Don't wait for me

Chapter 8 : Rebuilt and destroyed

It's been months. Four months to be precise. He hadn't seen Joseph once since the punch he got in the jaw.

He had plenty of clients today. Since it was summer break, tourists were wandering in the streets, and found Caesar's shop to be a good place to spend money in.

He was thinking. Thinking about someone he got close to the last few months, someone to distract him from his intoxicating thoughts of the brunette. A woman, with short golden hair, bold and charismatic, also quick thinking and strong willed. He remembered that he'd have a date with her that night. She was quite remarkable, and undeniably attracted to the blonde. The latter was interested, but somehow bothered.

The more time was passing, the more worried he's become and the more he'd overthink about Joseph. Was he also thinking about Caesar? Did he manage to forget? Will they really never ever meet again?

He missed him.

A blonde guy in a wheelchair interrupted his thinking rambling.

"Do you have...something green, or purple perhaps?"

His American accent could be heard from miles away, and Caesar found it quite amusing.

"Sure, I do. What kind of green?"

"Hmm, a bit like your eyes. Wait, no, exactly like your eyes. Oh but he wouldn't mind also a darker green, deeper perhaps, like emerald green."

Caesar saw Joseph's eyes. Their colour, their way to squint when he wanted to play dumb. But oh dumb he was-

Stop it. He needed to stop thinking about this moron.

"I'll get you several models." he answered the cripple.

Then he saw him. He really saw him, walking on the sidewalk in the opposite side of the road, thanks to the transparent doors. He shivered, almost smiled in relief that he was still alive, but he looked away instead. He could move on. Date this woman. Forget everything else. Again.

The cripple had finally chosen a purple watch, as a gift to a close friend of his, he had said. Now Caesar was closing his shop. The sound of the keys locking the roller blind echoed through his ears. He told himself that he should get ready at home and go to the rendezvous place...a garden, she had decided.

He started to walk towards the nearest subway station, when he heard loud steps coming closer. Someone was running.

Then he heard his name.

"Caesar!"

He froze. This voice.

"No." he said.

"Wait please I gotta talk to you."

Caesar started walking again. He didn't turn around at all, didn't want to see his face.

"I have to go somewhere now."

But of course, of course the other followed him.

"This is important Caesar."

"I don't have the time right now. And why would I listen to you?"

"There's no way I'm leaving you like this. I need you to listen to me. Please Caesar."

He only realized now, how much he had missed this voice. He was close to him and yet, he refused to turn and face him.

"I don't want to see you. Send a message or something, leave a note somewhere, just don't talk to me."

A kid. He was acting like a damn kid. Stupid stubbornness. He didn't know himself why he couldn't get over with it and hear him out simply.