Damn the Day I Met You

Everywhere it rains. Even if it occurs once a year; it rains. Even if it’s one or two droplets; it rains. And today of all days, it decided to rain. Not just rain, but storm.

Part of me wonders if the universe is matching my mood of the day through the weather. I’m confused, pissed off, and well, crying. Though that’s a stupid thought. Why would the universe care about me, and only me? I’m sure it has better things to do.
Like rain.

A sudden banging on my door pulls me out of my trance, “Katie, open up!” I don’t move at the sound of his voice. “Please, come on, you know we need to talk.” Even though he’s right, I still don’t get up. Why should I? He’s the one that did wrong here, not me. “Dammit! Just make a sound, let me know you’re here. I can’t stand that thought of you with him.”

This made me jump out of mad in anger. I slam the door open, ready to argue. “Him? You mean the guy who has been there for me through all of this? The one that made me laugh last night after everything I had to sit through. Is that the him you’re talking about? Because if it is, you have absolutely no right to be mad if I was with him!”

“Let’s just talk about this calmly,” Zach says, reaching a hand out to me.

“Don’t you dare touch me Zachary. And no, we’re not going to talk calmly. I’m done with that shit! You always seem to convince me to stay with you, and for what? So that you can turn around and cheat on me?”

“You’re the one that snuck off with that Tristan guy without telling me! Ana and I were just following you.”

“Why, because you don’t trust me?” I ask, my voice quieting down, but not by a lot. “If there’s anyone not to trust it’s you. Not that you deserve an explanation, but I’ll give you one anyways, just to make you feel guilty. Lucy wanted to see the movie, Tristan begged me to take her and I forced him to tagalong to suffer. Nothing is happening between us. You can blame whoever you like Zach, but this relationship is failing because we’re not meant to be together. And no, I’m not going to work it out again. Last night was the last straw. I’m not putting up with this bullshit anymore. Say whatever you like, do whatever you like, but it’s over.”

“I don’t know why you think I cheated or did something wrong, Katie! You were the one snuggling up to the guy.”

“Because I had to sit through a movie and watch my boyfriend with another girl. Tristan was comforting me. And you want a memory of last night, here it is!” I toss my phone at him, the picture clear as daylight, “now get the fuck out of my sight.”

I slam the door in his face, finally feeling content. I needed to do that a long time ago.
Zach continued to knock and call out my name, but that only lasted a few minutes. Eventually I heard footsteps walking away and relief washed over me. I walk over to the landline to call Katelyn, but before I could even grab the phone my door opens. In all honesty, I should have locked it after the slam, what intelligent young woman wouldn’t do so? Obviously me.

I slowly turn around and then scream, “TOBY!” right before jumping into his arms. He had to bags with him filled with every essential known to mankind. “You’re supposed to be in Nice.”

“I’m supposed to be helping my best friend get over her boyfriend. But I could head back to France if you don’t want me.”

“No, no! I definitely want you. Need you even.”

He chuckles and sets the bags down, “well that’s always good to hear.” He opens the first back, pulling out a movie, “I was thinking we’d start with The Notebook.”

Two Hours later the credits were rolling, three cartons of ice cream were melting, and I was finishing up the exhausting story of how everything ended up like it is.

Toby comforted me the whole time, not pushing me to stop crying or tell more details. He just sat there and listened like a best friend.

“Do you know why Ana hates Tristan so much?” He asks, rubbing my back in circular motions to relax me.

“No! I wish I did though. Then I could be more cautious.”

“Well, it shouldn’t change your feelings toward him. Or his feelings toward you. I notice the way he looks at you, the way he acts with you, it’s not like other girls Katie. You’ve, dare I say it, changed him.”

I slap his arm, “shut-up, I have not! He’s the same old jerk he always has been. I just tolerate it more than others.”

“Maybe so.”

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

“That you tolerate him? Oh no, I definitely believe you. But you can’t deny the certain liking you have for him.”

“I don’t though. I know it sounds weird but he just feels familiar. It’s stupid, I know.”

“Like you’ve met him before?”

“Yeah.” I say, nodding and shoving another spoonful of Nutella into my mouth.

“Maybe you two were like, lovers, in the past life.”

I roll my eyes and ignore his comment, “hey, did you see my phone in front of my door?” I ask, realizing that Zach may have taken it.

Toby pulls it out of his pocket, “yeah, sorry, forgot about it. Ooh, and look? A text from prince charming himself.”

“Hand it over!” I jump across the bed, knocking random items off of it. Toby was quick to move out of the way chuckling.
“Aw, he’s so sweet.”

“Toby, give me my phone.”

“Come on, he wants to take you out.”

Toby was standing on one side of the bed while I was on the other. Each movement I made, he’d make the opposite. “Hand it over.”

“Oh Katie! I just had the best time last night. We definitely need to do it again.” He jokes, deepening his voice.

I laugh at in impression, “Tristan doesn’t talk like that!” Finally as he glanced down at the phone which buzzed again in his hand, I tackled him to the ground.

“Ugh, could you get off me now?” Toby asks, grunting.

“Nope, I’m going to sit here and make you suffer.” I tell him, reading the texts that Tristan sent me, fifteen to be exact. They were all about the same thing, asking if I was alright.

“I think it’s sweet, really, that he’s checking in on you.”

I nod in agreement and reply to Tristan. “Hey, how did you even know about the break-up, it happened like 2 minutes before you showed up.”

Toby scratches the back of his neck the best he could while being pinned down, “uh, Ana sort of called me very late last night. She rambled on and was speaking rubbish for most of it. But I finally got her to tell me what happened and she didn’t seem happy about it.”

“I know she’s your friend. And she’s mine too. But it still hurts. I directly told her I would set Zach and her up but she told me not to. So I didn’t. Instead, she’s goes behind me back to date him.”

Even though I wasn’t looking down at him, I knew his eyes are staring up at me, “I should probably tell you something. But could you please get off of me first?”

I do as he asks and stand up before helping him up too. “This doesn’t sound like good news. But then again, nothing’s good news these days.”

We both take our seats on the bed and he starts, “I can’t tell you everything. It’s Tristan’s life, his past, and his story to tell. But I will say that it has not been an easy life for Tristan and his sister Lucy. Because of Tristan’s reputation, most people think that the dispute between Ana and Tristan has something to do with him breaking her heart. Now, Tristan will tell you when the time is right, what fully happened, this is just a very quick summary with zero detail. Ana’s father is a lawyer, obviously not a really big lawyer around, but not terrible. He’s got a good rep around town. A few years back, Ana and Tristan were dating. I wouldn’t say Tristan was the best guy, but he definitely didn’t have the player reputation he does now. They had been together for a couple months when Tristan took his mother to court for reasons I will let him explain. His mom couldn’t afford much and hired Ana’s father.” Toby pauses and takes a bite of his ice cream. I wanted to ask why Tristan took his mom to court but decided that he wouldn’t tell me. I’d have to wait for Tristan to trust me enough with that information. And I hope at some point he will trust me in that way.

“Well, Ana didn’t support Tristan in what he was doing to begin with, and to add in the fact that Tristan would be going up against her father didn’t make this any easier. In all honesty, I’m amazed they allowed that since he had connection to both parties. But with that aside, Tristan won the fight. Which not only pissed Ana off because she didn’t support him, but also added to a very small list of cases her father has not won. She broke up with Tristan and ever since has hated him. It’s stupid to me, but Ana just won’t forget and forgive him for it.”

I wiped the tears away that were starting to form in my eyes once again, “what does this have to do with Zach and me?”

Toby looks over at me with saddened eyes, “I wish I could tell you. You don’t know how much I want. But I just can’t. It’s not my story to tell.” He scoots over and puts an arm around me, “I know this makes Ana sound like a bitch, and she can be sometimes. It’s just, she’s a great person, so even if you don’t like her after what I told you, please be civil around her. She’s still my friend.”

I nod, “of course. Everyone has their reasons for their actions, and I can’t judge on that. It hurts, but it was going to hurt anyways. I’m just glad I have you to be here. And hey, you’re here because of Ana, so I can’t hate her too much.”

The phone buzzes on the hardwood floor, echoing around the room. Toby laughs and nudges me, “now go reply to that boy before you give him a heart attack.”