LOVE ME ONE MORE TIME

Your Love Was A Lie

Alaia

TWO YEARS AGO.

I was waiting for Nick for us to have dinner together. We were about to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. Our relationship was perfect. We live in this apartment near the university we both attended. He was about to finish his engineering degree, while I still have four semesters to go. I met him at the faculty three years ago when he transferred from another university. He never wanted to tell me why he transferred. It was love at first sight, I must confess, although he completely ignored me at first. Over time, he became the popular guy, the quarterback of the university’s football team, and everyone was crazy about him, including me. He was a rebel, and I was just some little girl from afar. I was 17, and he was 20. I spent the following months watching him from a distance and dreaming about him, until one day…

***

"Move!" Someone shouted. A huge, strong mass of flesh lunged at me, knocking me to the ground—to the wet grass of the football field, to be exact. I had just dressed up to go to a faculty party and was on my way to find my friend, Cedric. The big guy helped me to my feet, but I didn’t see him; my eyes were on my dress, smeared with mud and grass. "You shouldn’t have gotten in my way, little one," I heard the deep voice of the i***t who threw me to the ground.

"Little one, yourself," I muttered angrily, shaking off the pretty dress that I had bought for that night. Suddenly, I heard a huge laugh.

"You can check for yourself if you want," he replied, more brazenly than my previous statement. I looked up, and there he was, Nicholas Garnett, the gorgeous man I had been watching from afar for months. He was smiling sideways, looking more handsome than ever.

"You can’t handle me," I said, raising my chin. I had no experience at all. I hadn’t even kissed anyone; I was very, very, very much a virgin, but I knew the hidden meaning of his remark so I had to carry on with it.

Another laugh rumbled in his chest.

"Are you sure?" He observed my face, and although he managed to intimidate me a bit, I didn’t show it.

"Sure," I replied in a sing-song voice, which made him smile. "You owe me a dress. I’ll send you the bill; someone will tell me where to find you," I said, making him believe that I had no idea who he was before turning my back on him.

"We can talk about it tonight at the faculty party. You can go with me," I heard him say, which made me stop in my tracks. I couldn’t help but smile to myself. It had finally happened; I had his attention. But I decided it wouldn’t be easy for him. I wasn’t like all the girls who were dying for him. I mean, I was dying for him, but I wasn’t going to show it and throw myself into his arms.

"I have plans," I said and kept walking. I swear I felt his gaze on me as I walked all the way to my room.

That night, he managed to find me at the party, and from then on, we were inseparable. Of course, he had to work hard to win me over. Months later, we got married in Las Vegas during a crazy weekend, just a month after I turned 18. Nick bought an apartment near the university to start our married life.

***

Today, I finished my classes early and ordered dinner for both of us. I know there will be some changes soon. When he finishes his studies, Nick will have to take over his parents’ company. His family is a topic we don’t discuss. Only the two of us know about our marriage, too. We decided it would be better that way so we could live it peacefully, but that will change from now on. And that is something that makes me feel uneasy.

I heard the door open. I ran towards it to throw myself into my husband’s arms. He caught me, and I brought my lips to him to kiss him, but I was taken aback when he didn’t kiss me the way he usually does.

"What’s wrong?" I asked with a lump in my throat when my feet touched the floor.

"We need to talk.” That sentence sent shivers down my spine.

He walked to the living room, and I followed him, wanting to know what was happening. Nick sat on one of the couches while I remained standing.

"I want a divorce," he said in a cold tone. Suddenly, I felt my world crumble, and a pain settled in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Wha…what?" I barely managed to ask. I took a step back.

"This, what we have, needs to end today," he stated without showing any hesitation.

"I don’t understand," I shook my head slowly.

"My life is going to change from now on, and there’s no room for you in it. Our relationship lasted as long as it needed to. Our worlds don’t belong together," I couldn't believe he was now talking about our class differences. He never cared that my family was middle class while he is rich as f**k.

He stood up and approached me. He then handed me a document. "It was good, I won’t deny it. You’re… good.” He caressed my cheek and looked at me. I took another step back and slapped him. I don’t recognize this person standing in front of me.

"Who are you?" I asked, choking back the urge to cry while he touched his reddened cheek.

"I am what you see. It was interesting to win you over at first, and I won’t deny that I had a good time with you. I got used to you over these two years, but I’m bored now. We’re young; we have a lot to live and people to meet. Look at it this way, I’m… doing you a favor.” The coldness of his voice froze me to the bones.

"Your love was a lie. Nothing was real." I looked into his eyes and refused to cry.

"It wasn’t love, exactly.” He shrugged and picked up the divorce papers.

Rage burned inside me. He lied to me! He deceived and fooled me all this time! I gave him my all, but it turned out that he was a total jerk!

"This apartment will be in your name. You can do whatever you want with it. Keep it or sell it, whatever you think is best, I don’t care.”

With my breath quickening, I searched for a pen in the bag that I carry to university. I snatched the divorce papers from his hands and placed them on the table. I saw that his signature was already on them. With pain, I signed each page of it.

"I don’t want anything that comes from you,” I said as I passed by him and hit his chest with the papers.

I entered the only room in the apartment, looking for my clothes and university stuff, the only things that belonged to me, and the small gift box I was saving to surprise him on our anniversary. I snorted, feeling the knot of emotions stuck in my throat. I carried it in my free hand as I dragged the suitcase to leave the apartment. I stopped when I saw him in the living room. I thought he left already. His eyes were fixed on the box with curiosity. I pressed it against my chest and left him without looking back.