89 - EXPLAIN

KYLE’S POV

“Oh damn” I exclaimed as I peeked at my watch to find out I had drowned myself in work way too long this time, it was crawling late into the night but I was still seated at my desk pushing myself into files that didn’t need my attention at all. But it was the only way to keep her out of my mind – damn it was even harder to say her name. I fucked, I knew I had fucked up but I never thought she’d find out what happened all those years ago. When Sam had called me with panic in her voice and all teary, I knew that it was over – I was going to lose her for good. When she texted that we were done, I figured that it’d be for the better. I had done so many things to hurt her, so many unexplainable things that were unforgivable. So I figured, maybe we weren’t meant to be, maybe I was just a passing figure in her life that was created to hurt her and that thought alone nearly drove me over the edge of insanity. But that was what I did – I let her go.

I glanced at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time in the span of just sixty seconds, it had become a nasty habit of phone, to check my phone even without a buzz or a notification tone. Why did a little part of me hope that she’ll text, or call if she was feeling generous? But the silence, the emptiness of her absenc was something I am struggling to cope with.
I tried to focus on the spreadsheet before me, full of numbers and projections that if I’m being completely honest made I was barely comprehending. My mind kept drifting back to her. Her laughter, the way her eyes light up when she gets excited about something, even the simple comfort of her presence – all of it felt like a distant dream at that moment. I thought working hard would be a refuge, but it was just a harsh reminder of how lonely I truly was.

Just then, the soft click of heels on the marble floor pulls me from my reverie, My office door opens and I look up, blinking against the sudden intrusion of light. Dahlia Roskov strides in, her presence immediately filling the cold room with an electric charge. I had seen Dahlia a few times in the past week mainly to discuss the merger we were working on but right now, it felt like I was looking at her in a different light. Was it the way she was dressed? A skin tight black dress that hugged her curves tightly.

“I knew you’d be here” she echoed as she walked in

I straighten in my chair, trying to shake off the weariness that’s settled in my bones. “I wasn’t expecting you”

She shrugged “I was at your place and no one was answering so I figured you’d be here”

“I didn’t think we had a meeting set up” I said to her.

“Oh come off it Kyle, look at you! You look like a mess, handsome but still a mess”

“Well thank you for the notice” I said in sarcasm and standing up to my feet but she pushed me back to the chair, her eyes seductively searching mine but when she saw that I pulled my eyes away she sighed and said instead

“Fine – let’s go out of dinner. I know a really nice place downtown and their lobster is to die for”

“I’m not in the mood for lobster”

“Well you can get the pie, I know you love pie. Remember at that convention and we had a pie eating contest and you were the first one up there with a spoon”

The memories flooded my brain and I chuckled “And I won”

Dahlia laughed and this time managing to hold my gaze for longer “So you see, dinner doesn’t sound so bad when there’s pie involved”

She looked at me, and truthfully her presence felt like a welcome distraction from the relentless ache in my chest. Dahlia’s hands moves from the edge of the desk to my shoulder, her touch light but electric

“Come on Kyle” her voice soft and coaxing and with that look on her face, it didn’t look like she was going to take no for an answer, so I nodded my head and she cheered gleefully

“And we could also hit the karaoke after, I know you love to sing”

“No I don’t” I protested

“Yes you do Kyle, admit it”

Dahlia and I were seated at a corner table, away from the few other patrons scattered around the room while Dahlia and I discussed lightly. Her high pitched laughter sounding off the room but in a delicate manner and I tried to relish in it.

The drinks came in immediately and I nursed a carefully selected glass of wine, I leaned back in my chair in a bid to relax. But the calm was abruptly shattered when I looked up and I saw her walking towards our table. It was as if time had stopped, the entire room blurring into insignificance. Aria was walking towards us, a neutral look on her face but that wasn’t it, she was dressed in a waitress uniform, her dark hair was pulled back in a neat bun, and she wore an apron that did nothing to hide the tense lines in her posture.

My heart lurched, and for a split second, I felt like I was drowning in shock. My hand, which was holding a glass of water, trembled uncontrollably. My eyes were locked onto Aria, unable to believe that she was here, working as a waitress. When did she start working here? What were the bloody odds that it had to be the place that Dahlia chose for dinner?
Without warning, the glass slipped from my fingers. It fell with a slow, almost surreal grace, before crashing to the floor in a shower of sparkling shards. The sound of the shattering glass seemed to echo painfully in the sudden silence that fell over our table. The room suddenly fell into a hushed silence.

Aria flinched at the sound, and for a brief moment, I saw the vulnerability in her eyes before she quickly turned away from me. She moved with a hurried, almost panicked gait, as if she was trying to escape the situation she’d just stumbled into. I watched helplessly as she made her way outside, her back rigid, her movements betraying a mixture of fear and determination.

I was almost on my feet and ready to go after her when Dahlia’s voice cut through my thoughts “Don’t go after her, you’re here with me”

I barely registered her words, my mind still spinning from seeing Aria. I stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor, and bolted after Aria.

“Aria, wait!” I called out, my voice louder than I intended, but she didn’t stop. Her steps were quick, her body tense as she hurried through the double swinging doors of the entrance of the restaurant and out unto the streets.

“Aria!” I shouted again, my voice strained with urgency. I increased to my strides to catch up with her and when I finally got hold of her she pulled away harshly.

“Let go of me, I don’t want to fucking see you Kyle – go away” she attempted to bolt again but this time I manage to stop her.

“What are you even doing here Kyle?”

“I should be the one asking you that, since when did you start working here?” I said back to her and she scoffed

“I don’t want to see you Kyle!”

“No wait!” I grabbed her hand

“Wait for what exactly. You slept with her! You slept with my best friend and I had to find out through my ex fiancé, do you know how fucked up that is?” she yelled at me, the tears pooling at the corner of her eyes and the sight of that sent a dagger straight to my chest.

“Let me – let me explain Aria”

This time she folded her hands across her chest and fixed her eyes on me “Fine – explain”