Catherine

It seems like whenever I start thinking that everything's going to be alright, life makes a fool out of me for expecting too much.

Maybe my mother was cursed before I was even born by some old lady who refused to pay for what she ate at her restaurant.

At least that reason would've been acceptable.

Looking up from my plate full of what I could only assume was some kind of fancy piece of tuna, I contemplated on what my comeback would be after he said the words that would eventually end this farce.

Come to think of it, I don't even like tuna.

"It's not you, it's me."

Seriously?

If I were in some heavy drama, I would have stood up, had a stare down with him, slapped him after some line about him regretting this, and left with opera music. Or a choir singing I Will Survive.

Of all the words he could have said to me, he chose that line?

"It's just that you've been so busy and we barely see each other-"

"That's why you slept with my sister?" I asked, fixing my glasses on the bridge of my nose.

I just couldn't bear with it anymore. The last one had the dignity to tell me straight up that I was boring. That it felt like dating his grandma and he was tired of it.

Glen on the other hand, made me feel special. Made me feel like I actually had a shot at this.

Of course the illusion of finally having someone vanished when I saw him sticking his tongue down my sister's throat.

Oh they didn't know I was there. Glen's an engineer and was on site when I decided to play sweet little girlfriend and surprise him.

I walked on the tent the crew told me was Glen's and voilà!

There they were. My sister's skirt hiked up on her waist while Glen's hand was somewhere else. I couldn't see but I sure as hell could tell where it was. So I backed up slowly and drove back to my office like I spent money on watching an awful movie.

So much for three months.

Well at least it lasted for three months. That's quite something already.

I smirked, seeing Glen's ears turn pink. I didn't catch them actually doing it but only an idiot would assume that they would stop after the touchy-feely stage.

"I...I tried to stop her before but-"

"Wait what? What do you mean by before? She tried seducing you before and you didn't tell me before. So you're telling me this...now?" I stared at him as his ears turned as red as his tie.

"You weren't there okay? I needed you and you just wouldn't let me touch you." He said, looking at his plate.

"I let you kiss me." I winced. Good grace, I sounded like a schoolgirl.

He grimaced.

"Yeah, you let me kiss you. On our fifth f*cking date. I mean who does that? Who still does that? Oh I know who! You. Because you're too stuck up with those books that you read every f*cking day. Nobody's going to wait that long anymore, Catherine. If you love me, you show me." He was pressing a finger on the table like what he said can convince me to give in.

"By what Glen? By getting naked? By getting it on at work?" I put my fork down and looked at him straight in the eye.

"That's one way. Look baby, we can work this out. You just have to loosen up a little. Let me touch you, love you. You'll like it, I promise." He tried reaching for my hands but I calmly placed them on my lap.

"No Glen. This isn't going to work. You already screwed my sister. What do you think this is? Buy-one-take-one? If your idea of loving me is only getting between my legs then I guess it really is you and not me. I may be stuck up but I respected your schedule, your work, I listen to you whine about your problems but did I complain? No. Because you were important to me. I respected you. You said you understood. That you can wait. Well if this how we're going to be until I give in to your request, I'm sorry. I'd rather be stuck-up and read all day than be with you, and think that you're making out with some girl just because I said no." I got up, nodded at him, and placed a couple of bills on the table for the food I ate. I'm single, might as well act like it.

I was almost at the door when a woman entered the restaurant.

You know, the kind of woman that can make heads turn. She was wearing a black dress, making people draw their eyes towards her cleavage, and her curves. I looked down at myself and winced. I just had to wear a grey suit. This kind of attire wouldn't make Glen feel like he lost something that can be the best thing he could ever have. Glen might be thinking he just dodged a bullet. I looked up to see that the other men were looking at her.

She just couldn't wait for even a minute until I could at least step out?

"Audrey." Not wanting to look like a bitter lemon, I gave her a small smile.

"Catherine!" She smiled at me, but didn't even pause for a short exchange of pleasantries. Instead, she continued her stride, her eyes fixed on someone straight ahead.

I risked a glance and saw her kissing Glen full on the lips. The guy had the audacity to look me in the eye afterwards.

Well that was guy number three that she took.

I wasn't mad at her really. I accepted it long ago that people have free will. They will do as they please. Or whatever benefits them.

Glen decided that Audrey would please him and I was too much of a logical, reasonable woman to scream at their faces and call them cheaters. Maybe I didn't want him bad enough. Besides, who can say no to Audrey Wright?

Audrey was blonde and blue-eyed. Face of an angel. Sweet voice and all. Prettiest face to walk the planet. Queen of all things fabulous. The whole package.

While I, Catherine of Mrs. Johnson's Apartments and Office Space for Rent/Lease was the goofy one. I had to wear glasses early because I literally could spend hours locked in my room, reading. My brain can take all the information but my eyes can't. So by the age of nine, I was called 'four eyes'.

Classic bully insult.

That didn't stop me from staying up just to finish a good book.

Audrey always was the one to get a pat on the head. Was always the one who got attention without even trying. While I was patted on the shoulder. You can see the difference from there.

As I said, I'm not mad at her.

At a young age, I knew that a person's success depended on his outlook in life. So instead of feeling sorry for myself, I accepted the fact that I'm not going to be noticed like how people notice Audrey. I pounded it in my head that I may be noticed for something else. I never was a fan of the pity card.

I studied. Not really having the time to go out. My parents were concerned. My sister and I were like fire and ice. Audrey being the warm glow that attracted people while I was the one who isolated myself from everyone. I didn't intend to do that. I wanted friends. But who would want to talk to a girl who talks nonstop about wars and knights. Nobody would understand.

As years passed, I conditioned myself to interact with people without both parties establishing some sort of connection. I never smiled but I was never rude. It just felt like if I smiled, people would think I'm assuming we can be friends. And it scared me.

Friends were for Audrey.

Achievements were for Catherine.

My shyness was misinterpreted as me being cold. And my awkwardness was called being withdrawn.

I can get into a meeting with fellow employees without them really knowing me...

I was okay with that.

People, especially men wouldn't notice me the way they notice Audrey.

And I was okay with that.

I might end up as a cat lady.

I was ok - I'm working on being okay with that.

I read books about everlasting love that can go against all odds. I read them almost everyday. But I was never the one to believe it could happen to me.

I'm a book enthusiast, I had my mind set that what happens in books wouldn't happen in real life. I thought I had it with Glen. I was wrong. Romance books were portals to places where heartaches didn't last long and everything will be alright in the end.

Life has a book too.

It's called reality.

And reality will make you realize that nothing, and I mean nothing, can go as planned. Sure, it's going to make you think that you can have your way, but then it'll laugh and slap you hard and shout 'Just kidding!'.

I have plans though. And I have this habit of having reminders.

They're called reality checks.

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