18

Episode 18.
After what Trevor told me,I had conflicted feelings. I shouldn't be thinking about it cause Trevor had told me what he 'heard' not what he saw.
Mr Marcello refused to talk about why we were at that party. I never told him who I saw either. If he wasn't going to ask,then I'm not gonna say either.
I continued to work endlessly as the days passed and he remained this cold man that he's always been. He barely stayed in the office and when he did,it's hell for me. Every morning I'm running to get his stupid coffee and he's giving me more work load than I could handle. Quitting my job isn't an option, I know better.
Saturday came rather slowly cause it looked like I anticipated meeting with Robin far to much.
I walked into the big Joe, seventh avenue eatery at the corner of a busy street. I arrived just a few minutes to two and proceeded inside. The building is built in beautiful red bricks,a bell jinxing when the door is pushed to alert the owner of a new customer. When I shut the door behind me,my eyes roamed the faces,trying to see if Robin was here already. My eyes meets his from the last table at the back of the room. He puts up his hand to me and motioned. I gave him a small smile before walking up to him.
"Hey," I said sitting opposite him "did I keep you waiting?"
"Nope,I came too early" he replied."I'm glad you came,Ashley"
I nod,awarding him a small smile. I watch him wave to a waiter who soon starts running over. He asked for what I'd like to eat and I ordered.
Robin was in his middle 20s as far as I can still remember. He has the slick kind of blond hair like you'd see in movie starts,a slim yet muscular body that got the girls back in highschool crawling at his feet,worshiping him. His eyes are turquoise blue,deeper than the regular ocean's. His pale skin had often without count made people mistake him for a Britain. He was simply a sight to behold and everyday back in highschool, I understood why Katie was so into him. She loved him so much,I couldn't imagine what would ever take her from him.
Back in highschool, after they started dating, Katie would insist on an anniversary every year and Robin never objected. He loved her. Even though he was the popular guy in the school and Katie was barely that popular, he always had time for her and would never sideline Katie or me. The school knew of the school's sweetheart and everybody loved them. Well....except a few girls. That's normal right?
Robin came from the wealthy family,just like Katie. Before senior year,Katie wouldn't stop talking about their big plans to go to the same university, take a tour on a vacation to Italy on one of Robin's family ranch,spend a romantic journey together. She even foresaw them getting married after college. I was happy for them,there was no words. While everything was going well and as planned for my best friend,I couldn't say the same for myself but I was still happy for her regardless.
But then on prom night,Katie told me the safest news she'd ever have to deal with. Robin's family wanted him to leave town for good, go to a couple of business schools,meet people,meet the world,take over his family's businesses and never come back. The news had struck me hard and I knew if that was just the case,Katie shouldn't have been so down but I couldn't bring myself to ask. But when I went over to Robin's and his friend told me he had left,I started to believe that. Distant relationships could be hard and almost impossible to a large number of people,but I hadn't thought it could be a cause of end to what Katie and Robin had.
And then Katie told me that all I've belived weren't true. Robin had cheated on her with the school's cheerleaders and prom Queen,Cindy.
Looking at Robin now,I didn't know what to believe. A part of me hoped the latter story is all a lie,maybe I could be mad at him over the former.
We started to engage in little talks,him asking about school, my work,my life,my dad. He like many of our classmates then knew about the trouble my father got into financially. And now,I gladly told him that he was doing alright in Kansas.
"How about you?," I asked,not wanting to say any more about myself "how have you been all these years?"
He grins for a moment,and I watched him impale the meat on his plate with a fork,not really eating as I've noticed before replying "well.....been on the rough side. After I left town,I flew to Japan where I enrolled into the Everest business school. Took two years. Then I went back to Chicago for a little course,one year. Then I can't say I flew around the world happily cause it was all work and sweats,not so pleasant" I laughed a little,chewing on the lump of meat in my mouth. "Then I started managing some of pa's businesses in Berlin until I finally got my own company last year in Tokyo. Not much,really but.....it's going fine"
"Waw,that is so great," I smiled,suddenly feeling like maybe the former reason for his breakup with Katie was true "you made something out of all these years,didn't you?"
He laughs a bit,drinking his wine.
"You know,I really missed you pa when I had to leave too. Leaving that place was the hardest thing I ever had to do,it was like growing up when I didn't want to you know?"
"Yeah!"
"Your pa was always so nice. Remember the night he took all three of us to the gallery show? God Katie was so stubborn, we almost lost her"
"Yeah,Katie...." His eyes glistened and his smile slowly started to fade. I saw the sadness wash over his face immediately and I felt bad instantly for mentioning Katie.
"How is she?" He suddenly asked "I mean.....it's been forever "
"She's been good." I replied awkwardly. And he nodded.
Silence.
"So how's.... How's your new job?"
"Gosh,it's a pain in my ass,Robin," I quickly gulp down more wine before adding "I want a job in one minute, going all over new York's job vacancies and boom! I find this vacancy of all vacancies and then I start working. I have the meanest boss one could ever have,Robin!"
He bursts out laughing but I continue anyway "he's out to kill me,Robin"
"You did look pale when you walked in,I was gonna ask"
"I probably look like a walking zombie,honestly. I work all day,all night. Is that even legal?"
He laughs mockingly before saying "I can always sue him for physical and mental abuse,overworking too.....you just tell him"
"You know,one of these days,I'll really tell you to do that"
He nods "just take it easy on yourself, Ashley. These are trying times. How's your old man doing?" He asks again. I couldn't help wonder why he'd ask. I just told him he's fine,what else does he want me to say? That he's been arrested by loan sharks and he's in a pretty bad shape? But again I gave him a grateful smile and told him he's fine.
Soon,the waiter came back to serve us desserts of cakes. It tasted delicious.
"Ashley" Robin calls me and I looked up at him. He hasn't touched his cake. He looked bothered about something. "I.....I really wanna see Katie. I know we got off on a wrong foot but I just want us to sort things out. Honestly,I've missed her. I never stopped missing her"
I forced the cake in my mouth down my neck and watched him,looking for the perfect words to say. But now,it was like I was seeing him in that bathroom on the prom night,making out with Cindy and making Katie look like a complete fool. How could he not have gone after her? Maybe he didn't love her anymore.
"I...really don't know what to say,Robin"
"Please,you need to help me"
"Help you? With what exactly? Robin,it's been five good years. Nearly six years now. When you broke up with her on that day....."
"Break up with her? Ashley,I never broke up with her"
"Robin I couldn't understand why you'd break up with her because you had to leave for Spain and your plans wasn't going according to plans....."
His face held surprise "that's what she told you?"
"At first....."
"Listen,Ashley,I know I fucked up. I screwed up and fucked up, big time but Katie wouldn't let me explain"
"Explain what exactly,Rob? She caught you making out with Cindy. What's there to explain?"
"Let me explain alright?"
"Katie is the one you should explain to,Rob,not me"
"Yes but she wouldn't hear me out! She doesn't wanna see me"
"That's because you took your time before caring to explain yourself. After six years.really?"
He forced himself to breath hard,emptying his popped out cheeks before speaking again "you know the other day I called her. And when we met at the restaurant and she wouldn't even hear me out. She left,Ashley. This is really hard for me that's why I wanted to see you. So you'd talk to her for me"
"It's really not that easy,Robin. She hardly wanna talk about you"
He blows out air and leans back into his chair,as if giving up on a conversations that wasn't gonna have the outcome he wanted.
"But.....you didn't cheat with Cindy?"
"Hell no!" He's flinching off the back of his chair again,energized by something and speaking fast "I'll never cheat on Katie,I swear to God."
I watched his eyes and they were sincere. But I couldn't quite figure out what went wrong. Cindy had been the school's face,popular and elegant and she had been the daughter of the state's mayor then. She was popular in school and on the streets and thus,it was easy walking her way into the popularity bench in school. It was no doubt she was gonna be crowned prom Queen that night.
Right from the time Robin joined our school in sophomore year,Cindy had been crazy about him even before he started dating Katie. But it was clear that they were just 'school' friends. Then when he started dating Katie, Cindy made us her sworn enemy. I especially trusted Robin to not do anything stupid with her like she always fantasized. She'd invite him to parties just to have her way with him but that's just it.
"Cindy had texted me on the night before prom to go to a party her father was throwing for her. I couldn't refuse and you know it. When I got to her house she tried to go to bed with me but I left. I told Katie about it and I thought we were good. Then on prom night,Katie called me for a stroll at the soccer field only to accuse me of cheating on her with Cindy. She'd broken my heart and I got upset and left. When I got into the hallway, Cindy pulled me into the bathroom and started kissing me. I was too upset to push her away,I swear I wanted to. Then Katie bursts in and yelled at me for cheating on her. Cindy talked back and Katie said it was over and left. I was so fucked up. I checked the school for her but she was gone. I didn't see you either. I tried calling her but she told me not to ever call her. She completely shut me out. I left town the following morning, I couldn't take it"
I sat back there,watching his face swim through a series of emotions. I didn't sense any lie. This was exactly what Katie told me too. I couldn't blame Katie for doing what she did.
"I tried to reach her after then but she was unreachable. I couldn't call you too,I felt ashamed. Soon after,I saw a photo of her and her boyfriend on Facebook. I knew I had to move on. But even after all these years,I couldn't"
"I just want her to agree to see me,Ashley. Can you help me?"
"Yes,Robin. I'll try" I gave him a reassuring smile,deeply wondering how I'd pull this off.