Narrator-
As the car drove on, and the couple continued to enjoy their sweet icy treat, Liliana's phone rang. Picking it up, she noticed the caller idea and paled. Her eyes performed a quick flash towards Frantz, who had a curious glint in his eyes when he noticed her change in demeanor, then with a gulp and a silent prayer, Liliana picked up the phone.
"Hey mom!" Lili greeted, as she tried to sound normal, though she was far from it.
"Liliana Meredith Chavez!" Her mother belted through the phone, and Liliana winced at the middle name. Oh she was in trouble. Again.
"Hi mommy." Liliana stated, her tone a few octaves higher, hoping to appeal to her mother's sensitive side.
"Oh don't 'hi mommy' me. Like seriously? When you moved away to another state, all I asked, for were daily phone calls, that's all I asked, for, and now I can't even get that. I-"
"Mom, mom," Liliana called out, cutting her mom's ranting off, "what?" Her mother snapped, and Liliana sighed as she said, "I'm sorry, I've just been caught up with work and I haven't gotten the chance to be on my phone until now." Liliana stated, as Frantz raised in eyebrow at her words, and she shrugged. It was just a fib.
"Oh sure, but don't say you were caught up with work, I am not an idiot Liliana. You've been getting comfy with your boss." Her mom pointed, her tone teasing, and Liliana felt the blood drain from her face as her eyes widened.
Liliana's mouth dropped, her face then quickly heating up with a red blush as she said, "Mom come on!" Then she groaned and face palmed herself, Frantz still watching her attentively, getting more and more interested in what Liliana had to say, especially since her blush darkened with every passing second.
"What? Honey there's nothing wrong with taking a risk and having some fun. Obviously always remember to wear protection, and remember, No means No." Her mother encouraged and advised, and Liliana wanted to die of embarrassment. Getting encouragement from her mother to be with her boss did not help the situation Liliana was trying so hard to figure out.
"Mom please, stop. Nothing has happened between me and my boss." Liliana lowered her voice to a harsh whisper, but it didn't change the fact that Frantz heard her response, and he couldn't keep the mischievous glint from his eyes, or the suspicious smile that now lingered on his lips. He suddenly had a plan.
"Oh my God! You guys are together right now aren't you?" The mom guessed with a dramatic gasp, "I'm so sorry honey, go ahead and have fun. Call me tomorrow." The mom rushed.
"No mom you don't have to go-"
"Love you!" Her mom cut off before Liliana could stop her, and then she hung up the phone.
Liliana groaned internally and closed her eyes tight as she tried to breathe and muster up the courage to look her boss in the eyes. She was a bad person. She was a really bad person.
"So," Frantz sighed, suddenly in the mood to play around, as he leaned back against his seat, crossing his arms, then he continued, "nothing has happened between us right?" He questioned, as if genuinely curious.
Liliana groaned out loud as she covered her face with her hands and she said, "You are not helping."
"No I just want to clarify, that everything," Frantz began as he leaned forward so he could get closer to Liliana, "every touch," he continued, his tone softer, as he caressed his hand down the length of her arm, starting at her wrist to her elbow, "every look," Frantz said, as he pried her hands away and looked into her eyes, "every kiss," he whispered, his tone sultry, his lips brushing against hers in a very romantic manner, "was nothing?" He finished, just as Liliana was ready to lean in and kiss him, then he backed away, leaving her speechless.
Shocked and bewildered, Liliana tried to wrap her mind around what just occurred. She blinked, and blinked again, meanwhile, Frantz simply smiled at her silence and confused facial expression. Liliana shook her head and smiled softly. Frantz knew how to play. He knew how to push her buttons and he knew how to get a reaction out of her. It was almost scary that he had managed to figure her out inside and out in such a short period of time.
Liliana leaned back against her chair and scoffed rolling her eyes. She decided to not reply, because at her new realization, she suddenly felt scared. He knew her too well. Which meant she absentmindedly allowed herself to be vulnerable and known to him. And now that he knew her so well, if he wanted to break her, he could do it in a heartbeat.
Liliana wasn't ready for that. She wasn't ready for Frantz to know her that well. It was too soon. And she wasn't ready.
Frantz noticed her change in demeanor and feared that he may have crossed the line. This is what he feared. He didn't want to scare Liliana away. He felt as if he needed to handle her with care, or else, she would break under the pressures of being with and around him, and that pressure would eventually drive her away. Frantz didn't want that. He wanted her with him, at all times.
"Are you alright? Was it something I said,?" He asked, carefully hoping he didn't cross the line.
"No, it's nothing... I- Frantz I want to go home." Liliana admitted, feeling the need to run far away from him.
"We are heading home." Frantz said, confused.
"No Frantz, we're heading to your home, I want to go to my own home." Liliana clarified, suddenly feeling so excited, she could just throw up, and not in a good way.
"What? Liliana come on, we've already been through this-"
"No Frantz, No. I don't- I just, I can't do this okay? I can't be with you. I don't want to be close to you, and I don't want you to know me, and I don't want you to have the power to break my heart. This, whatever that's between us, It's over." Liliana declared, and suddenly feeling suffocated, she knocked against the privacy window, startling Armagio, who in turn pressed the button to lower the screen, just to hear Liliana demand "STOP THE CAR!"
Armagio flashed a look in the rear view mirror, and with a nod of confirmation from Frantz, Armagio pulled over and Liliana all but jumped out of the car. Frantz jumped out after her, but Liliana was already making her way down the street.
"Liliana! Liliana!" He called after her, but she didn't pay him any mind. She was quick to duck in between the pedestrian traffic, and soon enough, she vanished from Frantz's sight.
Shaking his head dejected and confused, Frantz entered his car and closed the door silently.
It was over.
"Where to sir?" Armagio asked, his tone low, as if trying to not rouse the silently raging man.
"You know where Armagio." Frantz declared, and with a nod, Armagio brought the privacy screen back up, letting Mr. Cavalier have a moment to himself.
Liliana found her way home with teary eyes. She grunted and took her anger out on the door because it didn't 'open fast enough, and when she crashed into her house, she all but ripped the blue dress off her skin, feeling as if it was a painful memory of something that never was. Liliana raged and cried and wailed.
She couldn't do it. She couldn't allow herself to be vulnerable to Frantz.
Why? Because she was scared that he would break her heart. That no matter how nice he acted, no matter how chivalrous, or how much of a gentleman he was, the moment he got what he wanted from her, he would leave her high and dry.
Of course, was she absolutely and completely sure that he would do that? Of course she wasn't, but she didn't want to risk it.
Sniffling and caching a glimpse of her snotty face, puffy red eyes, and now messy hair in a small mirror on the wall, Liliana groaned and dragged her body to her bedroom, trudging all the way to her closet. There, she pulled on her most comfortable set of pajamas, then she dropped into her bed, and brought the sheets over her head. There in her soft cocoon, Liliana wanted to convince herself that she could stay there forever, she didn't need to step outside, and if she stayed in bed, she would never see Frantz again. Except of course in her mind. Because now the only thing she could think about was him.
Mariella was having her afternoon tea under the gazebo that faced the small pond across her lawn, when her son made an appearance. The moment she saw his face, she knew something had happened. His eyes were red as if he had angry tears to spill, but because he was trying to keep his composure, they simply bunched around his eyes, making his face hot and red.
"Ciao mamma." Frantz greeted, and with a sigh Mariella placed down her tea cup and stood to her feet. She grabbed her son's face, and brought his forehead down to her lips, blessing his once again shattered heart, before she pulled him to sit down as she said, "come, tell me everything."
Two weeks later, and Liliana had gotten into a routine, which included traveling to four main places in her house. Her bed, her bathroom, her kitchen, and her trusty couch, she'd had since her very first break up. When she ran out of food and groceries, she ordered them online and had them delivered at her door. She kept her phone calls with her parents short and sweet, and her social life was nonexistent. Since her last conversation with Chamille in Quebec, she hadn't heard from her, well, Liliana decided to ignore her calls and texts, but Liliana was fine with the silence and lack of social interaction.
She loved being lonely. And sad. And forgotten.
For the past two weeks, she had not heard from or of Mr. Cavalier, and Liliana could only guess that she had pushed him away so many times before that he had finally realized that he didn't want to waste his time. And why would he? Liliana had been sending him mixed signals from the very beginning, and every time they got too close, she couldn't commit, and simply pushed him away. Now, it seemed he was gone forever. Maybe it was for the best.