9
I hate Mondays
If I told you this was only gonna hurt
If I warned you that the fire's gonna burn
Would you walk in?
Would you let me do it first?
—Name of Love (Bebe Rexha & Martin Garrix)
SOMETHING HAD changed between us after that talk. Like a huge weight had lifted between us and the barrier of uncertainty had just about vanished. We weren't doubtful of each other anymore, there was a layer of trust that was close to unbreakable.
The biggest thing was that in such a short amount of time I was closer to this person than some people I have been with for years.
Jessica Tennyson would be a good example.
I decided to call her today. I don't know I guess, I just missed her... However she was, she was my best friend and I was being super pathetic. But hell, I still did it. It was just a phone call, right? It's not like I went knocking on her door and forced her to be with me.
Just a call.
Which she didn't pick up.
I sighed as I glanced at my phone while my interviewer was going through my file.
Another interview, yes, because I wanted to take every chance I could get. And honestly, this time I want to make sure it's secure because the last one just wasn't the exact definition of reliable, hell it was far from it.
"Did I tell ya I hate Mondays?" I announced as I closed the door behind me and hung my coat.
"Loads of times. It's practically engraved in my mind now." Ray said from somewhere around the house.
"Good." I smiled at myself as I made my way to the living room.
"I think Emily might help you with this. She has quite a high level of experience." Ray spoke as I entered the apartment.
"What am I helping with." My face morphed into a grimace as I glared at Ray.
"And don't call me that. How many times do I have to say it?"
"Umm, I heard it the very first time, I just decided not to follow it." He stood up and put the coffee pot for me. And I melted.
He always remembers. Always.
"Would you two stop being so all over each other? It's nauseous." He put a hand on his and put his head back on the couch.
"Hello to you too, Joe." I knitted my eyebrows and looked at Ray. I raised an eyebrow to ask what's up with him and he just sighed.
Oh well.
"So what am I helping with?" I popped beside Joe on the couch.
"Well, Joe wants you to bestow some of your expertise on him."
This time, I raised both my eyebrows.
"I want to break up with Cecilia." Joe muttered with his hand still on his face.
Somehow that brought one song into my mind.
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart
You're shaking my confidence yeah
I blinked it away as I met eyes with Joe who was now looking at me expectantly.
Umm, okay.
So this was the experience and expertise Ray was talking about.
I gritted my teeth and looked at Ray who seemed to be enjoying this moment very much. Too much.
Did I mention he was a jerk?
Because he bloody was.
I took a breath more to calm myself than for the obvious purpose.
"Well, what do you want me to do?" I sighed.
"Well, I don't know how to break up with her. Because breaking up is kinda a brutal thing to do ya know...I wanna know how to make it less brutal."
I don't think I would be the right person for that. Hell, I didn't even realise I broke up with Zach until the next day.
But of course, I wouldn't tell Joe that.
The guy already looked so anxious. I didn't wanna give up just yet.
"I thought you like her?" I mean the last time I saw them together by the elevator of this building they seemed to be going pretty intense.
"She's just too much right now."
"But didn't she look amazing in anything?" Those were his words, yes?
"Hey, just because a person looks good doesn't mean you're in love them. You might like their looks but that doesn't even matter that much. It's the person that matters, looks are just an attribute, it is the hearts that should connect in the long run."
"You touched my heart Joe, ask away whatever you wanna know." I patted my hand on his thigh.
"Good going, Joe. She doesn't get convinced so easily." Ray supplied from the kitchen.
I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah exactly. Especially if someone wants to eat brown bread instead of white." I reverted.
"It's a better option!" Ray threw his hands in the air.
"Yeah, right." I made a face and scoffed.
"Again!" Joe roared.
We both shut up and looked at each other trying to hold our laughter.
"Okay, baby Joe, let's focus on you."
"Don't call me that." He muttered.
"What do you need me to do?" I put a hand on his lap.
He sighed.
"Just come with me for support, I guess." He muttered and stood up and straightened his pants.
I looked up at him and then at Ray who was seated on the other side of Joe.
"Alright Joe, let's break you up." I rubbed my hands together and looked at the two men in front of me mischievously.
"Told ya, she was evil." Ray uttered as he took his keys.
"Suits you." Joe smirked at Ray.
I smacked Joe's head.
"What was that for?" He rubbed the area and hissed.
"I am not an accessory that looks good with him." I folded my arms as we waited for Ray to lock the door.
"Sorry." He raised his hands and widened his eyes.
"You were right, she's feisty." Joe murmured to Ray as they both walked behind me, I rolled my eyes as I pressed the button of the lift.
"Doesn't she live in this building?" I remembered out of a sudden.
"Yes, she is living with me." Joe sighed.
"An advise Joe, don't move in with the person until you're completely sure, the moving out part can be awkward and painful for completely different reasons as well." I shrugged.
"Yeah. Lesson learned." He looked down.
"Oh come on, it looks like you are getting dumped." I shoved him on the shoulder.
He glared at me when I beat him to the passenger seat.
I grinned in triumph as I sat in the front and Joe shuffled in the back seat.
"It's like I have two kids with me." Ray shook his head and turned on the radio.
Some woman started speaking on something random.
"Change this man, we wanna hear songs!" Joe whined and I joined him.
Ray muttered something to himself and changed the station to something else.
"Oh yeah, I like this song." Joe said when something barely comprehensible came in.
"What, this is a song? Seems like a hundred people talking at once." I changed the station.
"Hey! Revert to the previous channel." Joe said from behind, he had shuffled to the window side behind Ray. I tilted my head at him and showed him my tongue.
"You!" Joe jumped between us and changed it himself.
"No!" I changed it back to the one I had put before.
"You're gonna pay for this." Joe said as pushed me and held my hand with one and changed the station with another.
I screamed as tried to get out of his hold.
Ray stopped the car.
We both froze. Joe's half body was leaning onto my shoulder and I had one on the radio which was currently caged by Joe's fist.
"How old are you two?" Ray asked us in a calm voice.
We both looked at each other with hidden smiled and a little guilt.
"Twenty-five."
"Twenty-seven."
"Joe you are older, I didn't expect this from you." Ray looked at Joe who now was seated in between at the back. Joe looked at his twiddling fingers baring managing to hide his smile.
"You mean you expected this from me?" I looked at Ray in disbelief.
"And you, Emily." I glared at him. " I thought you were better than this." I bit my lip and held in my smile.
"You two need to understand that by doing what you just did, you are putting us three in life jeopardizing danger." He chided and Joe and I both looked at each other.
"Now apologise to each other."
"Sorry." I pouted.
"It's okay, I forgive you."
"Joe, you need to apologise too." Ray narrowed his eyes at him.
Joe sighed and huffed.
"Sorry."
"It's okay." I pursed my lips.
"Now shake on it."
We both shake hands and seated ourselves properly.
Ray looking proud at himself started the car again and Joe and I were sitting like little kids looking anywhere but each other.
I gotta say, Ray was a patient man.
I would just yell and throw us out or something.
I looked at Ray, he was driving smoothly like he's done that loads of times before, and followed all the rules. He was calculative and focused. And when he would look at you with his intelligent gaze it would seem as if he can see your every secret but somehow you're okay with him knowing everything, you know it's safe with him.
He would have been a good psychologist.
"We're there." He announced as he removed his seat belt.
"Finally!" Joe threw his hands and got out as fast as he could.
I rolled my eyes and got out too.
"Where are we meeting her?" I asked Joe and he checked the time.
"I am meeting her there." He pointed at a cafe. "In five minutes."
"Well, what'll we do in the meantime?" I looked at Ray.
"We'll just be there at a distance. If things get heated, we might barge in." Ray shrugged.
"You guys have no plan, don't you?" I looked at the two men standing in front of me with wary expressions.
"Yeah."
"Yup."
I sighed.
"Just don't say something you don't mean, okay?" I said, from personal experience. Of course.
He nodded and went to a table, I followed Ray to what I suppose was going to be our table. After we seated ourselves to a seat which had a clear view of Joe's table, Ray asked me to order for him and he stood up to answer a call.
"Two cappuccinos, please." I told the waiter, who nodded and went to get our order.
I observed from afar as I saw the familiar woman with red hair enter with a smile on her face. That's smile was not going to last long, I suppose.
Breakups were ironic. We all hate them, even the one who is doing the breaking up, I mean look at Joe, the guy is practically a nervous wreck. But even if people look indifferent while doing it, if it meant something to them they would be hurt too. They just don't show it.
When I, accidentally or not, broke up with Zach, it hurt to an extent. But what we usually forget is the brighter side. The rather essential part. Because that break up will lead you to the relationship which would last. In the long run. If this relationship wasn't meant to be, then it wasn't. You couldn't control that. What you can do, is moving on and being optimistic for the next one.
Zach was a great guy, he had his flaws. But he had his qualities too, for instance, he was super protective and made sure all my needs are met. He would remember the things I mentioned and did what he could to make me happy. But he just wasn't the one. He just...wasn't. You can't help it.
Until and unless you feel it, it's not going to last.
I didn't feel it.
Not my fault.
Or maybe it was.
I realised I could be in a relationship without the feeling part.
I was wrong.
Hell. What was I thinking?
"Hey, what's going on there." Ray came back and sat beside me.
I turned my head towards the two and they both were talking in serious tones. I guess things were going good.
"It seems Joe has it under control." I uttered.
"Yeah, so it seems." He sipped on his cappuccino and glanced at the two.
"So, Ray." I stretched my hands in front of me.
"Yeah?" His deep eyes landed on me.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" I tilted my head towards. Though I kinda knew he didn't, I gotta make sure. What if somehow in the middle of the day he shows up with a girl? I don't wanna seem surprised, you know?
"Nope, haven't had the time." He knitted his eyebrows as if in deep thought.
"But?" I narrowed my eyes.
"But I know I have options." He smirked.
I scoffed. Why, of course, he does. He was smart, had a stable career, attractive too and seemed like a cool guy overall. What's not to like? Plus, he had the body of a god.
His healthy food obsession definitely.
I rolled my eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just not good to show off." I tried to hide my smile.
"You jealous?" He smiled smugly.
"Why would I be?" I tilted my head.
"Just try and understand." I heard a familiar voice and Ray and I both locked eyes and then looked at the table.
"What should I understand? Huh? You know what, I thought you were different than the others!" She stood up and with that Joe stood up and then Ray and I stood up.
A lot of standing up.
It was almost dramatic.
Just some background music and...
"Cecilia, listen I didn't mean it like that, I thought you felt the same!" Joe seemed like he was having a really hard time.
Wow, ever watched a breakup live?
I'll tell ya, its some free modern Shakespeare.
"Should we go and interrupt?" I whispered to Ray.
"Nah, it's his battle to fight, we could only prep him." He pursed his lips.
"Wish I could help him though."
Ray just patted my back and I bit my lip.
"—that's it, I am leaving your house and your life, it's over!" She hollered and the entire cafe was watching the show by now.
"Isn't that what Joe was supposed to say?" I leaned into Ray.
He leaned back in.
"She wants it to seem like she broke up with him." He murmured.
"Haha, nice." I chuckled.
And after a classic of a glass of water being thrown at Joe, the woman left and Joe just sat down with a sigh.
"Poor baby." I cooed as we made our way to Joe.
"I am happy it's over." Joe shrugged and Ray and I laughed.
At least Zach didn't do that to me.
Or more like I didn't.
***
A/n: Joe and Emilia remind me of the brother-sister wars that we used to have when we were kids. But now everyone is like plugged to their phones. It's kinda sad.
~Ria
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