Page 153 of Through My Window
“How do you know?” I ask.
She laughs, and her blue eyes light up.
“I’m very observant, the advantages of being a writer, and, besides, I’ve been there.” I give her a look of disbelief, and she looks away. “Oh, believe me, being the hot guy’s girlfriend is not as great as it sounds. I can’t tell you how many times I found myself wondering if I was enough for him, or what the heck he saw in me when he had so many other options.”
Exactly.
“It’s really easy to put yourself down in a situation like this.” She turns to me. “But the reality is that love isn’t something that’s born and grows based on appearances. It needs substance to be real. Physical attraction can be the beginning of feelings, but it’ll never be enough. It’ll always need that something more, that connection that you can’t get with just anyone.”
I don’t know what to say, so she continues.
“For him, you’re that something more, that connection. Sure, there are people prettier than you, smarter than you, more talented than you, but no one is better or worse than you, and no one is you.” Silence falls between us, but it’s not uncomfortable. I nod and smile at her.
“Thank you. I feel much better.”
“I’m glad.”
“I’m curious,” I begin. “Are you still the girlfriend of that handsome guy?”
“No.” She shakes her head and raises her hand, showing me her ring. “I’m his wife now.”
“Oh wow.” The joy she exudes when she says it is contagious. “You look so happy.”
“I am, but it wasn’t easy at first.”
“I wish I was more mature and didn’t get jealous, but sometimes I can’t help it,” I say. She laughs at my honesty.
“Jealousy is completely normal when you’re in love, but how you act about it is what will tell you if it’s harmful or natural.”
“You sound too wise to be so young.” I snort.
“I told you, I’ve been through a lot, and I think it helped me.”
A car passes by and parks in front of us at a safe distance. The young woman stands and brushes off her pants.
“My ride’s here,” she says.
“Your husband?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. She nods and we stand up.
“I hope I helped.” She smiles again.
“You have, really.”
I catch a movement out of the corner of my eye, and see a man getting out of the car.Virgin of Abdominals!
He’s tall, with dark eyes and messy black hair around his face. He’s wearing a dark blue suit, but the tie is half-loose as if he’s just tucked his fingers behind it, and he has a mysterious, half-hidden tattoo on his neck. The young woman lets out a giggle next to me.
“He’s hot, isn’t he?”
I blush. It wasn’t my intention to look at her husband that way. He walks over to us and looks at her with pure adoration on his face.
“Hello, strawberry,” he says, giving her a quick, short kiss.
She turns her gaze to me.
“Evan, this is Raquel, she works here.” Evan smiles kindly at me, and I see dimples forming on his cheeks.
“I hope my wife didn’t bother you too much,” he says.
