Their Loving Solitude

Chapter 7 Talking Over Things

Mia's POV

I think this man who is a complete stranger to me can somehow read my mind because he sees my eyes trailing all around but still knows how I am feeling about everything. He leans in so he can softly reassure me. "Hey, don't worry.. anything you say with me won't leave us.. I know it gets hard keeping things in, and you need to be able to release all of that pent-up stress.. you can tell me anything, and there will be no judgment. Injust want to make a friend in this new place, and it looks like you may need a friend as well." His words warm my heart feeling so calm and genuine that I really believe him.

I nod at him as I think about it before letting the words loose. "She has been my best friend for 6 years, and she seems to forget that I am my own person and that I don't want or like everything she does.. she likes to make decisions for me just assuming I want it, and this is how it ends every time." I spat out to this complete stranger but somehow feeling better about it. Like he is helping me lift a weight off my shoulders.

"Well, she shouldn't assume that she can make decisions for you and that her idea is better than yours.. because how could she actually know that, right? she is no you, and everyone thinks differently." He states as I nod vigorously before snapping out of pure instinct. "Right?! it's not her decision who I let be with me sexually.. who cares if it's been years since I have had anyone on a personal level and definitely not sexually.. That doesn't give her the right to sexually take advantage of me in my vulnerable state!" I almost yell this out, but I quickly get nervous looking all over as I see the concern in his eyes for me. I look away, realizing what I just admitted outloud.

I'm so embarrassed that I can feel my face heating up.. I just said that in the heated moment, and I think he can see that from the shock now apparent on my face. He clears he throat as he says softly to me. "Well.. You're right she should have no say on your body at all and definently shouldn't be doing anything to you if you don't want it done.. but.. if this had happened multiple times, then maybe that means she understands what your boundaries are but is choosing to ignore them for her own sake, and for myself, that sounds completely toxic.. but I don't know any of that for sure, and that's only for you to decide. It's your life, and you can decide who is in it or not." He declares opening the gate to the pool for me to enter through, but all I can see is that it is filled to the brim with kids.

I stop in my tracks as I automatically groan out. He sees the displeasure on my face as he asks. "You don't like kids?" I shake my head again as I reply. "I do like them and eventually want to have some.. I just wanted something to take my mind off of last night, and swimming does that for me because I don't have anything else, honestly.. But if the pool is filled, there is no way I can take myself away to clear my head when I'm running into kids non-stop." I snap, sounding kind of pathetic if I do say so myself.

"I do too." He says to me as I look up at him with confusion. "What?" I ask as he clears his throat mumbling quickly. "I want kids too.. but you didn't ask.. doesn't matter.. I'm sorry." He looked away nervously as I crossed my arms across my chest. I smirk to myself at his sweet, innocent mumbling that reminds me of myself honestly. I looked from the pool and then up the stairs back at my front door.. then huffing out again, not knowing where I can go.. I think he could tell I didn't want to go back to my room at the moment.

"Ok.. well.. if you wanted to, you could always come back to my room." He states as I send him a shocked glare as his eyes widen. "No, I'm sorry.. not like that. I meant to have something to eat and hang out since you obviously don't want to go back to your room.. or we could go to a restaurant and get something to eat if you wanted... I'd buy." He retorts quickly as I look over at him, then back to the filled-up pool.

"Um... Well, food would be nice but I'm not exactly dressed to go to a restaurant." I reply as he glances at my body for a second and nods.. But then quickly suggests. "You look great, and there is no way anyone could be embarrassed to be seen with you.. but if you don't feel comfortable and if you want to just get away, then I could drive us to a restaurant, we could get some takeout and take it to a park or something." I think about that for a moment as I nod a couple of times.

"Ok, I already got my keys here.. did you need anything from your place before we go?" he asks as I vigorously shake my head. "No, thank you, though. Even if I wanted anything from there, I am not going back uo there." He nods at my explanation before shutting the gate door behind us and leads me out of the apartment complex and straight to his car. Before I get to the door, he is there and opens it for me as I suspiciously watch him because I haven't been treated like this in so long. So I can't tell if the feeling in my heart is pleasantly surprised or a warning. I'll just keep my wits about me.

He gets in and starts the car just as quickly. "I have to warn you, I don't know this area well." He warns me as he backs out. "So why did you move here then?" I ask him curiously. "This was the only other branch that my work had that I could keep my job but still transfer to get away because I also worked with my best friend." He declares as I slowly nod. "What do you do?"

"I'm an accountant." He states as I try to be nice. "Sounds interesting." He chuckles, I think, seeing straight through my charade because he is shaking his head before he replies. "No, it's not... but thanks for trying to be nice about it." I giggle and reply. "You're right.. not it's not.. Only serial killers are accountants! so does that mean you are taking me to murder me because if so, can we have food first? I'm starving." I playfully add as his loud rumbles of a laugh fills the car and puts an automatic smile on my face.

"I'm not a serial killer.. yet.. but if I do decide to take that role, you know, because of being an accountant and all, as the perfect cover-up.. then I will be sure to make you my first victim, ok?" He replies just as humorously, making me laugh as I state. "Thanks for thinking of me first. That never happens." He nods, keeping his eyes on the road as he looks around.

"If we're being honest, it's just the first job I landed out of college, I'm great with numbers, and I haven't had any reason to leave it yet." he declares as I nod, understanding that. "Well, except for this whole best friend situation for you." I blurt out, feeling automatically bad about saying that. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." I try to explain, but he just pats my leg with his hand before putting it back onto the sterring wheel.

"It's ok.. but you're right. This is the first situation... and I never saw it coming. I can tell you that much." He declares as I swallow the lump in my throat. "How long were you two together?" I find myself curiously asking with him quickly, replying. "Coming on 5 years." My jaw drops as I blurt out once again. "5 years? And she did that to you? What a skank! It's not like it was new or anything! If it was slightly new, then she could not know what she wanted and was trying something new.. but 5 years... there is no way around that.. she is just a b*tch."

He smiles over at me as he says. "Yeah, nothing new about it.. but if I have to admit, we had been fighting so much for the last year and a half that it kinda makes sense." I look shocked at him practically sounding as if he understands her side when I know I would be livid. "How so? she was still in a committed relationship with you."

He glances over at me, then back at the road as he explains. "We were drifting apart, and I think we both knew it.. we had a ton of small issues but not enough to leave the other one for.. and once my best friend and his lady broke up, he got kicked out and had nowhere else to go.. so I told him he could stay with us, and I guess he showed his appreciation more than I ever wanted."

"I'm so sorry.. you don't deserve that type of treatment.. no one does.. but relationships like that can't ever last.. I at least feel that relationships have to be created and built on trust and honesty.. and if you're starting the relationship with lies and betrayal.. there is no way that can work." I declare feeling the hatred for these people I don't know build up inside of me probably because he seems so nice.

"So, are you in school?" he quickly changes the subject as I keep noticing from my peripherals that he is staring at me a lot.. which doesn't scare me or worry me but makes me a little self-conscious. "This is my last year of school.. so we will see if I can get any cool accounting jobs like yours." I declare as he sends me a smirk that could melt ice.

"You could only be so cool to get this job.. besides, the main requirement is that you have to at least plan on killing 5 people before they even consider you." I laugh at his comment, finally feeling like I have something to smile about again. I look over at him to see he is staring at me smiling. "What? I ask him as he quickly replies. "I like your laugh." I shyly smile back, not knowing what to say to that besides. "Thanks."

He clears his throat again to help change the subject. "What are you going to school for?" he asks, turning the car as I quickly reply. "Psychology.. I want to be a counselor for children." I explain as He nods and keeps his eyes on the road. "You want to extend the help you never received?" he states this sounding almost like a question as I just quietly nod, agreeing with him.

"That's nice because I didn't have the help I wish I had, so I bet you will be able to help lots of kids." I keep finding my eyes looking at him but hoping he doesn't find out I'm staring at him. "I hope so." I reply softly. "I would place money on that.. I bet you will help so many kids.. and I couldn't be more proud of you just at that thought.. there needs to be more people in this world that want to put the children first.. they are our future." He states as I just continue to stare at him, loving that answer. But like I was hoping wouldn't happen, he looks over at me as our gazes lock while he slows down the car to a stop.