Pieces Of Love

♡ Chapter 17 ♡

Zaria, for the first time in a while felt like she was on top of the world. Sure she still stressed about work or got sad when she missed her family. But there seemed to no longer be a heavy weight on her chest or that contact lingering sadness. It was probably partially due to the conversation she just had with Zach, she knew what she wanted for sure.

She got out of the office early and took the liberty to get some grocery shopping done on her way home and maybe she got distracted at the mall and bought a few other things like pretty decorations or clothes.

There was a pep in her step as she walked out of the elevator and down the hall to her apartment, shopping bags in hand and her phone held to her ear by her shoulder as she talked to Aubreyanne.

"Hold on I need to find my keys," Zaria said as she approached her door. Aubreyanne chuckled and teased her about not being able to multi task but her words didn't seem to go through as Zaria didn't respond.

Instead she was focused on someone seated outside her apartment door. She wanted to believe it was Serna waiting for her but the outline was a too masuline. She lightly murmured incoherent words to Aubreyanne as she got closer.

The man stood up, and Zaria ended up dropping her phone as she let her arms fall to her side. She couldn't explain what she felt. Suprise, shock, fear, all sorts of emotions coursed through her body but none of them seemed positive.

"Zar..." he took a step forward but Zaria flinched and took two back.

What he really here? Why is he here? how is he here? Why now? She was finally happy, eight months after he left her. She'd manage to break free from the last of his chains and here he was again.

She failed to actually voice her questions and mumbled light incoherent words feeling herself begin to spiral.

"Zaria. I'm sorry" Tobias reached out for her arm but and she pulled back so fast one of the bags slipped from her curled fingers and slid down the hall.

She shook her head. "No. No you're not" She mumbled as if trying to convince herself this was a bad dream, she was hallucinating.

"Baby..." Tobias gently put his hand on the side of her head, her hair the only thing separating their skin from meeting. "You were the best thing that happened to me and I was so stupid to let you go"

Zaria felt the part of her that still cared for him ache. The part that held on to the last eight year of their life together. She longed to comfort him. To caress his sired face and run her thumbs over his eyebags and black circles and tell him it would be ok that she still loved him.

Maybe a few months ago she would have done it, but now she knew better because she knew her worth. It wasn't her fault he did what he did, nor was it her job to take care of him anymore. He didn't deserve to be peppered in kisses and love, he made the choice to give up those privileges when he walked out of their apartment that night.

"Leave" She mumbled pulling herself from his touch.

"Baby....please hear me out" he reached for her again but she moved once more. "Tobias I told you to leave" She shouted, she didn't intend to raise her voice but she couldn't help it. Her voice tembled as tears threatened to spill from her eyes

"But-"

The sound of a door unlocking echoed through the halls causing both of them to turn to the apartment across the hall.

"Zaria is everything ok? Should I call secoruity" Serena asked glaring at Tobias who dropped his hands and glanced between the two before leaving. He mumbled something as he walked past Zaria but she didn't catch it as she let out a shakey breath.

Before she could let herself spiral into a familair abbys, arms gently wrapped around her pulling her closer. She flinched until she heard a familair voice.

"Zaria" Serena mumbled softly as she held the slightly taller woman, letting Zaria burry her face into her shoulder. Zaria took shakey breaths to try calm down and once she did Serena unlocked the apartment and led her in.

"I'm going to make you some tea" Serena said softly and Zaria just nodded, looking spaced out. She probably hadn't even heard what Serena said but Serena still stepped into the kitchen. It was the sound of Zaria shouting in the hallway that had drawn her from her mess of study papers on her livingroom floor. She was familiar with what Tobias had done, and she felt her search ache for Zaria who surely deserved better.

The door to the apartment rattled before there was a loud knock making both women freeze and run to it. Serena noticed the rising panic in Zaria's eyes as she stared at the door, both of them having the same thoughts.

The second Serena slowly opened it she calmed down at the sight of Aubreyanne who looked worried out of her mind. "Where is she?"

Serna pointed to the living room and Aubreyanne brushed past her and straight to Zaria's side.

"Hey are you ok?" Aubreyanne asked, hesitant to touch her bt desperate to comfort her.

Zaria didn't respond. She opened her mouth to speak and closed it again a few times. Then she just moved closer to Aubreyanne and was pulled into a hug. Aubreyanne turned slightly so Zaria was more comfortable and held her close.

"Here's some tea' Serna mumbled and placed the mug down on the table. She glanced at Zaria with a frown for a moment but she knew Zaria liked her space. "I'll leave her to you and get back to studying for finals" She told Aubreyanne who simply nodded.

"Serena" Zaria said softly causing Serena to stop in her tracks and turn back with a small him just to let Zaria know she was listening. "Thank you"

"That's what best friends do. I'm next door if you need anything" Serena said with a small smile as she left the apartment.

Zaria pulled away from Aubreyanne, wiping her face. "I'm sorry" She mumbled feeling embarrassed.

"You have nothing to be sorry for" Aubreyanne said softly.

"How did you know?" She asked as she starred down into the dark liquid in the mug.

"You didn't hung up" Aubreyanne pulled Zaria's phone form the coffee table, the bag that she dropped was also there and Zaria just assumed she hand't seen Aubreyanne come in with them.

"He...He was really here" Zaria mumbled softly, as if it was all sinking in now.

Aubreyanne stayed silent, not sure what to ask. She had so many questions and concerns like. "Who is he?"

Zaria looked up at Aubreyanne then back down at her lap as she fiddled with her fingers.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be asking" Aubreyanne said feeling her gut sink.

"No it's fine" Zaria mumbled as she moved back on the couch and brought her knees to her chest. "Tobias is my ex boyfriend. We were together for about eight years. I quit my job at the time as an air hostess to stay with him. He inherited his parents winery and could support us both. We would get married have kids the whole thing, but one day I walked in on him packing his bags."

Zaria paused as she sniffed, it was like the memories were flashing before her eyes but Aubreyanne didn't dare to interrupt. "He told me he didn't love me anymore, that he'd been having and affair for two years, she got pregnant he said he loved her now and left me. Taking all my love, joy all of it he stripped me of it and just left only to show up months later...when I'm finally happy again"

Aubreyanne took the liberty to pull Zaria to her, holding the woman close and resting her chin on Zaria's fluffy brown hair. She felt a sudden protectiveness of her and immediate disgust for that man.

How he could hurt someone so precious amazed her and how the most amazing people could get treated like shit by people who didn't deserve it. In the back of her mind somewhere, Aubreyanne swore she would not let Zaria hurt anymore, it simply broke her heart to see her the way she was now and it wasn't a good feeling, so she'd do all she can to avoid it.