Something Real.

Heya everyone,

A nice long post today. I read a story recently, and there was one scene in it that was really relatable, so much so that it took me back in time to when I shared those same feelings, and today I wanted to try to the same.

I took the idea of being stood up for something. That horrible feeling you get when you dared have hope and it was ruined... well... that was the aim, but then the story ran away on me. So I hope you like it!

Lady Violetta Tatsuya wasn’t normally one to feel nervous, the only times she normally did was when she had to deal with her father. Everything else had been so easy compared to what she faced every time she walked down those overly white corridors towards the room her addled father permanently occupied.

Yet today her nerves fluttered in her stomach like thousands of butterflies seeking nectar. A smile tugging on her lips as her hands tugged her hair from its tight ponytail, barely noticing her nervous reaction as she poured over paperwork.

This was the first formal occasion they’d be going to together. As an actual couple rather than business partners. Where they didn’t have to hide the adoration and love they felt for each other or had held. She couldn’t quite be sure anymore.

They’d practically been avoiding each other since the news of their relationship had broken, press releasing their best-kept secret out into the big wide world. The outrage that accompanied was insane, their relationship had always been the subject of gossip, but once it had been confirmed...

It didn’t help that neither of them had each others back, Violetta had blamed him for the leak in the same breath he’d blamed her. The fight that they’d both put up to defend themselves had her household staff shrinking away in fear, priceless trinkets shattered as she’d thrown them at him, kicking him out of her house as she felt her relationship crumble. Forced to deal with the ramifications of such a big secret alone and without her partner at her side. Neither willing to back down and apologise to each other, even as the truth about where the gossip magazines had got their information from came to light. It was how they were, neither of them could swallow their pride and admit they were wrong.

Therefore it was a massive surprise when a bunch of lilac roses were delivered to her office in the early hours of the morning, a handwritten note within asking her to accompany her to the party that she had to attend that night regardless. A text message following within the hour; ‘I mean it Vi, I’ll pick you up at six.’

The nerves hadn’t stopped since. Violetta knew that this was as close to an apology as she was going to get from her other half. They’d never been very good at apologising if it was something they had done. Comfort and support they both could do, but when it came to actually apologising for a mistake, that was something they hadn’t yet encountered in their relationship... but now?

Violetta had never felt so scared before.

The nerves stuck with her, growing stronger with each passing tick of the old clock that sat in her office, reminding her once again she’d always meant to get rid of the grandfather clock, still standing in the same corner it had when her father had inhabited this office. Her attention continually flicking up to it, before dropping back down to the cases she was meant to be dedicating her attention to.

She waved off the offer of lunch, she was too nervous to eat. She hadn’t seen her lover since the fight, hadn’t spoken a word to the man she usually couldn’t go a day without seeing and while getting a bunch of flowers out of the blue wasn’t a surprise, the terror that came at the thought of seeing him again was.

They’d never fought before, not truly, and never for more than a day. Yet it had been a week, a week where she was too scared to contact him, despite the multiple attempts at typing an email or sending a text. Fingers shaking as she attempted to dial his number, only to hang up before it could ring properly. She had had no idea what to say to him then, how to fix everything, and she had even less now.

Her hands were still shaking when people arrived at her door, makeup artists and hairstylists that were escorted to one of the guest rooms. Butlers hesitating at her door with orders to force her from her work and away to get ready, but no one knew how to deal with their Lady in tears. Water droplets rolling from her eyes as her hands shook, rereading the same message from him over and over again. ‘I should have known better.’

Three years, three years together and all she got was a text message to end it. She thought he was better than that. That they had meant more to him than that. Her phone buzzed once more in her hand, a picture of him lighting up the screen as a call came through. She’d taken the photo on one of their ‘business’ trips away, he was curled in the centre of the large bed, arm stretched out to one side almost invitingly, his black hair a mess, only slightly smooth at the front where her fingers had combed through it. One eye cracked open slightly to reveal the dark brown iris beneath. It was her favourite photo because it showed a side of him only she got to see when his guard was truly down.

Her finger hovered over the answer button, wondering if she could really handle talking to him right now. It had been a week without hearing his voice, Her hesitation took too long, the call ending before she could decide whether or not to answer.

Almost immediately answer a text popped up from him. ‘Answer your phone.’ A call barely seconds behind it, the message replaced with the exact same photo of her lover. Her hands shook, but she answered the phone lifting it to her ear.

“What?” She snapped, masking her tears with anger, she wouldn’t let him see her cry, not anymore.

“I wanted to explain myself.” His voice, velvety smooth as always, held notes of distress, and Violetta could hear yelling in the background.

“You made yourself perfectly clear. I just never imagined you would-” Violetta’s voice broke as she tried to say the next words.

“I’m not breaking up with you Vi, not now, not ever.” He knew what she was going to say, cutting her off before she could force the words to leave her throat. Still, her breath caught, he’d said the words to her before, but never with such force and determination. “The message sent before I could finish typing it, and I knew after this week that you would think the worst. I wanted to say that I should have known better than to think you’d let our secret slip. I should never have blamed you, and I definitely shouldn’t have ignored you for this long. God, I thought about you every moment of every day, but I just - I couldn’t-”

“Me neither.” Violetta sat back in her chair, releasing her hair from its ponytail so she could run her fingers through it, smoothing out the knots she herself had caused. Nothing but breathing on the other end of the line, neither could quite bring themselves to say the words that they both knew needed to be said.

“I’ll see you tonight?” He asked softly, and she could almost hear the weight slide off his shoulders as it lifted from hers. No matter what happened, they would get through it, even if they never apologised to each other with words.

“Yeah, yeah you will.” Violetta hung up the phone, putting it down and lifting her hands to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“My Lady, the help Sir hired is here to help you if you are ready.” The butler spoke softly, at ease with the title they’d all given to her partner with each passing moment he spent at her side.

“Very well.” Violetta tucked her phone into her pocket, a light smile on her lips as she headed down to the spare room.

Her smile didn’t falter as she got ready, light chattering around her. The nerves finally settling when she realised he wasn’t mad at her. That despite everything, they were going to be okay.

Her smile grew as a custom made ball gown from her favourite designer was delivered, the woman herself on hand to oversee how the gown fitted. A smile of delight as she saw how her halter neck dark violet gown hugged the woman’s curves, before flaring out slightly at her waist, red and gold beading around the bust and up the collar seeming to highlight Violetta’s auburn hair, matching golden heels winding their way around her legs, visible through the slit along her right leg.

Her smile faltered when the clock chimed six and her date wasn’t at her door, he’d always been punctual, always, if anything he prefered to be early. Her hands drifted to her phone, pressing a button to check and see if she’d missed any messages or calls.

At five minutes past, she was pacing, heels clicking loudly on the marble floor of her foyer. Fingers typing messages on her phone before deleting all of them. A butler taking the phone from her fingertips as she walked past him again, taking away her distraction.

At ten minutes past she was sitting on the stairs, legs crossed and purse abandoned at her side. Every bone in her alight with the same nerves and fear that had overtaken her that morning. He must have changed his mind, decided she wasn’t worth it unless the whole thing had just been some sort of prank-

She felt as though she’d been stood up, the flicker of hope she’d fed throughout the afternoon dying out as the minutes ticked on, sitting on the stairs inside her mansion, she’d never truly felt more alone. Her driver stepped forward, keys in hand, but the gentle shake of her head stopped him. She knew how important this engagement was, and she would be the first to accept it if she had to go alone, but right now, she just wanted to give him a few more minutes to appear.

A car door slamming pulled her from her thoughts, footsteps quick up the stairs and her front door thrown open. A sigh of relief falling from her lips when she saw him standing in the doorway. His normally impeccable black hair was slightly mussed, dark brown eyes sweeping over the foyer from beneath his glasses, a rare smile pulling at his lips and flooding into his eyes when he noticed her position on the stairs.

“You’re late.” She stated simply, standing and picking up the golden clutch bag that accompanied her dress.

“I am so sorry. I got forced to change at the last minute and-” He cut his excuse off, pushing his glasses up his nose. “You look beautiful Vi.” She smiled, walking down the stairs and reaching up to straighten his tie. He smiled, leaning down slightly to steal a gentle kiss from her lips.

“I have something for you.” His hands rested on her waist, spinning her slightly so her back faced him, she lifted her hair automatically as he let a chain fall over her neck, doing it up with the same ease he always had. A tender kiss pressed to her neck as she lifted the small necklace. It was simplistic, the infinity sign tangled in amongst the chain, and as her fingers ran over it, she could feel an engraving on the back.

“Our names, Vi I am so sorry. I should never have-” She cut him off with a kiss.

“I’m sorry too.” She whispered, fixing his hair before slipping her arm through his, “and we can make it up to each other later, but we are going to be late.” He smirked at her, kissing her temple before leading her down towards the waiting limo.

The nerves in her stomach settling for good now that his arm wrapped around her.