I'VE SEEN HER! (COMPLETE)

Chapter 22

I spent the next hour sobbing to my sister on the phone and hiding behind a wall on the beach. She was a furious as I was. I desperately wanted to go home. I felt sick to my stomach with the need to be cuddled by her but had to stay for Emily.

She told me to call her whenever I needed someone to speak to as I was now isolated out here. I had tried to go back to the villa several times but kept crying so turned around, as not to cause concern. I couldn’t fake it like this.

Heart broken after another shitty romance and this one barely got started. I decided I was so bad at finding a decent man I should give serious thought to being a nun.

It was dark by the time I got back to the villa and everyone was out to dinner. Lauren left me a note on my pillow.

‘Gone to the seafood place, I assume you have had a falling out as he looks heartbroken. I think he was crying on the phone to his sister... that has to mean something, no man cries to his sister. Make up sex is a great cure for whatever the issue is. You’ve made up before. Hope you can make it. I’ll save you a seat.”

I scrunched it up and went for a shower. I got into bed and tucked myself in, planning on feigning a migraine. An hour later I didn’t have to feign it, the stress of lying in a bed I shared with him and seeing our toiletries together was so heart wrenching that I was furious with myself again for being fooled. I replayed every moment over and over in my head until it was banging.

Why hadn’t I realised he was in love with his ex when he stopped the first time we were together and pulled away. I bet he had been told to woo me by his family, to keep me sweet.

I rang my sister and had another good cry down the phone. She was going to let his family know we were on to their game and if it was right, that it was a sick one to play.

I went onto facebook and deleted my profile. I didn’t want to be tagged in anything or see the photos of me and James on there. I was just falling asleep when they came back. Lauren came in to check on me.

“He has been a proper wanker then?” she asked sitting on the end on the bed.

I nodded and closed my eyes, but the tears leaked out.

“Oh babe,” she said leaning over to hug the ‘me’ shaped lump in the bed. She climbed onto the bed and cuddled up to me. “I bet you want to go home don’t you.”

I let out a sob before I could catch myself but quickly regained control and was back to silent Niagara Falls face.

“Are you two alright?” Colin asked popping his head in the door.

“No men allowed,” she said.

So much for pretending we were still together.

“And James you’re a dickhead, whatever you’ve done!” she yelled. “This poor girl is heartbroken, hiding away in here.”

“She doesn’t want to see me, so I can’t comfort her,” he said appearing in the doorway.  

“Give them a minute,” Colin said and Lauren left.

“Please go away,” I said from under the blanket nearly covering my head, as I heard him walk over.

“Did you tell everyone we split up?” he asked barely above a whisper.

“They guessed.”

“We can make up for...”

“If Emily’s sake I am going to throw something at you,” I snapped.

“I would prefer to do it for our sake and get back together but you don’t want that...”

“Too right, it is taking everything I have to remain in this bed and not pack my things and go home. And I really want to go home...” I started to cry again... stupid frickin tears.

“I’m sorry,” he said reaching out to stroke my hair.

“Don’t touch me!” I growled slapping his hand away.

“If you want to go home. I won’t stop you. If she is going to turn up, she will whether we are here together or not. If you want ‘me’ to go home, I will.”

“I want to go,” I said my mind already packing.

“Can we sleep on it? See how you feel in the morning.”

“What is the point in putting it off? If she returns you will see her, you know the waitress and all the stuff that was in the file. I can’t help you anymore. I am just ruining everyone’s holiday.”

“Please sleep on it. There will be no flights until tomorrow.”

“I can go sit there and wait.”

“I can take you in the morning.”

“I don’t want you with me. I am escaping you. Not travelling to the airport with you.”

“This was your holiday, I gate crashed it. I will go home.”

“You can’t afford a flight.”

“I’ll find the money. I’ll speak to my sister.”

He pulled his phone out and dialled a number before I could argue.

“Hi, yeah. Can you book me on the next flight?” he said his voice cracking at the end. He walked out onto the veranda and sat down. “No, she wants to go home but this was her holiday and it my fault so I’ll come back.”

I could see him sat there, leant over with his elbows on his knees and one hand to his worried brow.

“I was the one who screwed things up not her. She wants to go home because of me. She wants to sit in an airport all night waiting on a flight. I can’t allow that. It is my fault, I will go.”

He came back in a few minutes later, I watched him walk to the wardrobe and pack his clothes into two carrier bags. Along with his toiletries. We still hadn’t purchased new luggage. 

“Can I have my passport please?” he asked making my heart sting.

I climbed out of bed and went to fetch it from the safe in the wardrobe. I passed it to him with his nieces doll.

“Is it ok if my sister calls you every day to check?” he asked stuffing the doll in a bag.

I nodded and mumbled yes.

With that he left. I heard the commotion outside and Colin saying ‘this is bullshit, get back in there and make up.’ James saying he couldn’t as he had fucked up big time and the best thing he could do was leave.

I went to bed feeling guilty but also relieved. When Lauren came in she curled up behind me.

“Cheating?” she whispered.

“He’s still in love with his cheating ex. She’s been phoning him.”

“I think that is worse,” she said sounding stunned. “Why is he here with you if he loves her?”

“I don’t know, but I feel such a fool for letting him use me,” I said crying into the pillow. “Half of those calls are from her not his sister. He said he still ‘cares’ for her. When I asked if that meant love he shrugged but nodded at the same time.”

“That’s a yes then,” she said. “Has he been sleeping with her?”

“He said not after we got together but up until then she was no doubt making up for cheating on her knees,” I said trying not to picture it.

“A man unzips his trousers and his brains fall out,” she sighed.

“I’m sorry to have been so high maintenance and ruin your holiday...”

“Nonsense, you can’t help being burgled and cheated on. I like drama so don’t worry.”

“You get some sleep and tomorrow I will help you drown your sorrows.”

She left the room and I heard her repeat to Colin that James was in love with his ex. His reply, ‘not a chance I’ve seen the way he looks at her and the way he talks about her’. Seems I wasn’t the only one duped.