Hold Your Stare

I’m picking you up at 7PM.

Another text from Alain.

Man, he is REALLY into me.

Alain was not her main priority tonight. Sure, she kissed him last night and yes, he was taking her tonight to a concert, but there’s something else, or someone else, in her mind. She felt a pang of guilt for not letting Alain be her main focus, but she couldn’t help it, how could she not be enganged when she was about to meet the love of her life, or her former love of her life, Cat was still confused on this one.

She couldn’t help but reach for her most stunning black dress with silver sequins combined with her silk stilletos, she knew she looked gorgeous. Without a doubt, she reached for a set of white pearls which Paris gave a while back for her birthday. She was ready.

Walking towards the kitchen, she reached for her Irish whisky and poured a little to her glass with ice.

For luck.

Her phone rang.

“Hi Soph, wish me luck tonight OK?” answered Cat.

“Wish you luck with who? The handsome boss or your lucious ex?” teased Sophie.

“Oh shut up Sophie, you know who I mean. How was meeting the parents last night?” asked Cat, just for the sake of it.

“Cat, please, I know you’re not interested in that, so spare me the chit chat will you? But I am caling you to remind you to look drop dead gorgeous and to have fun tonight,” said Sophie knowing that her best friend had probably already done that.

“I will Soph, thanks so much. I’ll call you later tonight OK? Alain is here so I better go before he drags me out,” replied Cat while peeking from her window.

“Ooo, it’s Alain now is it? OK I’ll stop teasing you and let you go, see ya!” chuckled Sophie.

“See ya Soph!”

Cat closed the phone and slowly reached for her front door. One last time she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

See you soon Paris.

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Alain didn’t know what he was doing that night. He sat next to Cat, his hands were cold.

What was I thinking confronting Cat to her old flame?!

All he knew was if Cat was to be with him, he wanted her all to himself and not to be thinking of some old love whom, noted, left her without a trace.  Maybe that was why he took her to this concert, to reassure himself that Cat was over Paris and was ready for him. Cat was still innocently sure that Paris and Alain were total strangers to each other.

The lights darkened, one man standing highlighted by the spotlight stood in the centre of the stage. A violin in one hand. Then there he began the show.

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After the show, Alain and Cat made their way to the after-show cocktail party. Cat was nervous, nervous as hell. She excused herself to the ladies room then locked herself in one of the compartments. She still couldn’t believe her ears from what Paris had just said at the end of his performance.

“And I will close this beautiful night with a song personally close to my heart. A song for all of you here and especially for a beautiful someone who captured my heart a long time ago. Dedicated to her, Beau Soir ladies and gentlemen,” announced Paris confidently.

The wall she built to keep Paris out of her life crumbled down immediately. Her heart was beating fast and her head once again spinned crazily.

Pull yourself together Cat.

She chanted those words inside her head again and again, yet she could still feel her cheeks redden. As she made her way out, in the corner of her eyes she saw what seemed to be her date of the night talking to someone, she slowly made her way to the wall in front of her, ready to eavesdrop.

“Good to see you man. You haven’t changed a bit have you!” asked Alain.

“Let’s not pretend we’re good friends OK? We’ve never been one. So, what, you guys are dating now?” a voice replied.

“Woaaa dude, are we still on this? I thought this “war” ended when you ditched her seven years ago?” Alain responded calmly.

“Nice one Alain, you lied to me?” Cat snapped, she just couldn’t hold it anymore.

Two sets of eyes stared at her, one was so familiar that she blocked Alain who was panickly trying to explain the situation. She could feel the chemistry they once felt, it all came back in a matter of seconds. All she wanted to do was to be in his arms, to hold his hands and just talk forever with him. She blushed as those thoughts ran through her mind.

“...please don’t think less of me Cat, I just...I just...like you...a lot...” stammered Alain.

“Uhmm, uhmm...I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have disturbed...” Cat said feeling like a fool.

“Cathleen...” Paris could only mutter that one word before Cat ran and disappeared through the back door.