Fiction - As Yet Untitled Romance Series - Part 2

Part 2

“Cara Ambrose!”

When the Dean called my name I skipped across the stage to collect my diploma. Because I’m close to the start of the alphabet the applause was still fairly strong – people hadn’t yet begun to wilt with the wait.

Sitting back down in the audience I waited for my best friend Talia’s name to be called while daydreaming about my upcoming meeting with Professo- oops, I mean, Trenton. Not only did being near him give me goose bumps and make me breathe a little heavier, his expertise really would be invaluable.

It was SO important to get this business off the ground as soon as possible. I couldn’t rely on my parents to pay my rent and buy me clothes and food forever. Well, technically I could, but I didn’t labor through an MBA at Harvard just end up a layabout.

When Talia finally crossed the stage I crept from my seat and away from the rest of the graduates. I made my way to the back of the field where she and I had arranged to meet, hoping I wouldn’t be spotted by boyfriend Simon.

“We did it!” Talia shouted when she joined me.

“Should we stay until the end?” I asked, giving her a big hug. “Throw our caps and all that?”

“Nah,” she said. “I’m starving. And my god do I want a drink.”

“Okay. But let’s go before Simon finds us.”

She shot me A Look.

“Are you ever going to break up with him Cara? It’s getting pretty silly at this point.”

“Yes, yes. Just…not today.”

“You said you were waiting until graduation.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it the very second I graduate.”

Simon wasn’t a bad guy. Far from it, actually. He was nice enough and more than dedicated to me. I should be happy to marry him. The only problem was he was boring as anything. He liked sports, studying and working out and that was it. Òur parents were old friends and they’d set us up on a blind date two years ago. He’d just kind of stuck around after that.

The sex was good though. I’d give him that.

“So we’re just going to ditch him?” Talia asked.

“Ugh, no, I guess not.” I may not be in love with my boyfriend but that was no reason to be mean.

I got him on the phone and told him to meet us at Mistral Bistro, an upscale restaurant nearby.

When Talia and I got there she immediately ordered us two stiff drinks. I tried to drink mine slowly. At 5’2” and 110 lbs it didn’t take a lot to get me drunk and I didn’t relish the thought of passing out at the table before we’d even eaten.

“So how are you going to break it off with Simon?” she asked, ever the gossip.

I didn’t know. As we waited for him to arrive, I tried to think of a way I could do it without hurting his feelings too much. It didn’t seem possible. Maybe I should just stay with him forever, then. Get married, have a bunch of babies and watch a lot of sports before I died. That didn’t seem very appealing, either. This was going to be tough.