You Loved Me Once

Tying her hair into a ponytail, Alba offered her reflection a glance, a small sigh falling out of her mouth. It had been a few days, after her attempt to leave, things had become a little tenser between her & Lionel, but she knew she couldn’t hide away forever, no matter how preferable it seemed.

They couldn’t talk, whenever Alba looked at him, she would blush and stare at her feet, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before someone caught on, something she doubted that she would be able to handle. She knew what they would say, it was the same thought that she had been batting around since it’d happened, and she didn’t have it in her to deny that there was any lingering feelings on her part towards the man who’d left her.

“Are you coming today, Alba?” Eva posed as she stepped into the room.

Alba jumped a little at the sound of her voice and wheeled around, her blue eyes a little wide. “You couldn’t knock?” she posed.

“It’s my house” Eva replied “And besides, you were the one who wanted to go on this run. I figured you’d be ready first” Eva pointed out.

“I’m ready” Alba replied “Is it just going to be me and you?” she posed, collecting her phone from the side and slipping it into the holder she had wrapped around the top of her arm.

“Leo’s coming” Eva noted “You don’t mind that, do you?” she posed softly. She knew that it was sensitive, in the 5 days that had passed since Alba had tried to leave, the two of them had barely made eye contact, let alone spoken, and Eva didn’t want to push it. She wanted Alba to stay and she knew that the more she pushed on the topic of her ex-boyfriend, the less likely that it was that she would be there come the day of the wedding.

Alba stiffened a little at the mention of Lionel’s name before she nodded, flashing the best smile she could muster. “I don’t mind” she noted softly.

“You sure?” Eva pressed “Because if it bothers you, I can ask him to stay behind” she insisted.

Alba smiled a little at her friend’s concern, but shook her head. “It’s a run, Eva, not a dinner date. I think I can run at his side for a period of time without bursting into tears” she enthused.

“I don’t know about that, Alba. Every time he’s been around the last few days, you’ve looked like you’re about to cry” she pointed out as they made their way towards the hall.

Alba shook her head. “It’s fine, Eva, I promise. It just got the better of me briefly, but I can handle it. We’ve only got another 10 days” she insisted.

Eva offered her a slightly dubious before she jogged down the stairs, greeting Lionel who waited patiently in the hall. “We going?” she posed.

Lionel, who stood a little awkwardly beside the door, tossed a look towards Alba before he nodded, offering Eva a small smile. “We are” he mused “Though, I fear you two might have trouble keeping up with me” he enthused, offering her a smirk as he attempted to lighten the mood.

He knew that it was going to be awkward, for days, things between him and Alba had been worse than ever, but he didn’t want to fixate on it. They only had 10 days to get through before they could both return home, something which would enable Alba to continue pretending that nothing had ever happened between them.

Eva scoffed. “Me, maybe, but Alba? The girl’s a marathon runner” she enthused, ushering Alba out ahead of her.

Lionel lifted an eyebrow. “Marathons?” he posed.

Alba, who’d become a little sheepish, nodded. “I’ve run a couple” she shrugged.

Lionel quirked a grin. “I didn’t know you were a runner” he mused, trying to keep his tone light “When we were kids, you used to hate it” he enthused.

“That was because you made me run to collect your ball when you kicked it over the fence into my neighbours’ garden. You weren’t the one who got yelled at” Alba pointed out, her eyes fixed firmly on the laces of her trainers.

Lionel laughed. “They liked you better than me. They never forgave me for breaking their window” he teased.

“You broke it 3 times” Alba pointed out, the slightest of grins pulling at the corner of her mouth.

Eva, who was watching the two of them, smiled. It had been a long time since they had looked so comfortable around one another. Watching Lionel smile at Alba, she quietly pushed herself back into the house and closed the door, leaving the two of them alone.

“Twice” Lionel noted “The other time was your sister. She blamed it on me” he added.

Alba scoffed. “You broke it 3 times” she noted “Calista’s never kicked a ball in her life” she added.

Lionel laughed, shaking his head. “I swear, she broke it, Alba” he insisted.

Alba rolled her eyes and turned to look at Eva, pausing when she noticed that she was gone.

“I think she’s trying to tell us something” Lionel noted softly.

Alba shook her head. “She’s probably just forgotten something” she mumbled before the phone on her arm buzzed, causing her to slip it out of its holder, her blue eyes widening a little at Eva’s short message.

“Anything important?” Lionel posed softly.

“Eva’s changed her mind” Alba mumbled, stowing the phone back in its place “She’s staying here” she added.

Lionel nodded. “And that means you are too?” he guessed. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that she wanted to avoid him.

Alba thought for a moment before she shook her head. “It’s a run” she murmured “A couple of miles at most. As long as you can promise not to mention…you know what, I think we’ll be alright” she added.

“You don’t have to, Alba” Lionel offered softly “You don’t have anything to prove. You want to avoid me? Avoid me” he noted.

“You want me to avoid you?” Alba posed, shifting a little.

“No” Lionel replied, refraining from adding something about how he’d like to see more of her.

“Then let’s go for a run” Alba mumbled.

Lionel offered her a look before he nodded. “Ok” he agreed softly before he jogged ahead of her.

Alba watched after him for a moment, admiring him slightly before she shook her head, letting out a quiet curse. She knew that she didn’t have anything to prove, no one could have blamed her for wanting to stay as far away from him as she could, but from time to time, she found herself looking at him or smiling, something which made her want to kick herself. She wanted to feel indifferent, to know that his presence would have no effect on her, but she couldn’t. He was something to her still and that was what hurt more.