Past or Future?

"Hey Beautiful" Joville walked surprisingly at lunch break. I murmured a "you too". I nearly forgot that I had to deal with Joville sooner or later and I guess that's now.

"Look, Joville. I know I have some explaining and apologizing to do but let me explain first. My behavior towards you that night was unacceptable and I am very sorry for what happened. I didn't know what has gotten into me and the memory never came so I had no idea what I was saying. I feel very ashamed in facing you. Soon, hopefully, you'll forgive me. Also, that girl you are referring to is Bella, she's my ex girlfriend years before but now we are dating again."

As the words "dating again" left my mouth, I felt all giddy and squirmish but unlike me Joville gave me a very dark look. She looked down at her shoes and took a deep breath.

"I don't know whether I should be glad for you or I should hate you right now. Why didn't you tell me before you were getting back with your ex?" Joville's face looked so pained and hurt, she hid her clenched fist behind her back

"On the contrary you never asked me about it and I didn't think you'd mind" I shot back giving her a bitter look "I thought we were friends, why are you angry at me now?"

Joville bit her lip, frustratingly she looked at me her eyes burning with fury "Because I thought we had something! I thought the two of us would end together. I was so patient with you however naive you were and after a weekend this is what I face? Why didn't you just say you had someone else? I rejected people because of you-"

"Wait! Hold up, I never asked you to reject people nor wait for me, I thought that was clear for you" interrupting her sudden outburst

"I rejected some people because I wanted to be with you! It was always you Art! I never wanted anyone else but then again fate's not so kind to me it decided for you to go back to your stupid faced ex!" Joville was so angry I never imagine this kind of personality from her.

"Stop calling her that! She's my girlfriend now and you have no right to decide who I should or should not date. We were good friends Joville, what happened?" I looked at her tearfully my chest constricting. I gripped my pen so tight it almost snapped damn, I shouldn't bring personal problems here I'm at work for heavens sake.

"It's her that happened. It's because of Bella" Joville slammed her fist on the table, threw the papers she was holding and stormed out the room.

I calmed myself down placing my hands on the table taking a deep breath. This was not how I pictured it to be when I had to confront Joville, this is way worse. I distracted myself by picking up the papers examining each one, as I picked the last, it was a letter in Joville's neat handwriting, addressed to me.

Artemis,

I never knew seeing you everyday would bring light to my darkest days. I'm sorry for that night, maybe I was a bit jealous. Seeing you with someone else brings out the other side of my personality in which you don't want to see. As the weekend passes by, I hope we come to the conclusion of peace and settle our differences with hope and for our friendship to grow.

With all the love in the world.

Yours truly,

Joville

There's something about letters that just makes you say AWWW adoringly and reading what I've just found, it tears me up inside. I have received numerous letters from Jella before but receiving it from another person makes me all weird and unsure. I can understand why Joville is so mad at me, I might have led her on and with the bombshell that I've just delivered makes her crumble and cry herself to the ground. Ugh! I groaned loudly slamming my body on the chair. Why does this have to be so difficult? I didn't even know I would do that to Jella, things were very unexpected.

Jane caught up with me on my way home, this is another surprise.

"Hey Art, everything okay?" Jane patted my back gently, eyes growing with concern.

"I'm all right Jane, how about you?" I kicked a stone distracting myself on this conversation

"Art, it's not that I'm prying but I heard what you and Joville were arguing about. Also, I'm not taking sides in here but I feel like you should have mentioned that Bella to her. She likes you very much Art, I can see it in her eyes how much she adores you. Later, she's going to ask me for a drink to drown her feelings out. I'm not assuming but it's a hunch and I hope you clear your mind and take responsibility, we're a team here Art yes we argue and we make up that's how things go"

I stopped and so did Jane "So you're saying that I should date both of them?"

Jane slapped the side of my head, hard.

"OW! What the heck??"

"All I'm saying is get your shit together and make up your mind"

I looked down sadly "I already did and I choose Bella"

"Let's put it this way, Are you dating Bella because you truly love her and she makes you happy? Or are you stuck in the past? You finally had a chance with her and don't want to screw it up all over again so you push the person who takes interest in you for who you are and throw them to the gutter? Think about it Art, I hope it enlightens you"

Jane walked away leaving me with a jumble of thoughts. Is it possible? I never looked at it that way and when she explained it, I see myself horribly. My phone buzzed, checking on it, it was Jella she wanted to meet at the local bar.