys I kind of need to talk to April alone” Fiona said to Hailey and the rest, they walked away themselves this time leaving me and Fiona behind.
“What did you want to tell me?” I asked her. She sighed and shook her hands.
“Something about Mr Benson” She said nervously. I opened my mouth and looked away from her, she’s probably going to tell me how he decided to move on and stuff.
“He’s with someone else” I said finishing of her sentence for her. Her eyes widened as she grabbed hold of both my wrists with a tight grip.
“How did you know?!” She asked loudly but everyone else was still occupied in their own conversations.
“I saw him in the supermarket with someone else. I went up to him…and…he told me he didn’t know who I was and said that I was crazy. Who does that Fiona? I waited for him…for so long and he decided to move on. He promised that he would wait for me and he..he goes ahead and breaks my heart yet again” I could feel the tears in my eyes welling up and didn’t want to show them to Fiona.
“I’m really sorry April. I don’t know what happened, I was just going to work and I saw him with this blonde chick. I don’t know what happened. If I did then I would have told you straight away” Fiona said sympathetically.
“Why did you stop contacting me?” I asked her out of the blue. Fiona’s face fell as she looked away from my face.
“I felt that you needed to move on with your life and make new friends so I decided to let you go” She said. How dare she? Who does that to their own friends? There best friends! “But your back now and that’s all that matters” She told me as she gave me a small smile. Everyone has changed so much. Why is everyone deciding to move on for?
“I need to go to the toilet” I said with a cracked voice.
“I’ll go with you” She said quickly. Shaking my head, she took her hand of my arm and let me walk away from her. Gently I pushed through the crowd and noticed that there were a couple of slutty girls that were surrounding Leo as he looked very uncomfortable. He noticed me and smiled but that seemed to instantly drop when he noticed the visible tear that had fallen on my cheek. As quick as I could I walked out of the doors and covered my mouth with my hand as a loud sob was about to escape.
“April” I heard Leo call from behind me. I stopped in my tracks and waited for him to come towards me. His footsteps got louder as he was now standing in front of me going down to eye level.
“Hey what happened? Why are you crying?” He asked in a whisper.
“Nobody cares about me” I told him as I started to cry, letting everything out.
“April there are a lot of people that care about you” He said in the same tone of voice.
“No. Nobody cares about me, they all forgot and moved on. I thought that I was there friends but they didn’t care. Nobody even cared” Leo put his arms around my waist as I buried mine on his shoulder crying everything out.
“April?” I heard the voice who I thought I would never hear again.