Tears fallen
I stare into his golden-brown eyes, his light brown hair cascaded over his forehead, swayed to the left side of his face. "Uh –" I shake my head, snapping back into what my motive was today and stuffing back all those emotions, every. Single. One. Back down.
"I apologise for my rudeness, there was a lot of traffic," I announce, although I was a couple of minutes late, it was polite.
"On behalf of Carmine&Co we accept your apology," The golden-brown-eyed man expresses, I show a quick smile before finding my way to my seat, which of course had to be placed across him. I wanted to avoid him as much as I possibly could, although I saw no way I could. His presence overwhelmed me, brought up too many memories that I couldn't possibly feel all at once.
"Erm, right, Miss Giovanni and Mr Carmine, we have been brought here today to sign a contract between each company to form an alliance in this ever-growing aggressive nature that is the business industry. Do you both accept?" A burly, bald headed man explains monotoned.
All I could think at that moment is that it sounded like a wedding ceremony, and one that wasn't rainbow or sunshine, but one that the bride or groom would be M.I.A.
"Yes," I say flatly.
I turn to look at Alexandre, his eyes soften at the glance at me and for a moment there is this silence, a silence that answers every wonder we've ever had but questions even more. The atmosphere choked me, as much as I wanted to leave, I wanted to stay and have it how it was, although I knew it could never be how it once was, just like that quote, 'Once it's crumpled, it can't be perfect again,'.
"Mr Carmine?" the burly man asks impatiently.
Alexandre shakes his head and turns towards the burly man, "Yes, Mr Burke,"
Mr Burke nods and moves forwards to his next line while I attempt to avoid all eye-contact with the man I thought I once knew.
"This agreement cannot be broken, otherwise severe consequences can occur," Mr Burke continues.
I nod, pretending to listen to an entertaining philosophical conversation. "No tampering can occur between companies, if there is such news you will be given consequences,"
After what felt like thirty minutes, he final stops talking and hands Alexandre and me two stacks of papers filled with notes and regulations, that many won't follow, asking us to sign it.
I look over to Alexandre, my anxiety rises, the feelings of his hands holding mine, and his lips kissing every part of my body. The late-night conversations we had, laughing, crying, fighting, loving, it all went down the drain. Then I knew, I could never forgive him for that, I hated him so much. That is when I signed the contract, said my regards and was the first to walk out that door.
*
"Ev, wait!" A deep voice calls.
His footsteps clack against the marble tiles and his voice booms in the office chamber. I continue walking ignoring his call. "Ev," he shouts.
I get side-eyed by co-workers their curiosity piquing. I turn to face him, "What?!" I whisper.
"What was that in there?" He questions, his eyes showed fear for a reason unknown to me.
"That was me signing the contract, what are you even doing here?" I hiss, I fold my arms and stare him deep in the eyes.
"I'm the owner of the company," He says flatly, annoyed at my anger towards him.
"Why do you have to be here of all days?" I ask, I was completely baffled.
"Ask your boss he reached out to me!" He whispers harshly.
I shrug, "I have to go,"
"No, wait. Ev, please, we have to talk," He suggests, letting his guard down.
"No. There's absolutely nothing to talk about," I hiss, he looks at me hardly, his eyes cold and face emotionless.
"You know there is," he says bluntly, reminding me of everything I had experienced with him, the hurt, the love, the moments I wish to relive.
I shake my head, "What's in the past stays in the past. It happened ten years ago, forget about it and move on. There is no need for each of us to be in each other's lives," I say sombrely.
"Then why did you call me last night?" He questions, yearning for the validation, one that I wasn't going to give.
"It was a stupid mistake, I never should've done that. It was my moment of weakness," I say coldly, looking down at my feet.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that, not at your feet," He says furiously.
"There's no need you heard it once, why hear it again?" I conclude, walking away from him, tears pricking my eyes, wanting to let out and cry.
I wouldn't give him that, we weren't right for each other. We never should've worked.
*
"You're joking, you say THE Alexandre?" Julia expresses, her eyes widened with shock.
I gulp and nod, taking a long and large sip out of my glass of red wine. "Yes," I manage to say.
They had comforted me through my moment of tears that I had right when I got home.
"I cannot believe it," Caroline exclaims.
"What a douche.. He thinks after everything that happened he can just say that to you?" Julia spits, taking a chug of her wine glass.
"I called him last night," I confess, the embarrassment forming at my cheeks, my eyes darting away from their faces and on the ground.
"You what…" Caroline remarks.
"Why on earth would you do that?" Julia scolds.
"I had a moment of weakness. I wanted to hear his voice," I inform, taking another sip of my wine.
"After or before I left?" Julia questions.
"After," I respond, shortly.
"He probably took that as an invitation to talk to you," Caroline concludes, her eyes bewildered by my confession.
"He did, I think," I reply.
"Okay, you know what let's have a night out, get your mind off things so you're prepared for tomorrow, how does that sound?" Julia suggests, sounding pleased with herself.
I smile, "I don't know,"
"Come on it'll be fun, you might get to meet my sexy Spanish man!" Caroline exclaims in an attempt to cheer me up.
I roll my eyes and smirk, "fine. But we definitely need a translator on that man, I want to understand everything he says!" I joke, winking at Caroline.
"I love your toes!" Julia teases, pestering Caroline who shoots her a death look. I laugh but my mind can't seem to stop wondering about Alexandre Carmine, the love of my life, or ex-lover of my life.