16: Don't Break Twice

After an exciting and stressful week at work, it was finally Friday night. Max and I were out for dinner at a local Italian restaurant and were catching up with each other on the week's events.

"And then, she shouted at me for not having the dress she wanted in beige. As if it was my fault that the shop didn't stock that particular colour" Max laughed.

I shook my head "I don't know how you do it. Working in retail is tough, there are so many mean customers out there"

"It's not all bad. But you do get the odd customer here and there complaining about one thing or another" he shrugged off.

The restaurant air was filled with sweet fragrances swirling around. I was luckily our food had already arrived, otherwise my stomach would have been growling at the sweet smells around me. The air filled with chatter, couples smiling and laughing as they relaxed with their other halves . Families were together, smiling away getting ready for the weekend ahead.

"Any word on those jobs you applied for?" I asked, swirling around the spaghetti in my fork.

"I've had a couple of interviews this week but not heard anything back"

"I've got my fingers and toes crossed for you"

"How's your work been?" he asked, munching on his ariebetta.

"Oh, I totally forgot to tell you the latest" I grinned, dropping my fork to tell him all about the work trip. "Our company has an office in Scotland and it's their first anniversary since they've opened, so they've invited some staff members over to have a party"

"That sounds great. Are you going to go?"

I nodded "I'm thinking about it. I feel like it's such a great opportunity, I would love the chance to go to a place like Scotland. I've heard it's a beautiful place"

"You'd be silly not to take that opportunity. I say you should go for it"

"I think I will. I'm getting excited just thinking about it now" I grinned.

"Is there a lot of people from your office going?"

"Yeah, there's a few of us that have signed up already. Jason's going too" I blurted out before I realised what I had just said.

Max's fork stopped midway from going to his mouth as he peered up at me. "Jason?"

I pursed my lips, nodding "Yeah, we work at the same company, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. I'm just not comfortable with you going off to another country with some other guy" Max said, shaking his head.

"Some other guy?" I fumed, my voice raising slightly. "Jason isn't just some other guy. He's... well... he's just Jason"

"Exactly"

"Besides, there are other people going too. It's not like Jason and I and whisking away on a holiday together"

"I know that but I'm just not comfortable with you going with Jason"

"Why? We probably won't bump into each other" I shrugged. Max raised an eyebrow at that. I was just grasping at straws here, trying to come up with any excuse that seemed reasonable as to why Jason and I were going to Scotland together. "I don't know why you're making a such a big deal about this. It's just a work thing"

Max placed his hands in his face and sighed "You don't understand. There's just something about Jason I don't like"

I tried not to chuckle at that "Yeah, I could tell from the night at the club. I wasn't expecting you two to become best of friends, but Jason is my friend. I've known him all my life"

"Do you know what we were arguing about that night in the club?" I shook my head. "You"

"Me?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering why they would have been arguing about someone like me.

"We were talking about you and I mentioned what a great time we had been having together and he shot back saying I didn't know how great you really were" I couldn't help but smile at that, loving how Jason thought that of me. "He then had the audacity to say that we should have stayed broken up, that we shouldn't have even got back together in the first place" Max scoffed.

I remained silent for a moment, thinking everything through. Max's behaviour tonight was out of line. Who was he to tell me what I could and couldn't do? Maybe Jason was right, maybe Max and I shouldn't have gotten back together in the first place.

"Max, I think we need to talk"

Liz and I were slouched on the couch in my living room as we flicked through the television. Nothing good was on, so we settled on channel surfing, pausing each channel for at least two seconds and making a passing comment on what we saw in those two seconds.

"Ooohhh, look at those abs" Liz commented, licking her lips.

"Oh, that's the new thriller everybody is talking about. Turn over, I hate thrillers"

"But look at him. He's so yummy"

I grabbed the remote from her and flicked to another channel. "Hey, this looks good. He's showing you how to spruce up your garden"

"He is not as good looking as the other guy was" Liz huffed, folding her arms.

"You're grumpy when you haven't had anything to eat. Please make sure you eat before you come over to my house" I laughed.

Liz shook her head and took out her phone instead, scrolling through it. Liz had come over to help me do some packing for the Edinburgh trip. So far, we had packed in a couple of shirts and decided to take a break. That was two hours ago.

"I suppose we better get back to the packing" I sighed, forcing myself to get off the couch.

"What do you mean 'we'" Liz said absentmindedly as she scrolled through her phone.

"Fine, I'll pack my own stuff then" I huffed.

"Wait, I need to make sure you pack appropriately. You need to make sure you turn heads in Scotland. You never know, you might come back with a Scottish beau. They look super cute in their kilts"

I rolled my eyes at her as we made our way back to my room, knowing I would just end up repacking everything she chose.

"How about this bikini?" Liz held up a bikini, nodding in appreciation.

"Liz, for the last time, this is a work trip. I won't be needing a bikini" I said, clenching my teeth as I pried the bikini out of her hands.

"You never know when you might need it" she grinned, grabbing it back and throwing it in my suitcase.

"It rains most of the time there, so I'm pretty sure I won't be prancing around the streets of Edinburgh in my bikini"

She shrugged and continued to raid my wardrobe. "Oh, this is a pretty one" Liz took out a navy jumpsuit with colourful polka dots dotted all over it.

"That would be perfect for the party" I smiled, glad that she finally picked something that I could actually keep in my suitcase.

"What would you do without me?" she grinned.

"Actually finish my packing" I mumbled but Liz was too busy raiding my wardrobe to hear me.

"How about this?" she said, presenting me with a maxi dress that I forgot I had.

"I'm only going to one party. The rest of the week I'll be working in the office" I reminded her.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that you won't be going out in the evenings. You need to show those Scots that we can dress"

"I don't think I'll need another dress" I reiterated. Once again, she didn't listen and threw the dress into my suitcase anyway.

I groaned and fell on my bed, thinking about all the repacking I would have to do later. Liz continued to storm through my wardrobe, as I placed my hand to my head. I was trying to be excited about my upcoming Scotland trip, but the events of the last twenty-four hours had brought me down. I hadn't mentioned anything to Liz just yet about Max and me. Maybe I would tell her after I came back. But then she would be mad at me for not telling her sooner. We told each other everything. I suppose there was no time like the present.

Before I could even think about how to start the conversation, Liz flopped on my bed with a sigh "Well, that was exhausting. This calls for another break"

I raised my eyebrow "So far, we have packed a bikini, two dresses and a couple of shirts. For some reason, I don't think they are going to serve me well in Scotland"

"You're going to be thanking me someday, trust me" Liz waved me off, her attention now diverted to her phone.

I shook my head, thinking that impossible. "From all the research I've done of Scotland, I really don't think I'll have any need for a bikini. And right now, its fall over there, so it's not exactly going to be the warmest. If anything, I should be packing my sweaters"

Liz didn't respond as she scrolled through her phone. I looked at my half empty suitcase and sighed. I really needed to get a move on with the packing.

Just as I got off my bed, Liz caught my arm. I turned to see her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at her phone "Erm... Rosie. I don't know if I should show you this"

"Show me what?"

Liz pursed her lips, looking hesitantly at her phone before turning her phone to me. I took the phone from her to see what she was on about. I remained emotionless as I stared at a picture of Max wrapped around the arms of another girl.

"Are you okay?" Liz asked

I nodded, handing Liz back her phone "Yeah, I'm fine. We broke up last night actually"

Liz gasped and sat upright on the bed. "What? How did this happen? I thought things were going well with Max"

"They were" I shrugged, "But I guess we just wanted different things"

"Oh Rosie" Liz sighed and hugged me.

Of course, I couldn't tell her the real reason why we had broken up. I couldn't mention that we had an argument about Jason. I didn't know how she would have taken it. The less said about the matter, the better.

"I'm fine. I don't think I was really ready to get back together with him so soon after breaking up with him the first time. I just don't think we were meant to be"

"And what a loser for moving on so fast from someone as amazing as you" Liz said, hugging me tighter.

I chuckled "It looked like that was Leyla"

"Wasn't she that girl that followed Max about everywhere?"

"Yeah, that's her. They are perfect for each other"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Liz asked once again.

I gave her one last squeeze before letting go and smiling at her, showing everything was okay "I'm more than fine Liz. I don't think we were right for each other anyway. And besides, I'm not even that upset about it."

"Shall we wallow in self-pity and eat a whole tub of ice cream together?" Liz smiled, squeezing my shoulder.

"I'm not upset over anyone, but I'm more than happy to have any excuse for ice cream" I laughed.