key of mind

Door opened and closed

"What happened?"

"I know it's midnight there, but you know you're the only one..."

"Get to the point." His friend interrupted over the phone.

"She asked me to kiss her, and I didn't want to, now she's asking why. Fuck. What's worse is, you can't imagine how much I want it. But not like this. Not to make that idiot jealous. And today I joined their little game without realizing how stupid I am, driven by my emotions."

"what did you do?"

"Thinking he would get the point, I let him know that Serenity is not a given and that she has value. She has, just the idiot couldn't see it."

"This is the first time I've heard you talk like this. I think you've fallen for her," his friend reacted, laughing.

"I liked her when I was young, when I saw her again after so long in that bar, and now not only do I like her, but I feel like she's mine."

"Just tell her. You've been holding it in for too long."

"No, I'm just going to leave."

"William!" Two breaths were heard; he didn't respond, and with a quiet "hello," their conversation ended. He was too stubborn to be persuaded.

"William." Galini called out from inside, and he came out immediately.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." She said without looking at him. Once she calmed down, she explained, "I just didn't understand why you got angry. Anyway, I shouldn't have asked you."

He didn't say anything again, went to the kitchen, and made himself a cup of coffee. For the first time, he was so silent, resembling a silent, hidden quarrel. But after a few hours, both were calmer. Her phone rang, and Gianna suggested they go for a drink. Galini declined, saying she had some translations to do, but surprising them, William wanted to go out.

Another call came after two and a half hours when Galini was alone.

"Galini, William has been drinking, and since I've had a few drinks too and I don't want to drive, can you come pick us up?" Galini couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him. For the first time, her friend wasn't flawless.

It had been an hour and a half since he entered the bathroom, and she had started to worry. She knocked on the door, but since there was no response, she decided to open it.

"William! Are you okay?" she asked, peering in, although she had already caught a glimpse of his abs through the semi-transparent white shower curtain.

"Oh, what happened? I fell asleep in the bathtub."

"I got anxious," she replied.

He exited the bathroom, and as they were talking, Elias called her. Before William could see her answering, he left. That night, he spoke again with his friend, telling him that no matter how much of a swinishness he was, he couldn't handle all this and would leave.

The next night, he packed his things in a suitcase and left at dawn as he had decided. It was a move without any logic. When Galini got up after three hours and didn't find him in his bed, she felt the strangest feeling. She didn't realize it immediately, but deep down, she knew he had left for good. Something in his behavior these past two days was like a warning. She went to check the closets, and indeed, he was right.

The doorbell rang, and she rushed to open it.

"William."

"No, it's Elias," he said, opening the door, slightly annoyed.

"Oh. Don't tell me you've come about the stocks?"

"No, I wanted to talk." He told her as she furrowed her brows.

"I want us to get back together."

"What? And what about your girlfriend?"

"There's no one else, I only want you."

"Elias, it's not the time now. I have a lot on my mind; we'll talk another time." This was her last sentence before she closed the door of her house, and all this was happening without her realizing it. She was playing a scene, and she was on the outside.

"Alexandra."

"It's me!"

"You don't know how glad I am to hear you."

"And I am too, my love. Has something happened?"

"I don't know, probably a lot. I want to come see you."

"Is it so important that you can only share it with me?"

"All my friends are so good, but only with you can I share anything I want."

"I've just come to my cottage, and it's far from my house. To come to Sounio, you'll need half a day."

"It doesn't matter; I haven't come for years. It will be the best for me."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

"I'll come in two days."

Elias called often, but Galini didn't answer. All this was like a bomb that had gone off. Now she had him, and his eyes seemed different, but she didn't know if she wanted him back. She had lived without him, and these three months had indeed been better. On the other hand, she worried about Angelo, who called him and didn't answer, who couldn't think of anything else at the moment.