A Love Worth Saving

Chapter three .

Chapter 3

It's been a full week since Nicole stormed out of her date with Richard with his blazer wrapped around her waist. She only realized she had it when she'd reached her car but the thought of returning to face him didn't sit well with her. Besides, how else would she have concealed her torn dress?

Gently she ran her slender fingers on the material splayed on her bed. Funny how she'd held onto it still, with no desire to return it to him. She'd given an excuse of not knowing his address and it would be disrespectful to send it to his office.

"You're gonna be late for your flight, hun." Stella stood by the door frame with a cup of coffee in hand studying her friend.

Nicole jerked to reality letting out a weak gasp. "One day, just one day you'll be the end of me." She sighed. "My flight's not until eight, I have three hours until then."

"Yeah?..."

"What?" Nicole challenged her friend who gave her a knowing look.

"The jacket... you have it packed with the rest of your things like you're planning on wearing it to the wedding."

Again, Nicole shut her travel bag in a loud thud, grabbed her passport and ID, and shoved them into her purse before heading out of her room.

"You're not gonna say anything? I mean I have to cover for your ass for three days while you prance around like a gorgeous bridesmaid, isn't that enough to not give me the silent treatment?"

Nicole hissed when the hot water splashed on her as she attempted to make herself a cup of tea. "Good God, Stella, stop hounding me. I know what you mean, I know what you wanna hear from all this... this insinuations,"

"Yeah?... you do?"

"Yes, I do!" She snapped.

"So?..."

"So what?" Nicole retorted as she let the water from the tap run over her bruise. It was a tiny little scald.

"You're surely gonna address this one way or the other you know?... what if he's gonna be there at the wedding?" Stella asked. "You said it yourself you're he's still friends with Eliza and if you got an invite then so did Richie,"

"That's impossible,"

"Why not? He's Eliza's friend despite you two having ended things. I know you know it's true but you keep denying it."

"Then why do you keep bringing it up?!" Nicole couldn't believe herself, she'd just yelled at her friend. "I'm sorry," she whispered and scurried while stirring her tea.

"That's exactly what I'm concerned about, your tense attitude ever since Richard came back into your life. Nicole you almost..." The words stuck so heavily in her throat that she swallowed hard. But Nicole knew what Stella was all about even before she could say it.

"It was a mistake, okay? My head wasn't in it," she assured more to herself than to the person who knew her best, who covered up her mistakes three days ago at the hospital when she almost misdiagnosed a patient. Stella had once more come to her rescue sparing Nicole a harsh fate.

Her lashes were wet with moisture, not likely tears because why would she tear up over something she's used to experiencing at the hospital?
"It won't happen again, I promise and Richard isn't gonna be there. That jacket was more of an... an impulsive act because as much as I try to shove it down the back of my mind, I miss him, Stella! I do!" Her voice cracked.
"I can't seem to get him off my mind no matter how I try, I've denied it, ran from it, de-tested it but nothing seems to work! So maybe, just maybe if I accept that some part of me still feels shit for that loser who threw away what we had then I might get over this stupid feeling fast enough. Because I hate myself for loving a traitor like him, I hate myself for hating me. After all these years I thought I've had it dealt with, he just pops up and shatters me whole," she sneezed and wheezed, her trembling hands struggling to hold the cup in her hands.

Stella wasn't sure what to say, she hadn't expected a full heartfelt breakdown from Nicole, but a tug of relief washed over her knowing that Nicole felt safe to discuss such a painful past with her. After being betrayed by a close friend she'd understood why Nicole didn't want anyone prying into her life. "I'm sorry," Stella whispered.

"No, I'm sorry for looping you into all of this. It's my shit to deal with and I have no right to unburden on you. I'm just... tired of everything, of the hate inside me, of seeing his face and feeling like smacking yet kissing the living daylight out of him, it's gross yeah I know but I feel like I've betrayed myself, my promises as an individual."

"You can't keep fighting shadows, you just have to face him, Nicole. Talk to him about what he did to you, let him know exactly how you feel instead of running."

She shook her head vehemently, "No, you don't know Richard as much as I do," she disagreed. "He'd apologize outrightly, even beg on his knees. He's just that way."

"Is that a problem?"

"Yes, it is! How else will I keep holding back from him if he's so agreeable and willing to lay his sins by my foot? I don't want to go through that same pain again because I don't trust myself if I can withstand it and I don't trust that he will protect my heart... again."

Stella let out a hard breath, "You don't know if you don't give him a chance. He's probably a changed man."

Nicole laughed, like a real loud laugh at her friend's words. "Richie is a walking playboy, like a plaster he attracts weasels in the form of women to himself. He doesn't know how to say no to them, always ready to please and be the gentleman he thinks he is. He's a walking red flag, Stella, I can't deal with it."

"So you call Chivalry a red flag?"

"Chivalry my foot, Look, Stella, I have a flight to catch and I need to keep my head clear of any distractions so I don't end up leaving something of importance behind."

"Yeah me too, I have to get ready for work on time, you know how the MD gets when my name's mentioned in a talk."

"Oh yeah?... does he still give you the look?" Nicole teased.

"What look?"

"Uh please don't act like you don't know he's into you. And whenever you turn up in your scrubs, letting those tight ass jiggle while you walk, he can't help but stare at you like you're some fascinating stuff."

Stella's jaw dropped. "If you had as much insight for your sorry ass life as you do with my ass then I bet you'd be richer than Elon." Stella chided her friend who threw her hands up in mock surrender.

"You're sick!"