CALDERON'S DESIRE

TWELVE MONTHS OF ALMOST

MIRA

ONE YEAR LATER

I chewed slowly on the pasta in front of me as i swirl the glass of orange juice in my hand. The dinner was nice but tonight wasn’t about the food. My mind kept going back to that day. I couldn’t see his face clearly and when i woke up he was gone. I didn’t even get to ask his name. The way he held me, the smell of his cologne still lingers, the heated kisses.

Tia, sitting across from me, c****d an eyebrow and smirked. “You’re not eating, are you?”

I quickly snap out of my thoughts, now staring at Tia. “Huh? Oh… yeah, I’m fine.”

“Girl i know you’re lying.” She says staring at me. “ Don’t tell me you’re thinking about that guy. Girl he left you before you even woke up, after you lost your virginity to him. He is not worth it babe so stop acting like a love sick fool.”

“I have no idea what you’re on about.” I say as i feel heat creep up my spine.

“Come on girl. I am your best friend and i know you better than anyone.” She says leaning back into her chair. “You don’t need to act innocen in front of me. You are thinking about him. From the looks of it he clearly left more than just a memory.”

I tried to shove the memory away, but it refused to budge. His touch, the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel seen… it all came rushing back. “It was just one night,” I murmured. “I barely even knew him. And he’s gone. I’ll never see him again.”

“Exactly. That is what i want you to see.” Tia says laughing. “It’s been a year, yet you are drooling about him. He barely remembers you.”

Looking down at my now empty bowl i sighed. “A year already since i lost my virginity. I totally forgot about him.”

Tia rolled her eyes playfully. “Well, then I guess we should celebrate that you survived, huh? And maybe hope you meet other guys who might f**k you better and not leave the next morning.”

I laughed despite myself, shaking my head. “Don’t tempt me. I’ll just get my heart broken all over again.”

Tia grinned. “Or… just maybe, it would be worth the risk.”

***********

Walking into the apartment, it smelt amazing. Lana del rey’s voice filled the living room. Looking over the open floor pan into the kitchen i see Tia stirring the pan as she swayed her waist to Brooklyn Baby. I stare on the counter top and saw a glass half filled with orange juice.

“Hey,” I called as I stepped closer. “What’s cooking? And do I have time for a shower first?”

Tia grabs another glass and pours juice into it, sliding it towards me. “ I am making mushroom risotto and stuffed peppers. Dinner is ready so skip the shower. How was the interview?”

Pulling the barstool, i sit down, brushing a strand of hair from my face with one hand and holding the glass of juice in the other. I think i was impressive. But you know me—always overthinking everything.”

“Girl.” She says laughing, as she dishes the food out in plates. “This is a shocker even from you. Well, at least you didn’t trip over your own words. That’s progress.”

“Well, i barely survived. I don’t think the corporate world is for me. I didn’t go to art school to becomes a secretary or a PA.” I say, taking a sip of the juice. I took a sip of wine.

Tia smirked. “I say we celebrate anyways—cheers to surviving the sharks without losing a limb or your dignity.” She clinked her glass with mine.

I smile, taking a bite from the stuffed pepper, letting the warmth of the food comfort me after a long day. “You won’t believe who I ran into after the interview.”

“Oh? Do tell.” Tia said, as she turns to look at me, her eyes glinting with mischief.

I hesitate a bit as a small blush appear on my cheeks. “ I don’t know him, but he was gorgeous. Tall with blue eyes. The type of guys that can make your brain go off.”

Tia laughs as her grin widens. “Girl, you’re drooling over someone that barely noticed you? Classic Mira. Hope you didn’t make a fool of yourself.?”

I groaned. “Exactly. He disappeared before I even got a chance to say anything. And now I’m stuck imagining all the ways I could have impressed him—or at least not embarrassed myself.”

Tia’s laugh could be heard all over the apartment complex, as she focused on doing the dishes “Girl, You are thinking of ways to impress someone who has no idea about you. I swear, you get more worked up over a few minutes with a stranger than most people do over months.”

I roll my eyes as i smile. “I couldn’t help but admire God’s creation. There was something about him and forgive me if i drool. I am a love sick puppy.”

Tia stops doing the dishes and walks over to where i was seated smacking my head to pull me out of my delusions. “Hot guys like that do not care of people like us exist. Just this morning you were struggling to order coffee and now you’re fantasizing over a stranger?”

“I know,” I sighed, taking a bite from the mushroom risotto. “He seem different.”

Tia rolled her eyes dramatically, but her grin softened. “Fine, fine. Just don’t let it ruin your evening. Tonight, we eat, drink wine, and forget about every gorgeous stranger in New York for a few hours. Deal?”

I laughed, clinking my glass against hers. “Deal. But if I see him again, you’re helping me plan my escape route—or my brilliant seduction.”

Tia laughed, shaking her head as she packs the leftovers in the fridge. “Oh, Mira… you’re hopeless.”

********

“We should head to a bar and celebrate.”

I wasn’t surprised by Tia’s emphatic words. She is so full of excitement and she finds every reason to celebrate no matter how small the win is. I smiled at her enthusiasm.

“Do you think it’s a good thing to celebrate?” I ask her cautiously, as i brush loose hair from my face. “It’s a freelance gig, nothing major.” I say adding a finish touch to my sketch.

“Come on, Mira.” Tia says, sitting on the floor of our living room as she flashes her pearly white teeth at me. “Adding finishing touch doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate after that. I am not taking no for an answer. Just a glass of wine or two. We can hit a happy hour and be in by ten.”

“I don’t think i will make it in time. The gala is in two days and i have a lot of sketch to finish then i still need to pick a dress.” I say look at the clock on the wall as it’s already six thirty pm.

“Work faster. You just landed a high paying project for a gala. That is huge girl. You deserve a drink.” Tia’s voice cut through my reasoning. She looked cute begging me with her puppy dog eyes i couldn’t refuse.

I hesitated, then laughed. “Fine. But just one.”

Tia grinned from ear to ear as her eyes sparkle. “One glass is fine. At least it’s a start. You can even pick the bar, maybe somewhere glassy, somewhere that screams MIRA.”

I chuckled at her theatrics, as the warmth of excitement starts to bubble inside of me. We deserve this moment after endless years of suffering and working two jobs that barely helped, this was the moment. A chance to prove myself, to paint something extraordinary, and maybe, just maybe, to finally step into a world that didn’t constantly remind me of what I lacked.

“I suppose one glass won’t hurt,” I said, grabbing my bag. “But only after I finish these sketches. I need this sketches to be ready by Friday night.”

Tia giggles as she bounce off the ground. How is she so full of energy. “Done and done. You focus on being the next big thing in the art world, and I’ll handle the celebrating part.” She says running inside.

I smiled at her as she bounces off. I am grateful to her. I met Tia in high school. After my mother’s death i got kicked out by my father and his new wife. Tia was there for me. She comes from a rich home but she has never looked down or me or made me feel less about myself. We attended the same college but she majored in culinary arts. She moved in with me when we both got into college and we’ve been together ever since. I couldn’t shake the thought of the gala itself… the people, the ambiance… and perhaps the possibility of running into the blue eyed man i saw at the interview.

But that was a thought to tuck away for another time. Tonight, the sketches, the champagne, and the celebration were enough.