A D A M
My phone is ringing from my pocket. Our warm breaths are colliding with each other. I try to pull away from Naya for once before kissing her back and then finally breaking the kiss. She lies underneath me , catching her breath, while I rarely make it on top of her on the couch in her living room. I can see the puzzled look on her face as I lift my phone in the ai. “Who is it?”“It's Chloe.” “Why is she calling you? What does she need from you?” She wants to know. “We'll figure out what she needs once I answer this. Give me a minute.” I lift a finger to excuse myself. I stand from the couch and walk a little farther from Naya. “Hello?” “Adam?” Chloe's crying voice drops my heart. “It's me. &rdqIt's been raining for days now. The colder it gets the less likely I want to get up from the bed. The rain keeps pouring out day and night, leaving me always cold and crumpled up in my bedroom for a week. So I haven't been outside the city until tonight when I decided to grab some coffee instead of ordering it online.New York City looks so gloomy but it's the busiest city I've ever known. Everyone's busy catching their dreams across the streets and buildings. This could be the city I would love to be in.While the raindrops fill the streets, and as I wait for the pedestrian line to open in a green light, I stare at the girl from the other side of the sidewalk. She stands there wearing a pink floral dress with her long sleeves that hang low past her elbows. Her eyes are hiding under the umbrella and the reason I am staring at her is because there's something about her lips. The way her deep pink lips rest still in an emotion-less line. There's something about them. Her hair spreads in
A D A M1 YEAR LATER...“Adam you should eat,” Olivia says next to me in bed. “Please, fix yourself. Naya won't like this if she's here.” I just stare at the space on the wall across the room. The sky is bright. I haven't watched the ocean today outside my huge window. They didn't look pleasing as they used to be. I missed her, so so much. EVERYDAY. Olivia walks away from the bed and walks into my closet. “Your mother prepared your clothes so you can take a shower and wash that smell of beer on you.” She's stuffing between the hangers now. “Just don't go to the bar anymore, Adam. Please, look after yourself. Go get some haircut or something.” There's a hind of motivation in her voice but I can still clearly hear the disappointment. Everyone is disappointed in me. I would be if I were them. But it's hard to find the courage to move and take care of myself when I see no light. I don't know where I start. I don't know if I'm worth to ever live again. When Naya died that night, I lost
A D A MI think I have almost ten glasses of vodka already. I feel my head spin around the room. But I can see Naya and that guy in the coffee shop laughing, smiling talking, perhaps flirting too. Why does it hurt so bad to watch someone you love laugh with someone else. It's been three months and it hurts me knowing she jas moved on. This is what I wanted for her. Why can't I be happy? She deserves this. I deserve to see it. I deserve this pain. My prayer was for her to be happy with or without me by her side but I didn't understand now that I'm seeing the evidence of her being happy, it break my heart again. I wasn't supposed to see it. I was inside the coffee shop but I didn't recognize her with short hair. She looks so beautiful in that hair. The moment I was outside and look inside, I recognize her smile. It's been three months since I saw her smile. I wonder how long she's been dating that guy. They look so happy enjoying each other's company. I wish I am that guy. “Chloe?”
N A Y A 3 MONTHS LATER...“Thank you.” I take the go-to cup of my coffee and smile at the girl behind the counter. What a tiring day but still it's beautiful and worthy of coffee.“Naya!” The brunette girl I met from the park three weeks ago is sitting at one of the tables across the room. I wave back at her and don't watch where I'm going. I am about to push the door open when someone pushes before I can be able to. He bumps into cause my coffee to spill over my white shirt. It thuds on the floor and I just stare at the hot burn feeling on me. “I'm sorry, miss. It was an accident.” I eye the guy. “Ryan?” “Naya?” I think he can recognize me enough. “Hey, wow, your hair. You look different from the last I saw you.” He hugs me. He looks different too. He looks expensive. “Yeah. I cut my hair short a few weeks ago.” I tell him further. It's nice to see a familiar face. “How are you?” Someone from behind wants to pass our way. “Can I...if you don't mind buy you another coffee and
A D A MI can hear Olivia's voice downstairs. She is still the same. She greets my mother and asks her how she's doing. That's just her. With respect and I have admired that from her. Our gazes meet as I walk down the stairs. Her smile fades away from being sweet to melancholy. “Adam.” I think I hear a whisper. She walks toward me and gives me a warm hug. “It's nice to see you again, Olly.” I smile at her. We pull away from each other. She eyes me up and down quickly. “Look at you. Fresh and coming back. And you still call me, Olly.” Her innocent smile appears. I haven't seen that for so long. “Well, I'm only glad you're back, Addy.” I laugh at the cringy sound of our old nicknames. My mother clears her throat, “I have to leave now. Please, do enjoy your reunion and make it up. ” She hurries to the door and just like that we're alone in this house. My mother never hired a maid or a driver ever during the marriage life she has with my father. She's very hands-on with every task i
A D A M “Dude, you're joking, right? Like right now in this very early morning, you're leaving?” I can hear the frustration in Cannon's voice. I know she's worrying about Naya too. “You can't just go be in love and leave just like that. You have to tell her. Come on you can do better than this.” I look at the time on my phone and still, it's 6:04 in the morning. She's right. I can do better than this but it's not that easy for me. “Cannon, I can't. I just left her. I can't go back. I'm at the train station and waiting for my train.” She sucks a deep breath and releases it. “What do you want me to do?” I look up at the white ceiling. “Please, if she asks about me don't tell her I'm marrying someone else. Just that.” “What?” She yells. “Are you stupid? Adam, that's even worse than finding out you're gone after taking her virginity. Sorry, it's not what I meant. What I was trying to say is I can't just tell her that you're marrying someone else. It's lacking something. That wil