Amidst love and heartbreak

Flirting with Emily

Ethan’s POV

"I promise, baby..." 

What is happening to me? Why did I even say that? I couldn’t help it, though. Only the look on her face, that amazement while listening to me tell her everything about my trip. You could tell that she was wishing to be there, to have seen those incredible places. I guess that’s why I said that. But I mean it though. I would bring her there. I just have to get her to be mine first and work for a full year before being able to afford that kind of trip again. I only went because both my parents were feeling guilty and they paid for it without even blinking. 

The astonishment on her face was something else. She was speechless. I always get a reaction from her, but now… The only reaction I got was her blush. Something I learned to adore just by looking at her. Listen to me ‘adore’ what is happening. This is just my personal challenge. I decided to change the subject.

“Why do you like to go to Europe that much?” I asked.

“You will laugh at me,” she said.

“I probably will, but I want to know it anyway,” I responded.

“Alright,” she said and blew out the air that she had breathed in. “One of my majors in English Literature. I love to read. I have read so many books based in Europe that I think I have lost count now. My dream is to visit the places described in those books and also see where those authors lived to get inspired in order to produce those masterpieces,” she said but I think I only focused on the first part of her short speech. I was mesmerised by the way she was describing everything. Beautiful. She is so beautiful. And when she talks about what she is passionate about, she becomes even more beautiful. I have never met someone so passionate about what she wants.

When I first saw her six months ago, all I wanted to do was piss her friend off. He was following her like a little dog but never making a move. So I thought, let me challenge myself. I already had all the pretty ladies I was interested in. She was fresh meat, so I definitely wanted a piece. 

I spent six months teasing her in front of him or teasing him behind her back that he wasn’t man enough to get her before I had her. It’s just a challenge. That’s all. Right?

Then I must be as shameless as they can be because what I said earlier takes this to another level. Even though I wouldn’t mind having her for longer than a night. She looks fine. I would probably be one of the very few she’s been with, if not her first. Oh, no… not a virgin. 

“Are you ok? Ok, go on. Laugh at me,” she said and raised her hands in resignation. 

“Oh, no. I will not laugh at you. That’s actually very sweet of you to say that,” I said trying to change the subject of her question. “So your major is English Literature?”

“Yes, along with education,”

“Double major? Wow. I can barely manage one, you have two,” I was impressed. She is amazing if she managed to get a double major in just four years. “Why education?”

“I love children. Everything about them fascinates me. I want to be able to do something where I can use everything I know and still feel happy,”

“Wow,” I was impressed but that was nothing like what I would do with my life.

“What about you? What’s your major, Ethan?” she asked and a smile came on my face. So she is interested in me.

“I thought you would never ask, baby,” she frowned a bit but not like usually when I would piss her off with my usual teasing. “I always liked the rules, even though some of them are made to be broken, and most definitely I liked fairness. I guess it was inevitable for me to end up studying law,” I finished and the look on her face was something I didn’t see before on her face. “What?” I asked with a half-smile.

“Nothing. I would never have put you to be the ‘fair’ type,” she said and I was more confused than before.

“Why?” 

“How is that fair to play with someone’s heart or feelings? I know you are a player. Don’t even try to say you are not,” she said and it was like she had seen through me. I kind of felt exposed, naked in front of her. I decided to be sincere. I guess there is no worth in playing ‘the good boy’ par now.

“How do you know I played with anyone’s heart? How do you know that everything was not with full consent from both sides and with equal effort or lack of it whatsoever?” I wanted to make her doubt her thoughts and [prejudices about me. Great practice for court, if you ask my opinion. 

“You are right, I don’t know. But that doesn’t mean I will expose myself to that treatment. What are you doing here with me, then?”

“Well, people should improve themselves and I guess this is me trying to improve myself,”

“I guess there is nothing wrong with you trying it…”

Oh, I will try alright baby, but I don’t know if it will be to improve myself or just get you to fulfil my challenge.

Finally, the food was here and we were both digging into it. The only reason I came here in the first place was to get something to eat. I never thought I would have a nice surprise waiting for me all alone. I guess it was time to ask the question I have always wanted to ask.

“Um, you and that boy, that is always attached to you…” I started. “Please note that I was respectful,” I said with my hands raised. “... are you guys dating? Are you interested in him?” I ask and her eyes meet mine. She is beautiful. Did I say that already?

“Um, it’s… complicated,” she said and my eyebrows raised on their own accord.

“How can it be complicated? You either are interested in him or not,” I was beginning to be pissed. She is interested, but she doesn’t want to say it in front of me. Or they probably are f**k buddies or something like that and she doesn’t want me to know.

“Are you friends with benefits, Emily? There’s nothing wrong if you are. I am just curious what’s the deal between you guys,” I asked in my most blank face but inside I was boiling. What if it is true?

“You mean to ask: do we f**k but not date?” she asked bluntly and I could see that she started to get pissed by my question. It’s not that those things never happen. I had a f**k buddy until last year, then things started to get boring and I decided to quit it. 

“I already said that there is nothing wrong with it. Two grown-ups without any relationships that have fun with each other when they feel like it,” I stated in the same blank expression but what I noticed on her face was something I didn’t like at all. She left whatever food was on her plate and pushed the plate away.

“I suddenly lost my appetite. I guess you’ll never know the answer now since I am done eating and will be leaving soon,”  she said and started packing her stuff back in her backpack.

“What happened? I thought we were just talking,” I asked being very confused.

“Oh, no. nothing happened except from the fact that I am not the type to have friends with benefits and just to say it all if I had the time to screw anyone around that would be my boyfriend, not some random buddy I would f**k just for the sake of it. This was the ‘complicated’ part that I was not ready to share with you, but I guess there’s nothing wrong to say that I don’t have time for a life,” she said all in one go. I, on the other side of the table, was speechless and embarrassed. While trying to make her feel accepted and make it look like it’s something a lot of people do, I probably made her feel cheap. Guilt washed over me.

“Please, don’t go. I am sorry. I never intended to make you feel bad. I really don’t know you so I was trying to make it look normal just to make you feel comfortable and I guess it backfired. I am sorry,” I repeated again the last part just to make sure that she heard it all. 

She took a deep breath and plopped down on the chair one more time.

“Look, I don’t know what you do in your private life and I am telling you now that I don’t want to know any specific matters regarding your s*x life. Understood?” she had a serious expression on her face. One that I could not ignore. I was more and more impressed by this girl. She is something else.

All my life girls came after me. What I told Emily earlier is true. They came after me. They made the agreement because they only wanted one piece of me. Him. nothing more, nothing less. Who was I to say no to a fine piece of ass coming after me?

The only thing I could do at the moment was nod as a response to what she said. She took a french fry and put it in her mouth. Then another one. Finally, I think she is calming down. I decided to lighten the general mood a little.

“I was going to call this our first date, since we are eating and getting to know each other, just like on a date. But I will not call it like that, because that would have been a shitty one since I decided to go on stupid mode,”

She laughed. Those beautiful lips of hers moving higher on the sides in order to reveal her perfect teeth and accentuating her mesmerizing electric blue eyes. 

“I guess we will not call it a date since we had already agreed on this before,” she said while still laughing at what I said.

We kept talking for a while and she seemed to relax after that incident. I actually got to learn more things about her and I even opened myself a bit more about myself and about my wishes. I don’t know what got into my head, though. I never talk about myself.

Aron’s POV

I had been texting Emily for a while now, but I guess she threw her phone somewhere in her backpack as usual and later forgot all about it. I wanted to push her to go out and come grab a bite with me at the diner.  That is the only way I can get her out of the house or whatever corner of the Library she might be hiding. I guess I will be eating alone then. I am starving.

I went to the diner we usually go to and with just one look at the large window and my heart stopped. I couldn’t breathe normally. My fists clenching on the sides. My anger is rising. Emily is sitting at our usual table. That fucker Ethan is sitting on our table, probably to flirt some more with her. What does he want with her? She is not even his type. I know that. I have seen who he goes out with. 

Then I notice something that is unusual. Something that breaks my heart in a million pieces. She, my Emily, is smiling at him. No, she is laughing with him. She can’t like him. What is she doing? He is a player. He is just going to play her and dump her the next day. I feel like going there and telling her just that, but I might just ruin everything I have built these years. I decided to call her better since she probably didn’t hear her texts.

The phone rings a couple of times and from the window glass, I see her check her phone that apparently was right in front of her the whole time. She sees that it’s me and I think she mutes its ringtone since the signal is still ringing in my ear but she didn’t press any button to accept or reject my phone call. 

I turn around and leave as fast as I can. She should not know that I was here and saw her laughing and talking to him. My chest hurts and tears gather in my eyes but I blink them back. There might be a reason why she is with him now. There must be.