(For the Spanish version see below)
Thomas lighted
a cigarette and took a long puff. Smoking helped him to calm down when he was
anxious. He still had ten minutes before she arrived. He grabbed from his cell
phone from his pocket and took a look to her message. After reading it for the
thousandth time, he took a long breath and stayed watching the smoke
disappearing in the dark sky of Paris. It was a cold day and was starting to
rain, however he thought, that in those moments, the city was shinier than
ever.
The Moulin
Rouge was gleaming at his back and while hundreds of tourists were taking
pictures and selfies, he was just smiling: he had planned that night in detail.
He knew perfectly what he should do and nothing could go wrong. He indeed had a
chance to demonstrate his feelings again to Chloé and take her back forever. He
knew her a lot and in consequence, he had already decided what to do that
night. As always, he enjoyed to surprise her and this time he could not fail.
He would not fail.
Fifteen
minutes later Chloé was late as she used to be. He finished his cigarette and
he threw the fag-end away. Thomas started to think that she would not come and
in his mind he was afraid that in the last minute she had canceled the meeting.
He tried to find her in the middle of the crowd and finally he saw her. She was
as stunning as he remembered her: she was wearing a red coat with a black hat.
Her curly blond hair was waving with the wind. As soon as he saw her she
smiled, that made him to stay petrified. He believed that he was completely
ready for their meeting, but in that moment he realized that he did not know
what to do or say her.
As she was
walking towards him his heart beat faster and faster. He soon saw that she was
crying in silence. He tried to approach her but he could not move: she was in front of him. Her green eyes were
filled of tears and when he look into them he realized that she needed to meet
him during all those 6 years.
“Chloé, I’m…”
Despite he
tried to talk to her he was not able to say anything else. Chloé slapped him
and immediately after she hugged him. Thomas behaved like a robot and took her
into his arms as he kissed her in her cheek. Some seconds
later, they separate. Thomas turned red.
“I still
don’t believe it Thomas. I don’t know but I still think that it’s a dream you’re
here. How long has it been: 6 years? You look like the last time I saw you…”
Thomas
stared at her. He felt how her eyes were shining: she was telling the truth and
was happy to see him again after so many years. In spite of that, he still was
paralyzed without being able to articulate a sentence: he was in fact hopelessly
in love.
“Come on
Thomas. You’re not going to remain in silence. You haven’t been back for
nothing. I’m sure you have a lot of things to explain.”
Chloé was
trying to remain clam. She spoke with an intermittent and melancholy voice. If
the whole situation was enough difficult for him, he could not imagine how it
was being for her.
“I’m sorry…
It has been a while since I left and I think that I was completely shocked.”
“So, don’t
let me wait! Let’s move, I’m starting to freeze.”
“Yes, of
course. I have reserved a table in a restaurant at the end of the street. Would
you like to come with me? I think that we will be more comfortable if we speak
whilst taking a glass of wine.”
Both started
to walk towards the Rue Lepic. That street started in the Blanche square where
the Moulin Rouge was and went up into the heart of Montmartre district. There
were a lot of restaurants and cafés and Thomas enjoyed getting lost in the
middle of those streets. In somehow, the Montmartre district was a small town
inside the city of Paris.
They
started to talk about trivial things. Chloé ask him how was his job going, if
his family and friends were alright and finally if he still had his old apartment.
Thomas thought that it was a stupid conversation. In other times they
understood each other only exchanging looks. Now, they look like two completely
strangers meeting for the first time. However, talking to her again made feel
him better and was gaining confidence in him again.
After 5 minutes
walking they reached the restaurant. It was not the first time they were in
that place. Thomas remembered with all details that Chloé loved that place.
That is why he had not hesitated to choose it.
“I remember
the first time we came here. It was one of the first days we started to meet
alone.”
“So you
remember it?”
“How could
I forget it? You know I have a good memory…”
The waiter
arrived and Thomas asked for a red wine. It would be good for both.
“So how is
it going your back to reality?” Chloé asked him whilst they started eating.
“Well, at
the beginning it was a bit difficult. Even if a month has gone, it is still
difficult for me to adapt to my new situation. But I believe it’s going better
those days.”
“I
understand. It cannot be easy to come back to your old life when you have been
6 years gone.” Thomas was starting to think whether if Chloé was sarcastic or
not. He doubted a second but he knew that Chloé was not like this. “Don’t worry
Thomas. I’m serious. I asked myself so many times what I did wrong to you when
you disappeared.”
“I’m so
sorry Chloé. You cannot imagine how bad I feel. It wasn’t my intention to hurt
you. You know I was in love, but…”
“And…? I’m still
waiting for an answer. I need to know what you have been doing all those 6
years. Mathieu told me that you met and talked him and you were amnesiac or you
had a memory loss. But I don’t know, I had faith you could explain to me as I
was your girlfriend.”
Chloé was
staring at him with her green eyes. Thomas choked with the food. He was burdened
for the question, but he could not avoid answering her. He must find
explanations to his mental block whether he wanted to get her back.
“I don’t
know Chloé… I have so many memory lapses
that I’m starting to believe that I still live in that day of 2010. I remember
all the details of that night. It was the most important of my life: how could
I forget it? We had to go to life together and afterwards I found myself alone
trying to justify my behavior without remembering anything.”
“That doesn’t
help me Thomas. You know I still appreciate you. I loved you so much and I’m
sure your family had already explained you what happened next.
“Yes, they
told me… And that’s exactly why it’s difficult to give you a proper answer.”
Thomas looked
into her eyes. She did not believe him and things were going wrong. Despite of
being the same age, she seemed much older and more mature than him. Time had
changed her but he still was the same kid.
“If I told
you that time hasn’t passed for me since that night, you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Thomas you
know that this cannot be true. But don’t you worry, I’m sure that one day you
will recover your memories and you would be able to explain what happened.
“Not, it’s
not like this. I don’t believe I have a memory loss. There’s something else.
Something I’m not able to understand. Something that escapes from my knowledge
and it can’t be described with words.”
“Thomas.
You don’t need to justify your actions. But don’t lie anymore.”
“I’ve never
lied to you! Anyway, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Tell me about
you. That’s what I only care now.”
“As
straightforward as always, Thomas. Years may have passed and you might not
remember the things. But, at least, I still know you were the same boy I fell
in love. I know you haven’t changed at all and this makes me happy.”
From that
point onwards, the meeting began to be much better than before and they started
talking more relaxed and happier. Chloé explained him everything that happened
to her after he left and she was more confortable. It all went extremely well and
Thomas was convinced that they would be able to have a relationship again.
Listening her while she was laughing made him to be in the seven heavens.
Thomas had
dreamed a lot of days with that moment. The fact that he would be able to hug
her, kiss her and recover the things they used to do was simply amazing. However,
there was one thing and he wanted to forget forever: the guy that opened her
door the day he reappeared. He told himself that he would be just a random guy
she had met and she would forget him as soon as he reentered into her life.
However, he was not as courageous as he thought: he did not dare to ask her
about it.
They
finished their meal and they go out in the street. Thomas suggested going for a
walk around Montmartre and she accepted with pleasure. Sky was covered but it
stopped raining so the atmosphere was perfect as it was not cold at all. They
came across Abbesses square and sat in the nearest bench.
“Thomas, this
place… We’ve been here before.”
“I knew you’d
remember it. You’ve always had a good memory and that’s why I brought you here.”
“You haven’t
changed at all…”
Chloé took
a sad look to her left: a blue wall was illuminated by the streetlights. On the
wall, there was written in withe I love you in different languages. She
nodded, in some way she was sure that situation could happen.
“I know
what you’re thinking Thomas, but this is not possible…”
Thomas was
petrified. However, he did not want to give up so easy.
“You liked
this place so much that I thought it was a good idea bringing you here.”
“I know you
better than anyone and you remember well that this place was where we kissed
for the first time.”
“As I said
you remember all…” Thomas came closer, hugged her and he whispered to her ear. “What
I say you that night has never changed. My feelings are the same. I still love
you as the first day…”
Thomas
started kissing her neck as he was caressing her hair. Then, he began to kiss
her cheeks, he needed to kiss her lips, he wanted her. But when he tried, Chloé
grabbed his chin and stared into his eyes. Smiling in sadness she moved her
face away.
“Thomas,
you are still the same. But what you want isn’t possible. I regret telling it
to you in that way but our relationship was over a long time ago.”
Thomas did
not react. She had smashed hard his heart and this one was about to crack. What
could have gone wrong? He was still in love…
“Chloé,
maybe 6 years have been gone. Maybe I’m not able to remember anything. Maybe I
was gone without any explanation… But you must know that I still love you! I always
loved you!”
“Thomas,
stop it please. Don’t make it harder…”
“Even if
the sky fell down, even if time stopped forever, you will always be in my
heart!”
Without realizing
it, he was shouting. Chloé started to cry and he made him feel worse.
“I just
only want you to know that I’ve never forgotten you Chloé.”
“Me neither
Thomas... I waited for you during a long time. You cannot imagine how I was…”
“So why is
it not possible? Maybe someone has stolen 6 years of my life, but we are still
young. We can recover our time lost. We can be happy together again!”
“You don’t
understand Thomas… You think that you can disappear during 6 years and then
came back from the shadows and get back your old life. Things move on and
nothing is the same.”
“And why
does this matter now? The important is that I’m here with you. I will tell you
what it matters: that we are here toghether!”
“You’re
just a stupid egoist Thomas! Do you really think that you can reappear whenever
you want? That I will always wait for you? That my feelings would be the same?
No Thomas. Things are not as easy as you may think.”
“But Chloé…”
“You abandoned
me! And I had to rebuild my own life, not yours! Are you able to understand
this?”
Cholé was
crying in front of him. Thomas was pallid and he did not know what to do.
“I’m sorry
Chloé. I’m so sorry…”
Thomas came
closer to her and hugged her. Then he desperately kissed her. As soon as he
touched her lips, she pushed him away and she slammed him as hard as she could.
Thomas touched his cheek: it hurt and his heart was completely broken. He began
to cry.
“What are
you doing Thomas? Why are you trying to kiss me? Do you think that a stupid
kiss can repair all the shit you’ve done? I asked you to respect me and you’ve
not even been able to do it. Go to the hell Thomas!”
Cholé stood
up and she began to walk towards the Metro station. However, Thomas hold her
hand and stopped her.
“I love you
Chloé. I’m sure that there’s something I could do…”
She
furiously get away of him and she showed her left hand opened. She was wearing
a silver ring.
“Do you see
this? This is the proof that someone loves me and he won’t disappear without
telling me as a rat. This ring was given to me by someone that I’m completely
sure that will never ever abandon me, not like you. This means that I have
someone that I’d give my life for.
“This
cannot be true… Are you married?”
“Yes,
Thomas. I married my husband 4 months ago. You saw him the day you selfishly
decided to reappear knocking my door. But apparently, you have decided to live
in your own perfect world without realizing the truth. You didn’t even dare to
ask me, you were just busy trying to kiss me. You’re just an idiot.”
Thomas,
fell down onto his knees. That girl was not her Chloé… He stayed there, just
watching how she was walking again. He could not do anything. He was already
dead. Before entering on the Metro, Chloé turned back and looked for the last
time to the boy she once loved.
“Don’t
contact me anymore Thomas. I beg you: forget me forever. In a few month we will
be one more in my family and if you’re still insisting to see me, my husband
will denounce you. Goodbye Thomas.”
Thomas saw
her disappearing on the ground. This was the end, his own end. Rain began to
beat him and he felt that someone was spying on him before collapsing on the
floor.