Chapter 2

Right now, I am drinking a cold latte and waiting for Rafaela to come to the restaurant her sister mentioned. I can't believe I am going to see her after all of those years, I wonder how she looks like.

I looked up as I took a sip of the cup and I saw a stunning girl walking in, every guy looked at the door on her foot step, she was beautiful by every meaning of that word. She looked around the booths seeming to be searching for someone, as she was scanning the area she looked at me and stopped. She was looking at me with an intense look, which was really weird if you ask me because I don't even know the girl.

She started to walk towards me, then she had a smile so big on her face and stood right in front of my table.

"DAAVVEEE, I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM SEEING YOU HERE! WHAT A COINCIDENCE!" and then she got in the booth and hugged me.

"Excuse me, do I know you?" I said trying to sound polite but I was over the moon with hugging the hot girl.

"Dave, are you serious? It's Raf, you idiot!" She laughed.

"Raf? Where's the braces? The glasses? Where's that curly hair that I've always lost my pen to?"

"Ew, don't remind me" she started laughing again. "I can't even take a glance at the photos, I looked awful and I have no idea why you were my friend, did you take a good look at me?"

I didn't reply, I hugged her this time and tried to soak in all the memories with that hug, I miss her so much.

"How are you doing, Raf? How's everything?"

"Good good, killing myself over this job, i am always busy. Law job is for real" she moved a little closer to me in the booth. "What brings you to this restaurant? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Actually, yeah. I've been waiting for you. I've ran into Helen, can you believe she works in my brother's company?"

Her eyes grew larger and her body shifted a little bit away from me, i don't know what does that imply, panic?

"Oh really? What a small world." She looked at her watch and said: "Oh, look at the time, my break is ending soon so I must go. It was really nice to run into you, bye" and then hastly tried to walk out without saying another word.

"Wait wait, what do you mean? Let me get your number or something, we need to catch up and hangout."

"Oh, my number...?"

"Yes, your number" I stated again, "you don't want to give it to me? Or will your boyfriend get jealous?"

"What? Of course not! Hand me your phone" she said with a really high pitched voice.

We exchanged numbers and she went back to her work and I drove back to my house.

When I was walking in my mind was reflecting on everything that happened today, i noticed that Raf didn't deny that she had a boyfriend, wow I can't believe she had a boyfriend, in school she never had a boyfriend.

All of this thinking led me to think about Jane, my ex girlfriend. And unfortunately the ex that I am still hung up on.

I can see her instagram and see what she has been up to, no harm right? It's not like I am calling her.

I typed her name and started scrolling down her feed, a lot of pictures with her friends, out, partying, enjoying herself.

What caught my eyes was a particular picture, wait who is that? A guy had his hand around her waist and her head was tilt back as she was laughing, I clicked on the picture and the caption said it all.

"Ain't nobody got a bae like mine"

Bae like mine? She is dating. She has a boyfriend. And here I am sulking waiting for her to return thinking that she will want me back.

I spent the day playing FIFA on my playstation for a while, then I went to my studio. It's been some time since I've come here, I am an artist and I sell paintings for a living. I did a gallery last year and the money I earned from it was very good as I am still spending it till now. I've been meaning to do another one but just after Jane and I broke up I didn't feel like painting.

I paced around the area looking at paintings that I've started and didn't finish, old paintings I didn't want to sell and a lot of white canvas waiting around for me.

Out of anger and confusion I picked up a brush and a color palette and started to mix around acrylics and began to paint.

I didn't feel the day passing as my studio was underground, no windows to show the outside weather, no clock on the wall. The sound of clock's ticking has always bothered me, and I don't like to feel that I don't have enough time to paint, I like to paint with all the time in the world.

After lots of songs, The Beatles, Lewis Capaldi and The Script. I finished my painting.

I went up to my room and had a little nap.

***

I woke up with the weirdest yet strongest resolution ever.

I have to get her back. I don't know how but I am going to.

I booked a ticket was about to book another one for Ben but decided to ask him first. But I am sure he is going to be okay with it.

"How could you think that I am okay with this?"

"What do you mean, Ben?"

"I don't want you to go and I don't want you to drag me with you! What the hell! She moved on buddy, you gotta do the same."

"No! I still love her and she at least has to know that." I said while pacing around his office. He didn't reply and it felt like he forgot I am even here. He was deep in thought, i sat dowm and was about to openmy mouth to speak but he did before me.

"Will you just shut up!! You can't think straight right now and you are my brother and I don't want you to suffer because some girl who doesn't give a shit about you! You keep thinking about her, you refuse to go on dates or you ruin them, you haven't sold a painting since what happened and you don't even behave the same. I don't know how to help you get over her but going to her is a terrible way how."

I didn't respond right away, I didn't know what to say. I need to talk to her and seems like being honest won't do it. Hustle is the way to convince him.

"You are right, absolutely right." I said while getting up from the chair and heading towards him. "And I am aware of everything you just said, I am not going to try and win her back, I just want closure. To discuss what went wrong for the first and last time, to finally get over her and move on." I was sitting in top of his office when I finished my fake speech. He looked up into my eyes and I tried to look as sincere as I could ever be. He broke the eye contact, sighed and said.

"Even if I want to go with you, I can't. Work is pilling up these days. Not everyone works when they want like you, Mister Artist."

In that exact moment walked Helen, immediately an idea popped into my head, my brother and I looked to each other and talked at the same time.

"Raf!"

"Helen!"

"What?" I said.

"Who the hell is Raf!" My brother asked.

"Sir, is there something wrong?" Helen asked not even trying to hide her bewilderment.

"Raf as in Helen's sister, you remember? My highschool best friend, I could ask her to join me and it would be a good time to catch up, wow why didn't I think of that?" I said while walked towards the door, in my mind I already had a plan on motion.

"Okay bye, Ben" I said then left.

She won't agree to go with me if I told her why am I going and she will probably try to talk me out of it. Looks like I have to hustle her as well.