When You & I Collide
the anxious meeting
Present day
****
Evie picked her phone up from the kitchen bar, and sat down on the bar stool, twisting her phone round and round in her hand. She had contacted Sam a couple weeks back in a moment of weakness. She was at the cafe by herself, Tom was being his usual asshole self and Casey wasn't around. He had told her that since she had been gone, he had joined a rehabilitation programme and even gave lectures in schools and colleges about the effects of drug abuse. He had also apologised a hundred times, broke down in tears on the phone begging for forgiveness. It was all too much to take in, in a ten minute phone call and she had excused herself, telling him she needed time to think. She was unsure how she felt about seeing him. She didn't feel anything for him anymore. In fact she was disgusted by him, evie thought, using her free hand to absent mindedly run along her scar. But had had decided that seeing him again would maybe bring some closure to her. Forgiving him for what he had done to her, not just the last time she'd seen him but the whole 6 years. He had broken her mentally, sucking out any life and passion that was left until she wound up in to a tight, cold untrusting woman. She had only decided this after last night's situation with Tom. She had been with other guys since she'd been to London sure, but she was mostly drunk, or they were. And she rarely saw them the next day. But the way Tom looked at her last night, and that intimate tension between them left her feeling vulnerable and she knew that if she ever wanted a relationship with anyone in the future, she needed to overcome her own issues. Sam was in London on a job at the moment with his construction company and so she called him and arranged to meet for a quick coffee before her lunch later that day.
She headed to cafe Nero and hour later, feelings of anxiety creeping through her. She wasn't sure how this would pan out but she knew the closure was what they needed.And maybe Sam needed this too.
'Eve!' Sam was stood up, waving evie over as she made her was through the tables to join him. She studied his face intently, looking for any signs he was high. Sweat, dilated pupils, puffy eyes. But strangely, he face was clear, he was clean shaven and held a huge grin on his face. He pulled out her chair and signalled for the waitress.
' hi! Um, so, how are you? How have you been? You look great' He looked down at his hands at that point, his face flushing a crimson colour. Evie returned the smile and answered sheepishly. 'Im great Sam. I'm doing good. I've got a good job. I'm doing good.' She filled him In on all the details of her new job minus the non existing, awkward romance scenario between her and Tom. They talked about their new lives and aspirations and evie felt herself relax, knowing this was a good choice to make.
'Wow that's amazing evie! So you'll be going to the big movie premiere next week then?!' Sam asked, his face full of awe. She wasn't really sure at that point. Tom's new film legend was premiering next Saturday, and the whole night would consist of photos, drinks and gossip. She felt her phone vibrate and she picked it up, seeing a missed call from Tom. She glanced at her watch and looked up to see Sam regarding her confused. He smiled knowingly and cleared his throat.
'Sorry I've kept you so long, I'm sure you have other things to do....look what happened the last time I saw you..' Sam broke off returning his gaze to his hands. Evie swallowed, feeling a phantom burn at her lower back, but said nothing.
'You don't know how much I wish I could take it all back. When you didn't come home the next day, I knew I had to change. I have regretted that moment more than I have regretted anything else.' Tears rimmed his sad eyes and evie instinctively closed her hand over his.
' Sam stop. Stop torturing yourself for someone you can't change. It happened, and you have bettered yourself. Look at you.' She gestured, nudging his arm in support.
'Its o.k.. I'm o.k. and I forgive you.' Sam looked up at her in amazement, shock lining his features. She slid out from the booth,signalling the end of their meeting.
'Look, I have to go. Got a meeting in an hour. But this was good Sam. This was what I needed.' They headed out the cafe, looking in opposite directions for their cars. Evie turned to Sam to give him a goodbye hug and was mortified to be met with his lips on hers. She pulled back from his embrace and took a further step back, wiping her lips as if she had just tasted her worst imaginable dish.
'what the fuck do you think you're doing!' She yelled, causing passer bys to 'tut' at her. Sam eyed her incredulously 'what do you mean? I thought...well what do you think I've been doing here?!' He argued, the redness in his cheeks on simmer. 'I want you back evie! All this,' He gestured toward himself ' it was all for you! I changed for you!'
Eve stepped back, feeling sick, bile rising in her throat. She had come here for some closure, to move on. She didn't love him! How could she?
'After every thing that's happened!?' She replied.
'You just said in there you forgive me! Look at me evie. I'm not like that anymore. We can move on from this.'
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was delusional, she thought. She couldn't bear the sight of him any longer. She turned and walked to her car, ignoring his pleas and cries.
****
'Evie, are you gonna eat that chicken or continue to stare miserably in to space and contribute nothing to this conversation?' Casey challenged her best friend. Evie pushed her plate towards Casey without looking at her, causing Casey to glare at Tom.
'what did you do to her?' She demanded, kicking him under the table causing him to grunt loudly.
'Nothing!' He replied, a hint of guilt in his mind. Maybe it was cos I came on to her, he thought to himself. Casey eyed him with accusation but was interrupted.
'Sorry guys I'm just not feeling well. Maybe it was the alcohol last.night' She laughed to herself. But it was a sad laugh, and Tom assumed she just wasn't interested. Evie said her goodbyes and headed out the door, leaving Casey and Tom confused.
'Maybe it's cos I'm coming back to work soon, and she's got a thing for you.' Casey winked, then turned wide eyed when her sarcy comment was met with silence.
'Seriously! What is going on with you two?' Casey questioned, leaning forward. Tom was looking at his hands and grunted
'Nothin' who me and her? Yeah right...'
****
Evie picked her phone up from the kitchen bar, and sat down on the bar stool, twisting her phone round and round in her hand. She had contacted Sam a couple weeks back in a moment of weakness. She was at the cafe by herself, Tom was being his usual asshole self and Casey wasn't around. He had told her that since she had been gone, he had joined a rehabilitation programme and even gave lectures in schools and colleges about the effects of drug abuse. He had also apologised a hundred times, broke down in tears on the phone begging for forgiveness. It was all too much to take in, in a ten minute phone call and she had excused herself, telling him she needed time to think. She was unsure how she felt about seeing him. She didn't feel anything for him anymore. In fact she was disgusted by him, evie thought, using her free hand to absent mindedly run along her scar. But had had decided that seeing him again would maybe bring some closure to her. Forgiving him for what he had done to her, not just the last time she'd seen him but the whole 6 years. He had broken her mentally, sucking out any life and passion that was left until she wound up in to a tight, cold untrusting woman. She had only decided this after last night's situation with Tom. She had been with other guys since she'd been to London sure, but she was mostly drunk, or they were. And she rarely saw them the next day. But the way Tom looked at her last night, and that intimate tension between them left her feeling vulnerable and she knew that if she ever wanted a relationship with anyone in the future, she needed to overcome her own issues. Sam was in London on a job at the moment with his construction company and so she called him and arranged to meet for a quick coffee before her lunch later that day.
She headed to cafe Nero and hour later, feelings of anxiety creeping through her. She wasn't sure how this would pan out but she knew the closure was what they needed.And maybe Sam needed this too.
'Eve!' Sam was stood up, waving evie over as she made her was through the tables to join him. She studied his face intently, looking for any signs he was high. Sweat, dilated pupils, puffy eyes. But strangely, he face was clear, he was clean shaven and held a huge grin on his face. He pulled out her chair and signalled for the waitress.
' hi! Um, so, how are you? How have you been? You look great' He looked down at his hands at that point, his face flushing a crimson colour. Evie returned the smile and answered sheepishly. 'Im great Sam. I'm doing good. I've got a good job. I'm doing good.' She filled him In on all the details of her new job minus the non existing, awkward romance scenario between her and Tom. They talked about their new lives and aspirations and evie felt herself relax, knowing this was a good choice to make.
'Wow that's amazing evie! So you'll be going to the big movie premiere next week then?!' Sam asked, his face full of awe. She wasn't really sure at that point. Tom's new film legend was premiering next Saturday, and the whole night would consist of photos, drinks and gossip. She felt her phone vibrate and she picked it up, seeing a missed call from Tom. She glanced at her watch and looked up to see Sam regarding her confused. He smiled knowingly and cleared his throat.
'Sorry I've kept you so long, I'm sure you have other things to do....look what happened the last time I saw you..' Sam broke off returning his gaze to his hands. Evie swallowed, feeling a phantom burn at her lower back, but said nothing.
'You don't know how much I wish I could take it all back. When you didn't come home the next day, I knew I had to change. I have regretted that moment more than I have regretted anything else.' Tears rimmed his sad eyes and evie instinctively closed her hand over his.
' Sam stop. Stop torturing yourself for someone you can't change. It happened, and you have bettered yourself. Look at you.' She gestured, nudging his arm in support.
'Its o.k.. I'm o.k. and I forgive you.' Sam looked up at her in amazement, shock lining his features. She slid out from the booth,signalling the end of their meeting.
'Look, I have to go. Got a meeting in an hour. But this was good Sam. This was what I needed.' They headed out the cafe, looking in opposite directions for their cars. Evie turned to Sam to give him a goodbye hug and was mortified to be met with his lips on hers. She pulled back from his embrace and took a further step back, wiping her lips as if she had just tasted her worst imaginable dish.
'what the fuck do you think you're doing!' She yelled, causing passer bys to 'tut' at her. Sam eyed her incredulously 'what do you mean? I thought...well what do you think I've been doing here?!' He argued, the redness in his cheeks on simmer. 'I want you back evie! All this,' He gestured toward himself ' it was all for you! I changed for you!'
Eve stepped back, feeling sick, bile rising in her throat. She had come here for some closure, to move on. She didn't love him! How could she?
'After every thing that's happened!?' She replied.
'You just said in there you forgive me! Look at me evie. I'm not like that anymore. We can move on from this.'
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was delusional, she thought. She couldn't bear the sight of him any longer. She turned and walked to her car, ignoring his pleas and cries.
****
'Evie, are you gonna eat that chicken or continue to stare miserably in to space and contribute nothing to this conversation?' Casey challenged her best friend. Evie pushed her plate towards Casey without looking at her, causing Casey to glare at Tom.
'what did you do to her?' She demanded, kicking him under the table causing him to grunt loudly.
'Nothing!' He replied, a hint of guilt in his mind. Maybe it was cos I came on to her, he thought to himself. Casey eyed him with accusation but was interrupted.
'Sorry guys I'm just not feeling well. Maybe it was the alcohol last.night' She laughed to herself. But it was a sad laugh, and Tom assumed she just wasn't interested. Evie said her goodbyes and headed out the door, leaving Casey and Tom confused.
'Maybe it's cos I'm coming back to work soon, and she's got a thing for you.' Casey winked, then turned wide eyed when her sarcy comment was met with silence.
'Seriously! What is going on with you two?' Casey questioned, leaning forward. Tom was looking at his hands and grunted
'Nothin' who me and her? Yeah right...'
♠ ♠ ♠
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