|ALEX’S POV|
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – YEAR 2014
“It’s getting late, let’s get you home and we should continue this some other time over dinner, what do you say?” I looked at Natalie hoping she’d say yes. I’ve been telling her my story for about 2 hours now and it’s almost 3am. “No please continue. I’m excited to know what she texted you.” She looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes as if pleading me to continue. “No no, let’s get you home, Haley texted me that she’s on her way to pick us up. Let’s continue some other time, at least you’ll have a reason to go out with me. Not in a date kind of go out but as a friend. So, come?” I said to her and she sighed and replied okay. We gathered our things and went outside. I saw that she was cold so I gave her my coat. “Here take it, another reason for you to see me, and by the way, I figured you still won’t give me your number so I put my number there in one of the pockets, hope you’d text me.” I then winked at her. She just bleh-d at me and turned the other way around. I smiled and then I saw my car, my baby. Haley and Jessy transferred to the backseat and I got in the driver seat and Natalie sat in the front seat.
“So you want me to bring you home or back to the club assuming you parked your car there?” I asked her, my eyes on the road. “Actually I don’t drive, went there with a friend and since you forced me to grab coffee with you, she left me and it’s your obligation to take me home.. safely.” She said smirking and gave me her address. “Calm down woman, if going out with me was that bad that you really shove into my face that I forced you then it won’t happen again. I apologize” I said faking hurt. She then sighed and was silent the whole car ride. Haley and Jessy didn’t even realize what was happening, they continued tickling and kissing each other. I was so jealous of them but I said I wouldn’t love again after what happened to me 5 years ago. When we got to her house, she said thanks and hurriedly went down my car, she even left my coat on the seat. Guess I’m never going to see her again. We all went home and I went to my room. I couldn’t sleep because the thought of Natalie was consuming my thoughts. I seriously thought she was pretty cool and we might have the chance but no.
5am came and my alarm was blasting, haven’t slept yet but I got up and got my jogging gear up. I proceeded with my morning routine hoping it would take my thoughts off Natalie but to no avail she was still on my mind by the time I finished beating myself up. I took a shower and sat on my bed with my laptop on my lap, I was too stressed and I couldn’t sleep so I got up and lit a cigarette. It always calms me down, when I was done smoking I went back to bed and got my laptop, signed into facebook.. I saw that I had a message from an old classmate informing everybody in our batch that we will be having a reunion on December when everybody is back for the holidays, I immediately checked the going icon because well I miss my other friends. Haven’t seen them since I moved here and I’m excited for them to see the new and improved me.
I then felt sleep trying to crawl to me so I plopped my laptop down and started to try going to sleep.. after a few minutes I fell asleep and as usual I dreamt of that night again. I woke up with tears on my eyes, why does it still hurt? Why is it haunting me? I really don’t understand. Is it because I ran away from pain? Or is it because that after everything I’ve been through she’s still the one I wanted? I still remember that painful day, I begged, I cried but nothing. It destroyed me. That night destroyed me.
I really want to stop thinking about it I mean I thought I’ve finally moved on.. but I guess I’m being reminded why I should not care and should not think about Natalie much so I went decided to just go through this day. I woke up, took a shower and checked my email. I saw that I had a mail from my boss asking me to check the costings of my next project I did it and I texted my brother Xavier about our dinner tonight. It didn’t take long before he replied the address of the restaurant we were going to go to. I went out of my room and noticed that nobody was home. Well I guess Haley was out with Jessy and Rachel? Well she’s Rachel, she’ll be home tonight. I went to the kitchen to grab something to eat, I then ate a little and I went back to my room and browsed through my facebook feed, I then saw the playbill of Alice’s playbill. Wow she’s going to portray Cinderella, good for her she’s achieving her dreams. I decided to do something for work for a while before changing.
I got to the restaurant and saw my little brother sipping through his wine. Typical Xavier, I patted his back and gave him a kiss on his cheek before saying hello. We then ordered our food and ate. We talked about everything under the sun. By now he knew that I was gay, my parents still didn’t know though. When we finished our dinner Xavier asked me to go with him to this party that was hosted by one of Nathan’s friends, I decided to check it out, I mean I’ve been craving for beer and I actually need a woman of the week, my last one didn’t even last long, she gave up after a week of me not caring about anything but sex with her. Well whatever she was pretty but she’s not someone who would change my view about love.
When we entered a party Nathan greeted us and led us to a table that was specially reserved for him. On our way to the table I noticed a familiar face, a very familiar face and my heart started beating faster. No no, not now. I really didn’t want to deal with another rejection from this woman. “Alex you remember Natalie? Natalie, this is Alexandra but she prefers to be called Alex. Alex this is Natalie” Nathan excitedly introduced us.
“Uhm yeah we already met. Anyway I think I need a drink. Want anything, guys?” Natalie replied shyly. I just smiled and turned my back. I wasn’t really in the mood for some bad vibes, I’m here to have fun and actually look for a new girl to play with. She walked to the bar not turning back, I then looked at my brother and Nathan and they knew what my look meant. I walked around the bar looking for a good candidate to be my woman of the week. Then a beautiful girl caught my attention, I went to her and introduced myself. This girl looked really good but she talks shit. I mean she doesn’t even make sense but this will do, she looks like someone who isn’t ready to commit and she was flirting with me so okay she will do. I continued flirting til I made her agree to go home with me right now, I went back to the table to bid everyone goodbye. “Hey Alex can you bring Natalie home? I promised her she could ride with me, I mean she wants to go home and her driver went home early because his wife gave birth and we still want to party. Please? You don’t mind, do you?” Nathan asked me shyly.
“Uhm only if she wants to then okay I’ll bring her home” I replied hesitant. Nathan then looked at Natalie as if asking if it was okay with her. She just smiled and grabbed her coat. I motioned for her to go first I then looked for the girl that I was supposed to go home with. “Let’s go sweetie. Let’s go home” I winked at that girl. I really don’t remember her name so let’s just call her girly. We then went outside the club and saw Natalie waiting. “You sure you still have room for one more? I can just get a cab. I really don’t mind.” She said to me.
“No it’s fine, we can drop her off before we go home, right girly?” I looked at her not really asking for permission. She squealed with a yes and we decided to bring Natalie home. The whole car ride was awkward; no one really said a word. When we got to her house, she went down and approached the driver’s side. “Alex can I speak to you privately?” I went down the car and walked her to her door because she wanted to speak privately.
“I just want to say I’m sorry for yesterday. I was rude and you didn’t deserve that, I’m actually hoping we could be friends. Let me apologize with a dinner. This week? And you could finish your story, I actually want to hear it.” She said to me shyly. I smiled and said “Uhm you don’t have to I mean if you don’t really want to go out with me, it’s fine. Apology accepted dinner isn’t obligatory. Have a good night Natalie.” I smiled slowly walking away. I then heard her shout “I insist, I’ll call you.” I wonder how she got my number, I mean it’s impossible because she left my coat in my car, I didn’t bother checking the pockets if the paper with my number was still there. I continued walking away and deciding to check my coat later, I lost interest and dropped the girl back to the club. She was furious but I didn’t care, I mean I don’t even know her name.
I went home and when I checked my phone sure enough there was a message from Natalie..
From: Natalie Devoraux
I’m really hoping you’d quit being so stubborn and just go :D promise, my treat. Way of making it up for being a bitch. Thursday, 8pm, Bill & Toni’s – Darlinghurst. Let’s start over :)
To: Natalie Devoraux
I believe you won’t accept a no? Question though, where did you get my number? Good night, Natalie. Sleep well!
From: Natalie Devoraux
Check your coat’s pocket ;) good night Alexandra.
She used my full name, I usually hate it when people call me Alexandra. I mean I introduced myself as Alex, right? I wonder why I love it when she called me Alexandra, with her it sounded so.. sexy. Anyway Italian, good one. I love Italian food, well let’s see if we could make this friendship work. I went to bed ready to start my week.
It’s been a dragging week, I really couldn’t wait for Thursday I mean that’s the only thing I’m looking forward to this week. Seeing Natalie, actually starting over again with her, it sounded so.. real and so nice. It’s Wednesday and tomorrow is the day I’m finally seeing her again, I hated this week because of the load of work that I’m experiencing. It’s hard to be in demand in a man’s job, everybody gets too competitive and hard headed I’m glad that I’m only a sleep away from heaven. And by heaven I mean Natalie’s face. We really haven’t spoken after that invitation, I was busy and I guess she was too. I saw 2 new billboards of Natalie on my way here to my office. Guess she really was big in the industry she’s working on huh. Wow.
It’s finally Thursday and I just need to get this 8 hours over with then I can finally see her again. Work was busy as usual and I was too stressed. 8 hours of costings, proposals and meetings. This job will be the death of me. It was 5pm when I decided to just fuck everything and go home, I took a bath, changed to my most comfortable button down shirt and skinny jeans, and wore my favorite pair of loafers. I was all set for my dinner with Natalie. I arrived at the restaurant around 8pm and when I got there, she wasn’t there yet, I asked to be seated and waited for her. When she arrived she was wearing a dress and she looked tired. I guess she came straight from work.
“I’m sorry I’m late, got caught up in traffic.” She smiled and sat down. “No it’s fine I just got here anyway, let’s order?” I said to her and called the waiter. We ordered and while waiting for our food we talked about our days. So I was right she came directly from a shoot and she haven’t slept for 24 hours now. I asked her why she haven’t slept yet and she said she had to shoot 2 commercials and she had to do a photoshoot for a magazine. Well I guess her job wasn’t a joke.
This friendship thing with us might actually work. She was sweet and very humble and we had lots in common. “So what did Alice’s text say? I mean you didn’t actually finish your story last time.” She said to me wondering.
“Uhm are we still on that? Do you really want to know the story of my life?” I smiled at her while taking a bite from my food. “Yes now proceed with the story, I’m interested.” I looked at her to check if she was being sarcastic and she wasn’t.
“Her text said..”