Love Really Is Strange – Episode 9

By Lydia Jonathan

Me: Get out!!

Evans: calm down babe

Me: Don’t you dare Babe me, I want you out of here now!! and I’d leave if I were you, when I’m still asking nicely

Is everything alright ma? Miriam(my other girl) ran over

Me: Yes, I just want him out

I pointed at Evans

Miriam: but ma, we can’t send him out, he’s a paying customer

She pleaded

Me: I don’t care if he wants to buy the caf� and everything in it, I just want him out of this place

I barked, attracting looks from customers

Ma, please take it easy, people are watching, abigail who was viewing from afar ran over

Me: they can watch if you want, I don’t care, he just needs to leave

But ma, they chorused

Evans: it’s okay, I’ll be leaving now

He got up straightening his suit, then turned to girls, � thanks for your service� he smiled but they just gave a panicked smile in return

� it’s nice to meet you again Liz, Evans turned to smile at me

� I wish I can say same about you I spat, disgust lacing my tone

He nodded and walked away

I dismissed the girls to their various jobs and went back to mine. Not feeling like it anymore, I excused myself and left for the day, but not without passing out instructions to my workers

George: Hi baby, everything alright?

Me: Of course why wouldn’t it be?

George: you’re calling by this time, so I thought something had happened

Me: everything is fine, just feeling light headed so I’m home

I lied, I didn’t want to tell him I met my ex because I know it won’t end well

George: Are okay, do you need to got to the hospital?

Me: no no no, I’m Fine, just gonna rest is all

George: Are you sure? I can come take you if you want

Me: yea, I’m fine, I’ll just sleep it off. I just wanted to hear your voice

George: alright, take care….. I love you

Me: me too

I hung up, rubbing circles round my temple feeling a headache coming along. Maybe I do need the rest after all, I yawned going up to my room

After what felt like minutes, I was awoken by a yelling Mimi,

Liz, are you home?

I groaned and sat up, holding my head in my hands, just then Mimi barged in

Mimi: what is going on babe? I went to the caf� and they said you left hours ago

Me: please calm down Mimi, I feel like my heads gonna explode

I groaned

Mimi: what’s going on?

Me: headache

�Hold on, I’ll go get pain killers, then she left and later came back in with pain killers and a glass of water and handed it to me

I drank and she made me go back to sleep whilst she goes to prepare dinner

I woke up feeling much better. I went down and met Mimi chewing on a carrot

Me: Is that what we’re having for dinner

I mocked

Mimi: ha ha, very funny. It’s like you’re feeling better since you can now throw a joke

Me: yea, I am

Mimi: Good, now come on let’s eat, I’m starved

She went in brought the food and we ate in silence, till she broke it

Mimi: so, what’s up, I went to the caf�, but Abigail said you left after yelling at some dude

Me: it’s nothing

She dropped her spoon and looked up at me

Mimi: it didn’t feel like nothing when the girls explained it, what’s going on Liz

Knowing she’s probably drilling a hole through my head with her stare, I avoided her gaze

Me: it’s nothing really, just drop it

Mimi: no I’m not gonna drop it, tell me what’s going on, what happened?

With the way it’s going, she probably won’t drop it until I fess up

I saw Evans, I spoke up, which came out more like a whisper than I intended. He was the customer I yelled at, I finished but Mimi remained mute

� well, I looked up at her

Mimi: wow

A bit confused by her reply

Me: wow?

Mimi: yea wow, your ex that dumped you years ago through text coincidentally comes to your caf�. That’s just wow.

Me: you know what? I just lost my appetite, I think I’m gonna go rest some more

I got angered by her reacting like it’s no big deal

Mimi: I’m so sorry

She got up and walked over to me

Mimi: it’s just, I didn’t know what to say, I’m sorry I upset you.

I nodded and we both sat down

Mimi: so what are you going to do?

Me: I don’t know

Mimi: so, why did you get so angry, back at the caf�

Me: I don’t know, it’s just, when I saw him, all those emotions I buried deep down a long time ago just came crashing, and I just felt so angry and I just wanted to punch him hard on the face and and and…… I broke into sobs

He hurt me so bad Mimi

I know, I know,she pulled me in for a hug,sssssh, she cooed, don’t cry, it’s gonna be alright. Everything will be alright, she chanted.

There are days when you think the universe is messing with you, like when the weather is clear as when your about to leave the house, and you don’t need an umbrella and then the rain starts pouring half way to your destination and you having no way to escape it, or how you wish that �sshole ex of yours gets mysteriously hit by a bus and dies instantly or ends up with someone that ruins their life and they regret hurting you, but no, they get to live perfect lives, having beautiful kids and making sure the whole world knows they’re very happy by posting pics on social medias

Okay, I know I’m being bitter and I shouldn’t wish death for my ex but I also didn’t expect him to corner me, and expect me to listen to him, and is still is gorgeous self. Why is the universe so cruel? How can someone look as though he came out from a fashion magazine without even trying and the rest of us be looking like sh�t but trying so hard to hide it

I admit, ever since the caf� incident with Evans, I’ve been trying so hard to avoid him. I don’t think I can face him without trying to rip his face off

Me: Get out of my way Evans

I gritted out

Evans: No, not until you hear me out

I got angered and slapped him across the face but he didn’t flinch

Me: you don’t get to talk to me, so get out of my way, cause there’s many more where that came from

Evans: I guess I deserved, but please ba- Lizzy, I just wanna make things right, just hear me out

Me: Save it for someone who cares, okay? you got want you wanted,didn’t you? you took my virginity and lied straight to my face that you loved me, and dumping me through a text? That was low, you could have at least grown some b�lls and done it like a man. I’m done here so get out of my way now

He stepped out of the way for me, looking like i touched a nerve. I walked out feeling glad I finally got it out. I gotta admit that felt good, finally spitting it out, but something still bugged me

Me: I gotta ask

I stopped and turned to face him

Me: Was I really that bad? I know you probably didn’t love me *I laughed menacingly , but did you ever feel anything for me? Anything……..

Evans POV

I stood there looking at her, G�d she still looked beautiful as always.

When I first entered the caf� weeks ago, and then she came up to me take my order, my heart literally almost burst outta my chest. I never thought I’d ever get to see her again after all I put her through. I thought never getting to see her is the universe’s way of punishing me.

I stood there, watching her pour her heart out for all the pain I caused her, and it hurt so bad. Then she walked away and stopped to ask the question that gave me sleepless nights

�Did I ever feel anything for her?�

I wanted to grab, and press her close to me, wanted to make her feel the way my heart’s beating cause of her, how my heart feels like it’s about to blow cause she’s standing in front of me. I wanted to tell her how I never stopped loving her, how it’s the only thing that kept me going. But the words never came out

Lizzy: right, and that’s I needed to hear

Her lips quivered when she spoke

Lizzy: Thanks, for at least being honest with me.

� Stay the h�ll away from me, she said and walked away, her eyes glassy with un shed tears.

� You stupid idiot� the voice in my head nagged, you saw her and you let her go again without telling her, but I stood rooted to the ground unable to move, unable to grab a hold of her and pull in for a hug and never let her go

I let her walk away again and I regret it more than ever……..

�Welcome Ma, Abigail ran up to greet me as I entered the caf�

I’ll be inside if anyone needs me, I walked past a confused Abigail

Usually when I came in for the day I stop to look around and put things in place, but today I didn’t feel like it after the confrontation with Evans earlier, my mood turned sour

Although my heart keeps telling me otherwise, I knew it was too good to be true. I was young and naive and a love struck idiot and he just toyed with my feelings

�okay Ma, Abigail replied and I just nodded not even turning to look at her

The day dragged on and I just wished it would just end so I can go home and hug my pillow

� Hi hi, Mimi peered her head through my opened office

Me: Hi

Not looking away from what I was doing

Mimi: okay, someone’s in the mood what’s going on?

Me: oh nothing, just met my ex,and realised the douch� was never in love with me, and our whole relationship was one sided so, yipee

I waved my hands in the air

Mimi: he said he wasn’t in love with you?

Me: he didn’t say he was, so I took a hint

Mimi: it didn’t seem like it when you guys were together

Me: Mimi please drop it, I don’t wanna talk about it anymore

Mimi: okay. So why haven’t you been out, the girls said you’ve been in here all day

Me: wasn’t feeling it I guess

Mimi: well, that’s gonna have to change, cause they need you out there. Now come come on

She pulled me up from my chair and led me out to the caf�

After a while, we packed up and went home together

Mimi: hey, what’s up with George, I haven’t heard from him for a while

Mimi questioned when we got home

Me: he’s just busy with work

I defended, but she did have a point, he hasn’t been coming around like he usually does. And just then the door bell rang

Mimi turned to look at me

Mimi: are we expecting anyone?

I shrugged and went to open the door

And there stood George with a bouquet of flowers in his hands

�hey stranger I smiled and hugged him and he he handed me the bouquet

What’s the occasion? I smiled sniffing the flowers

�just because, he smiled giving me a kiss on my temple

Come on in Mimi’s cooking

We both sat on the dinning and seconds later I was on his lap and we were having a fierce make out session

�oh please do get a room�, we both turned to see Mimi setting the food down,

I’m really hungry and I would love to keep the food in my stomach not hurl it out she joked

George smiled and bent his head obviously embarrassed and I just mouthed a sorry at a smirking Mimi and went back to my seat

Dinner was fun, with us sharing how our day went, and I left out the part where I met Evans, cause I didn’t want to ruin it

George bade us goodbye and left minutes after dinner. And so Mimi and I cleared up and went to bed

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful, with the normal routine of caf� and then back home with Mimi

***********

I came out of the office one day the girls were whispering with Mimi, but immediately they saw me, she both scattered leaving Mimi alone avoiding my gaze

Me: okay what was that about?

Mimi: oh nothing

She waved her hands, still avoiding my gaze

Me: are you sure it’s nothing

Mimi: of course the girls were just talking about work, that’s all

She said in a high pitch

Me: you’re lying Mimi

Mimi: wh what? No I’m not not

Still high pitched

Me: spill it

Mimi: fine, come on girls, she has to know

The girls walked down, looking at each other

Me: so?

Mimi: okay, so, you see that company across

She pointed at the ginourmous company across

Me: yea?

Mimi: Evans is the CEO

She blurted out

Me: what?

I blinked rapidly

Me: what do mean he’s the CEO? I’ve never seen him there before

Miriam: yes that’s because he was transferred recently

Me: and you know this, how?

Miriam: okay, so, I was coming to work one day and I saw him entering the office and I recognised him as the guy you yelled at the other day, so I asked a friend of mine that works there who he is, and she she said he’s the new CEO, his father handed over the company to him after his return from the states.

She finished clasping her hands together

Me: wow

They looked at themselves and then back at me

Me: he was in the states huh?

She nodded, and I turned to look at Mimi, who had a pitiful look on her face

Me: well, good for him

I shrugged and walked away, and Mimi followed after me while the girls went back to their work

Mimi: are you okay?

Me: of course

I smiled and took a seat back in my office and Mimi did same

Mimi: Izz?

Me: I’m fine Mimi, really. So he dumped me for the states good for him, I don’t care

Mimi: if you’re really okay then, why haven’t you told George about you talking to him

Me: cause it’s no big deal and I hate him and don’t want him anywhere close to george

Mimi: Izz?

Me: Mimi, seriously

Mimi: okay, I hope you know what your doing. Meanwhile, I better go down, Sarah(the baker) is teaching me to bake

Me: are the extinguishers still working fine?

Mimi: yea, why?

Me: oh nothing, good luck

Mimi: very funny, and you know, one of these days I’m gonna bake something really nice

Me: fingers crossed we don’t die yet

I laughed, and she huffed and walked away with me still laughing

~Two days later~

Ma? Abigail knocked on my office door,

Abigail: I’m so sorry to bother you ma, but someone’s here to see you

Me: it’s no bother at all, and I’ll be right down

Abigail: okay ma

Then she left

I walked out to see and handsome gentleman in suit

Me: hello

I smiled

Me: you wanted to see me?

He turned to look at me

Stranger: wow, he wasn’t kidding when he said you’re beautiful

Me: excuse me?

Stranger: I’m so sorry, I’m not weird I promise. I’m Henry

He extends his hand for a handshake

Me: I’m Lizzy

I shook his hand

Henry I know

Me: okay? how…….

Henry: Evans….. he’s the reason I’m here

…to be continued