WestFiction- "It Takes Two" by Kate

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It Takes Two> chapter 2

I dialed Joy and Bryan’s number and watched my own hand as I was listening to the monotonous tone in the receiver. It was shaking. I ran it through my hair and cleared my throat as I heard Bryan’s voice on the other end.

- It’s awfully early and you interrupted something extremely pleasant going on between the two of us, so it better be important..!

I smiled, forgetting for a split second my reason for calling.

- Good morning to you too, Bry. It’s Louise.

Bryan’s voice got more cheerful as he spoke again.

- Hey sweetcheeks! - he exclaimed but suddenly lowered his voice and his tone turned into a sensual whisper. - What are you wearing..?

I laughed again. I loved this guy so much. No matter what the situation, he was always able to get me out of misery.

My Joy deserved him more then anyone else.

Talking about my best friend...

- Gimme that phone!- I heard her muffled voice over the phone and I laughed out loud.

- Hey Louise!- she cried straight into my ear and I smiled widely.

- Hey hun- I said in not as excited tone and she saw right through me in a split second.

- What’s the matter girl?- she asked with concern. I smiled to myself. It felt great to have someone to turn to in hopeless situations like this.

- Feel like having a guest in your house for some time?- I said directly and got the reaction I expected. Silence.

- I don’t get it..?- Joy said after a while, surprised.

- I kinda... well... I think I... we... - I searched for suitable words, but I couldn’t get it out of me.

As I did, I felt as if someone has thrown a huge stone on my head.

- We broke up, Joy. - I said and realization slowly came to me.

Me and Mark. We broke up. No longer together.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I lost all the strength I had and cried into the receiver.

- We fight all the time... and today... I have to get out of here Joy...

- Calm down, Louise. We’ll be there in half an hour.- she said quickly and put down the receiver before

I could protest.

I was sitting there without a move for a few minutes, taking it all in.

I finally made my decision, I was moving out. It all seemed to be such a smart and adult decision, but I felt strange.

Why was I doing this if all I really wanted was to stay with Mark?

I rubbed my temples and sighed for the hundredth time today.

Life’s just too complicated for a twenty-six years old girl.

*** *** ***

I was holding a frame with a photo of me and Mark, together.

It was taken a year ago in Belgium, where Mark was doing usual promotion with Westlife and where Joy and I joined the guys for a few days. All the fun we had there... it was fabulous. We celebrated our second anniversary in Brussels in a small, friendly restaurant with the rest of the lads and their girlfriends. We were all joking about and laughing at silly things when something caught my eye.

A few tables away, in the corner of the room, was sitting an elder couple. They were about seventy or eighty years old but their faces didn’t show their age when they were looking at each other. It seemed as the whole world disappeared for both of them: they were sitting closely to each other, holding their hands on the table and smiling. Their smiles showed nothing else but love. True, pure and everlasting love.

I felt arms wrapping around my neck from behind and I turned around to see Mark smiling at me.

I smiled back at him with all the love I had in my whole being.

„Look, love” I pointed at the couple and he followed my gaze. „I wanna have that in fifty years.

I wanna be in love like they are when I’m old. I wanna have the one and only person beside me for the rest of my life. And I want this person to be you.”

These words came from the bottom of my heart. Even if we were going out for two years already, I don’t think I ever told him so sincerely how much he meant to me, as I did just now. That’s why I didn’t know what to expect.

I was scared to death waiting for his reaction.

He took my face into his hands and made me look straight into his eyes. I’ll never forget their expression.

His big, blue, sparkling eyes were telling me all I wanted to know. I suddenly felt so safe and loved, like never before.

„We’ll be like that Louise. I promise. Because I’ll never let you go.”

He then leaned towards me and kissed me with so much love, I couldn’t do anything but believe his words.

„Now that’s a Kodak moment!” we heard Bryan shout and a bright flash of a camera hurt our eyes.

I snapped back to reality as I heard a car pulling up in the drive way.

Looking out of the window I saw Joy and Bryan getting out and heading to the front door. Seconds later a loud sound of the doorbell filled the house.

I left the photo frame on the bed and went to the door. As I opened it, I saw them standing there with concern written across their faces.

- Hey guys. Don’t stand here like that, come in. - I said calmly and watched them walking in.

As they did, they stayed there without a move. I could see they didn’t know what to do in a situation like that: run up to me, tell me it’s gonna be okay or force me to change my decision?

Bryan cleared his throat and spoke first.

- Is he here? ‘Cause I’m ready to kick his ass.- he said eagerly but I just shook my head no.

- I appreciate your concern, but he’s gone. He walked out just after our fight.- I smiled sadly at both of them. How did I ever deserve people caring for me that much?

Seeing their sad faces I decided to do the final step.

- I’ll just get my bags, okay?- I turned around to go to the bedroom where I left my belongings packed in two suitcases, when I felt Joy’s hand squeezing my wrist.

- Is it really that bad?- she questioned.

I wanted to tell her that it wasn’t, but I would lie. So I just nodded.

Just then another car pulled up in front of our house and I moved nervously.

It was Mark.

So it wasn’t going to be so easy after all.

- Hey guys! What are you doing here so early?- Mark entered the house and greeted Bryan and Joy in

a cheerful tone. I couldn’t believe it: just an hour after our major fight, he turns up here and acts like nothing had happened. It hurt me even more, it seemed as if I was the only one desperate to keep what we once had. To keep this promise we both made that day in Brussels.

- I can’t believe you, Mark..!- Joy hissed through her teeth and looked at Bryan.- Get Louise’s bags, love. We’ll be waiting by the car.

- Sure.- Bry stated and looked at Mark as if he was the worst scum in the universe, before turning around and heading to the bedroom.

Mark himself looked puzzled. He glanced at me, obviously searching for an explanation. God, his unawareness of some things was unbelievable.

- Louise’s bags? What’s going on?- he looked at Joy and then again at me. I finally found the courage to look back at him and I said as calmly as possible:

- I’m leaving Mark. In case you haven’t noticed yet, we are not okay.

With that I turned around and followed Joy to the car. It might have looked as if I was so sure of my decision, as if I was strong, as if it all didn’t bother me that much. In fact, I always seemed to be a very strong person, not letting things get to me.

But this time, I was breaking inside. I was walking through our yard with a heavy heart, trying hard to contain myself from looking back at him. But I failed. God, the things I saw... I should keep my eyes on the path instead.

There he was, standing in the opened door with a huge question mark in his blue eyes, trying to take it all in and understand what was going on. His smile faded, his face lost its glow... He looked at least ten years older, but at the same time he was lost like a little kid.

Realization hit him with double strength when he watched Bryan passing him in the door, carrying my bags.

- You lost it this time, mate- Bryan whispered and walked to the car.

Mark made a sudden move and gave me a look that was yelling despair.

- Louise..? What’s going on..?- he asked the same question again, the little, lost boy. My heart was literally breaking. Again, I felt tears burning my eyes. Why was I doing this to my Mark?

- You promised... you promised to never let me go...- I whispered, my voice breaking. But my words were hardly audible, no one has heard them but me. I turned my head away from the view that would be haunting me for weeks during my sleepless nights and I pushed myself in the car.

Bryan started the engine and we drove off.

I was crying my heart out when Joy wrapped her arms around me.

- It’s gonna be okay, hun... it’s gonna be okay...- she repeated these words on and on like a prayer as she rocked me back and forth.

But I wasn’t so sure if she was right. As for now, my world has fallen to pieces and I had no idea how to put them all back together.

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