Broken Pieces - L. S. (read any book TXT) 📗

Tears roll down to my cheeks as I remember that six years ago, I was supposed to be that, it was supposed to be my engagement that was being announced.

My phone rang on the nth time, I didn’t even bother checking it, I don’t even know where I put it, I was just hearing it ringing non-stop. I think it was Dylan, because I haven’t answered his calls or text ever since my meeting with Dr. Sullivan. I don’t even know how to, I can’t deal with him right now. I was also avoiding him at all cost whenever he tries to visit me at work.

Speaking of work, Headmistress Jane has been on my back lately, I know she noticed how I lack focus on work. I didn’t mean to, I just couldn’t help it. It was as if all of sudden everything didn’t make sense at all.

Truth is, I thought I was okay with it, or at least I should try to be. I’ve already thought about it way back years ago. I knew that sooner or later, he will move on, he will get his life back, he will treat what happened to us like a phase he had to go through and I was going to be okay with that, I knew it will hurt but eventually I’ll learn to accept it. He deserves to be happy, but knowing that he will marry the girl he never loved multiplied the pain a thousand times more.

Funny thing is, I was the one who left, I shouldn’t even be thinking about him, I shouldn’t even e questioning who he marries, I don’t have the right, I lost my right the moment I walked out of that door regardless of my reason for leaving.

My phone rang again but like earlier, I didn’t even bother looking for it. Then my intercom started buzzing meaning there is someone at my door downstairs. My apartment is in the fifth floor of a building in Madison Avenue.

I walked to the intercom to check who it was.

“Jillian, I mean Liz, are you there?”

I thought I was dreaming when I heard that familiar voice of Nicole. Isn’t she supposed to be in Florida?

“Nicole?” I asked, trying to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

“Yes it was me, for the love of Christ, open the door, it’s freezing out here,” she ranted.

I immediately push the button to open the gate from the building entrance. While waiting for her I took the chance to find my cell phone. I had eighteen voicemails, six from Dylan and twelve from Nicole.

“I thought I was going to die there, why it has to be that cold here,” she continues to rant as she walks to my door.

I was standing in front of her and staring at her intently, I can’t believe she is here.

“What are you doing here?”

She took off her fur coat, I noticed she is wearing a pink tank top, skin tight jeans and a pair of ankle boots.

“Wow! So much for the warm welcome,” she was being sarcastic.

I went to her and hugged her.

“I’m sorry, that wasn’t what I meant, I was just surprise to see you here,”

We walked to the couch and sat beside each other.

“Well, I was worried, I was calling to check on you but you never answered, so I took the first train this morning,” she said as she reached for my hand. “I saw the news,”

At first I was wondering why she was worried but her latter statement answered my question. Tears started rolling down my cheeks again.

“I’ve known it for days, Dr. Sullivan told me about it,” I said dryly.

“Oh sweetie,”

I felt her pulling me on a tight hug. I just cried in her arms for I don’t know how long. My heart is still breaking into pieces but I somehow feel relieved knowing that Nicole is here. As always, I feel safe knowing that she’s around.

 

 

“I can’t believe Carter is marrying that bitch,”

Nicole and I are sitting on my bed Buddha style with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and chocolate chips in front of us. I just finished telling her what Dr. Sullivan told me with tears flowing non-stop from my eyes.

She also showed me the news she saw on YouTube, it was an interview of Carter and Adriana the night of their announcement. She looks perfection and he looks happy. I should be glad but the pain is still the same.

“All I want is for him to be happy, nothing else,” I whispered.

Nicole put a mouthful of vanilla ice cream in her mouth.

“Let’s not talk about them,” she said, shaking her head. “So who’s Dylan?” she suddenly asks,

Dylan called again earlier while I was crying and Nicole saw it.

“No one,” I said shaking my head.

I didn’t really want to talk about Dylan.

“Since when we keep secrets from each other and you transforming from Jillian Winters to Liz Williams doesn’t count, okay?” she asked. “Tell me, who’s Dylan?”

I sighed.

“He’s the brother of one of the students at the school I work for,” I said vaguely with details.

“So why is he calling you so many times?”

I can’t believe she’s making me tell her everything.

“Okay, he was trying to pursue me, we went out once, but it was just a friendly date,”

“What does he look like? What does he do?”

I smiled. I love how can she makes everything lighter, it eases the pain.

“He’s good looking, he comes from a wealthy family but it never interests him to take over their family business, in fact he’s pursuing his passion in photography and owns a gallery downtown.”

She looked at me like as if my issues were resolved.

“I see, then why the hell do we cry over you ex who’s marrying his evil ex-girlfriend/famous model when you have a guy who is head over heels in love with you,”

I shook my head.

“Uh-Uh, he’s not in love with me, he was just being friendly.”

“Taking you out on a dinner date, sending you sweet and caring messages, those gestures are not friendly gestures, this guy is into you, so stop mourning about Carter and give this Dylan guy a chance”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,”

“Why not? You said you accepted your fate that you and Carter aren’t meant to be, so what’s the problem?”

I took a deep breath.

“The problem is I am still in love with Carter,”

Nicole just looked at me, gave me a slight nod and put another mouthful of ice cream in her mouth.

 

Monday, I dragged myself to work even though I was still not feeling well. Nicole is still snoring on my couch because we’ve finished two bottles of merlot and a box of Budweiser last night. She said that the best way to get rid of my heartache is by getting myself drunk. I didn’t believe her last night and I still don’t believe her now because aside from the pain in my heart I am also feeling a major headache.

I decided to put on a maroon sleeveless above the knee dress paired with gray coat and my nude pumps. I also tied my hair in a nice ponytail, all in all I look normal. The black under my eyes was no longer visible after I cover them up with an extreme amount of concealer.

My iPhone rang again just the same time that I was putting on my jacket. It is unbelievably cold for this month of October. I checked on the screen and saw Dylan’s name. I have been ignoring him for one whole week, I think it’s time for me to talk to him. It’s not fair for him to be treated that way after I agreed that we could be friends.

“Hello,” I answered that almost came as a whisper.

“Liz, are you alright?” he asked. The concern on his tone is too obvious not to notice.

“Hi, Dylan, I am so sorry if I wasn’t able to answer your calls, I was just a bit busy,” I lied.

I can’t tell him that last week I thought my life didn’t make sense when I found out that my ex-boyfriend/fiancée is marrying the girl who once tried to destroy our relationship.

I heard him took a deep breath from the other line.

“I was so worried, we’re you sick or something?” he asked.

I put the phone in between my cheek and shoulder so I could put on my mauve lipstick.

“No, I wasn’t, I just had to deal with things, besides my friend from Florida visited me last Saturday and it’s been a while since we last saw each other so we’re kinda hanging out,” I explained.

I didn’t want him to be worried.

“I see,” he said, sighing in relief. “I’m sorry if I sounded like a paranoid boyfriend, I was just really worried, I couldn’t sleep or eat,” he said.

Guilt washes over me but I felt flattered at the same time, its been a while since someone from the opposite sex got very concern on my well-being.

“It’s okay, I’m sorry if I was MIA for the past few days, things have just been busy, please do not worry, in fact if it will make you feel better, I am on my way to work today,” I said.

“That’s nice then,” he said. “Liz,” he called.

“Yes?”

“Will you go to dinner with me tonight?” he asked.

I stared at myself at the mirror and I remember what Dr. Sullivan and Nicole told me that I should try giving Dylan a chance or another guy for that matter. I know I have said that I am not planning on dating him but what they said got me thinking. Am I really going to live my life alone? Am I really not going to date anyone? When I was young I dreamt of having a family, I also dreamt of being a wife, main reason why I said yes to Carter’s proposal before. Maybe if I didn’t leave, I wasn’t just a wife now, maybe I am a mother too.

I withdrew the thoughts of Carter from my mind. Thinking of him will not help me get through this excruciating pain that I feel in my heart. It will only make me feel worse and I will only relieve the moments we shared which will lead to all the what ifs I could think.

“Liz,” I heard Dylan called my name again. “Are you still there?”

“I’m here,” I answered. “I’ll see you tonight,”

“Okay, see you Liz, I’ll pick you up at 8?”

“Sure,”

“Bye Liz,”

“Bye,”

I push the end button and closed my eyes as I take a deep breath. Maybe Dylan is worth a shot.

 

 

Knock on the door, three times then open it.

I kept saying those words as I walked down the hallway going to the office of Headmistress Jane Montgomery. Her assistant called me and told me that Headmistress would like to have a word with me. I kinda expected this because of how I have been acting towards work last week.

As I reached her office, I knocked on the door three times before opening it. I immediately saw her standing on the glass window as if overlooking the Upper East Side.

“Good morning Headmistress,” I greeted her as cheerfully as I can.

She glanced at me and focused her eyes back on the window.

“Have a seat Ms. Williams,”

I did sit on one of the wooden chairs in front of her desk, the same chair I sat on when she called me to this same office last week.

She took a deep breath as she walks to her table and sat on her leather chair. She was wearing a plum dress long sleeves dress and a pair of black Christian Louboutin high heels. I like how stylist people are here in New York, especially Upper East Side.

“Elizabeth,” she called me.

I kind of wondered why she calls me by my first name cause she never do that. I remained silent as I waited for her to speak.

“I can’t quite figure out what it is that you are going through but lack of focus on your work which can cost someone his