Page 9 of Just One More Shot

Hey! Hope your day is going well. I was thinking maybe we could go to the drive-in to see Grease tonight. I know how much you love that movie.

Elise: It’s been super hectic here today. I'm missing some of my shipment. A movie sounds nice! I should be out of here by 7 pm at the latest. I’ll let you know when I am on the way home. xoxo

Okay sounds good. xoxo

I quickly look up showtimes and the last showing is at 7:30 pm. That should be plenty enough time for her to make it home and then get to the movies. With the okay from El, I purchase the tickets online. I’ll have enough time to go pick up some snacks and wait for her to get home. Now I just have to wait for her to get off work

Elise

It is five minutes till close. I hear the door chime and groan. I was hoping to walk out at 7 pm on the dot because I have a date with Caleigh. Whoa... maybe I should keep those thoughts to myself. This isn’t a date. This is my best friend. It's not like we haven’t gone to the movies together a hundred times before. She probably just thinks this is an experimental phase. I push my thoughts aside and put the box I am working on down and go to the front to greet the customer.

When I get to the front desk, I stop in my tracks. I stare dead at Nick. His hair is disheveled, and it looks like he hasn’t slept in days.

“We need to talk,” he says.

“What could we possibly have to talk about Nick?”

He looks down at his feet and says “I want to talk about us. I miss you. I miss us.” He waits a moment before he looks up at me.

I am shocked and say “I don’t think you miss me. Did the little tramp dump you after she realized you are a cheater? Or wait, did you realize you fucked up because I was the one paying for everything? Or… was it because you realized I loved you and would do anything for you and she wouldn’t put up with your shit?” I realize I'm getting pissed and about to cry. I don’t need him seeing me like that, so I just shut my lips.

“I am sorry Elise. I know I fucked up. I don’t know what I was thinking. I really do miss you. Is there any way you could forgive me? Is there any way we can move on from this?” I stare at him like he has lost his mind.

“Absolutely not. You have some nerve coming in here asking that of me. I could never forgive you for something like that.” He looks at me with those sappy puppy dog eyes like it's going to make me change my mind. “Actually, you know what? I’ll go ahead and rip the Band-Aid off. I have moved on. I am being treated better than you have ever treated me, mentally and physically.”

His eyes widen “You have already moved on that fast?”

I sigh “Yes, I have. Don’t look shocked. At least I was out of a relationship before I opened my legs.” I look up at the clock. It's ten after seven now. “You need to leave. I am going to be late for my date.”

I go to push him out of the door and he says “Who is he? Do I know him?” I laugh to myself because he would die if he knew I was talking about Caleigh.

“That is none of your business. Have a shitty day.” I slam the door in his face and lock it.

I look at the clock again, “Fuck!” Caleigh is going to kill me. I grab my purse and keys as I run out the back door to lock up and race home.

There was a fender bender on my way home. So, by the time I get to the apartment it's 7:50 pm. As I am running up the steps, Caleigh is walking out the front door.

“I was about to come up to the bookstore to check on you. I thought maybe you got busy or were standing me up.”

I look at her and gasp “Cal, why would I stand you up? We live together. Wouldn’t that be kind of awkward?”

She puts her hands in her face and sighs. “Yeah, I know that sounds silly. My anxiety is just getting the best of me. What happened?”

“So uh, Nick stopped by and held me up. Then I got stuck in traffic because there was a wreck right before I got to our road.” Caleigh just stares at me for a moment.

“Why did Nick stop by? Are you talking to him again?” She spits out.

“No, Cal. I am not talking to Nick again. He stopped by because he said we needed to talk.” She throws her hands up and stalks towards the apartment. “Caleigh! Would you just stop for a second? You didn’t let me finish what I was saying.”

She spins around with her hands on her waist, cheeks red with anger.

“I told him we had nothing to talk about. That I am over him. I also might've told him I moved on.”

She drops her hands and her face falls. “What do you mean you told him you moved on?"

I run my hand over my face then look her in her eyes. “I told him that I moved on with someone that treats me better than he ever did, mentally and physically.”

I can tell she wants to smile but she schools her expression “Oh.” She says.

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