Coma

The break

■Baldwin.

The days passed by, and I spent most of my time with Theo.

Our relation got better after that day, and I always felt the urge to meet him. But he kept on disappearing, he said it was for work, I didn’t get into much details, because I was busy too.

Elliot, was busy, his daytime, was always busy, I couldn’t spend time with him, at night, I was so tired from college and the girls. Like Marie’s death brought us together.

Months passed, and now we are on the entrance of the early summer. I met with Elliot less than usual, but we could manage to still be together. I was having troubles expressing myself. I was with Elliot, in flesh and body, but my soul, was with Theo. I couldn’t feel Elliot’s touches like before. Actually, he was bothering me, not intentionally, whenever he tried to kiss me, I was pulling away, whenever he needed me in bed, it was like he just was emptying his stress, there was no passion anymore. What is the reason? Its not Theo, it’s the fact, that when I am with Elliot, I am not myself, this act is disgusting me, I tried my best to get him to like me, I was calculating my every movement around him, I didn’t want to lose him. He is precious, adorable, mature, perfect. But not the perfect I imagined, this relation, is fading, when routine gets into relation, when circumstances, work, stress, accidents get into a relation, they ruin it. And I know, one day, this one was going to finish, but I won’t do it. I want to fight for my boy. I noticed how regardless, selfish, lost I was in the last months, that I didn’t notice my boyfriend’s attention. He was giving me all the love I needed while I pushed it away. I needed a break.

I called him one night of June. There was no one at home. I took the chance to make it once and for all, to make it fair to him, he deserved to know.

“Elliot, are you busy? I need you with something, right now. I said urgently.

-Is there something wrong baby? He asked with concern.

-No, I just need to talk to you, please come. There is no one home.

-On my way.” He hung up.

Few minutes later, the door bell rang, Elliot was here. He acted quickly, he closed the door, and put me gently to it and started kissing me, my neck, I didn’t react.

“I knew you would return the old Kate, god, I love your perfume, your skin, your hair. I missed you baby girl.”

Few moments later, he notices I am not kissing him back, nor sharing the same energy.

“What’s wrong baby? Are you okay? He asked.

I stood on my tip toes, put my forehead on his, and couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“Elliot I need a break, I am tired of everything, I want sometime to myself. We have been busy lately, and I am not the Kate you love anymore, I need to have a break, from us. I said, my voice shaking, I was trying my best not to suffocate while saying those words. He pulled away, immediately. He cleared his throat.

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting this to come this soon. Um, you know, I don’t know how to handle breakups.” His voice was becoming shaky, he was trying to hold his tears. “I am sorry Kate, if I bothered you in any way. But you know, we can have this break, we are not breaking up for real, is it? Its just a break, until you could configure whatever is happening, with you, right?

-That’s true. I need to clarify my mind for a while, I hope you understand.

-I do, I do.” He said briefly.

Silence was the judge here, he put his hand over his head, he was thinking, then it hit him, that we are on a break.

“Goodbye, Kate”. He said when he left.

I Felt guilt rush through my blood, I fell crying, on the floor, I was devastated. Yet free, it isn’t about Elliot, it is about me. I am the responsible here, I wanted this breakup.

The next day, Elliot flew to New York. I didn’t see him after that night. I wanted to have a night for me, for myself. I wore a cute red silky mini dress, it matched my auburn hair and my vibe, I was dangerous this night, and went to a carnival in the next neighborhood, it was an Italian festival, there were buffets everywhere, drinks and food were for free, there was chaos, chaos I didn’t hear for a long time. People were speaking Italian around me, I couldn’t understand, but I was having the vibe. I became drunk to the edge, I sat to a drunken girl on the sidewalk, she was crying and saying words, I didn’t understand. Yet I felt what she felt, I started crying too. Few moments later, I went to the cheese and wine section, and drank more, and more, I merged with people, danced with strangers, screamed in the loud music, cheered, got to have the best time I had in a while, why am I partying? I don’t know, I just felt like I want my old life back. I kept fooling around, looking at the decoration, seeing the joy around me, it was a busy neighborhood, a pretty one. Lights were all long the street. The house were colorfully decorated, the thin paper, it was waving beautifully with the summer breeze, the lightbulbs, the colors, the outfits, the confetti, I felt happy, drunken happy. I saw people doing tattoos, there was an old woman doing them for free, she was this tattooed lady, she had tattoos on her neck, she had pixie candy cotton colored hair, I liked her, she gave me a tender smile.

“Che cosa vuoi fare? E dove?

-Huh? I made a stupid face.

-What do you want to do? And where?

-Ohhhh, I need a beautiful tattoo, not too large, here, I pointed on my rib that showed under my dress.

-You sure, girl?

-I do.

- Do you want a text? There is beautiful fonts out there. What are you thinking about, what do you want, like right now?

- I want a night full of love and passion. Something that just let me forget about my sadness.

-I have something for you. Said the lady. She showed me a sentence in Italian.

“In una notte d’amore, solo noi due”

“Huh, what does that mean?

-In a night of us, just the two of us.

-I loooooooooooooove it. I want to give you a hug. May I?

-Yes, honey, you can have a hug, but not a long one!

-Thank you Fretzi! I hiccupped.

-I am… you know forget about it.” Said the old tattoo maker and gave me a little hug.

When I left that corner, I was feeling numb, I was really careful with the tattoo, because Fretzi told me so.

It was getting late, I looked at my phone’s watch, it was 12:30 am.

“I should be going home. No, not like this! I am calling Elliot! No, you i***t broke up with him, what do I do? Dilan? No, No, she is with Matteo! I don’t want them to see me this way. Samantha! I am calling her.”

I dialed her phone number, it was out of service.

My drunk mind kept reminding me of that sentence, I craved on my body forever, I may regret it.

“THEO! I AM CALLING THEO!”

I dialed his number, he picked up few moments later.

“Hello?

-Hiiiiiiii, Theoo!

-Hi… are you drunk.

-You bet? No I am not drunk.

-Yes, you are. Kate, where are you, there is loud voices near you!

-I am partying, at the Italian neighborhood, they are having quite fun, oh you should try the blue cheese they serve here! Its fantastic! And I got a beautiful tattoo too! You should see it!

-Kate, where the hell are you, exactly, is there anyone not drunk with you?

-Nope, I am alone here, and I am NOT, DRUNK, OKAY?

-Ok, ok you aren’t drunk, send me your location, I will call Matteo.

-No, No, don’t call him please, I don’t want him to see like this! I broke down, and started crying like babies. He won’t be happy if he saw me like this.

-Kate, baby, hold on, don’t cry, I am coming, okay? Just stay where you are, 10 minutes so far, I will be there. Stay where you are right now, promise?

-Promise! And I hung up. And sat to the sidewalk in my place. I didn’t move a single inch until he came.

He was driving a black AMG GTR, it was pretty hot. When he stopped in the neighborhood, everyone in the carnival looked at the car, even me, I didn’t think it was Theo, until he came down of it.

“I am here! I am here!” I starting shouting and waving at him, until he noticed me.

He came to my side and looked at me with concern.

“What happened to you, uf, you reek alcohol, lets go home.

-No, I am not moving from here, you told me to stay where I am! And here we go.

-Kate, don’t act like a child, lets go.

-No, means No. I made my decision, I am staying here.

-Fine, you wanted it the hard way.

-What does that mean?” I asked.

Before I could say another word, he carried me on his shoulder.

“PEOPLE, HELP! HELP! HE IS KIDNAPPING ME! I was screaming.

People were drunk, and Italian, so nobody tried to act, they were still partying like idiots.

“You know something, Theo? I said while I was still on his shoulder.

-What?

-Your perfume is amazing.

-Thank you.

-Your hair too is cute when its styled like this, don’t ever try to shave it or I will kill you. Okay?

-Okay, I won’t”, he chuckled.

We reached the beautiful car, inside was even better.

The interior furniture of the car was red, fancy red. The seats were comfy, it was technologically advanced.

“WOWW, IT IS RED LIKE MY DRESS!

-I want to see your face when I tell you this tomorrow, laughed Theo.

-You’re adorable, can I touch your face? I put my fingers on his face and I traced his nose, his lips, they were so soft, his jawline. He pulled away, was he blushing? No I am the one blushing.

-Kate…S..stop, I am taking you to your house. He was intimidated.

-No, No, not to my home! Take me somewhere else! Nana might kill me if she saw me like this.

-So, do you have somewhere in mind, do you have keys for Elliot’s apartment?

-No, take me to yours, I will stay at yours.

-Are you sure of this? He asked.

-Positive. I gave him the most stupid smile. He sighed.

-Fine.

-Thank you!”

■NYC, present time.

Elliot’s POV.

I put on my white shirt, it was almost 10 pm, I put on my cologne, did my hair and looked at myself in my bathroom’s mirror.

I prepared myself for this day, the day I will meet my bestfriend, again. I don’t know how he will react when he will see me.

I drove my silver Nanuk Quattro, down the tunnel highway of New York, to my destination, Neon.

The engine sound was piercing through my head, I was thinking of what might happen, I am expecting another fight. It has been three difficult years, guilt was always nagging in my mind.

I gave him my ID, it wasn’t a special night at the club, that’s why it didn’t require an invitation card.

I came in, my heartbeat was raising, second after another, as I surfed with my eyes through the club, it was pretty nice, and busy, at the right there is a corner for the bartender, in the middle a podium for the strippers and dancers. Below the podium was the dance floor. On the left there were tables, corners, couches, and there were iron stairs, it gave me a modern vibe, I knew Theo had to something with, because he is pretty smart with these stuffs. I went to security guard.

“I want to speak to your manager, can you call him? I want to get a membership.”

The security guard made a quick call, and few moments later, a beautiful slim girl, with olive skin came to us, she invited me into the office.

“How can I help you?

-I am here to meet Theodore Garcia?

-And who are you? She asked me politely.

-I am his old bestfriend Elliot Yale.

-Really, he never told me about you, by the way, I am Naomi Blunt, Theo’s girlfriend.” She gave her hand to shake it. I was confused, why wouldn’t he tell her about us if she was his girlfriend, but then I remembered how Theo acts around strangers, around people he doesn’t love, so I knew for a fact, he doesn’t love her.

“Where is Theo?

-He will come in a while, he went with Mr. Aaron in an urgent work, now tell me more about you, Theo and your past.” She asked boldly.