Love, curves and heartbreak Chapter 33

That was the best weekend of my life. Period. Everything that happened in the last hours flashes back in my mind: the dinner, the caring Ethan, the passionate nights.

He was different... and no matter how ignorant I am about relationships, this isn't what a sex-only relationship is supposed to look like.

After sex, everyone picks up their stuff and leaves. No affection, no sweet words or amazing dinners prepared by an amazing and charming princess.

Maybe he just wants to... have fun? Perhaps is looking for revenge? I rejected, not directly, but I avoid him. Maybe he wants to prove to himself that he can have me.

I don't know why he chose me among so many women. Or he is just... making me falling in love for him, so I would be a more dedicated prey. I truly don't know. Things don't usually turn out so well for me. I don't know... something is wrong.

Suddenly I received notifications on my cell phone, rand when I checked, they were from him. One message, two, three. I'm terrified of checking these messages and seeing their content: it was a mistake, we better stop seeing each other, blah blah blah, could it be? Why would I think that?

"Come on Priscilla! Face it!" I yell to myself.

All morning I am tempted to read them, but I prefer to stay with the feeling that this weekend was perfect and that the bubble of surprise and happiness will not burst. Maybe I'm being completely stupid.

It's already noon and during my break I check the messages. There's no other way, I can't live in this fantasy forever, I know that. I always get lost in books, music and movies, but I have to work, listen to annoying customers, people who look at me as if I were nothing. I would live in fictional stories without a second's hesitation. But the messages... were that I least expected:

"Did you get home okay?"

"I hope you are getting some rest."

I simply reply that I arrived very tired and had to work early and didn't have a chance to check my cell phone, and I apologize. Any excuse, but it's the best I can offer. Unbelievably, he answers me quickly:

"I understand, no problem"

Until this message arrives, the one I might have been waiting for, unfortunately.

"I'm going to be a little busy this week, so maybe we won't see each other that often. I will be out resolving an issue. I'll let you know when we can meet"

Of course, you know, Priscilla, that not everything was going to be rainbows and unicorns. Of course, he obviously just wants to make it clear that nothing happened here, maybe he just wanted to keep me from being like a teenager in love with him.

"Maybe he just has things to do" Suzy told me.

Or he just needs space... away from me. It was just a weekend of sex. Nothing more. The way I wanted it? Right? Maybe he is tired of me already.

Nevertheless, I was nervous the rest of the day. And the other days too. Every time I checked my phone, I reread his last messages. He never said where he was going or what he was doing or when he would be back at the office. He just disappeared. Like a did so many years ago.

Of course, I could have quietly texted him, asked him how he was doing, or what was going on in his life, but I didn't. I was ashamed, and fearful.

I felt terribly bad for not doing it, but I really don't want to be one of those women who write every second, desperate because her "sex buddy" seems to be moving away.

"This is normal, everyone has their own problems, and you had agreed in theory that we were not romantic or serious at all. That you would just get together from time to time to see each other and have sex. Pure and simple" Suzy told me when I ask her opinion for the thousandth time.

"I know... it's just... I would love to have news from him... if he is ok" I reply.

"If you feel like that... you could always can take your phone... write to him and ask how he was doing" she says.

Sounds easy, but know. I also don't want to seem needy, I'm afraid he'll think I'm a fool.

The next day, I had an appointment with Lily to look at some decorations, and I was excited to hear from Ethan.

"My brother? I really don't know what he's up to... he's disappearing, and it's all a mystery. We haven't heard from him, but he'll turn up. I was going to ask you if you've seen him…" Lily says to me with a funny look on her face.

At least he told me that we weren't going to see each other for a while, he could have said nothing to me, just disappeared. Well, we are nothing, just a sex-only agreement buddies.

I notice I'm able to complicate my life a lot by thinking and thinking. He doesn't think about me, he doesn't care about me, and I bet my name he doesn't complicate it at all. Maybe all this nonsense is just in my head. Maybe I don't know how to do "no strings attached".

How did I end up in this situation? I never intended to dwell on thoughts of a man, especially not him. Why do I keep entangling myself with someone who shows no interest in me? Someone who has never wanted me, despite knowing each other for years and not valuing me.

Sure, Ethan used to be a caring and attentive boy, always looking out for me. But as adolescence crept in, something shifted in him, seemingly irreversibly.

A few days passed, without him and I don't receive even one message. I went back to work as usual, focused as a workaholic.

Unfortunately, because of all these events, my life has gone off track. It's like my mind is scattered and loses focus. But if I thought Kate was my enemy and wanted to see me fail, it was because I couldn't remember my sister.

I had a meeting scheduled with Lily that ran late, and to be honest, I completely forgot about it. I hurried to the meeting place, which happened to be one of the city's major fabric distributors, where we had several important topics to go over.

As soon as I arrived, the first thing I heard was Caroline's voice, echoing loudly enough to be heard from quite a distance, almost as if she wanted everyone around to hear her words.

"Lily, I've to tell you the truth. You shouldn't rely on Priscilla. She is a mess, had her head in the clouds. I know you need help, but she is the worst option"

"Caroline, but... how can you say that?" Lily respond, surprised for my sister's words. I'm not shocked at all, she always talks behind my back.

"I mean... obviously I'm very embarrassed because she's my sister, but you shouldn't have hired her. You are very important for me Lily... you are like a true sister for me. more than Prisscilla... we are always got along so well..." she says with bad intentions.

I'm just there, listening... not knowing what else to do.

"Thank you, Caroline, but I'm pretty sure Prissy had something important to do... that is what she is a little delayed... these things happen to everyone… " Lilly adds.

"We should just go without her... you will notice I have an excellent taste! You will love my ideas" Caroline says trying to convince Lily.

"She told me she was on her way, I have no problem waiting, I wanted Prissy's opinion," Lily says calmly.

"Ooh Lili! You are an angel, really. Prissy, yes... she has design experience, but you do not know the full context" Caroline attacks again.

"What do you mean?"

"I know it sounds wrong... but I have to tell you a secret: Prissy has some... problems" I hear Caroline whispering.

"Problems?" Lily asks in surprise. What the fuck?

"Exactly, remember how everyone used to laugh at her at school? Well, she never got over it. Prissy is Prissy, the chubby, slow, lazy girl and never tried to change, to be better. She has always been that way. You don't know her like I do. And it has affected her more than any of us can admit" she says with conviction.

What she says doesn't make sense. How does what happened in high school relate to Lily's wedding? And her hiring me?

"Caroline... I know she had a hard time in school, but... what you are saying is terrible..."

"Ohhh and you don't know the worst part! The bully was even worse when we left, she was always the joke of the school. I mean... she was a little piggy clown. A disaster..."

"Caroline!" Lily reply shocked.

"It is the truth! Sometimes she didn't even want to go, she almost lost the year. Plus, I think she had a crush on a boy that she never got over. Poor dumb piggy..."

"That's... terrible... I didn't know... maybe we could have helped her..." Lily says with a sad voice.

"What could we have done? We were the cool girls. And she wasn't. I think she always wanted to be me. We were having the time of our lives... we didn't have time for that loser. She was nothing... she still is. I know is painful... because we all care about her. I tried to help her... believed me...." Caroline says. Yeah, right... she helped me, Is she fucking kidding me?

I know she is cruel... but this... is unbelievable.

"I... don't know what to say... I wish I tried to help her more... she needed me..." Lily says worried.

"I'm telling you this is a mistake, this is just a hobby for her, a poor attempt to do something with her sad life. I'm sorry you got involved in this my dear friend" she says convinced, making a horrified face.

"Caro, I was the one who had the idea. I like her point of view and I think she has talent. Besides, Ethan supported me, he highly recommended her work" Lily says firmly. I can tell she doesn't like what my sister is saying.

"Ahh, it's because of Ethan that these things happen... you'll see... my sister…” Caroline starts to say. I don't know what she's going to say about him, but I interrupt her.

"Lilly! I am sorry for the delay. But from this moment on, I have my undivided attention on the great event that is coming up. Your wedding!" I say nervously, but Lily welcomes me warmly, and we go to look at the fabrics.

My sister pretends nothing has happened and acts nice and charming, as if she hadn't stabbed me in the back a few minutes ago. She looked at me the entire afternoon as if I were a roach.

I don't like the way she mentioned Ethan. She never knew I had a crush on him. Or maybe she always knows... it was probably obvious to a teenage Priscilla.

She was never my ally, and she never will be.