" I never prepared for a moment like that
Yeah, suddenly it all came back..."
Aria's POV
"The court is adjourned for the day, until the next date."
The hitting of the gavel made me slightly jump, as up until now I was in a daydream. Olivia came towards me in front of the court.
"You look like shit. You look worse than when we came"
"Gee, thanks for that Oli"
I love her but sometimes she really needs to analyze a situation and realize when a filter is required. I met Oli 9 years ago in medical school. We have been inseparable ever since. She has been my pillar of strength and her parents helped me out on many struggles over the year. They took me in when I needed it the most. I am eternally grateful for them and her.
"Come on, let's get out of this hell hole and get a bite to eat." I nodded as I began collecting my bag and coat.
We made our way down the street. I could feel the lack of food and sleep affecting my system.
"I really need this court thing to be over Oli. I don't know how much more I can take. I literally have no future until this is dealt with. I am sitting on an unpaid suspension and the longer this drags out the longer I sit in sinking sand."
"Ari, I know. Darling, I know this is very frustrating and the thought of not knowing kills you but unfortunately there is nothing we can do except to keep fighting and see this through as patiently as possible. There is no point in destroying yourself the way you have been doing so up until now."
I stared out into the road waiting for the robot to change allowing us to walk across. Olivia nudged me when I gave her no reply. I nodded silently once again.
"Now, we are going to get you a bloody good greasy food substance with a strong cup of coffee." She hooked her arm through mine as we crossed the street.
We stepped into the cafe and it was buzzing as always. We got into the queue and I read the menu on the screens by the front tills.
"Any idea what you're having?" I asked Oli.
She shook her head slowly while reading her phone. Her face then changed into one of irritation.
"What's wrong?"
"No, I am just fed up with that imbecile at the clinic. He can never follow basic simple bloody instructions. I mean how do you mess up taking a patient for blood and back to their room for resting? How!?" I shrugged.
I knew who she was referring to. The new interns are quite annoying and we as residents having to deal with their crap just adds more unnecessary pressure to the job. And this particular intern was just the clumsiest of them all. I don't even understand how he made it into the program. But I guess we all start somewhere.
"I'll be right back. I need to phone this fool and I can't hear a thing in here."
"What if I get to the front of the line, what do I get you?"
Olivia took a step out and glanced down the queue.
"Don't worry I will make it back in time. I am simply going to tell him the idiot that he is and then get a better-suited intern on the job. I won't be long." I gave her a small nod.
The line moved quicker than I expected it to. I was now standing in front of the till and the cashier was staring at me waiting for me to give my order. I had already tried to stall by looking at the menu but still no sign of Olivia. Gosh, why do I always find myself in these kinds of situations?
"Mam, are you going to order?"
"Um... yes yes. I am just waiting for my friend who didn't mention what she wanted to eat." The cashier gave me an emotionless nod.
"You know what, maybe attend the next person and I will wait on the side until she gets back." I turned my back to the cashier to face the people next in line.
"Sir, you can go ahea-"
My throat went dry. The words stopped coming out my mouth and my whole body went numb the minute the gentleman looked up from his phone to acknowledge me speaking to him.
10years... It's been 10 years since I last saw those beautiful ocean eyes. The same eyes that brought me such happiness then crushed it all in one go. The same eyes that destroyed me, broke me, shattered the person I once was. Those same eyes now stared right back at me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to form my words but nothing came out.
"Aria..." Hearing that smooth velvety voice, only more profound, saying my name sent shivers down my spine. This is ridiculous. Snap the fuck out of this Aria!
It was then that I noticed him and his surroundings. He was bigger. A lot bigger and his hair was slightly longer, maybe even a little bit lighter. His eyes are exactly how I remember them but his whole appearance seemed rougher looking. He was dressed smartly in a long grey trench coat. Next to him stood a slightly shorter man with glasses and a rugged look. He was also slightly smaller but very attractive as all his features suited him. Nothing prepared me for what came next. Well mind you, I wasn't prepared for anything that was happening right now!
I spotted her before she reached us or before she began talking. She had changed quite a bit. She too had a rougher look. Short hair that was slightly gelled back. She wore a pair of ripped jeans and a grey blazer which she had rolled up exposing her tattooed arms. She was still as stunning as ever even in her new look. She wasn't looking in our direction yet made her way there effortlessly, staring at her phone the whole way there.
"Yup, it's working alright. Bloody good job Lorenzo!" She came and stood next to Dominic still staring at the phone now typing away.
"Bos-" Dominic cleared his throat loudly over her speaking which cut her off and made her lookup. Ruby looked straight at me and her eyes bulged in surprise. She then began scanning me up and down. When she made it back up to my eyes she was holding a cheeky grin on her face that I didn't quite understand. She slipped her phone into her jean's pocket.
"Ai Mami... Look at you!"
What was happening right now?
Dominic nudged her lightly which pulled her eyes from me and to him. They exchanged expressions I couldn't quite make out. She then turned to the other man.
"Right. Lorenzo, let's go grab the car."
"But the car is -"
"Lorenzo!" She hissed maybe a little too obviously. "We need to go grab the car!" The man looked from her to Dominic, to me then back to her. He made quick nods and began walking away.
"Aria, it was really lovely to see you." she winked at me. I'm sorry but was she taunting me? After all these years, was she really taunting me about everything? What the hell was that?
"So... Does anybody plan on placing an order or can I go on lunch?" The cashier took me out of my thoughts with his annoyed voice.
"Oh crap, I am so sorry! Um, yes yes." I then turned again to those eyes and tried focusing on behind him instead. "Dominic, I'm waiting for a friend to order so you can go ahead. "
He didn't move. He just stood there staring at me. I wasn't sure what to do.
Ruby's POV
"Oh boy... This is crashing and burning. This whole thing is crashing and burning." I facepalmed my forehead.
"What's going on?" Lorenzo whispered to me.
"What's going on is our boss is embarrassing himself and acting like a downright tool right now."
I watched as Dominic stood there. Aria had just finished speaking to him and he said nothing except stare at her. He didn't move what so ever. What the hell is wrong with him? The cashier was getting more and more annoyed by the second and Aria was feeling more and more awkward as time passed.
"Ruby, what the hell is going on?" Lorenzo asked again a little more agitated than the first time.
"Ok, we need to do something. Give me that." I took the folder from him. "Go make sure the car is ready to pull off the minute we get into it. Let Alfonso know."
"Ruby what the hell is going on!?"
"That my friend is Aria Valenti. The one and only woman to ever have any hold over Boss and the only person to have seen him last before he became the ruthless emotionless twat he is today. We haven't seen her in over 10 years and that last encounter wasn't the greatest memory. I am honestly surprised she didn't slap him again."
"Well, shit..."
"Yeah... Let me sort this crap out. Go get Alfonso." Lorenzo nodded and headed out of the coffee house.
I began walking towards Dominic and picked up speed the longer I watched him do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Aria saw me coming their way. I gave her a small apologetic smile and hooked my arm through Dominic's which pulled him out of his gaze very quickly.
"So sorry Aria, we are in a bit of a rush. It was really lovely to see you, but are you ordering or can we?"
"Um... N-no I was just telling him that." She motioned towards Dominic. "I am waiting on someone to order so you guys can go ahead."
"Great! Thanks, girl." I pulled Dominic forward with me. I placed our order, took Dominic's wallet out his coat and paid for everything. While we waited for the drinks I began trying to distract Dominic from everything.
"So, we have the ball this weekend. Everything seems to be running smoothly and should be ready for the night." Dominic looked at me and I noticed it in his eyes when he snapped out of everything back into reality.
Our drinks were brought to us and we grabbed everything and began to leave. I was preparing myself for another encounter as we turned around to pass Aria. I was expecting to do damage control yet again with Dominic, but to my surprise, he just walked. He walked right past her, no glance, no word, nothing. He just walked. And I saw Aria's face drop at that coldness act from Dominic. She was expecting something. Anything. A goodbye. An acknowledgment of some sort. Heck, so was I! I walked behind Dominic and stopped just beside Aria.
"It really was lovely to see you Aria," I said genuinely. "You're looking good. Keep well." She nodded at me.
"You too." She whispered so lowly I barely heard her. She, however, made no eye contact with me. I guess I understood why. To her, I was still the girl who her boyfriend cheated on her with. I'm still the home wrecker.
I walked out of the front doors and spotted the limo. Dominic was nowhere to be seen. Hopefully already inside. I climbed in and thankfully, there he was sipping his coffee and checking his phone.
"We need to get going if we are to make it in time. Alfonso, please put a step on it."
"Um... Dom are you alright?" I cautiously asked.
"Why the hell wouldn't I be Ruby?"
"It's just... Inside La Colombe..."
"Inside La Colombe, nothing happened. We ran into a high school peer and I was taken off guard by it while I was trying to plan escape routes should this meeting go south. Nothing more nothing less." He stated sternly, giving me a warning glare.
I knew better than to push the subject. "Alright Boss."
I sipped my coffee and looked out the window. As the car pulled off I spotted her again. Aria leaving with a bottle of water, crossing the street in the opposite direction that we were driving.
She really has changed. Her beauty has only increased and her comfortability with herself has truly elevated in drastic ways. She holds herself so strongly and in a determined manner. Not the same little girl I once knew. Not the shy, mousy girl we all knew. Her body has filled out in the right places and she has toned up. Her fashion sense was on point and eye-catching. Everything about her today screamed victress in all forms.
I looked over at Dominic and I know he noticed her. He was looking at her crossing the street, but when I looked in his direction he pulled his gaze away from her and back to his phone to start typing away at it.
Lots of Love until next time my lovelies.
Angie
xxx