This wasn't going to be posted until school holidays in my mass update, because I'm still on hiatus, but Mel asked so nicely for me to post it. Here you go then Mel, this one's for you.
All I own is the idea.
August 28th.
"Day by day nothing seems to change, but pretty soon everything is different."
If I had to choose one quote to sum up my life, that would be it.
Every day, I'd wake up and wonder what it would be like to do something interesting. Sure, I was headed towards my dream job with almost no chance of being turned down, but I was heading through a rough spot too. Back then, I was only in one or two cities a month, instead of the usual five to eight. Back then, I was training for only four hours a day, on four to five days a week as opposed to my usual six hours, seven days routine. Back then, people in my training ground were losing interest and heart when it came to what they did. I was the best, but I had no-one to challenge me. Back then, was when I met him.
He's changed so much since last time I saw him. When we met, he was such a gentleman… He was so sweet, so kind. But, he's changed. You know, it doesn't surprise me. I've never had much luck with men. All of them have either dumped me for someone else or blatantly cheated on me with some blonde bimbo who can barely do so much as spell her own name.
It's funny actually. People like me, born in November, are meant to be careful and cautious and to love deeply. I can't deny that I love deeply. I'm not one to cheat or to break someone's heart. I find someone and I stick with them. Careful and cautious however, don't seem to be the best words to describe me. If I were careful, I never would have dated those men who broke my hearts. If I were careful, I never would have ended up at the bottom of those stairs. If I were cautious, I would have realised earlier that they weren't the ones for me. If I were cautious, I never would have let him buy me a drink.
If I were careful and cautious, none of this would have happened.
--
Four weeks previous
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Melissa looked up from her new position on the ground, having just been knocked off the bottom stair on her way up. "I should really watch where I'm going."
The blonde standing above her just laughed. "No, it's my fault, I'm in a hurry. Here, let me help you." He offered his hand, which Melissa gladly took, and pulled her to her feet. He smiled at Melissa, who was clad in jeans and a plain black shirt despite the hot summer weather.
Melissa smiled back awkwardly, taking in all the details of the blonde. His hair rested on his shoulders and his bright blue eyes shone. He was in denim shorts and a wife beater, with flip-flops on his feet. He looked familiar, but Melissa couldn't place where she'd seen him.
"Again, I'm really sorry." Melissa looked at him.
"Don't worry about it." He glanced at his watch. "Damn, I better go. See you 'round!"
"I'm-." Melissa began, but stopped as he raced out the front door of the hotel, waving a last goodbye. With a small smile on her face, Melissa trudged up the stairs to her hotel room.
-
Shrugging her jacket higher on her shoulders, Melissa stepped into the club later that night. It was against her diet to drink, but she trained so much that a few drinks every now and again wouldn't hurt. Stepping up to the bar, she ordered a Southern and Coke. Something simple to start the night off. She sat and drank quietly as a fast-paced song started and a few young couples made their way to the middle of the large room, dancing out of time to the music.
Downing the last of her glass, she turned back and ordered another, brushing her dark hair off her face. She regretted wearing the jacket; the club was packed, and hot.
"Why don't you go have a dance?" The bartender offered as a slower song came over the speakers. "Surely a pretty young lady like you has a date?"
Taking a mouthful of her second drink, Melissa shook her head. "No date for me tonight."
"Why not? Men would be swarming around if they knew you were single. Or, is there a special someone who didn't want to come here?"
"My last boyfriend left me for someone else. Women want lots of things from the one man; men want one thing from lots of women." Melissa took a larger mouthful, almost draining her glass. "Why waste my time?"
The bartender took her glass, topping it up. "Now don't be like that. There's someone out there for you, sweetie."
"Right. I'll let you know when I find him." Melissa stood and turned quickly, heading towards the centre of the room, which had been turned into a dance floor.
"Watch-!" The bartender began, but too late.
Melissa was knocked off her feet for the second time that day. People bustled around; not paying attention to the young woman sprawled on the floor. She looked up and laughed when she realised who she'd ran into.
"I hope you don't intend on making this a habit."
The blonde shook his head, also laughing. "Of course not." He took her hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Uh, we really didn't get introduced earlier. I'm Melissa." She said, after making sure that she was steady on her feet.
"I'm Zack; it's nice to meet you. Can I buy you a drink?" He held out his hand to her and, smiling, she took it. He led her back to the bar, avoiding all the dancing couples, and ordered two drinks. As the bartender handed them over, he gave Melissa a knowing look.
"There's someone for everyone." He said quietly while Zack dug through his wallet for the correct change. "You just have to look in the right place."
--
Two weeks after we met we went on our first official "date". I use quotation marks there because we weren't really boyfriend and girlfriend, but just good friends after only a few weeks. We went to the sweetest little restaurant, and afterwards we went to the beach.
I didn't realise until then, when we were lying in the sand under the setting sun how much I liked him. He was funny, friendly, and cute, he knew how to make me smile and he was just a really nice guy. Sure, I knew we were really good friends, but I liked him more than that. I wasn't game enough to tell him then though. Not when we were enjoying each other's company like we were. I didn't want to ruin anything, like I had in the past. Yeah, bad boyfriend history, remember?
But, like everything else in my life, that didn't go as planned either.
--
"What's going through your mind?" Zack murmured, running his hand through the sand by his side.
"Nothing." Melissa sighed, sitting up. "I have to leave next week."
"That's okay," Zack smiled, "We can keep in touch."
Melissa nodded, not really believe that once she went back to her normal life- well, as normal as it got- she'd have the time. She'd never told Zack what she did for a living.
"Wanna swim?" Zack offered, sitting up beside her.
Pulling off her shirt, Melissa nodded her consent. In the hot weather it was natural for her to wear swimmers under her clothes. Zack followed her lead, throwing his shirt in the sand next to hers. Melissa didn't worry about taking her jeans shorts off; she just threw her shoes down as she ran towards the surf, Zack right behind her.
Melissa let the waves pull her away from the shore, wet sand pooling around her feet and wet hair sticking to her face. Zack dived under the water and surfaced behind her, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her backwards.
Giggling, both of them splashed their way back up to the surface, Melissa pushing Zack away from her.
"What's wrong? A little scared?" Zack called as Melissa attempted to swim out of his reach.
Melissa didn't reply, but squealed happily as he grabbed her waist and began to wiggle his fingers at her side.
"C'mon," Zack laughed, "admit you were scared and I'll stop tickling."
"No! Zack…" Melissa cried in between breaths of air as Zack continued his relentless assault on her sides. "I won't!"
The blonde shrugged and lifted her up, holding her slightly above the surf. A wave washed over them and she was pulled out of his grasp. He struggled against the wave for a moment, holding her around the waist as he fell backwards, laughing.
Melissa smiled as she helped him to his feet in the water, almost falling on top of him again.
"You might wanna watch what you're doing. You've knocked me over twice already today." Melissa said loudly, so she could be heard over the crashing waves.
"I will." Zack replied, paying more attention to her lips than the conversation. "Melissa…"
She raised her eyebrows and looked up, thoughtful hazel eyes staring into blue. "Yeah?"
Zack opened and closed his mouth before shaking his head. "Don't worry."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Zack smiled. "Nothing is wrong."
Melissa shook her head. "You were going to say something, and I think I know what it was."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Melissa murmured. "This."
Reaching up, she put her hand behind Zack's head, pulling him down and covering his lips with her own.
--
"Day by day nothing seems to change, but pretty soon everything is different."
There you go Mel, chapter one.
Review.
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