The Cruel Gentleman (gentlemen series#1)

Jules (present)

Good stuff- Griff
I thank my aged landlord when he hands over the keys to me as we stand in front of the two-story building with a beige and muted green hue. I take in the new environment as I look at the place which will now be my home. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared cause I am. But that overwhelming feeling is covered with so much excitement about starting my life anew that I am not even the least bit worried about all the ways it could go wrong.
Give it a few more days and then I will.
I smile to myself while dragging my minimal luggage towards the entrance when it all comes to a stop. Out of all the possible house numbers it had to be the tabooed one.

#2012

Shit.
December 12, the anniversary of our first date. The day my life went through the sweet hell I still get nightmares. I feel a familiar dull ache starting to spread through my chest, as all the memories come daunting me all at once reminding me of the shattered pieces of my heart I left with him. Even though I desperately want to hate him I can't. No matter what I said to Linda the other day we both know it was nothing but bullshit. Because I know Cole had no one else in his heart but me. It's just easier to pretend I wasn't holding him back when he should be moving forward in his life without a teenage first love dragging him down. Just because I have issues doesn't mean he has to be burdened by it. I start having difficulty in breathing as
I remember the awkward first dinner we shared. We had such bright smiles on our lips even though we could barely make a conversation with all the stuttering. The promise he made to make each date after that one which he fulfilled. A bitter smile tugs at the corner of my lips as I remember the times he was good to me. He always had been considerate when we were together, it's just we weren't together much as time passed and priorities changed. He had no time and I didn't have the strength to wait for him to come back.
If I had been a different person, maybe I could have had the strength to stand by his side even if things got tough, instead of running away like a coward. But, he wouldn't have chosen me, US if I were.
If one thing's for sure, it's that I'll never love anyone after him. No matter what we've been through, he is the only person who loved me when I thought no one would.
We gave each other our everything because we thought we could make it, but I'm not sure I have it in me to continue being the one who remains the same while my partner conquers the world. I'd rather spend my time in the countryside doing something peaceful than take on all the powerful people in the world to reach the top of the pyramid.
I shake my head to dismiss the overflowing memories trying to sabotage my head and unlock the door to my refuge. My sanctuary.
I sniff the inside of the house to test what I might be encountering next before stepping inside the house appreciating the work, the moving company did before my arrival. Relaxing the stiff muscles of my neck I take my stuff to the master bedroom where I drop the suitcase and pick out a new set of clothes and a towel from it.
First things first, I desperately need a shower. After the long flight, my hair is all greasy and my clothes stick to my body like a second skin.
Entering the bathroom I step under the faucet and let the cool water shower on me like little droplets of rain.
I exit the shower feeling much more relaxed and fresh than before. Holding my hair above my head I shove the contents around the bag, trying to find a blow dryer.
I'm sure I stuffed it in there somewhere.
Instead of finding the thing I was looking for, something weird caught my eye.
A Rubik's cube.
I don't know why it's stuffed in here.
Because I'm pretty sure I never owned a toy in my life. Maybe the housekeeper's kid threw it in.
Huh.
Interesting
I pick it up forgetting the wet blonde strands and letting them fall around my shoulders as I grab it with both my hands a small smile forming on my lips as I move the colours around for a while.
Placing the cube on top of the mantle near my bed, I pick up my first aid kit to take medicine to help with my jet lag. I have gotten used to the regime thanks to all the parties I had to attend with all the rich wives to help them with charity galas.
After all the technical stuff is done, I take my laptop and sit down comfortably on the floor of the living room since there is no furniture here because of the arrangement my landlord made with my incoming flatmate. Not that I have any idea about her. All I know is that she is a first-year medical resident from South India and that she is going to bring the rest of the furniture needed around the house.
I am grateful for this arrangement in a way because there is no way I could bring anything more to the plate in the conditions I left home.
I let out a tired sigh as I started making my very first presentation required for the job.
After an hour or so of working I start feeling drained and hungry so I order a burger and fries with a diet Coke from Zomato, an online food delivery app stretch out my muscles and think about all the things I still need to go through after eating my lunch.
It's late in the evening when I'm finally done with my to-do list of the day. I feel like dying after it though. But if I want to avoid the jet lag, I need to stay awake for at least another 2 hours or so. To keep myself awake I plan to step out of the house and take a walk around the society premises.
While moving around the park I see a bunch of teenagers playing badminton umm mostly cursing each other calling out their mistakes while using a bicycle as a net.
I don't fight the soft smile that appears on my face seeing the youthful kids and even wave when a girl looks in my direction, all the while trying to keep my teenage memories at bay.