Repulsion

EPILOGUE-2

T H R E E   M O N T H S   L A T E R

E R I C

"I am on my way Austin..yeah..", I hung up and waited for Mason to drive to the location.

Five minutes later, I was standing before Austin and one of those persons who I least expected to see in this life, Hope.

She stood with a stoic face and extended her hand for a handshake, "Hope Rici"

I shook hands with her, and Austin told me about how she's handling her PR agency, and is the manager of his team, and since she is someone we know, it will be good to have her as Erica's manager.

I nodded.

"Discuss whatever you have to...and then we can finalize the contracts.", And with that he left the cabin as he had to meet some producer.

"Hope!", I couldn't help but smile. The only decent female I knew back in my school life.

"Good to see you Eric..."

"I never thought I'll see you here..", I pointed.

She nodded, "But I knew I will see you here. Your girlfriend is doing fairly well...and Austin has been pestering me for this since she sang her first song."

"She's my fiance now.", I couldn't help but clarify.

She grinned, "Then congratulations are in order. But it is quite difficult to imagine you finally liking a girl."

I chuckled, "I made her life hell in the beginning...and then eventually..."

"Okay! That sounds like you..."

Hope Rici, was mine and David's schoolmate. She was one of the most meritorious students of our times, but nothing like a typical topper. Because of her high grades and all strict attitude, she came out pretty intimidating.

David was very poor in maths and so I had the responsibility to teach him in the library, everyday after school. But him being the irritating one, and me getting easily vexed up, we reached no better ends.

Hope too used to study there, and our bickering disturbed her. Though one day, she offered to teach David. Unlike me, she was a patient one. She taught him so well, he passed with a distinction. And since then we became friends.

"You won't ask about David?", I asked slowly.

She smiled emotionlessly, "If what the press writes about him is true, I don't need much information."

We fell in silence then.

"He is married Hope."

She looked up, "I know. And I am glad."

Apparently, her patience for David gradually transformed to friendship and then eventually much more than that. I didn't believe in love then, but I respected her feelings. So much that I told her I will help if she wants him that much.

She was a decent girl, and the way she dealt with David, I always thought no one could manage him better than her.

Unless one day, I saw David asking Venus out for date. And her feelings were so serious, she couldn't see that. I tried to stop her and assure her that he will come around, but when David confessed he really likes Venus, in front of Hope, I knew that was the breaking point.

That was the last time I saw her. And now today.

"I have moved on Eric. In fact, I have dated several guys. That was just a teenage crush."

I nodded, "A teenage crush you left your school for."

She shook her head and smiled, "I was sensitive then Eric."