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Post by ELIZA JOY LIEBERMAN on May 19, 2011 20:10:59 GMT 10
A sigh passed her lightly glossed lips. The woman spent a great portion of her day trying to teach her six year olds that they shouldn’t do things just because someone else was, and here she was, succumbing to peer pressure. One of the other teachers at the school was leaving to take another job, and a lot of the younger teachers- or those not in their fifties and up, had decided that a girl’s night out was the best way to send her off. As much as she liked the other teacher, Eliza had decided she wasn’t going to go. It really wasn’t so fun hanging out at a bar with a bunch of tipsy women when you can’t drink, and really can’t explain why. Capeside was such a small place, that she couldn’t risk it getting back to Tyler. At least not before she had the chance to tell him. Or, well, worked up the courage. She’d had plenty of chances. Just had chosen not to take any of them. Regardless, she couldn’t tell anyone else until he knew. Of course, Ellis knew, but that was different. There wasn’t anything that her best friend didn’t know about her.
Eliza knew she needed to tell the man about his own child, sooner rather than later, she couldn’t help but feel that it was more complicated than that. If they had been in a happy committed relationship, it would have been Tyler waiting to see the results of the test with her and not Ellis. However, that wasn’t them. While the last few months of the relationship had been what you could call happy, it wasn’t committed. When they went out together, he didn’t introduce her to people as his girlfriend. She wasn’t even sure that the man had told his parents about her. Which, would have been an issue they could work through. The thing that was hardest on Eliza was the fact he couldn’t say that he loved her. How was she supposed to raise a child with a man who couldn’t be committed to her? As far as she was concerned her child would be better off without a father, than one who wouldn’t give them the world. She also didn’t want him to be with her out of obligation. If he didn’t love her, she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life with him. Maybe it was selfish, and she should just be with him for her unborn child, but she knew she couldn’t live her life like that.
There was also the fear. The fear that she’d have to hear face to face that he didn’t love her and he didn’t want to have a family with her. The mother to be hadn’t made up her mind if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Tyler yet, but having the chance taken from her by the man wasn’t something she could face. Those who knew Eliza well enough, knew she had something of a habit of pushing people away before they got a chance to hurt her. It hadn’t always been that way, but growing up her mother had let her down in so many ways, her high school friends, and even her high school boyfriend. So she started to avoid pain and heart break. Instead of closing her large heart off to caring, like a lot of people, she’d just learnt how to build walls after her heart was already involved. Which actually caused a lot more heartbreak, but Eliza was still convinced it was the best thing to do. Admitting she was wrong was another thing that the woman wasn’t great at, which not only made it hard for her to admit she should stop pushing people away, but made it almost impossible to apologise once she did.
She did not want to think about that though, not right now. The woman was depressed enough already. Stirring her diet coke with the straw, a second sigh passed her lips. It was a few hours into the night, so her colleagues were already rather merry, and up on the dance floor. Leaving Eliza alone sans the rum in her coke, and wondering why she had even let them talk her into this at all. Perhaps if she had been more assertive, she’d have suggested they go out for dinner, or steer the plans into a less alcoholic atmosphere. However she hadn’t, and now she was stuck feeling miserable, all dressed up in her party clothes. Which may have only consisted of a knee length floaty green dress, a long chunky black necklace and earrings, with cute strappy heals, but still. She felt like she had done her make-up for nothing. That the fact she had shaved her legs was going to waste as she sat there. When did she need to get drunk to have fun anyway? Eliza frowned, it was probably her hormones stopping her from having a good time, but far be it for her to change her mood.
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Post by tyler on May 20, 2011 5:43:19 GMT 10
It was typical really. Tyler was already drunk and it was still very early in the night. That seemed to be happening more and more lately. It was easier to be drunk than to keep thinking about why Eliza had just left him the way she had. It wasn't even fair. He'd been faithful for the past few months. He'd treated her like his girlfriend. It didn't make sense that she would just give up on them like that but he couldn't figure out why she'd done it. That and it just hurt him more than she probably thought that she was gone from his life. Tyler wasn't sure if he loved Eliza, but he did know that he cared about her a lot and she was the closest thing to a girlfriend he'd ever had. Just because he didn't want to label their relationship didn't mean that he didn't care about her.
He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, taking another sip of the scotch in his hand, and then placing it on the table in front of the couch. Great. He was turning into his father. Tyler didn't remember much of the five years that the man had been in his life, but his mother had told him about the alcoholism and drug addiction. The last memory Tyler had of him was the night he left. The night his father had left his mother bruised and crying on the floor while Tyler cried and tried to make her better. Nothing worked though. He still thought there was a big part of his mother that would always be a little broken after that, no matter how good of a poker face she put on. For some reason, no matter how badly his father had hurt her, his mother had still loved him at the end of it all. Maybe she always would.
Tyler didn't want that to happen to him. He'd sworn that he wouldn't ever let someone get so close that they could break him like that if they left. It would hurt too much. Yet Eliza hadn't been trying to get closer to him until later on in their relationship. They were just having fun together at first. Then they'd started spending more and more time together and before he knew it, Tyler didn't really want to spend time with anyone else but her. That's when he'd started to let her in a little. Obviously a mistake now that he thought about it, but it hadn't been intentional. She just kind of became the closest thing he had to a best friend and he felt alright with telling her certain things.
She still had no idea about his parents though. Tyler had never brought them up and when Eliza talked about her parents, he'd always steered the conversation somewhere else or distracted her. He didn't want to tell her. He didn't want her pity. He didn't know what he wanted from Eliza though. He just knew that at that moment he missed her more than ever. His mother would have told him he was an idiot for not chasing after her if she knew what was going on, but Tyler didn't know if he would be ready to introduce a girl to her anytime soon. He had to get out of his apartment though. Being cooped up in there with liquor and his thoughts wasn't healthy for him.
Tyler thought for a moment and then decided where he'd go. The Lighthouse was a popular club and maybe sleeping with a complete stranger would get his mind off of things. Besides, he'd rather drink with people around than alone. This was just depressing. Tyler stumbled a bit as he got up and made his way to the bathroom, splashing some water on his face and trying to focus more as he undressed and got in the shower. Once he was finished, Tyler brushed his teeth and threw on a suit, feeling much more sober than before. He grabbed his cell phone, keys, and wallet and then set off from his apartment towards the club, doing his best not to think of Eliza as he drove. This would be the first time he'd slept with someone else in months, and he was trying to avoid the feeling of guilt that had no business being there in the pit of his stomach.
Tyler pulled up to The Lighthouse and parked, getting out and crossing the parking lot quickly before flashing his I.D. at the bouncer and then entering. Already the place was full of people dancing and drinking and having a much better time than he was. Tyler glanced around, looking for someone he might be interested in, but to his surprise he saw her. Sitting there at a table sipping a drink like she didn't have a care in the world. Tyler felt anger wash through him, probably intensified by the alcohol. She was out having a great time while he'd been miserable for weeks. Tyler shook his head and went over to the bar, ordering a shot of tequila and downing it before he turned back to her.
He had to say something to her. She had to tell him why she'd left him and then just ignored all his calls and texts afterwards. Tyler slipped his way through the crowd and to the table where she was sitting, taking a seat directly across from her, and then asking, "So were you ever going to call me back or was avoiding me forever your plan, Eliza? The least you could have done was explain yourself after flipping out like that and now I find you here at a club like nothing ever happened. I didn't deserve being treated like that. I was nothing but good to you. Just...did you ever even care or was this just some kind of game to you? Please tell me, because I really don't understand what the hell happened to us."
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Post by ELIZA JOY LIEBERMAN on May 22, 2011 3:54:07 GMT 10
Eliza jumped when she heard the voice across from her. She had been far too busy starting into her drink as she mixed it with her straw. Feeling sorry for herself and watched the ice chink against the glass. Looking up, her heart gave a massive lurch. Tyler was the last person she had expected to see out tonight- or at least the last person she wanted to see. Honestly though? She should have really expected it. The things you were running from always caught up to you no matter how good you were at hiding, or deflecting or avoiding. God, she wished she was drunk. At least she’d be better equipped to deal with the situation if she had a few drinks in her. Instinctually, she placed a hand on her stomach, stroking her unborn baby once before lowering her hand. At least her reason for being stone cold sober was a good one. Eliza was finding that she couldn’t feel bitter about the things she was doing for the good of her baby. The image of the tiny newborn in her arms quelled any negative feelings instantly. Not even the morning sickness (which hadn’t been quarantined to just mornings mind you) had made her feel bitter.
So why was it that she felt so bitter about what had happened with Tyler? She’d told herself that part of the reason she had left him was because she couldn’t trust him with a child. So why wasn’t she content in her decision to end the relationship? Was she selfish? Was it her selfish desire to be loved and wanted and in a relationship that left the bitter taste on her mouth. Or maybe, just maybe, did she know she wasn’t actually doing any of this because it was best for her child. Moving her hand to stroke her stomach once more, Eliza just stared, a little stunned, as Tyler spoke. She refused to look into his eyes, or pay too much attention to the shape of his lips, or how well she knew her nose sat against the curve of his. Anything that would make her feel something other than the anger that was building up in her chest. Anything that would remind her of why she had been with him in the first place. So, with little other options, she had fixed her gaze to a stop on his shoulder once she got over the initial shock of seeing him.
It wasn’t exactly his worlds that had made her words, more the fact he had come out of nowhere and surprised her. She hated feeling backed into a corner. It usually bought out her defensive nature, and now was no different. Raising an eyebrow, she scoffed a little. “Pot’s and Kettles, Tyler.” She shook her head a little. “You’re here too, so I guess that means you’re pretending like everything’s peachy so why should I have to justify myself to you?” She put her drink down on table with more force than needed. “I’m not your girlfriend anymore, where I go isn’t up to you. In fact, I never even was your girlfriend, so it never was up to you.” Standing up, she shook her head. “I’m not doing this with you. Not here. If you want to make a public fool out of yourself than fine, but don’t you dare drag me into this.” Collecting her clutch, Eliza did what she did best, and ran away from the problem. Pushing past Tyler to get to the door on the other side of the club. She’d text her friends and apologise, say she had a stomach ache or something. They’d understand. By now most people at work thought she had an ongoing stomach flu anyway.
However, as she let her shoulder brush past his, two things happened. The first being the spark that ignited between them upon the contact. It caused her to shiver visibly. She hadn’t expecting the spark. She’d done her best to squash all the remaining chemistry between them, but obviously it had proven harder than she had though. The second was the alcohol on his breath. It was strong, she wasn’t sure how many he had already downed, but there was no way she could let him stay and drink more- and knowing him want to drive home. When they had been together, Eliza had usually been the one to get him home, laughing at the childish way he tried to fight her on the fact that he could still drive. Promising him that he’d be well rewarded if he just handed over the keys. Letting out a low sigh, Eliza closed her eyes for a moment. She could hardly believe what she was doing, but as always her generous heart was winning out- even though she wasn’t sure she wanted it to. Part of her wished she could just walk away and leave him there. That had never been in her nature though, and she couldn’t change who she was, as much as she tried.
“Come on..” She muttered, wrapping her hand around his arm to pull him to his feet. “You’re drunk, or heading that way. You can’t drive, and you won’t get a taxi this time of night. I’m driving you home.”
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