Status: On-going

Better in Time

Chapter 5 - It’s all changed

Callie’s POV

It has been 7 days since I had seen Daniel or Juelz. Not that I really cared where Juelz was because her spending nights away from the house had become a regular occurrence since I arrived here. However the absence of Daniel was much more painful. He had become my one confidant and losing his friendship would be really unfortunate.

I take another sip of my coffee as I stare at my watch and the door, hoping that he would walk through it. I was sitting in the back of the cafe where we were regular visitors and despite him not showing up here for the past week I still kept on coming back.

Not just for the very delicious coffee but also in the hope that Daniel will finally make an appearance.

Just when I had given up hope, by calling the waitress to give me my bill, I saw Juelz walk through the door with the biggest smile on her face.

I was secretly hoping she was lost, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case, as she came to sit at the table I was occupying.

"Hey stranger" she greeted me as I forced myself to smile.

"Hey Juelz. What are you doing here?" I ask, getting straight to the point.

"Oh silly. I’m here to hang out with you and Daniel" she began as I try to tell her that the cafe visits are just for me and him.

But she stopped me before I could say anything

"I know this is yours and his ‘special time’ together but since me and him are a couple now, I figured you wouldn’t mind if I tagged along" she told me as she summoned a waitress and placed a coffee order.

My brain is still trying to process this news when I seemingly sheepish Daniel walked in and took a seat next to Juelz. From the confusion etched on my face, he could probably tell that I knew about him and Juelz.

"Callie… I can explain" he started but I shook my head so he stopped.

"There’s nothing to explain Daniel" I assured him as I started to gather my things and attempted to hold in the tears that are threatening to spill out.

"It’s not like there was anything between you and me right? So that means you are allowed to date whoever you want" I told him as I stood up from my seat.

"I hope the best for the both of you but now if you’ll excuse me I have to get going" I announced with a strained smile on my face as I head for the exit and out into the pouring rain.

Once I’m outside I release the tears I have been holding in and internally berate myself for believing that Daniel was any different from the other men I’ve met.

I may have not acknowledged whatever feelings I may or may not had for him but I didn’t expect him to get into a relationship with the next available woman.

`

Daniel’s POV

"Well that was rude" Juelz says once Callie is out the door.

She continued to rant about how Callie needs to learn manners but I wasn't really paying attention because the image of her teary eyes were still stuck in my head. I didn’t expect her to be over the moon with my new relationship announcement but I also didn’t expect to react so negatively to it as well.

Her response does however give me a little sense of satisfaction because it made me see that no matter how cool she tried to play it, there was a little part of her that felt something for me.

"Baby is that all you’re having" Juelz asks, interrupting my internal discussion.

"Yeah" I answer absent-mindedly, referring to the glass of water I have in front of me.

"I think you should order some more, you’re gonna need all the energy you can summon for what I have planned for you tonight" she flirts and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

I tell her she can order for me, and as she places the order with our waitress I think about how big of an idiot I am.

I’ve gone from having something simple and beautiful with Callie to being sucked in to a public relationship with Juelz.
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To be continued...