The Forbidden Fruit Always Tastes Sweeter
032
I sat outside the juice stand at the table, watching people flee towards their cars. The dark clouds grew since earlier. I heard my phone buzzing and quickly dug through my bag. I smiled seeing Brian's name on the caller ID. "Hey, you. I've been waiting."
Brian gripped his steering wheel watching a smile grace those soft lips. "I can't do it anymore, Lucy."
"Do what?" I furrowed my brows, confused with what he was talking about. "Meet up with me? I mean I kind of figured something happened since you're like 20 minutes late-"
"No, Lucy." He sighed. "Us. I can't do us anymore."
"Oh," I said quietly, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I told you, Brian. I told you not to start something with me if you weren't willing."
He watched as I stood up and threw the drink out, still half full, no longer feeling thirsty. "I thought I could, but I can't Lucy."
"Fine," I nodded, slipping my purse over my shoulder and walked to my jeep. "But, at least have the balls to tell me to my face. Really, I thought you were more of a man than this Brian."
Brian furrowed his brows. "I-"
"You know what?" I shrugged, tossing my bag in the back and zipped up the back windows shut since it looked like the clouds would break open any minute. "You don't want me anymore; I get it. I wish you the best of luck with your tour, Brian." I pressed end on my Blackberry, not being able to say anything more.
Brian slammed his hands down on the dashboard angry with himself, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t making a mistake. "No, I'm doing the right thing." He leaned back and ran his hand over his face. He saw me at my car and drove off knowing that I was safe. He didn't like me out on my own, despite the fact that he had just ended the relationship. It didn't mean that he could turn those feelings off; that he didn't care any less.
I grabbed my large Billabong sweatshirt and shrugged it on. I grabbed my sandals and put them in the car as well. Today has just gone to the shits. I sighed shutting the door and walking down to the water.
Everyone passed me and gave the odd glance as to why I was staying on the beach when thunder rolled loudly in the background. It was a shame that California didn't get many thunderstorms, but I loved them and their rarity. I sat on the sand and pulled my knees up to my chest.
I watched the waves crash against the sand in a frenzy, the foam fanning out. I tried to think of what could have happened for things to end up this way. I sighed, trying to swallow a sob as my eyes stung. My chest tightened as my mind was running a mile a minute, making plans to get away for a while before the camping trip in Indo. This was the last thing I had expected to happen and I really was in too much of as state of shock to process anything. Checking a few details on my Blackberry, I was all set for a red eye.
I felt my phone vibrate and cleared my throat, humming a few notes to determine if I would sound normal before answering the annoying device. “Hello?” I tried to steady my breathing.
“Hey, sweetie where are you?” Leana’s cheerful voice rang through. “I hope you’re still going to make it to our girl’s night out tonight. I thought we were all going to get ready together since you were in the area. Though, we might stay here if this storm doesn’t pass. Looks nasty out, and def not the good kind.”
I was determined not to give into her guilt trip, she was the best out of anyone I knew to get you to bend at her will. Then again, no longer being with Brian, did that mean I could still be friends with them? It had been a while since I had to follow the dating rules; they’ve become so complicated since then too. “Oh, honey,” I ran my fingers through my wind blown hair. “I have to pack.”
I heard her laughter, “Please, Luce you’re so last minute when you come to getting ready. Besides, you don’t leave for like another week. Plenty of time to pack another night.”
“Actually, I leave earlier than the rest of the girls for a little detour.” I said vaguely in order not to get caught up in a lie.
“Detour?” She mumbled confused, before talking with someone in the background. “Hey, honey, Danny wants to talk to you for a sec.”
“What detour?” He asked nosily, skipping the proper salutations.
I stood up wiping the sand off of my bare legs. “The Mal Dives, I’m flying into Malé. I’m going diving and relaxing before I have the pleasure of a large group of teenage girls.”
“Teasha and Tim never mentioned it.” Danny sighed crossing the hall and stepping into the unused living room for some privacy.
“It’s just me going.” I felt the large drops of rain fall as I walked back to the car.
Danny furrowed his brows in confusion. Though, he could understand the need for some peace, the abruptness of the trip surprised him. Just the other day, the girls were ready to plan their own spa and gossip days before their friend would leave. “What happened, Lucy?”
I climbed up into the seat, quickly shutting the door to protect me from the wind that was picking up. A few tears managed to sneakily escape. “Brian and I decided to take a little break.” I fibbed, not wanting to put a barrier between two good friends.
“I thought everything was fine between you two.” Danny was shocked by this sudden news. It came completely out of left field.
“It is-was,” I corrected myself. “We just want to play it safe and test the waters freely with our tours coming up. I mean after Indo, I’m never going to see him with the pipe in Hawaii and then Women’s World Tour a few weeks after.”
“You’re competitions and tours aren’t for months, Luce.” He tried to reason, and make his friend see that a break isn’t what they needed. Out of most people, they would be the ones that could survive the distance.
“I know it doesn’t make sense to you right now, but to us it is what we need.” The excuses kept pouring out of my mouth. I closed my eyes clearing more tears as I covered for the person who had just left me heart broken.
“What cruise or resort are you staying with?” He asked lightly, trying to bring the conversation to a happier note.
“Oh, someone recommended a local dhoni.” I took my keys out of my pocket, finding the familiar key to the Jeep.
“Lucy, now you’re just being stupid.” Danny couldn’t hold back this time. Going alone, especially being a woman, to a safe, reputable resort is dangerous enough. But, going through locals is asking for a death wish.
“I need a break, Dan.” I sighed, wiping the tears angrily away.
“Not like this you don’t,” he began raising his voice as he paced the room. “You’re looking to get killed.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I know what I’m doing. Everything is already set anyway. I’ll text you from the airport. I refuse to talk to you like this.” Truthfully, I would have probably broken down and had given in if I stayed on the line any longer. I knew running away from this wouldn’t solve anything, but I just wanted some time where I didn’t have to think rationally or be responsible.
Danny looked at the phone, shocked that he was hung up on. Anger and frustration coursed through his body. He handed the phone back to Leana grumbling to himself. Leana looked at her phone confused, not exactly sure what just happened.
Brian gripped his steering wheel watching a smile grace those soft lips. "I can't do it anymore, Lucy."
"Do what?" I furrowed my brows, confused with what he was talking about. "Meet up with me? I mean I kind of figured something happened since you're like 20 minutes late-"
"No, Lucy." He sighed. "Us. I can't do us anymore."
"Oh," I said quietly, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I told you, Brian. I told you not to start something with me if you weren't willing."
He watched as I stood up and threw the drink out, still half full, no longer feeling thirsty. "I thought I could, but I can't Lucy."
"Fine," I nodded, slipping my purse over my shoulder and walked to my jeep. "But, at least have the balls to tell me to my face. Really, I thought you were more of a man than this Brian."
Brian furrowed his brows. "I-"
"You know what?" I shrugged, tossing my bag in the back and zipped up the back windows shut since it looked like the clouds would break open any minute. "You don't want me anymore; I get it. I wish you the best of luck with your tour, Brian." I pressed end on my Blackberry, not being able to say anything more.
Brian slammed his hands down on the dashboard angry with himself, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t making a mistake. "No, I'm doing the right thing." He leaned back and ran his hand over his face. He saw me at my car and drove off knowing that I was safe. He didn't like me out on my own, despite the fact that he had just ended the relationship. It didn't mean that he could turn those feelings off; that he didn't care any less.
I grabbed my large Billabong sweatshirt and shrugged it on. I grabbed my sandals and put them in the car as well. Today has just gone to the shits. I sighed shutting the door and walking down to the water.
Everyone passed me and gave the odd glance as to why I was staying on the beach when thunder rolled loudly in the background. It was a shame that California didn't get many thunderstorms, but I loved them and their rarity. I sat on the sand and pulled my knees up to my chest.
I watched the waves crash against the sand in a frenzy, the foam fanning out. I tried to think of what could have happened for things to end up this way. I sighed, trying to swallow a sob as my eyes stung. My chest tightened as my mind was running a mile a minute, making plans to get away for a while before the camping trip in Indo. This was the last thing I had expected to happen and I really was in too much of as state of shock to process anything. Checking a few details on my Blackberry, I was all set for a red eye.
I felt my phone vibrate and cleared my throat, humming a few notes to determine if I would sound normal before answering the annoying device. “Hello?” I tried to steady my breathing.
“Hey, sweetie where are you?” Leana’s cheerful voice rang through. “I hope you’re still going to make it to our girl’s night out tonight. I thought we were all going to get ready together since you were in the area. Though, we might stay here if this storm doesn’t pass. Looks nasty out, and def not the good kind.”
I was determined not to give into her guilt trip, she was the best out of anyone I knew to get you to bend at her will. Then again, no longer being with Brian, did that mean I could still be friends with them? It had been a while since I had to follow the dating rules; they’ve become so complicated since then too. “Oh, honey,” I ran my fingers through my wind blown hair. “I have to pack.”
I heard her laughter, “Please, Luce you’re so last minute when you come to getting ready. Besides, you don’t leave for like another week. Plenty of time to pack another night.”
“Actually, I leave earlier than the rest of the girls for a little detour.” I said vaguely in order not to get caught up in a lie.
“Detour?” She mumbled confused, before talking with someone in the background. “Hey, honey, Danny wants to talk to you for a sec.”
“What detour?” He asked nosily, skipping the proper salutations.
I stood up wiping the sand off of my bare legs. “The Mal Dives, I’m flying into Malé. I’m going diving and relaxing before I have the pleasure of a large group of teenage girls.”
“Teasha and Tim never mentioned it.” Danny sighed crossing the hall and stepping into the unused living room for some privacy.
“It’s just me going.” I felt the large drops of rain fall as I walked back to the car.
Danny furrowed his brows in confusion. Though, he could understand the need for some peace, the abruptness of the trip surprised him. Just the other day, the girls were ready to plan their own spa and gossip days before their friend would leave. “What happened, Lucy?”
I climbed up into the seat, quickly shutting the door to protect me from the wind that was picking up. A few tears managed to sneakily escape. “Brian and I decided to take a little break.” I fibbed, not wanting to put a barrier between two good friends.
“I thought everything was fine between you two.” Danny was shocked by this sudden news. It came completely out of left field.
“It is-was,” I corrected myself. “We just want to play it safe and test the waters freely with our tours coming up. I mean after Indo, I’m never going to see him with the pipe in Hawaii and then Women’s World Tour a few weeks after.”
“You’re competitions and tours aren’t for months, Luce.” He tried to reason, and make his friend see that a break isn’t what they needed. Out of most people, they would be the ones that could survive the distance.
“I know it doesn’t make sense to you right now, but to us it is what we need.” The excuses kept pouring out of my mouth. I closed my eyes clearing more tears as I covered for the person who had just left me heart broken.
“What cruise or resort are you staying with?” He asked lightly, trying to bring the conversation to a happier note.
“Oh, someone recommended a local dhoni.” I took my keys out of my pocket, finding the familiar key to the Jeep.
“Lucy, now you’re just being stupid.” Danny couldn’t hold back this time. Going alone, especially being a woman, to a safe, reputable resort is dangerous enough. But, going through locals is asking for a death wish.
“I need a break, Dan.” I sighed, wiping the tears angrily away.
“Not like this you don’t,” he began raising his voice as he paced the room. “You’re looking to get killed.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I know what I’m doing. Everything is already set anyway. I’ll text you from the airport. I refuse to talk to you like this.” Truthfully, I would have probably broken down and had given in if I stayed on the line any longer. I knew running away from this wouldn’t solve anything, but I just wanted some time where I didn’t have to think rationally or be responsible.
Danny looked at the phone, shocked that he was hung up on. Anger and frustration coursed through his body. He handed the phone back to Leana grumbling to himself. Leana looked at her phone confused, not exactly sure what just happened.