Elona’s POV
Spooky had texted me if I was at the apartment, and I told him that he was more than welcome to come around. I tidied up the lounge a bit, although there was nothing much to tidy up. I still felt hollow after that text from Tristan. I struggled to fall asleep as I reread it over and over again until I eventually fell asleep. He was really giving up on us, and he made it final... in a way. I just have to let it go because what if I can’t forget what he did or might do or say again?
There was a knock on the door as I neatly placed a scattered cushion on the sofa, and then I went to the front door, opening it. “Hey,” I could literally feel myself light up seeing Spooky standing in front of me with a smile. A backpack slung over his shoulder, and his hands were in his pants pockets.
“I’m taking you up on your offer to move in, if that offer is still up?” he asked.
“Of course, that offer still stands,” I smiled at him. I was actually excited about it. “Your room is down the hall, on your left,” I pointed to the hall as I walked further into the lounge. He followed after me.
“Great, I will get the rest of my things,” he walked out the door only for my heart to stop at the moment when Tristan entered, his eyes catching mine as he held a box in his hands.
“Hi, where do I put this?” he asked, his tone was neutral, his eyes looked at me with a mixture of longing and sadness, never leaving me.
“Um, down the hall, it’s the room to your left,” I pointed down the hall again, and he walked past me towards the hall. I let out a breath.
Spooky entered with the bags that he carried, coming to a stop in front of me. “I hope you don’t mind that...” he paused as Tristan walked past us out the door without looking at me again. “I hope you don’t mind that he is helping me with my move?” he said. “It was a last minute thing, and he offered.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I gave him a smile.
“Thank you,” he went to his room with the bags, and Tristan entered again with another box, briefly looking at me.
I went into the kitchen and poured Spooky some juice into a glass. I was waiting for them both to be done. I didn’t want to be in Tristan’s presence because it was awkward.
I placed Spooky’s glass of juice on the coffee table in the lounge. Spooky came from the bedroom, and Tristan stopped in the doorway of the front door.
“That is all boxes and things...” he looked between us both, but I could see the longing still when he looked at me. “Have a great stay,” he said to Spooky.
“Thank you for the help and for everything.” Spooky smiled.
“Do not mention it. I will see you around,” he forced a small smile at Spooky and then briefly looked at me before he closed the front door and left. I stared at the door, just wondering how things would’ve been if it were different.
“He still wants you if that makes you feel better,” I completely forgot that Spooky was standing close by.
“Well, his text makes me believe differently...” I walked over to the sofa and took a seat. “That’s your juice over there.” I pointed to the glass, and he sat down beside me. I took my phone from the coffee table and went into Tristan’s chat. I showed Spooky the last text that Tristan had sent to me. “This makes me believe that he is done with me, but I’m afraid,” I said as tears burned the back of my eyes.
“Believe me when I say he wants you. That man drank last night because he looked like crap when I went to him. He was busy packing to go to Southampton, and I know he is struggling with the break-up too. He has tried to win you back, and he doesn’t know what to do to win your heart. I think he’s taking time for himself because he went through a lot, and maybe he needs this. He feels as if this whole thing is one-sided, that he is the only one trying. He knows how badly he screwed up.”
“I’m afraid because what if he throws words back into my face again? What if something else pops up, and he pushes me away again? What if it’s worse this time? I want him, but there’s another...” I sighed, choosing my words carefully because Spooky doesn’t know that Tristan also reminded me of our baby. “I just don’t know how he will react to things again. He’s a hot-head, and I just don’t know... I’m also afraid that he will move on with someone else, and what if he has a better life with her? He was going to sacrifice our relationship to be with Maggie because he believed that the baby she carried was his, and I know it hurt him when the paternity test was a lie,” a tear ran down my cheek. “I just don’t know... I’m afraid, and he reminds me of things,” I wiped the tear away with the back of my hand.
“Well, have you spoken to him like you do with me now?” he asked. I reached for a scattered cushion, and I placed it on my lap.
“No,” I replied, looking down at my hands, picking on my nails.
“I just hope that you don’t let this moment pass. Life is too short to wait and ask about ‘what if’s’ or ‘I should’ve’. That man is clearly hurting, but he can hide it well too, if he wants to. I hope you speak to him when he gets back. I think he needs this time for himself also, for the same reason why you moved here. I’m rooting for both of you, and I hope to see you both back together again.”
“I know,” I said, which was barely a whisper.
“Did you know that he wanted me to move in with him today?” he asked me.
I shook my head, “No.”
“Well, I showed up at the house. I told him about the job at Luca. His assistant will be helping me after I email my portfolio. I informed him I would be here, and he wanted me to move in with him, but he told me to be with you instead. He simply didn’t want to be in that house alone. I can tell he’s getting lonely, too. But he thought about you, and here I am,” I looked over at him, and he smiled at me.
“That’s kind of him.”
“Yes, but you see the layers to him? Now you are the only woman for him ,and I won’t stop supporting you both,” he said.
I lay my head against his shoulder, hugging the cushion against me. “You’re such a kind and special friend,” I sighed.
Maybe Spooky is right about everything, but I still have this fear of letting Tristan back in. Is it normal with heartache to build walls of protection around you and try not to let someone or that same person hurt you again? To make matters worse is that I don’t see myself with another man, but only him.