"Bye, Bye, Bee"

Seth sat, slightly hunched, and fiddled with his pricey though tastefully simple wristwatch. He glanced out of the café’s window and then back at the timepiece for seemingly the hundredth time in the ten minutes he had been sitting there.

13:13

He looked out again and noticed that it was snowing heavier. He hoped Bee was ok. Usually she was, maybe she was still sleeping. He didn’t know what she did at night, but by the time he woke up she was just coming to bed.

Lately anyway at least.

Maybe it doesn’t even matter anymore.

It’s snowing, she might have taken a cab and it’s stuck in traffic or in the snow, or maybe in an accident.

Seth shudders and shook his head to shake that thought. Why did he think a sick thought like that? He chided himself for being so morbid and reminded himself to focus on the positive and stop being so pessimistic about everything. It was one of his resolutions for the New Year and this year, since they seemed more realistically attainable, he was going to carry them out.

Other one included being more punctual. He already was very punctual, but lately he had been slipping by maybe one to five minutes. That may not seem like a big deal to you or me or anyone else, but Seth prided himself and being reliable. He would get to class five minutes early, or even before the professor had come in at least, but lately when he got there, the professor was already writing on the board and he always felt a deep disappointment in himself about that.

His worry began to melt into a frustrated anger when he suddenly remembered he has class in an hour exactly. His sigh was heavy and he lowered his head.

He told her to be here, promptly, eight minutes ago.

More than likely she was sleeping with that flea-ridden demon she calls a “cute little kitten” snuggled so sickeningly close. How can anyone sleep with that thing so snugly, she found that on the street! It’s a wonder it hasn’t coughed and given her rabies or disease. And what kind of name is Minino for a cat or anything for that matter?

Or maybe she was drunk, passing out and vomiting everywhere. She even got his cousin drunk, his teenage cousin. What kind of person would give alcohol to a minor? A freakin’ (Lord, please pardon the language) minor! She corrupted that poor boy. Hopefully, he won’t end up some scraggily wino living in a cardboard box on the street.

Be that would be her cross to bear.

Or even more than likely she was watching that stupid junk. He just didn’t understand why a nice looking woman like her with somewhat of a good sense in her head would watch and enjoy seeing other women being degraded and objectified while they fawn arousal, moaning like cheap whores. He tried telling her that she was better than that and she shouldn’t lower herself to trash but she just gave him a disagreeable look and a heavy sigh.

Part of him would like to think she didn’t purposely try to tick him off, but the other knew, secretly, that she got her kicks from it. There are ways to dissuade conflicts, but she always seemed to invite it and whenever he brought up his concerns about a situation, she just sat there with that blank stare and just reacted when she felt like it. There was no talking to her and yet somehow he was always the bad guy.

It’s not fair.

Maybe if she slept normal hours, learned how to carry a conversation, dressed like a respectable woman instead of a prostitute (sometimes he wondered if she was), went to Church, got a job (she had money, he wasn’t sure how she got it. Again, he wonders), and more importantly, got a sense of time and responsibility, their relationship might have been better. Her nonchalant attitude was intriguing to him at first, now it was just annoying. She was just so dull.

It’s just sad, pretty girl like she is being that way. Not really all that cordial to people either.

A shadow blocks light from hitting the table and he looks up.

Bee looks down at him with these passive emeralds, cheeks ruddy from the cold and then to the seat across from him as she drapes her coat on the back of that chair.

Well at least she looks nice today.

Her blouse isn’t as taut as the other things she wears and neither is the cardigan or her jeans. He wonders how far she had to dig in her closet for it. Those stiletto boots, though, are a different story. She sits down and crosses her legs.

“So,” she starts while looking around the room, “what’s wrong?”

She looks at him lethargically. Maybe she did just wake up.

“Nothing’s wrong, not really.”

She snorts.

“Well I hope something’s wrong if we couldn’t talk about whatever this is about at the apartment. We have coffee there, y’know.”

Real shame, beautiful girl like her being so nasty to people.

“Well…”

The waitress comes over with the French Vanilla Cappuccinos and scones he ordered while waiting for her. The girl sets it down, asks if they need anything else, he says no, and she goes with her courtesy smile.

Bee takes a drink and breaks off a piece of scone and chews it like she doesn’t like it.

Seth clears his throat and takes a sip. He realizes he’s nervous and he doesn’t know why. He takes a deep breath and just rushes it out, somehow coherently.

“Bee, I think we should see other people.”

“Wha?” She shoves more scone into her mouth.

He sighs. This would take time and that’s something he doesn’t have.

“Look, Bee,” he leans in closer and thinks for a moment, “don’t get upset or anything, but…I just think it would be best if we went separate ways. We don’t see each other much anymore. You deserve better.”

She just sits there, stunned.

Poor girl.

“Are you going to be all right?” He’s a little concerned.

Her head’s down but she nods affirmatively. He feels really bad; he didn’t expect her to take it like this. He wants to lean over and give her a rub on the shoulder in some effort to console her, but then notices that he will surely be late if he stays any longer.

“So, uh” he quickly puts on his coat, “no hard feelings?”

She covers her face and he realizes that she’s shaking. Now he just feels terrible.

“I’ll call you later, ok?” he pauses before leaving and hovers a hand over her back and hesitates before rubbing a small warm circle into it and turns away.

He gets into his frozen car and just sits there for a moment and feels so guilty.

The truth was, when he went back home for the Holidays, his mother introduced him to Tammy Winters, a girl he’d had known from high school. They didn’t talk much then but they really hit it off well and he really wanted to pursue a relationship with her, but he was still with Beatriz and he felt guilty when they flirted. He thought Beatriz wouldn’t have minded with her being so aloof and distant but now he thought twice. Maybe she’s not as cold as he had thought.

Well, at least he got another Resolution out of the way.

But at what cost?