~A Once and Again Series~
Now and Then
In this chapter, we get a flashback of a different kind-we get a look into why Dimitri ever married Angelina in the first place. Thanks for reading, as always.
Chapter 15//You Give Love a Bad Name
Just as their kisses began to get heated, August pulled away. Grace looked at him in confusion.
"Grace, I shouldn't. We shouldn't."
Grace looked intently into his eyes, "No, we SHOULD. We should have done this a long time ago."
August shook his head, "No.. I mean, I married now, Grace."
Grace nodded, "I know, but this just feels so right. I can look past the fact that you're married."
"You might be able to look past it, Grace," August said sadly, "But I can't."
Grace looked down, at where his arms were still wrapped around her waist. August noticed them, and let out a tortured laugh, moving his hands away from her. "It may be very hard, but I know I have to do what is fair to my wife."
"What about what is fair to me?" Grace asked.
"Oh, Grace, don't you see that I want to.. that I want to so bad," August paused, and took a deep breath. "But I can't. I just can't do that to Angelina."
"Then why did you ever invite me here in the first place?" Grace asked, accusingly.
August sighed, "Because I thought maybe I COULD. I thought maybe I could cheat on my wife, but now.. I know I can't, no matter how much I want to."
Grace nodded and stood up, "I'll go, then." She looked at him, giving him time to object. But he didn't.
August watched her go and his head fell into his hands and he thought. He thought of Angelina.
(memory flashback***)
August pulled on her hand, "Come on."
Angelina giggled, using one hand to hold onto her hat, "I can't, Auggie!"
August didn't listen to her words and pulled his girlfriend further down the beach. The warm sand sifted between his toes and the hot sun was already creating new freckles on his skin. "You'll love it!"
Angelina laughed again, and picked up her pace. Pretty soon the two of them were running down the beach, scaring up landed seagulls. The beach was empty except for them. August was surprised no one else had discovered this secret little beach spot besides them yet. It was like a little piece of heaven.
"Where are we going?" Angelina asked as they ran down the beach. August reached for her hand again, holding it as they made their way further down the beach.
"Here," August said, coming to a stop. Here, the water wasn't as rocky and the current wasn't as strong. It was perfect for a nice little dip. "Let's go swimming."
"No!" Angelina cried, laughing, she let her hat fall off and land on the sandy beach. Her blond hair swirled around her face, making her more beautiful than usual. "You know I don't swim!"
"I know you've said you don't swim.. but what you say and what you do are two different things," August began to pull her towards the water.
"No!" Angelina laughed, "I'll get my clothes wet!"
"Then take them off!" August said, looking at her seductively.
"You know I'm not wearing a swimsuit!"
"Then we'll go in our underwear!" August pulled his shirt off, and to his girlfriend's dismay, pulled off his shorts too, exposing his gray boxer- briefs. "Come on!"
Angelina giggled and ran up the beach away from him, but August could run faster and he caught her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and threatened, "I'll just have to throw you in then!"
"No! No!" Angelina wiggled out of his arms and smiled. "Alright, I'll do it." She pulled off her tank top and shorts, revealing her matching black underwear. "But I'll get you back for this, someday!"
August smiled and took her hand and then both made their way into the chilly water. As they got waist high, August reached over and took her into his arms. He kissed her shivering lips and soon they both were plenty warm.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Angelina cried as August urged her further out.
"Oh, f*ck, it's cold!" Angelina whimpered.
August took her into his arms again, this time the water was all the way up to their shoulders. He kissed her and pulled back, looking at her intently. Angelina looked back at him, her smile dazzling.
Then August sunk under the water and Angelina cried out in shock. "Auggie! August, get back up here!"
August rose back up to the surface, his face dripping with water.
"What were doing, you crazy son of a bitch?" Angelina cried, slapping him on the shoulder, "You scared me!"
August grinned, slicked back his long wet hair, which was hanging in his face. He reached for her hands under the water and took them in his own. "I was trying to get down on one knee. You're supposed to get down on one knee when you propose."
Angelina's mouth hung open with surprise.
"But I guess we'll have to make do without that. Angelina, will you marry me?"
Angelina shook her head in disbelief, "How can you ask me that?"
"You're supposed to say either yes or no."
Angelina studied him, and after a long pause, "Yes, you crazy f*ck, yes!"
(***end of memory flashback)
August picked up the phone. He had to talk to Angelina. He shouldn't have ever invited Grace back to his house. He knew what he was doing, but he had just thought.. He just hadn't been thinking clearly. August loved Angelina, he did. Sometimes he forgot that. But now it had all come back to him so strongly. He had to talk to her - he had to hear her voice. Then, he would see he was doing the right thing. Then he could forget about Grace.
August dialed her cell phone number. It rang and rang. Finally a recorded message came on saying that the number he was trying to reach was unavailable at this time. Angelina had her phone off. August slammed the phone back in the receiver with frustration.
* * *
"Grace, I'm so glad you decided to come back home," Lily said to her daughter.
Grace nodded, and began unpacking the bags she had brought back from Eli's apartment. Her mother watched her from the doorway to the garage apartment. "Are things okay between us?"
Grace looked up at her mother, "Yes, they are."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lily asked.
"About what?"
"About him.. Mr. Dimitri," Lily explained.
Grace looked at her mother carefully, "What do you mean? Is this about the class, because I thought you said--"
"No, it's not about the class. It's about you and HIM." Lily moved closer to Grace. "I heard that he was married."
"Oh," Grace looked away from her mother's pitying face, pained. "Of course you did."
"I know this most hurt you. Even though I never accepted your relationship with him, you can talk to me about how you feel about this."
Grace turned her back on her mother and rolled her eyes. That was the last thing she wanted to do right now. "Mom.. I don't need to talk about it. It's fine. I'm fine."
"Alright, sweetie. I'm just glad you're back. Dinner will be ready in an hour." Lily left the garage, closing the door behind her. Grace collapsed on her bed, in her hand a book she had taken out of one of her bags. The book HE had given her.
Grace opened the book, and turned to the inscription, reading it, painfully:
For the girl with the loneliest eyes,
Love Always,
August
* * *
Now and Then
In this chapter, we get a flashback of a different kind-we get a look into why Dimitri ever married Angelina in the first place. Thanks for reading, as always.
Chapter 15//You Give Love a Bad Name
Just as their kisses began to get heated, August pulled away. Grace looked at him in confusion.
"Grace, I shouldn't. We shouldn't."
Grace looked intently into his eyes, "No, we SHOULD. We should have done this a long time ago."
August shook his head, "No.. I mean, I married now, Grace."
Grace nodded, "I know, but this just feels so right. I can look past the fact that you're married."
"You might be able to look past it, Grace," August said sadly, "But I can't."
Grace looked down, at where his arms were still wrapped around her waist. August noticed them, and let out a tortured laugh, moving his hands away from her. "It may be very hard, but I know I have to do what is fair to my wife."
"What about what is fair to me?" Grace asked.
"Oh, Grace, don't you see that I want to.. that I want to so bad," August paused, and took a deep breath. "But I can't. I just can't do that to Angelina."
"Then why did you ever invite me here in the first place?" Grace asked, accusingly.
August sighed, "Because I thought maybe I COULD. I thought maybe I could cheat on my wife, but now.. I know I can't, no matter how much I want to."
Grace nodded and stood up, "I'll go, then." She looked at him, giving him time to object. But he didn't.
August watched her go and his head fell into his hands and he thought. He thought of Angelina.
(memory flashback***)
August pulled on her hand, "Come on."
Angelina giggled, using one hand to hold onto her hat, "I can't, Auggie!"
August didn't listen to her words and pulled his girlfriend further down the beach. The warm sand sifted between his toes and the hot sun was already creating new freckles on his skin. "You'll love it!"
Angelina laughed again, and picked up her pace. Pretty soon the two of them were running down the beach, scaring up landed seagulls. The beach was empty except for them. August was surprised no one else had discovered this secret little beach spot besides them yet. It was like a little piece of heaven.
"Where are we going?" Angelina asked as they ran down the beach. August reached for her hand again, holding it as they made their way further down the beach.
"Here," August said, coming to a stop. Here, the water wasn't as rocky and the current wasn't as strong. It was perfect for a nice little dip. "Let's go swimming."
"No!" Angelina cried, laughing, she let her hat fall off and land on the sandy beach. Her blond hair swirled around her face, making her more beautiful than usual. "You know I don't swim!"
"I know you've said you don't swim.. but what you say and what you do are two different things," August began to pull her towards the water.
"No!" Angelina laughed, "I'll get my clothes wet!"
"Then take them off!" August said, looking at her seductively.
"You know I'm not wearing a swimsuit!"
"Then we'll go in our underwear!" August pulled his shirt off, and to his girlfriend's dismay, pulled off his shorts too, exposing his gray boxer- briefs. "Come on!"
Angelina giggled and ran up the beach away from him, but August could run faster and he caught her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and threatened, "I'll just have to throw you in then!"
"No! No!" Angelina wiggled out of his arms and smiled. "Alright, I'll do it." She pulled off her tank top and shorts, revealing her matching black underwear. "But I'll get you back for this, someday!"
August smiled and took her hand and then both made their way into the chilly water. As they got waist high, August reached over and took her into his arms. He kissed her shivering lips and soon they both were plenty warm.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Angelina cried as August urged her further out.
"Oh, f*ck, it's cold!" Angelina whimpered.
August took her into his arms again, this time the water was all the way up to their shoulders. He kissed her and pulled back, looking at her intently. Angelina looked back at him, her smile dazzling.
Then August sunk under the water and Angelina cried out in shock. "Auggie! August, get back up here!"
August rose back up to the surface, his face dripping with water.
"What were doing, you crazy son of a bitch?" Angelina cried, slapping him on the shoulder, "You scared me!"
August grinned, slicked back his long wet hair, which was hanging in his face. He reached for her hands under the water and took them in his own. "I was trying to get down on one knee. You're supposed to get down on one knee when you propose."
Angelina's mouth hung open with surprise.
"But I guess we'll have to make do without that. Angelina, will you marry me?"
Angelina shook her head in disbelief, "How can you ask me that?"
"You're supposed to say either yes or no."
Angelina studied him, and after a long pause, "Yes, you crazy f*ck, yes!"
(***end of memory flashback)
August picked up the phone. He had to talk to Angelina. He shouldn't have ever invited Grace back to his house. He knew what he was doing, but he had just thought.. He just hadn't been thinking clearly. August loved Angelina, he did. Sometimes he forgot that. But now it had all come back to him so strongly. He had to talk to her - he had to hear her voice. Then, he would see he was doing the right thing. Then he could forget about Grace.
August dialed her cell phone number. It rang and rang. Finally a recorded message came on saying that the number he was trying to reach was unavailable at this time. Angelina had her phone off. August slammed the phone back in the receiver with frustration.
* * *
"Grace, I'm so glad you decided to come back home," Lily said to her daughter.
Grace nodded, and began unpacking the bags she had brought back from Eli's apartment. Her mother watched her from the doorway to the garage apartment. "Are things okay between us?"
Grace looked up at her mother, "Yes, they are."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lily asked.
"About what?"
"About him.. Mr. Dimitri," Lily explained.
Grace looked at her mother carefully, "What do you mean? Is this about the class, because I thought you said--"
"No, it's not about the class. It's about you and HIM." Lily moved closer to Grace. "I heard that he was married."
"Oh," Grace looked away from her mother's pitying face, pained. "Of course you did."
"I know this most hurt you. Even though I never accepted your relationship with him, you can talk to me about how you feel about this."
Grace turned her back on her mother and rolled her eyes. That was the last thing she wanted to do right now. "Mom.. I don't need to talk about it. It's fine. I'm fine."
"Alright, sweetie. I'm just glad you're back. Dinner will be ready in an hour." Lily left the garage, closing the door behind her. Grace collapsed on her bed, in her hand a book she had taken out of one of her bags. The book HE had given her.
Grace opened the book, and turned to the inscription, reading it, painfully:
For the girl with the loneliest eyes,
Love Always,
August
* * *