LOST LOVE

WAD

Catherine's pov

Next day

I didn't get calls from James. I tried to call him, but he was unavailable. It became a habit for me. Trying to call him, even though there is no use, I know he is not going to take the call, but still.

It is Sunday. Cerena brought me to the mall. I, too, have some purchases. So I said okay without much pressure.

I told her about Selin's call. I need to attend her engagement. So we went to pick a red dress for the engagement party.

Purchasing a dress is not an easy task. We started our journey, and now this is the third store.

"This or that?" she asked me, holding two dresses in her hands.
"I like both," I answered honestly. Those two are nice.
"Then buy both." She rolled her eyes. Why should I buy two dresses of the same color and somewhat the same pattern?

I looked through other dresses. This store is nice. It has a variety of collections. It was difficult to choose one among them. Finally, I found a dress that caught my interest.

" Rena, How is this? " I asked Cerena.
She said, "Nice," as she touched the fabric.
"Let me wear it." I took it and walked to the dressing room. I changed into a new dress. It was comfortable.

I walked outside.
"Rena look," I showed her.
"Wow, cat. You will be the center of attraction, she gave me a thumbs up. I decided on the dress.

Then we went to buy some casuals for her. She bought all the dresses that caught her eye. It was a long process and took a lot of time.

"Aren't you going to buy any gifts?" she asked me.
" No. I have already arranged a gift for her, I answered with pride. I am sure she will love my gift.
" Oh. Somebody is happy to meet their old friend, "Cerena said with a high-pitched voice. I hit her playfully.
"Will you forget about me when you get back with your old buddies?" she dramatically wiped her tears.
"How do I forget my nosy neighbor?" Her face turned red. "Nosy me." She hit me back. We laughed together.

Suddenly, she stopped on the track. I looked at her.
"Hey..." Cerena called someone. I looked in the direction where she was waving. It was a girl in her late 20s. But the girl didn't hear Cerena.

So she shouted at the girl. Then the girl stopped and looked up.

"Cat, hold this. She was my collegemate. I will be back in a  second, she said, holding the products we purchased in my hand and running in the girl's direction. The packages were too much for me to hold, so I walked to sit somewhere. But I was stopped by something. 

"Sorry," I said, taking the covers off my hands.
"It's okay, Catherine." It is the voice of a man. I looked at his face for a moment. I don't know this man, but he knows my name.

"Don't you remember me? " the man asked. I looked at his face and finally got it.
"Oh yeah. You were the lawyer who bought me and Cerena home from the club, I said. My voice was like that of a kid who saw Santa Claus. I looked around. Cerena is nowhere to be seen. She wanted to meet this guy again very much. But when he came, she was gone.

He laughed "That's true, but look at me carefully, cat. You still don't remember me? " he asked again. It caught me off guard. Cat? I inspected his face thoroughly. No, I don't get it.

"I am Wad. We were high school classmates. Now you remember, right? he stopped.
Wad. Yes, I remember.
" Wad. "I look at him up and down. He changed a lot.
"Yeah," he answered casually.
"How is life? " I asked him.
"Nothing special. How about you?  Got married to James ? he asked. I know he doesn't like our gang. He hates James to the core, and he has a reason for it.
"Wad, you still didn't change," I asked him. He just dismissed my question. The hate was still evident in his eyes.
"Come, let's have a coffee," he offered. He took the packages from my hand and walked to the seat. I don't have any other choice than to follow him. He went to order two coffees, and we sat.

"So, where is James?" His tone is full of mockery.
"Wad, you still hate us?" My question made him amused. His eyes widened.
"I don't hate you," he laughed at me. He is waiting for a fight.
"It seems like you spend a lot of time in the mall," he said, pointing to the covers.
"None of your business," I answered. Who is this guy to judge me?
"I know that. Your money and your time, he said.

"Why were you drinking uncontrollably last time? Trouble in paradise," he added. I didn't respond to him.
He again laughed. This time it is so loud. The man called Wad to take our coffees. He went there. I don't know what I wanted. I thought he had matured. But he still holds a grudge against James.

I sat there waiting for Wad, but my eyes caught sight of a familiar image. It was James. He was going outside. A woman also accompanied him. I called his name and ran towards him. But he was walking with the girl. They got into the car with the girl and sped off.
I stand there motionlessly. James is in Japan. But he is here? If he is here, why didn't he come home? Who is that woman? Why did he lie to me? Is there something happening? A lot of questions ran through my mind. I don't get any answers.

"Cat, I was looking for you. The packages are here, so I am sure you didn't go far. Why are you standing here??" Wad asked, coming behind me.
"No. "Nothing, I answered, not looking into his eyes. I don't want to believe this. This is not true.
"Then, whom are you looking at? " he asked.
"No one," I answered, which is a lie. Wad also understood it, but he didn't push me for an answer.

But my luck didn't last.

"Cat, you told me James is in Japan, but how is he here? I saw him getting to the car with a girl," Serena said in an anxious tone. She was coming back from the parking lot, sending her friend off. She was unaware of Wad's presence. Wad looked in my direction. He looks like he understood something.

Cerena looked at Wad. Then she stopped talking.

"Cat, come with me, "he called me. Cerena didn't follow us. We sat back on the chair where we had sat before. He analyzed my face.
"Drink the coffee." He offered the drink he had ordered before. "So you don't know James is here?" he asked. No. James was in Japan. That is what he told me.
"Wad, don't use this as an opportunity to badmouth James. Maybe he is here for business purposes," I was convincing myself. I can't expect this. Maybe this was all a lie.

"I am not badmouthing him. He is  evil I know it.."The second sentence was silent.
"Then why is he hiding this from you?" he asked the question I was asking myself.
"I know he won't change. He is still the same James in high school, he stated.
" No. He changed." My voice was loud. Other people in the cafe around us looked at me. James was a playboy at the time. But he was serious about our relationship. I have never doubted him.

"Then who is the woman with him? " he asked. I was silent.
"Think thoroughly, cat. Open your eyes first. I am telling this from my experience. I have seen many people like this in my  life."He took my phone and added his number to it.

"Call me when you need it."Don't get yourself  fooled." He stood up and walked out of the cafeteria.

"Cat," what is happening? Serena came into the picture. "You knew him before, she asked. And "What is James doing here? " she was asking me. I don't know. I didn't know how my husband, who was on a business trip, stood in front of me with a girl.

She sat at my side and held my hand. I placed my head on her shoulder and let myself out. Tears are rolling nonstop from my eyes.

"I don't know Cerena. I don't know why he is lying to me. I don't know anything." My mouth tasted the salt of my tears. She just sat there, holding me tightly. The customers were looking in my direction occasionally, which I don't care about now. He told me he was busy. Is this why he is always busy? Does he enjoy spending time with some random girl other than me?

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