(Sorry this took forever to come out but I just forget. I have the worst memory ever and I apologise for that. I will try and ensure weekly updates so that you can finally read the meeting (C8) Enjoy! xx)
I NEVER MEANT to fall in love again.
As a child, I had always dreamt of a fairytale ending when I grew up. It was probably due to my continuous reading. I had always been a sucker for romance novels in which the two main characters ended up together and danced the night away.
While I crushed on Leon throughout high school I had always imagined that kind of future for the two of us, even more so when we eventually started dating.
But when I arrived in Rome, I left that part of me in Buenos Aires along with my heart. I told myself that it was my incessant desire for a happily ever after that led to my heart being broken. I allowed that pretense to blind me and I would never let that happen again.
Back then it seemed like a good idea and I actually stuck with it for a year. Considering I had been after Leon ever since I realised it was possible to have romantic feelings for anybody, one year was practically a lifetime.
I was in a stall in the best market in Rome when I met Tomas. I had planned on just buying a loaf of bread and some strawberries when I came across a beautiful frame as I was leaving.
A frame of that quality was obviously not going to be cheap and the market stalls only accepted cash. I tried my best (using all of my argument tactics I had learned from being a lawyer) to get the seller to keep it aside until I came back but he refused.
I was about to give up when a hand reached over and held out a few notes.
"I'll have the frame," He says and I was about to protest when he turned to me, "for the lady."
My eyes widened and he winked. The owner happily accepted the money and gave the man the frame. He turned to me properly allowing me to take in his appearance. He had black hair, prominent cheekbones, and light stubble in certain places. He was casually dressed in a plain aqua coloured shirt and khaki shorts.
"Thank you," I say gratefully as he hands it over.
"No problem. But may I ask, why are you so insistent on that frame?" He asks curiously.
"I don't know," I shrug honestly, "I can just clearly visualise a few of my picture in it."
"A photographer?" He asks and I nod.
"Not professional. Just a hobby," I tell him.
"I've always liked photographers. They seem to see a certain beauty in everything and I admire that," He grins and I flush slightly, "Tomas," he holds out his hand.
"Francesca."
I can't say that was the start of a beautiful love story. It was the start of a beautiful friendship that somehow led to romance.
For a long time, I never saw him as anything more than a friend. Okay, three months. But once again, that was long with regards to my past.
There was just something special about Tomas. He brought out a side to me that I thought I left behind. He broke down every single wall that I built on the plane here. He found my heart and gave it the confidence to try again.
Now, I couldn't even imagine myself with anybody else. He made me feel safe and happy. Tomas is easygoing, considerate and humourous. He even managed to get my father to personally copy the front door key for him, which genuinely shocked me.
Of course, the breakup with Leon hit me hard and it seemed to affect my father almost as much. Christian had always seen Leon as a son. He had always seen Leon in a particularly good light and when he found out what Leon did to me he could barely believe it. If it came from anybody other than me then he probably would not have believed it.
Yet Tomas found a way.
Other than my strengthened relationship with my father, Tomas was the best thing that had happened to me in Rome.
With him, it somehow seemed realistic to draw up a happily ever after in my head with Tomas instead of idealistic like with Leon. My relationship with Tomas was practical and things like that were no longer far-fetched. He was easily somebody anybody could imagine growing old with.
With Leon, the person he used to be was bound to catch up with him. I guess I was just unlucky that he happened to be with me when it occurred.
Occasionally I wondered how he was. We had been best friends and some part of me would never stop caring for him. Maybe he was still with Gery. Or he had given up on long-term relationships and had returned to kissing new lips every night.
Ludmila wandered into my mind even more often. At least once I week I would tell myself that I should never have isolated myself from her as well. That she was different to everybody else because she was my closest friend.
But then I remembered that she was aware of everything.
Which brought me back to the belief that I was right. That everything I had done in the last four years was worth giving everything up. That it was worth not caring about anybody else other than myself the moment I boarded the plane.
Eventually, I was taken out of my reverie by my father's voice bouncing off the walls in my room.
"You've got a phone call!" He calls from downstairs.
"Coming! Put the person on hold for the moment," I yell back.
I slam the album in my lap closed and lift the floorboard up. I tuck it inside carefully, letting my hand linger on the cover image of Leon, Ludmila and me for a second too long, before fitting the wood back into its place.
Christian had told me a few times that keeping everything hidden wasn't exactly healthy. He didn't know that I often reminisced, he thought that I had everything in a box hidden somewhere I'd probably never find it again.
I was going to do that at first, honestly. But I couldn't bring myself to leave everything there, it was as if something had tugged at my heart as I taped the box up. I eventually settled on the under-the-floorboard idea.
I pulled my door until it almost closed and ran down the stairs. My father –who had started to cook– motioned toward the coffee table where his phone lay waiting. I picked it up, looking for caller ID but simply saw a number. I shrugged and spoke.
"Hello, Francesca Greene here," I say, getting comfortable on the couch behind me.
I had decided to use my mother's maiden name to ensure that I got the new identity I needed. My father wasn't overjoyed at the fact but he knew how important it was to start over to me.
"Fuck, it really is you," An all too familiar voice breathes.
It couldn't be.
"Hello? Shit, did I scare you off? Was it the fact I swore immediately? You know I have never been able to control that!"
"I-I'm still here," I stutter. "Ludmila, how did you find me?" I ask.
"Well wow, I thought you would have been at least a little more excited to hear from me. After all, it has been four fucking years. But whatever, I eventually tracked down your father. I tried looking for you for ages and now I realise it was because you changed your surname.
"I don't know why I never thought of that. Anyway, I found his number and well now I called him. Thank goodness he answered. Unfortunately, or well not, unfortunately, I actually have good news. I didn't just call to catch up, which we do need to do by the way but we'll do it another time,"
If I answered the phone.
I know, that sounds rude but just talking to her right now made me nervous. I definitely wasn't expecting it after all the precautions I had taken.
"What happened?" I finally asked, stopping her in the middle of her rambling.
"I'm getting married!"
Hi! I hope you enjoyed the second chapter!
Also, it may seem like she overdid everything by even using her mother's surname but she kinda needed to. It was all part of giving herself a new life, free of everything in her old one.
So Ludmila! She pretty obviously needed to be the first person to get through to her. And, just to avoid any confusion or whatever, Ludmila is getting married to Diego. It's not much of a spoiler, it should be a given.
More concerning that in the next chapter! What do you think of Tomas? Hope you don't have any negative feelings towards him.
Thanks for reading 🙈 Sorry for any errors 💚
~Lexy 😈