Love in two worlds

The Pain

AURELIA’S POV

“Baby, what’s taking so long?” She calls out again, her voice whiny. A very familiar whine.

My questioning eyes meet Theo’s.

“Baby, you need to go now. I’ll call you, okay?” His tone is urgent as he holds my shoulder, trying to steer me towards my car. My body recoils, and I keep wishing in my mind that it’s not what I think.

“Theo, what is going on?” I demand, begging tears not to fall.

“It’s nothing, just some…” The sound of the door opening stops him, midsentence.

I turn back slowly.

“Not you. Not you.” My heart cries. But since when have I been allowed to stay happy for so long?

My eyes meet her bright olive ones, and I can see the exact time she registers my presence. Everything in my hand suddenly feels too heavy. I faintly register the sound of the champagne bottle hitting the ground and shattering into pieces, just like my heart.

And at that moment, my happy life crumbles.

“Kate,” I whisper.

She stares at me, her eyes wide. I look at what she is wearing, a crimson red robe hangs over her shoulders, with the front hanging open. And underneath it, is the matching lingerie set I bought to wear for Theo, the night after he proposed. The lingerie Kate herself picked out for me, saying it would drive Theo crazy.

“It’s not what I think, is it?” I ask, my voice trembling.

“No, baby.” Theo rushes in. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Kate scoffs. “Theo, darling. There’s no point in hiding it anymore. Let poor Aurie know we are in love, we’ve been for a long time.” She pulls the robe tight around her body, looking smug.

I choke on inexistent saliva. It’s like I’m looking at an entirely different person, not the Kate I said goodbye to just this morning.

“Babe, be nice” Theo cautions Kate halfheartedly.

“Theo,” my voice is a little above a whisper. “Is what she said true?”

Red tints the tip of his ears, and he has the effrontery to look guilty.

“Look, Auriella.” He tries to grab my hand, but I pull back in disgust.

“Look, we tried to tell you.”

“You tried to tell me what? Theo, that you’ve been sleeping with my best friend behind my back?!”

“Was it when you were asking me to marry you or when we were making plans to buy a house together?”

Kate speaks up in a bored tone. “Auri, you know, I didn’t want you to find out like this. Didn’t want to break that sensitive little heart of yours, but you know how I get when I find something I want.”

My jaw drops as I stare at her in disbelief.

“What the actual f**k, Kate! How could you do this to me?”

“Stop being so dramatic, Auri. The cat’s out of the bag now. Show’s over.” She turns to Theo, smiling coyly. “I guess nothing is stopping me from moving in with you now.”

Blood rings in my head as nausea rushes through me. I stagger backwards, moving blindly towards my car, willing the tears back in.

I won’t let them see me cry. I chant over and over again till I’m out of the estate.

But, by the time I’m pulling my car to a stop beside the highway, I can't stop the tears from streaming down my face.

I try to convince myself that the last several minutes had just been my imagination, but Kate’s cold and bored eyes flashes before me and the tears flow harder.

Not only have I lost the two most important people in my life, but now I’m utterly alone in this world. As alone as I was on the night I watched my parents die.

Anger and the feeling of betrayal burn through me so much that I feel like I’m going to explode.

The sun had almost disappeared completely over the horizon when I put myself back together. My body feels weary, and I would love a long, hot shower to wash away all my painful thoughts.

But the two-bedroom apartment I have shared with Kate for the past two years is the last place I want to be right now. I try to think of some place I can go, but nothing comes up, I practically have no other friends except Kate. Kate has always been the social butterfly, so her friends were my friends.

I grab wipes from my bag and clean up the tear stains and smudged mascara. I add a dust of makeup to hide any sign of puffy eyes. And with that, I pull my car back on the highway.

I guess I’m still gonna have this celebratory drink after all.