One Time Thing [Wattys 2021 Shortlist] ✔️

Chapter 16: Calm before the storm

XANDER

After three days of camping, Xander decided it was time to return home. He's been postponing it as long as he could, and the reason was not merely Annie. Mountains were his home, fresh air and clean creeks were what he wanted to be surrounded with.

His phone rang as he exited the car. An unknown number.

"Hello?" Xander grabbed the bag with his climbing equipment, deciding he should leave the camping stuff in the car. He would definitely go back soon.

"Xander, my friend! It's Mr O'Hara, but please call me Tom." Xander stopped in place, not expecting this call to happen so soon.

"Oh, hi... Tom." He cringed at his own response.

"Tell me, Xander, can you ski?" Mr O'Hara asked, creating even more confusion.

"Yeah, actually. Wasn't expecting that question, though." Xander internally debated whether he should enter the house, but decided this call should be done outside.

"Excellent, excellent!" The man almost shouted, making Xander move the phone away from his ear. "I assumed that would be the case. You seem like a man that likes the thrill of risking his own life in unwelcoming environments. Just what I need."

Well, that was a description he hadn't heard before.

"I guess you could say so." Xander shrugged. He may have been a thrill-seeker, but he wasn't one to risk his life. All of his equipment was thoroughly examined and his climbing territory was always solid. But this man didn't need to know that.

"As you may now, I'm currently working on my own line of extreme sports equipment, and I need someone to try it out for me. It's not that easy to find someone who would do this. Well, a lot of people out there willing to risk their lives, but none I can count on to actually not die. You understand me, no?" Mr O'Hara blabbed, his voice so strong that Xander squinted, feeling as if the man would spit in his eyes over the phone.

"So, you need me as a human experiment. Not a lot of offers like that anymore." Xander walked over to his backyard, deciding to finish the conversation on the bench there. It passed through his mind that the last time he was sitting there, he was with Mia.

"I would pay you lots of money, my friend. And I would send all of my data, of course. Don't worry, the climbing equipment has been checked in safe conditions over and over again. But you can see that for yourself. " Mr O'Hara lowered his voice and took on a more serious tone.

"Why did you ask whether I can ski?" Xander remembered.

"Oh, I would eventually need someone who could test my skiing equipment, as well."

"Maybe you could send that data my way and then we'll see what's what." Xander said, hoping he didn't sound rude. He was waiting for an opportunity like this. If he could make money out of climbing, he would.

"Excellent! We'll be in touch. Goodbye!" Mr O'Hara didn't wait for the response and hung up.

Xander sat in the backyard for a few minutes more, thinking about how he would break these news to Annie. The realisation of that quick pondering was strange. Even if Annie didn't agree, he would do it anyway.

He was always better at making career choices than relationship choices.

So he wondered why he had the guts to do extreme sports, but not enough to break up with his girlfriend.

But as he entered his house and the smell of lasagna hit his nostrils, he figured it out. No matter how much they fought or how much they disagreed, Annie would always be there. Which was wrong on a lot of levels, but also comforting. And he was a slave to that comfort.

"Hi." Annie came out of the kitchen, her blond hair tied in a ponytail and a yellow apron tied around her waist. "Would you accept my apology in the form of lasagna?" She smiled meekly.

Xander sighed, realising he might have taken it a bit too far. Surely, she was being a bitch, but he still disappeared for three straight days.

"I can hardly resist lasagna." Xander offered a smile, feeling the guilt sink in. Up until now, his actions hadn't reached his mind, because he was fighting with Annie. But now, the weight of the situation became apparent.

"I'm so sorry, Xander." She said, her blue eyes seeming even bigger than usual. "I realise I stick my nose where it doesn't belong and I promise I won't do it anymore." She sniffed. "I have nothing against your sister or your parents, but sometimes I get carried away. In thinking everyone should be more like me, you know? And I know I'm not the most exemplary person out there and that not everyone should actually be like me. And I'm trying to be better, you know I am."

Xander's heart rate quickened, as if his body realised he was about to do something stupid before informing his mind of the same thing. Silence ruled as Xander battled with his thoughts.

There was something so predictable in Annie's words. This wasn't their first fight, nor their last. They lulled in the same pattern over the years. Annie would say something mean, Xander would snap and she would apologize.

It was uncanny how well he knew the outcome of their arguments. And for the first time in forever, he did not want the fight to stop.

"I met with Mia." The words left his mouth before he thought of the explanation.

"Oh, my friend Mia from high school?" Annie smiled, catching Xander by surprise.

"Yeah, I... had a drink with her." He continued, feeling more and more stupid.

"I'm so glad you like Mia ad Jeff. I see how you look at Daniel and Brie, and well, all of my other friends. And I understand why you don't like them. But I really wanted us to have someone we can go on a double date with." Annie's flushed cheeks lifted as she smiled and she came nearer.

She smelt like lavender and home.

"I like them, sort of." Xander murmured. He began to feel like he was watching his own life through a glass, seeing what was going on but not really understanding it.

No one thought it was a big deal. So, why did him and Mia behave like it was a big deal?

"Good, because I invited them to the movies next Saturday." Annie put her hands around Xander's neck, her clear blue eyes staring into his soul.

"What did they say?" Xander took her by her waist and pulled her closer, feeling her body heat through the clothes.

"Mia said they'd love to." Annie leaned in and kissed him, the shape of her lips so familiar to him. He's kissed her so many times, he's held her so many times. Xander ran his hands down her thighs, feeling the spark igniting.

"How about we move the lasagna aside and take the dining table for ourselves?" He whispered into her ear, earning a nervous giggle.

He loved her. Of course, he loved her. For the past three and a half years he held her and loved her. Something like that could not die in one night.

"Xander! We're in the living room." She wiggled out of his embrace, not entirely surprising him. But that smile on her face remained, the end of the argument. Xander swallowed the hard realisation.

He was not in love with her anymore.