Their Cursed

Chapter Six

I got into my apartment before the tears actually flowed. My brain was telling me that it could never work; there was too much of a difference in our worlds. My heart was hurting though. We had barely been on one date and my heart was aching. I slid down the door and brought my knees to my chest. What is wrong with me? There were very few times that I let myself regret my choices, but right now I was. I felt a hollow ache inside of me thinking that I could never be good enough for someone like that.

Calder had been the perfect gentleman all night. I could see how hard he was trying to get to know me and make things less awkward. He was sweet and thoughtful, and I ruined everything. I let myself cry for a while. Eventually the tears dried up and I was just sitting there with my head on my knees. I checked my phone to see that it was past 10pm. I needed to go to bed so I could get some sleep before work.

I got up and removed my coat, hanging it on its hook. I went to the kitchen and put on my small kettle to make some tea while I changed. I changed out of my clothes and into something comfortable. I went back to the kitchen to make my tea now that the water was warmed. I took my mug and crawled into bed with it. I wrapped the covers around me and sipped my tea as I looked out the window at the city around me.

-

I never went to sleep. I stayed up staring out the window and feeling numb until the sun started to come up. After that, I dragged myself into the shower to try and wash away all the heartache and regret.

I made it to work just in time. My day dragged along. I did my best to put on a smile and push Calder out of my mind. I thought it was working well enough until Calder walked through the door. I was walking through the dining room when I locked eyes with him. I stopped in my tracks completely. I swallowed the lump in my throat before beelining for the bathroom.

I locked myself in a stall and tried to get myself together. I really hoped he would leave or at very least be seated in someone else’s section. I was in no way ready to see him. I could pretend to be okay in front of strangers, but I knew I could not face him today. I do not know how I became this girl who was distraught over a boy.

I stayed in the bathroom stall for a solid ten minutes. I heard the door open and Ally voice called out, “Hey Remi, you in here?”

“Yea,” I answered. I stood up and flushed the toilet before walking out of the stall.

“Your table needs some help,” she said. “You okay?”

“Yea, I am good. Sorry, just needed a minute. I am coming in just a second,” I told her.

“Also, you got double seated cause Danielle is about to go on break,” she said. “The one group seems a little impatient…”

“Okay, coming,” I said in a small voice. I hope so much Calder is not sitting at one of those tables. I washed my hands and splashed some water on my face. I tried to straighten myself up so I could walk out of the bathroom pretending to be unfazed by it all. I felt the exact opposite though.

When I walked out into the dining room, I looked over my section. Sure enough, Calder was sitting at one of the tables by himself. He was holding a menu but clearly trying to look around for me instead of reading it. I went to the other tables first, checking on all the customers. Once I could avoid it no longer, I took a deep breath and headed towards him. I felt his eyes on me the entire time but mine were glued to the floor.

“Hi, my name is Remi, and I will be your server today. Sorry about the wait. What can I get you to drink for starters?” I said quietly. I continued to look down, not wanting to make eye contact.

“I would love it if you could at least look at me…” he said gently. I raised my eyes slowly to meet his. His face looked sad. “Can we talk? Please?”

“I don’t think that is a good idea…” I said quietly.

“I just want to know what I did wrong…” he said, hanging his head a bit. “I was having a great time and then it all crumbled in the blink of an eye…”

I looked away from him. “I promise… It's not you. It’s me…”

“I just don’t believe that. Look,” he said pausing. When he did not continue, I peeked at him. “I will leave right now if you promise that we can talk after your shift,” he continued. “All I am asking for is honesty as to why you left…”

“And if I say no?”

“I stay right here. For the rest of your shift,” he said, sounding more resolute this time.

I looked away from him again. I really could not stand here and continue this. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of talking about anything with him after work, but I was less thrilled with him sitting in my section all night. I sighed.

“Fine,” I whispered. “Just go, please…”

He stood up, leaving almost no room between us. I stumbled back but he immediately caught me around the waist. “Sorry,” he said. I nodded and he let go of me. “When will you be done working?” he asked. I looked down at my watch.

“Um... probably like 3 more hours…”

He nodded. “I will be waiting,” he said as he turned and left. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I now had three hours to figure out what to say to him.

-

I pulled my coat on and grabbed my bag from the break room. I was taking my time leaving work. I knew Calder was going to be waiting for me outside, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to talk to him. I fiddle with the buttons on my coat; my fingers nervously shaking. I finally gave up and decided to get this over with. I headed out the back door to the alley.

The wind was blowing fiercely tonight. I pulled my coat tight around me as I looked up and down the alley. As my eyes scanned towards the road, I saw a tall form walking towards me. I was sure it was him. I walked slowly towards him, both of us stopping when we were a few feet apart. The shadow from the setting sun behind him did not let me get a good look at him.

“So, you want to know why I left last night?” I said quietly. His head peeked up a bit, but he didn’t say anything. I just wanted to get this over with quickly. “Look, there is a reason why just about the only job I can get is a waitress. I should have never agreed to go out with you. I don’t know why you thought you were interested in me, but I promise, you won't be for long…” I sighed.

Before I knew it, he was stepping towards me. I took a step back at his unexpected movement. He moved into the light and I could see his face more clearly. It was not Calder but Cullen.

“W-wait… Y-you’re not…” I stuttered.

“Calder?” he grunted. “No, I am not.” his voice was deeper than Calder’s. He had closed the distance between us. He was standing so close I could feel his body heat. He towered over me. I looked up at him not sure why he was even here. He looked down at me with his hard grey eyes. I was nervous but not scared.

“Cullen?” came a voice from near the street. His eyes did not move from me for a moment. Then he turned his head as footsteps came near us. “Why are you here?”

“I could ask you the same, brother,” Cullen said. Calder approached us, looking between me and Cullen.

“That isn’t any of your concern,” Calder said.

“Then my reason is none of yours,” Cullen replied. I looked nervously between them. I don’t know what this was about now, but I did not want to be between it. I tried to back away from the situation but both of them turned their eyes to me.

“Wait,” Calder said. He turned to his brother, “If you will excuse us, Miss Anderson and I have something to discuss,” he said. He reached forwards and grabbed my arm before pulling me with him towards the street. Cullen watched us walk away.

When we rounded the corner at the front of the restaurant, he released my arm and stopped. “I am sorry. I did not know he would be here. I hope he didn’t scare you,” he said.

“No, I am okay. I just thought he was you at first,” I said.

He nodded his head and rubbed the back of his head like he was nervous. “So, um, is there somewhere you would like to go to talk?”

“I’m not sure…”

“I could take you home…” he said looking over to his car that was parked in front of the diner. I chewed my lip thinking.

“We can talk outside my building,” I said quietly. “There’s a small garden on the side. No one will be there.”

He smiled at me. He grabbed my hand this time and pulled me towards his car. He opened the door for me, and I got inside. He came around to the driver’s side and got in. The drive to my apartment was short but awkward. Neither of us said a word. I tried to keep my eyes out the window and not look at him.

When we arrived, he parked along the curb like he had the previous night. He turned the car off and before I could open the door, he was out of his and around the car. He had moved so fast; I don’t know how he did it. He opened the door for me, and I climbed out. I gave him a tight smile and started walking around to the small garden on the side of my building. There were a few benches out here and it was open to the building residents.

I unlocked the gate and held it open for him. He followed me inside and we went to the nearest bench. I sat on one side and he sat on the other, allowing some space in between us. I played with my hands in my lap. I was more nervous now than I was earlier. I looked over and got a good look at Calder for the first time today. He was wearing a nice dark suit with a light grey shirt. His deep purple tie was loosened just a bit so that he could undo the top button of his collar. His curls looked messy on his head like he had been running his hands through his hair all day long. I looked down at myself. I sighed. Under my coat, was a plain blue, cotton v-neck t shirt now with coffee stains on it and a worn out pair of blue jeans with a hole in the knee patched with a piece of an old pillowcase all pulled together with a pair of checkered slip on sneakers. He looked ready for a board meeting while I looked like I rolled out of the discount bin.

Finally, he broke the silence. “What did you mean by you’re not more?” he asked. His eyes turned to me, gauging my reaction.

I sighed and looked forward at the flowers around us. “Calder look at me then look at yourself. Look behind you at the building I live in then look at the car you drive. You cannot tell me you don’t see the difference here…” I said quietly. “We aren’t the same. We live in different worlds. I serve coffee and fries. You probably have an assistant that is waiting at your office door in the morning with a cup of coffee exactly the way you like it. You're the guy with the assistant and I couldn’t even get that assistant job.”

The lights in the garden came on now that the sun was almost set. It set a pretty atmosphere even with this tense conversation. I sniffled as I looked away from him. My hands gripped the bench as I tried to hold back the tears. I was tired and emotional; I just wanted to go up to my bed and hide in my covers.

“That doesn’t matter. I asked you to go out because I thought you were interesting. I don’t care about your job or where you live…” he said softly like it solved all our problems.

“But that’s just it. I am interesting to you because I am different from you. That novelty will wear off. Trust me, I know from experience and when it does, I am the one who gets hurt.”

“That isn’t what I meant. It wouldn’t be like that…”

I closed my eyes tight and took a deep breath. “Calder, you can’t take a girl like me home to your parents. There is not a future here so there doesn’t need to be a present. I am just trying to save everyone the time here,” my voice was shaky now.

He reached over and placed his hand over mine. It was warm and my skin felt ice cold under his touch. “Remi, you are exactly the girl I would take home to meet my parents. I do not care where you live or what job you have. You are more than that. I want to know the girl that caught my attention. I want to know the girl that serves coffee and fries. I want the chance to be a part of her world. You are not some novelty item that I would just toss to the side. I don’t know what future we could have but I would like to start in the present and see where it takes us…”

I opened my eyes and turned my head toward him. I could feel the tears ready to spill past my lashes. Calder scooted down the bench a bit, cutting the distance between us in half. “Calder… I just can’t…” I tried to find the words.

“Can’t what?”

“I can’t fall for a guy who’s going to break me and walk away from the pieces again…”

His hand came up to cup my face. He stroked my cheek with his thumb. “I don’t know what has happened to you before, but I am not that guy. I could never do that to you. Please give me a chance to show you…” His voice was soft and sincere. His purple eyes shined clearly in the garden lights.

I blinked repeatedly trying to keep the tears back and I could feel my lip quiver. I could not survive anything like my first heartbreak again. For whatever reason, I felt a strong attraction to Calder on more than a physical level and I was afraid to let those feelings blossom any further. I was afraid that if he broke my heart, I would not be able to survive it. I had spent so long holding myself together, I just would not have the strength.

“Please don’t cry…” he whispered. I was silent still. “Remi, I promise I won’t hurt you if you just give me a chance…” I closed my eyes and sniffled again. Taking a deep, shaky breath I nodded my head.

“Okay…” I said in a barely audible whisper.

His face broke into a smile and he let out a breath. His shoulders relaxed like a weight had just been lifted off him. “Thank you,” he said warmly.

I reached up and pulled his hand away from my face. “I should probably go…” I whispered. I did not trust my voice yet.

“Can I walk you to your door?” he asked. I bit my lip. I guess there was no harm in that.

I nodded at him. “Sure,” I said standing up. He stood up as well. I led us out of the garden and back to the front of my building. Calder walked next to me. I climbed the steps to the front door and Calder continued to follow me. I went to open the door and to my surprise he grabbed it before I could and held it open for me. I walked inside and turned expecting him to be ready to leave and he stepped right inside. I guess he meant all the way to my door. I turned and walked towards the steps, Calder following right behind me.

When we finally reached my door, I stopped and turned to him. “This is me…” I whispered. He smiled and reached for my hand. He raised it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it.

“Good night, Remi. Sweet dreams,” he said as he let go of my hand. He turned and walked back down the hall towards the stairs. I stood there and stared at his retreating form until he disappeared down the stairs.

When I got inside my apartment, I dropped my coat and bag on the table before climbing into bed. I did not bother to change my clothes. I wrapped myself in my blanket and let the tears flow. When I was all out of them, I fell into a dreamless sleep.