Don Nikolai

"Are you crazy, Brianna?!"My best friend exclaimed.

She was sitting across from me at a table in the cafè we frequented. I fidgeted with the envelope in my hands, sweat threatening to wet it.

"No, can you blame me? Malcolm has a stable income that can support both of us. He loves me and I love him. What's getting in the way?"I shrugged it off like it was a simple decision, but my heartbeat was fast.

"You have an envelope containing a job offer from the company you've wanted to work for since I can remember. It's in your hands. You want to throw it all away, and for what? A man who isn't serious with you?"

I started burning up with anger. She was my best friend, supporting me was her job, not trying to trample on my happiness.

"How could you say that? We've been together for five years. He's my soulmate, Lily. He's the man I want to get married to."I defended, raising my voice at her.

The topic of Malcolm and my relationship was always a sore subject.

"You've been together for two years. The other three, he was on the other side of the planet, barely answering your calls, forgetting your birthday, and not replying to your letters."Lily said, making me angrier.

Every word she uttered seemed to gnaw at me.

"He answers my calls and he texts me back."

"Barely. We both know this, Brianna. You can't uproot your whole life for someone who doesn't care. You want stability and the familiarity that comes with him. You don't love him and he doesn't love you. You can't uproot your whole life and abandon your dream job to go to Italy for some man who doesn't deserve it."

Lily tried to reach for my hand but I pulled it away and stood up from my seat. I refused to hear her criticize my relationship. I knew it was flawed but we were in different countries.

I wouldn't give up on us. It would get better when we stayed together as we had always planned. I left the coffee shop while clutching the envelope tightly in my hands.

Lily tried to call out for me, but I wouldn't turn. I didn't know why I even confided in her. She always took every opportunity to judge me. Was she even my best friend?

I got in my car and drove to the apartment. I ignored her thousand and one phone calls and texts. She just didn't want me to be happy, and that is what I wanted most of all.

I booked the first flight to Amsterdam and started packing all my essentials. The flight was set for the next day at 7 am. Before then, I had to discard all my belongings.

This is something I had already planned out and I wouldn't let anyone deter me. I had yet to tell Malcolm that I was going to him. It would be a surprise as I already knew his address.

Wasn't serious with me, my ass. He wouldn't have given me his address if he wasn't.

I sat at my desk and typed an email declining the job offer. I had always wanted to be an editor. The biggest publishing company in Seattle had offered me a job, and I was declining it.

I convinced myself that it was all worth it in the end.

The flight to Amsterdam was a long one. I boarded another flight to Sicily, Italy. When I got there, it was late, and I was tired. I didn't have the energy to take a taxi to the other side of the city where Malcolm lived. I checked it at the closest hotel I could find and settled in. After a long shower, I slept. I was so tired and jet-lagged, but I was also excited.

When I woke up the next day, I wasted no time preparing myself and checking out. I recited Malcom's address to the taxi driver. I had to use a language app to be able to know what to say to the driver. I needed to learn Italian quickly if Sicily was going to be my home.

After two hours, I was in front of where Malcolm lived. My skin tingled, and my heart was beating very fast. I couldn't wait to see him in real life.

I pushed the gate open and walked into the compound. I climbed the three steps to the front door and knocked. I waited for the door to open with a wide smile on my face. When I heard footsteps, I fixed my attire and placed my hands on the handle of the suitcase.

The door opened, and Malcolm came into sight. I fought the urge to gasp. I was completely speechless. He was different from when I last saw him on the phone. His short hair was now long, reaching his neck. There was a thick beard on his face, and his dull eyes were now bright and gleaming.

"B-Brianna?"He asked.

The smile he was sporting was replaced with a frown. He looked spooked. It wasn't the look I was waiting for when I went to see him. I expected him to have a wide smile on his face and to lift me off the ground to twirl me. The look he was giving me made me feel like he wanted me to disappear off the face of the earth.

"Hey, Malcolm," I said softly.

"What are you doing here?"

I raised my eyebrow at his question. What did he mean by that? That wasn't what you asked your long-distance girlfriend, whom you hadn't seen in three years. Where was my hug? My kiss? My smile?

"What do you mean? I came all the way from Seattle to see you, and you ask that? Aren't you going to at least invite me in?"

"Brie, a lot has-"

"Malcolm, who is that at the door?"A woman's voice asked from inside.

She came into sight with a toddler in her arms and stared at me in question.

I stepped back like someone had slapped me across the face. That was when I saw it. There was a ring on his left finger. There was also a ring on her left finger. I couldn't stop the tears that were falling down my face and blurring my sight.

"Go back inside, Gianna. I'll handle this."He said to the woman.

She hesitated before going back inside. I knew she would be looking out the window to see what was happening.

"Brianna-"

"No! You don't get to act like a good guy now and let me down easy. You should've told me! I uprooted my life for you, and you had a whole other life here. I declined my dream job for you."

He had a somber look on his face and he didn't have the bravery to even look me in the eye.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, okay? There is nothing I can do about it now."There was an Italian accent in his voice. He had adjusted to this life that I wasn't even a part of.

"Oh, you mean you didn't mean to hit on her, kiss her, fuck her, ask her to be your wife, and then proceed to marry her? You tripped and there was suddenly a ring on your finger, right? All this happened, and you didn't tell me. You led me on, Malcolm."

At the moment, I didn't care that I was shouting. The neighbors were peeking out of their windows to see what was going on.

"Please, calm down-"

"Calm down? I won't fucking calm down, you cowardly fucker! I hate you! My life is over because of you!"I screamed.

He tried to get closer to me, but I held out my hand to stop him.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly, trying to make me feel guilty for shouting.

"Sorry means nothing. I hope you fall on your fucking face and die! Does your wife know we sexted mere weeks ago? That we had phone sex three days ago? I have been faithful to you, and this is what I get in return?"I asked, not caring that I was dragging his name through the mud.

By the look on his face, I knew the answer.

"Shut the fuck up, Brianna!"He growled at me.

"Go to hell, you pathetic piece of shit! You'd better pray that I don't see your disgusting face again. I will cut off your balls and feed them to the fish."I said and left angrily.

The anger was a mask for my pain. Lily was right. He wasn't serious about me, and he never had been. I shouldn't have uprooted my life for him. Only three blocks away, I broke down and cried.

I carried my suitcase to the beach and sat in the sand while I bawled my eyes out. After deciding I had had enough crying, I left the beach and hailed a taxi. I didn't know where I was going. All I knew was that I had to be as far away from Malcolm as possible.

He took me to a motel. I checked in and ignored the pitiful look the lady at the counter gave me. After putting the luggage in the room, I left the motel and went to the nearest bar. What I needed was alcohol to help me forget.

I ordered a vodka and sat on the barstool while sipping my drink. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed someone coming and sitting beside me.

"Take it easy, bellissima, "a deep velvety voice drawled out in a thick Italian accent.

"Don't tell me what to do-"I started, but my words were caught in my throat.

The man next to me was a sight for sore eyes. Let's just say that Malcolm had nothing on him.