"Oh… yeah, sounds like a good reason. So, um… you have a boyfriend now?" he asks me, almost hesitantly.
"No, thankfully, I just broke up with my boyfriend of two years a little bit ago." I’m sure I had a pure look of disgust on my face when I said it. The breakup had been pretty nasty; but the relationship had been worse. Sometimes I can’t hide the pure hatred of Mick, but when a man hits his girlfriend for no apparent reason, you have a pretty serious problem!
We talk for a few more minutes; I ask him if he’s got a girlfriend.
"Nope, no girlfriend,” he says. Damn, that was pretty stupid of me! Not like me at all! What made me want to know that? Maybe because he asked me first I felt it was only right to ask.
Damn, now I must be boring him. He just reached over & pulled out one of the magazines from the seat in front of him. Looks like some young teenager left her POP magazine. Some blonde guy on the front cover. Alex just groaned or was that a growl? Maybe he wasn’t expecting to pull a pop music magazine out of the pocket!
“What’s wrong? Don’t like pop music? I prefer more alternative rock/rap/metal. Ya know, Linkin Park, Godsmack & others like that. What do you listen to? Hey, if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine, I’ll understand.” I’m not sure if he’s angry or bored, or what. I think over what I’ve said to try to figure out if I said anything to offend him.
I always end up saying or doing the wrong thing! Damn it! Sometimes I just wish I could keep my mouth shut! I think I’ll just sit here & listen to my music & try to read again. I obviously upset him & he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.
“Hey, I’m sorry, Lillian. It’s not you! I’ve just been under a lot of strain lately. That’s one of the reasons I’m taking this vacation. I like Linkin Park, too, as a matter of fact. Do you play any instruments? Sing? Write?” he asks me without warning.
I turn back to him, with obvious surprise on my face & see that wonderful smile directed at me. I wonder what his eyes look like? I wish he would take off those damn sunglasses! I’m sure he’s got gorgeous eyes to match that killer smile!
“Uh, I actually sing, a little. Not much & not very well I don’t think,” I smile back & laugh a little. “You sure you’re not mad? I mean, I have a tendency to get on people’s nerves; I have no idea how, but that’s the impression I get sometimes.”
“No, I’m not mad! Not in the least! I thought maybe I offended you by asking about your ex. The look on your face spoke a thousand words! I take it that it wasn’t a nice relationship?”
“You guessed right! Abusive as hell, let’s just leave it at that. He also cheated on me & ended up leaving me for her when she got pregnant,” I explain. Why did I just tell him that? I’m sure he didn’t want that much information!
“Sorry! I’m sure that was information overload for you!” I laugh nervously.
He laughs back. “I’m sorry it ended bad for you. Sounds similar to what I’ve always gone through. I am always the one being used for some odd reason & then dumped when she gets what she wants,” he tells me. His voice seems to be so sad. Sounds like he’s been hurt pretty bad before.
“I’m sorry, Alex. I never understood how girls could use guys to get what they want! I could never do something like that to a guy! I know what it’s like to be used & I could never do that to anyone!” I tell him.
“You are among some of the rare girls I know that share that feeling!” he says to me with a smile as he gently touches my hand.
“We are ready to take your orders for the dinner this evening. What will you have?” the stewardess asks.
“What’s on the menu?” I ask.
“Chicken or beef,” she says with a plastic smile.
“I’ll take chicken,” I tell her. “And can I get some water, please? In a bottle, if possible?”
“Yes, Ma’am. And for you, Sir?” she asks Alex. Damn, look how fast she changed her smile! Makes me sick!
“Same for me. Chicken & a bottle of water,” Alex tells her, then immediately turns his attention back to me.
“So, you like Linkin Park? For some reason, you don’t look like the type that would listen to Pop music?”
“No, I don’t listen to any Pop music. I never really got into it, really. I always liked the harder music, music with an edge! The only ‘soft’ music I listen to is stuff like Celtic music & such. I like a lot of Trance music & Gothic music, too. Helps me feel better after a bad day,” I explain with a smile. I really do wish he would take off those damn sunglasses! They are driving me nuts! I really want to see if I’m right about his eyes!
