The Man Next Door

Chapter 14: Take Me Away

After grabbing a coffee with Patrick she went straight home, his spark enticing gesture replaying in her mind as she takes her prescriptions. Vera's ongoing thoughts and inner emotions were so distracting that she didn't get to hear Sebastian come down the steps. "Gosh, you scared me," Vera jolts with a grin, her smile instantly slipping away at Sebastian's unpleased look.

"Where were you?" Sebastian asks, resting his chin on her shoulder from behind.

"I stayed at moms," Vera nods in response, a look of disappointment on her face, "you really need to stop drinking..."

"Why?" he asks, turning around and making his way to the walk-in pantry closet, coming out with a box of cereal.

"You might get alcohol poisoning again," she says with concern as she goes to the fridge, "and Patrick would have to take you since I can't drive... I don't want to make him do that again."

"Did you see him this morning?" Sebastian asks spontaneously as he grabs himself a bowl.

"Why does that matter-"

"You did, didn't you?" Sebastian laughs, taking notice of the coffee sitting on the counter, "he took you for coffee?"

"He was nice enough to take me for some coffee, big deal."

"You could've got me something," he says as he pours milk out into his bowl.

"You don't even drink coffee," she points out as he ignorantly walks out of the kitchen, taking a seat on the couch in the living room.

All this time she's been with Sebastian, the toxic-ness he gives off was something Vera couldn't take. Despite how shitty he's been with her... she still cared about him, she thinks about him non-stop, loving him as if all of those fights they have never really meant something, never gave off a warning. She couldn't help it, he was her first and only love.

Now if she was being honest with herself, she never had the chance to compare him to anyone else. Vera's never had a serious relationship before Sebastian and never really understood how it was like to actually be in a good relationship. It's as if moving in with him influenced that sudden realization. Oh... and she couldn't forget about Patrick, the guy who changed her perspective of men for good...

Patrick. She thinks.

Patrick is a good man, and unlike Sebastian, he had it all. Good job, good looks, he also seemed to have what it takes to be a good partner.

Then yet again that perfect man was in a messy relationship himself, if it even was a relationship in the first place... she knew someone like him didn't deserve someone as ignorant and uncaring as that coffee barista, but who was she to compete? Vera wasn't good enough... at least that's what she thought.

-

It was the next morning and Sebastian was nowhere to be seen once again. Vera sits up from her comfortable position on the bed and turns her head at the sound of her phone. She rubs her eyes as she reaches over for it, squinting her eyes at the bright screen after successfully shutting off her alarm.

Without thinking twice, Vera gets out of bed and starts getting dressed in her usual jogging clothes, a hoodie, and leggings. She's never gotten a good glimpse at her town especially with all the things going on ever since they've moved in, she also overall needed a breather after everything she's been through.

Vera checks around the house and locks all the doors before heading out, not a single stressful topic came across her mind the second she began jogging down the road with many trees surrounding it. The trees down this particular trail already had warm-colored leaves on its maple branches, and every single one was waiting to be blown off by the autumn breeze, just to flutter to the gravel grounds beneath.

As she's jogging at a comfortable pace, she decides to pull out her phone and put in her earphones, failing to notice another jogger coming closer towards her direction. The second Vera found the right playlist she bumps shoulders with the other jogger, close to crashing to the ground he grasps her arm and pulls her back onto her feet.

"I'm surprised to see you jogging around." the man chuckles sweetly. Vera looks up at him in shock and laughs, "also sorry for bumping into you."

"You idiot," Vera says sarcastically, punching his shoulder playfully, "I only almost fell because you bumped into me."

"Oh don't be so dramatic," Patrick simpers, pulling out his earbuds as his glistening blue eyes stood put on Vera, "I didn't know you jog."

"I do sometimes," Vera smiles, tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear, "there's not much to do when your husband isn't home anymore and you can't drive yourself anywhere."

"Where'd Sebastian go?" Patrick asks quietly, already knowing the answer. Vera responds with a shrug, looking down with a confused look on her face. Her reaction to his question stunned him for a moment, the guilt he was feeling for asking was inevitable.

"I-I admit it's quite nice, to take a nice jog every now and then," Patrick nods as he stuffs his phone into his short pockets, "it takes you away, from everything that you're dealing with."

"I couldn't agree more," Vera says as her eyes wander off to the ground shyly.

"How about we jog together?" Patrick simply asks, "you know... put the phones away for a while."

"That sounds fun," Vera smirks with a nod, looks up at him with her hands resting on her hips, "but weren't you going back?"

"Yeah... but I can go again, not a big deal..." Patrick shrugs with a lopsided smile, gently pulling her arm along with him, "I've got a lot to tell you about, come on."