KelseyTaylor5: Could this week get any better? The love of my life surprised me with songs he wrote just for me and asking me to move in together! Of course, I said yes! Dreams do come true.

#feelslikeafairytale #truelove #movingin #loveyoubaby

Posted November 9th, 7:45 AM (MT) 

Anothertorturedsoul: Can't wait. Love you more than we need the bees <3

***

Maria clutched her laptop, hoping if she hurled it, it would travel far enough to smash the window of the apartment Adrian now shared with the woman he loved. Why would he promise Maria a break-up then move in with that bitch? Was everything he told her complete and utter lies? The picture of the cheaters holding each other on the couch Kathy had given Maria and Adrian when they'd moved in twisted the knife they lodged in her chest months ago.

"Lying bastard!" Maria shouted and dropped the laptop on the bed.

The air grew too heavy to breathe and the walls too suffocating. After stomping to the door, Maria flung it open to the stuffy hallway. Breathing deeply, she stared at the city lights and traffic through the large rectangular windows. The pressure in her chest dissolved until she could breathe normally again, although the stabbing sensation was still present.

When something behind her clicked, she turned to find Mitch checking her out with a smirk. Couldn't she have a minute to process her pain without being someone's eye candy?

She scowled. "Of course, you're here."

"And I brought rum!" He grinned, waving the bottle, then sat at the wooden table.

Sighing, Maria joined him while he poured her some and started on his own. Her hand trembled as she reached for the old-fashioned glass. The harsh liquor burned away only a fraction of the pain and stress Adrian had caused. After pouring his drink, he mixed her another.

"You were right," she muttered.

Her chest ached. Once a cheater, always a cheater, but she'd made every exception for that asshole. No longer would she buy his crap. She downed the next glass as quickly as the first.

"What are you going to do?" Mitch asked.

As she slammed the glass down, the table wobbled. She rushed forward, gripping the window ledge until plaster dug into her palms. She flung the window open for some fresh air that cooled her scorching skin. "I should have burned his guitars."

"Good start."

She felt lighter imagining his panic. "I could send Kelsey the new love songs he wrote about me, so she'd see how amazing her 'love-of-her-life' roommate is!" she yelled into the dark night.

"What else?"

When she looked at Mitch, his expression changed from amused to serious.

"I want to scream at him for being such a lying piece of shit."

Mitch pulled out his phone. "What's his number?"

"Don't waste your minutes on an international call. This is my mess."

"Trust me, this is worth it. What's his number?"

As she rhymed off the ten-digits far too fluently, he typed it in. Her heart fluttered like a butterfly with damaged wings with each ring.

"Hello?" Adrian's voice echoed on speakerphone.

Maria froze, and her gem of an ex repeated himself in a gruffer tone. After Kelsey asked who was calling in the background, Maria snatched the phone and held it in front of her.

"Hey, asshole," she said.

"I'll take this in the other room," Adrian said.

Maria had half a mind to yell incriminating words to hurt him and Kelsey as much as she hurt now, but Adrian would hang up, and she had more to say.

"Listen," Adrian spoke in a soothing tone that triggered the urge to vomit. "I wanted to tell you differently. I was struggling with the rent and—"

"'Love you more than we need bees' paints a picture. I'm just someone familiar you turn to when you're lonely?" Her eyes narrowed on the phone.

"Not at all, you know how I feel."

Maria clutched a handful of her tank top. "How can you love two women at the same time? You said you'd break up with her."

"You left. What am I supposed to do for a year while you're out meeting guys?" he hissed, keeping his voice low.

Her fist clenched. "Guys? You mean that one picture of Prae and Mitch. Is that what this is about?"

"There's more than one. Don't lie!"

Heat bubbled from her chest to her face. She would not let him turn this around on her, not again. "You're the one who moved in with your girlfriend!"

"After you ran across the world!"

"I left because you cheated, broke up with me, and wouldn't accept the apologies you didn't deserve! You destroyed what we had and blamed me for it like you're doing now!" After a long, laboured breath, her jaw clenched.

More footsteps echoed through the phone, and as a door closed, his tone grew quieter. "Ria. I love you, but how do I show you? I can't afford to jump on a plane and neither can you."

Maria's face relaxed, and she exhaled. If he saw no real future for them, he wasn't a tortured soul, just an asshole exploiting her inability to move on. He was a leech, and she was running out of blood. "It's simple. If you loved me, you would have moved back in with your parents and ended things with Kelsey. But you won't do that, will you?"

As the line quieted, her head bowed, and the tiny part of her waiting for his love hid in a dark recess of her mind.

"Goodbye, Adrian."

"Wait! I can—"

But Maria hung up and handed the phone to Mitch. He held onto her hand, entwining their fingers, and pulled her toward him. Was this man for real?

"Listen, I've already been screwed by one guy today, and I'm not looking to make it two."

Releasing her hand, he laughed. "I respect that, but find me if you change your mind."

As the phone vibrated, Maria cringed, and Mitch rejected the call. Next, her Skype rang inside her apartment, making her sit and bring her knees to her chest. Adrian would keep trying to win her back, and she feared a weak part of her would fall for it again. It screamed that her words would destroy him, but a stronger part reminded her he'd chosen Kelsey. His mental health wasn't Maria's responsibility. She sent his mother a quick message that they'd had a big fight and to check-in with him just in case. After closing her eyes, she breathed out her nerves once more.

"You did the right thing." Mitch passed her an unopened package of Cream-O cookies.

Maria opened the packet with shaky hands. "You are suspiciously well-prepared."

"I grew up with"—his shoulders cemented for a few seconds, and after wiping his palms on his shorts, he swallowed—"Shawn and his older sister. Since she attracted jerk after jerk, we learned how to cheer her up. I would have grabbed ice cream, but wasn't sure if it would melt before you needed it."

Maria gazed off in the distance with a smile. "You and Shawn go way back."

His posture relaxed. "Almost till birth."

"He's your Sunshine."

Mitch laughed. "That's one way of putting it."

"I bet you didn't have to share a house growing up though."

He studied her face, a likely wreck of smudged and running make-up because of her tears. "No, but we might as well have."

"It's awesome you're teaching out here together."

"Too bad it couldn't work out for you and Sunny."

Although she loved her cousin, she was grateful to handle the mess of her former relationship mostly alone. If she could shake Adrian's manipulation, she could take on Thailand. "It worked out how it should. She's starting her new life in Canada, and I'm here, drinking my neighbour's rum and eating all his cookies."

"I don't mind."

His phone buzzed again, and she froze.

"It's only Becca." After exhaling, he answered, "Hey, Becks."

"Where are you? I understand you want space, but these were your plans, and we're waiting on you." Her voice was loud enough to hear without speakerphone.

"My plans?"

"Beers at Chet's for Sunny and Dan?"

"Shit." Mitch stood up and ran a hand through his long hair. "I spaced. I'll be there in ten." He hung up before she responded.

"Sorry." Shifting in her chair, Maria set the cookies on the table. "I didn't mean to screw up your night."

"You didn't screw up anything. I'm never on time." Mitch walked toward the window, then turned to her. "Want to come to Chet's to celebrate the big news?"

"Big news?"

"Your cousin's baby? They posted their announcement today."

"Oh my God!" Maria's hand flew to her heart. "I was so distracted by my awful drama—"

"Don't beat yourself up, she'd understand. But come tonight; we're filming videos to send since Chet's was one of their favourite restaurants."

Her heart still ached from how easily Adrian continued to hurt her. "I'm not sure if I'm up to it."

"Sunshine would want you out enjoying yourself with us."

"She would." Maria ran her hand over her sleeping tank top that was far too revealing. No wonder Mitch had hit on her. "But I'm dressed for bed."

"It's sexy, and you're pulling it off, but it's your decision."

Maria looked at her shirt then frowned. Adrian would disapprove but screw his judgments, screw everything about that asshole. Better yet, she had flattering new dresses.

"I'll be fast."

After darting into her room, she fixed her make-up and changed into the less revealing navy dress from the market. From the way Mitch eyed her when she returned, the outfit would upset Adrian if photos got shared. She grinned and pulled out her phone.

"Could you, just for a picture, be yourself?"

Mitch cocked his head to the side. "Be myself? Tell me more."

"Act... interested."

He stepped closer. "Go on."

"I want to hurt him, but only with a photo, nothing else."

"Can I touch you?"

A second after she nodded, his warm chest pressed into her, arms around her middle, and his head nestled in her shoulder.

He's your arrogant player neighbour, she yelled at her jelly legs. Becca had called minutes ago.

His hot breath tickled her ear, sending a tremor through her. "Are you sure you only want a picture?"

"Yes." Her voice raised high enough to alert canines.

"Okay, ready?"

When his lips brushed her cheek, visions of his lips brushing more than just her cheek clouded her mind, and the phone clattered to the ground. Mitch's chest rumbled with laughter against her body, now aflame.

"You're terrible at this," Mitch teased.

Hiding her face, Maria picked up her undamaged phone. "I never do things like this."

As Mitch took her hand, he led her to the wooden chair. He patted his knee and smiled at her like a friend might. "Let me help."

When Maria lowered herself onto his lap, Adrian's voice screamed, Liar! You're always with other men! She flinched and trembled.

"Look at me and breathe," Mitch said.

His eyes were a deep lake of blue, calm and inviting on a warm summer's day. She breathed through parted lips and her racing heart drowned out her ex's criticism.

"Do you still want to do this?"

Maria played with the fabric of her dress. Posting a photo would add fuel to her ex's criticisms and leave her more broken than him. She couldn't handle any more of his abuse. She shook her head and sat with Mitch a little longer. Instead of inviting more pain into her life, she blocked Adrian on all her social media. Once she'd calmed, she grinned at Mitch, and they left to enjoy a well-deserved night out.