Refined Love

part 17

      Every end has a new beginning. That's what it has always been.

      And it was the truest words.

      Sometimes your new beginnings are not what you expect, but they turn out beautiful.

      Most of the time.

      • • •

      I had spent so much time with Rome. I fell in love with him easily.

      Me and him had shared our first kiss a few months ago. He had helped me through everything, and did more for me than any stupid therapist could.

      Tonight I was going to get to see him again. We were going to this new fancy restaurant down town! La Vara, I think they called it? That's besides the point.

      I was just so excited. In my personal opinion, things had been so great between us.

      I touched up my curled hair in the mirror, and applied a light nude shade lipstick.

      I grabbed my phone off of my bed, and ran out of my bedroom towards the door.

      I really never wore dresses, but it fit the occasion. So I decided earlier to put on a little black dress.

      "Bye mom!" I yelled to her in the kitchen.

      She dropped the plate she had been scrubbing with a sponge, and turned to look at me. She admired my outfit and smiled.

      "Be safe, goodbye!" She yelled back.

      I opened the door from our apartment, and ran down the hall to the elevator.

An old man was entering the same time as I was.

"Which floor?" I asked politely.

"Just the lobby please, Miss." He smiled.

I pushed one single button, as we were heading to the same level.

"What's the occasion?" He asked, as he noticed me all gussied up.

"Oh." I laughed, "I'm going on a date tonight."

"Ah, I see. I miss those days." He nodded.

I smiled, but looked down to the floor. Maybe his wife died? Or maybe he divorced?

"She had to go to college. We could not do long distance." He perked.

I looked up to him, and tilted my head.

"Wait, so you haven't had a relationship since college years?" I questioned.

The man chuckled and nodded his head.

"Sometimes, things are better that way." He shrugs his shoulders.

I raised my eyebrows, and grinned with my lips to be nice.