Not my Type

By A. Sylvur

Word Count: 4279

The problem? Men or more specifically, the trouble was Raishie’s man. This morning she realized that for friendships to bloom, girl talk was vital. However, when a man stepped his muck into the mix everything changed. Raishie didn’t want change. She needed friendship and couldn’t live with Colin, the alternative, for another moment. She glared at her cell phone. It had been months since she had spoken to her best friend. Sadly, each of them had a man now and she wondered if Diana still wanted to keep hers. Decision made, she clicked the speed dial number for her best friend and hoped to start their friendship where they parted ways.

“Hello?” A soft melodic voice sang.

“Dee? It’s Rai.”

Diana inhaled. “OMG! I’ve missed you so much. How are you?”

“I’m good.” Relief, washed over her. “I missed you too. Can we talk?”

“Of course! When?”

She looked at her watch. “How about in an hour at our café?”

“Sounds great. Tom is about to leave to meet his mother. So, see you soon.”

When the connection died, she fell back onto her sofa. No doubt, Tom dictated Dee’s life too. It had to stop. Men in general needed a blockade.

An hour later Rai walked into the café and heard the shriek before she saw the person who made it. They hugged.

“I missed you too,” Raishie said as she stepped back to see her best friend. “You haven’t changed in the last two months.”

“You neither. You look great! Love the pink shirt. It fits you like a second skin.”

Rai smiled. “Thanks. Still wearing earthy tones, I see. But that skirt is awesome.”

“Thanks. I have our usual lattes at the table. I took the liberty of ordering for you, since I was here before you.” Diana took her friend’s hand and led her to their usual table a short distance away. “What’s up with you? How are you and the man?”

“That’s why I called you. I have to break up with him. I can’t marry him.”

Her best friend lifted a brow as she sat down. “Why? You were in love. You said he was so hot and so sweet.”

“That was because I didn’t really know him.” She sat opposite Diana. “I was only looking at the goods on the outside. It’s what men and women do. Not like I’m the first to make that mistake.”

“Really? I’m your best friend. Surely if something bad happened you would have called me . . . Wouldn’t you?”

Rai shrugged. “Some things are too embarrassing for words.”

Incensed, Diana wondered aloud, “Did he hit you?”

“No. Not yet.” She thought wryly as several narrow escapes came to mind.

Dee took a sip of her coffee. “Does he threaten you? Or is it emotional? Like he calls you names or tells you you’ll never get anyone better than him?”

She winced. “Not exactly.”

“OMG! Is this about ‘male’ flaws?” When her best friend sighed, Dee was stunned. “I can’t believe you.” She crossed her arms. “I hate to break it to you, but all men have flaws. Not even in romance novels will you find a perfect man. But a few come close.”

“Then you date him, because I will go insane if I stay with him any longer. Or die.”

“Whoa. That serious? What does he do? Or don’t I want to know?”

For twenty minutes, Rai told her best friend all about her conflicts with Colin’s behavior then laid her head on the table.

“Honestly, Rai?” Dee thought for a moment then shook her head. “No. I can’t believe he would do those things. I think you’re making that up just to leave him. You’ve grown tired of him and the idea of marriage scares you.”

“What?” Her mouth hung open for a few seconds. “Whose friend are you?”

Something caught in Dee’s throat, but she quickly cleared it. “Yours, but hear me out. Please. I know you are ready to give up, but let us say he’s blindly in love with you. Or whatever romantic notion you want to color it with. Now, put yourself in his shoes. Would you want him to leave you cold turkey or try to solve these frivolous issues that all relationships go through?”

“Cold turkey. It’s better that way.” She stabbed her finger at the table, “And this is not some frivolous issue. I think you want to see me suffer. Maybe you’re hoping I’ll die.”

Rai was too late to protect her hand and Dee slapped it. “What’s wrong with you? What happened to that heart of yours? I’m doing this to watch you suffer? No! I’m doing this because I was there when the two of you first got together. I remember the looks, the touches, the,” she cleared her throat. “I won’t finish that. But seeing the two of you together is the reason I jumped into a relationship with Tom, who turned out to be just as sweet.”

“Colin numbed my heart with his so called flaws.” Rai twirled a finger in the air.

“Okay. I have a plan. If my plan doesn’t work, I promise to help you with your plan of cold turkey. But you have to be willing to try mine first. I mean really give it a fair try.”

“I want to hear it first.” This wasn’t what she thought would happen. A friend was supposed to stand by you, through right and wrong, thick and thin. “Well?”

“Ask Colin which he would prefer: cold turkey or fix the problems. And if he says he’s willing to work at the relationship you have to give him another chance.”

So much for friendship, she reached into the pocket of her hipster jeans and pulled out enough green bills to cover the drink. “For the latte. Thank you, but I’ll have to think about it.”

Quickly her friend barked, “How about a vacation?” When Rai lifted a brow and turned around, Dee added, “I’ll pay for everything.”

“I think I officially hate you.” She needed a vacation. And a free one she just couldn’t pass up, no matter how badly she wanted to say no. Her friend was suddenly evil.

Diana smiled. “I believe you. But after this is all settled you’ll thank me.”

“We’ve definitely grown apart.”

Raishie starred out the window during the whole drive, though Colin made many attempts to get her to join in. Lovingly, he’d settle his hand on her thigh, but rudely she’d wrap his hand on the stick shift of his car.

He never gave up.

“Finally.” Rai finally spoke as the Jetta slowed to a stop. She couldn’t escape the confinement fast enough and nearly tripped as she stepped out of the car.

In a rush to find out what was wrong, Colin met her at the trunk and opened it. “Love? What’s wrong? Why are you so angry with me? From the moment you mentioned this trip you’ve been angry.”

Unable to answer, she rolled her eyes and ignored him as she attempted to take her luggage, but Colin took it from her and set it down with his bag. “Please?” he pressed as he reached for her cheek.

“You’re not my type, Colin.”

His hand dropped. “I see. Then why did you bring me here just to say it’s over?”

“Ask Diana.”

“No. I’m asking you. Why, Rai?”

Dee cleared her throat and spoke to Tom, “We can get our things later. Let’s check everyone in.”

“No.” Colin held up his hand. “Not until Raishie and I settle this. If she wants to dump me, we’ll do it now.”

“Remember our deal?” Dee whispered.

Colin had a bad feeling and it felt like a bad case of heartburn. “What deal?”

“Yeah, what deal?” Tom stood beside Colin and glared at the woman by his side.

That was her cue, Dee took Tom’s arm, and as she escorted him inside, she said, “We need to talk.”

Upset, Colin threw their luggage back in the trunk. “Are you gonna say it?”

“I’ll tell you in the hotel room.”

“So I have to spend four days watching you hit up on other guys? No thanks.” He slammed the trunk shut then turned to see Rai clutching her fingers to her chest and her eyes wide. “Rai, I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t mean to.” Colin reached for her hands, but she backed away. “Please don’t do that. It was an accident.”

“You said that the last time when it was my head in the trunk and you nearly killed me.” Rai growled. “And it’s happening more and more. I honestly think you’re trying to kill me.”

“Ouch.” He flinched then put his hands in his jean pockets. He may have deserved that, but eventually he would have noticed her there because the trunk wouldn’t have shut. However, the particular day she referred to, his emotions were raw and elated when she said yes to be his wife, which caused his surroundings to blur. He didn’t know how to tell her that it wasn’t that he forgot she was beside him. Rather it was because of how dizzy she made him feel with her presence and his coordination went out the window.

“Hello?”

His head jerked up. “What?”

“Lost in the past?” Her nicely arched brows rose in question.

It was obvious to him that she remembered the same incident but with far different emotions than himself. “Somewhat. Can we talk about our problems and try to fix them? Or will you just walk away and forget me?”

When she didn’t answer right away, he added as he glanced at the ground, “Because I won’t be able to forget you so easily. . . Despite what you think of me, I do love you.” His eyes looked up to see fear in her eyes. “What? What did I do now?”

“I don’t feel so good. Can you please check us in? I have to share something with you and it has nothing to do with breaking up. Quite the opposite really.”

His luck just turned and he took it with open arms as he hugged her. “I won’t let you down, I promise. No mess ups. I won’t forget where you are. I’ll look out for you and I’ll be the bestest and favoritestestes fiancé ever.”

She glared. “I don’t play favorites. It’s either me or not me, so if you have other women take your pick from them and leave me out of it.”

“What? No. I didn’t . . . I meant I’m yours. There are no other women in my life. I swear before the LORD.”

She cupped her hand over his mouth. “No need to shout. Let’s get checked into the hotel then I’ll explain your mysteriously good fortune.”

“The deal?” He mumbled behind her hand.

“Yes.” She turned and walked away.

“Oh, hell.” Grumpily he opened the trunk as the love of his life walked into the hotel to get a key. He knew this vacation would be one in which he would be the servant who desperately needed the Master to survive. “You can accomplish the impossible,” he chanted to himself.

No amount of money could be worth this.

Raishie went up the elevator with Tom, Colin, and Dee. Her fiancé reached for her hand and smiled when she didn’t push him away. He almost felt like crying. Until the elevator doors opened and a cold rush of air let him know her hand was gone.

The happy couple, Tom and Diana parted ways and waved as the elevator doors closed. “See you guys downstairs later.”

“Much later.” Tom winked.

“Which room is ours?”

“Three doors down.” Rai answered Colin.

Silently, he followed. In an effort to prove himself, he took the key from her hand and balanced the luggage. As he reached to open their door, he stared at her beautiful face. When he tried to blindly insert the key, it fell from his hands.

“You dropped the key.” She announced snobbishly.

In a rush, he bent to pick it up only to hear his fiancée grunt then he heard a resounding thud as something landed hard on the floor. The word oops popped into his head when she moaned.

The luggage forgotten, he let everything drop and rushed to help her to her feet. “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

“You’ve done worse.”

“You say that as though I do that a lot.”

She nodded. “Just stay there until I’m completely inside the room. I don’t want to be sliced in half by the door.” Rai jerked the key out of his hand and opened the door herself.

“It wasn’t intentional.” Colin quickly gathered the luggage then followed her into the hotel suite.

“The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but you are not my type,” Raishie stated again as she walked into separate bedroom. “You need someone to help you focus and I need someone to see me.”

“I do see you.”

“So you knew I was standing there when you turned around and whapped me with the luggage?”

“Yes, I thought you would have given me room to get the key, since you mentioned I dropped it.”

Rai laughed. “I thought you would have waited for me to go inside or at least ask me to step back while you picked it up.” She glared. “I didn’t have time to react before I was attack by luggage. I’m thankful there wasn’t a sharp corner to do any permanent damage.”

“I see.” He thought hard as he set their luggage beside the king sized bed.

“No. I don’t think you do.”

Several moments of silence followed.

“Do you love me?” Colin’s eyes were hopeful.

Again, several minutes flew by before she stated, “I don’t know.” Her eyes avoided his.

“Of course you know. You either do or don’t.”

“Why does it matter if I love you or not? If I stay with you, I’m a goner and if I love you and leave you its ten times worse. Either way we are not suited to be husband and wife. In a matter of months you’d be single again, because I’d have an accident.”

He saw the truth in her teary eyes and her sudden jerky movements. “It doesn’t have to be like this.” Cautiously, he pulled her into his arms and whispered, “You can train me not to be so clumsy.”

“Dogs are trained, Colin. Not men and I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“We’ll get a couple’s manual on how to train your man.”

She laughed wryly. “Cute, but I looked. It’s not on eBay yet.”

Gently, he kissed her cheek then smiled she let him near. “Then we’ll create one. We’ll use the rest of our years together to develop a theory and put it to the test.” When she looked doubtful, he quickly added, “We will stay away from mountains, cliffs and sharp objects.”

“I don’t know.” She bit her bottom lip to stop the laughter about to burst out. It was rather funny when she wasn’t worried about her life and he looked at her. When he looked away was when she worried. “I’ll think about it for a few days.”

“Thank you.” He swept her off her feet then laid her on the bed and was about to turn away when she gripped his arms.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

He leaned over her. “I put you on the bed to keep you safe while I put our things where they belong.” He quickly planted a kiss on her lips, confident that she was safe.

For three days, Raishie watched Colin go out of his way to make her safe, comfortable, happy and perhaps not entertained, but he did that too. She enjoyed it when he played tug of war with the maid service to get her towels for her room then carried her to the hot tub in front of everyone and massaged her as he referred to her as the Queen of his heart. Although it was extreme and somewhat embarrassing, she didn’t complain because there hadn’t been an accident.

She sat on the lawn chair and wore a bikini top with white shorts near the outdoor pool. With her eyes on Colin, who sent her unspoken promises as he spoke to Tom, she pretended to read the book in her hand.

Thankful for her sunglasses, she smiled behind her book. Before they fell asleep the first night, she knew she would never stop loving him. Her eyes glanced to her page then a few seconds later, someone snatched the book from her hands.

“Have you been watching me?” Colin smiled.

“Me?”

He grinned. “You’ve been on that page for an hour. Suddenly a slow reader?”

She removed her sunglasses. “No. I was watching you.”

“I know.” Desperately, he wanted a kiss, but he only leaned. “Why?”

“You know why.”

“I do, but I want to hear it from your gorgeous lips.”

Raishie shook her head. “I’ll give you a choice.” He nodded and she continued, “I can show you or tell you.”

“Definitely sh—”

Before he could finish, her lips were on his. Between kisses he asked, “Will . . . you . . . marry . . . me . . . again?”

“Yes.” The question finally sank in and she pulled away. “Did I just agree to marry you again?”

Colin rested his forehead on hers. “Yes. I wasn’t sure if my first proposal was still valid after our near break up. But I won’t hold you to it unless you really want to.” He teased, “Although I have witnesses if you decide to back out.”

That comment evoked a laugh. “Really? How cavemanish of you.”

“You have no idea how many cave man thoughts I’ve had these past few days.”

“Really?”

The gleam in her eyes let him know he finally said something she liked. “Do you want a caveman’s love?”

“Being the strong forceful woman that I am? Sure. I’d love for you to let your cavemanish ways out . . . for an hour or two.”

“You mean until you conquer me with your brutish words and cold shoulder techniques that deprive me of your body?”

Suddenly serious, she pushed his shoulders back. “Are you sure you want me? Because I really don’t think I’m your type.”

“Who is? I want you and only you no matter the price.”

His reply melted her heart.

“I love you, Colin. Even though you’re all wrong for me.”

For a moment, he froze. She’d finally said the words he needed to hear. Lightheaded once again, he lifted her chin a bit too forcefully and she jerked away.

“No! No, no, no, no, no.” He immediately dropped to his knees beside her. “Please, don’t back away from me. We’ve made so much progress. I think you need to know how you affect me.”

“I think this was a mistake,” she rubbed her chin as the blood from her cheek went down her throat.

“I love you. Just the thought of losing you hurts so much that I can’t breathe and I feel sick. Please. Every time I do something that you hate it’s because you make me feel so much love, I can’t seem to keep my coordination.”

She searched his eyes. “Are you for real?”

“Yes. It’s difficult to explain. Please. My motor skills vanish when you put me under your spell. Please, don’t leave me. I will do anything and be anything you want.”

“What if I don’t know what I want?”

“Train me. Please, let’s work on our relationship. We love each other. There has to be a way we can fix this.”

“I don’t know how to train you.”

Optimistic, he was confident as he said, “Together we can find a solution to my problem, though I’m not sure what my problem is, exactly. Maybe we can find a solution more generalized than specific so it isn’t so overwhelming for you.”

“Fine. But I’m only giving you a year.” On a softer note, she added, “I just hope I can survive.”

A cell phone rang. Both Colin and Rai reached for their phones and checked for a call.

“Hello?”

“Rai, have you seen Tom?”

“No. Want me to look?”

“Please. When you find him, tell him I changed my mind about lunch and a drink. I’m feeling better.”

Rai smiled. “Great. I’m so glad to hear it. Colin and I will join you. Meet you in a few.”

Colin helped her off the lawn chair. “What’s going on?”

“We need to find Tom. Dee is feeling better and she wants us to find her man. Guess he’s not answering his cell.”

Both of them looked around then headed to the lobby.

“Maybe we should split up? Just to find him.”

“Keep in touch.” She held up her cell.

Quickly, he kissed her then announced, “As soon as you’re out of sight, I’ll call you.”

“Can’t you just call me when you find him?”

“Yes, but I want to hear your voice. And you’ll know if I find him if I’m on the phone with you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, Colin. Have it your way.” Rai walked away.

The first place Colin went was to the bar and immediately called his fiancée when she was out of sight. They chatted about how ridiculous it was for him to call her to talk about nothing. When his eyes landed on Tom and another woman who wore a leopard bikini, Colin was speechless.

Concerned, Rai asked, “What’s wrong? You’ve stopped talking.”

“I found Tom.” He made his way to Tom and pushed through the crowd. When he reached his friend, he asked, “What are you doing?”

Tom turned and smiled. “Colin, this is Ashley.”

“I don’t give a shit who she is. What about your fiancée?”

“Shh!” Tom looked around. “Raishie may hear you.”

Ashley lifted her dark painted eyes. “Raishie? You have a fiancée?”

“Whoa!” Colin shook his head in anger. “Raishie is my fiancée. He’s engaged to Diana.”

“No.” Tom tried to hold on to Ashley. “I was engaged, but Colin doesn’t know about our recent break up. His fiancée happens to be my fiancée’s best friend, which makes this awkward.”

“How recent?”

Tom paused for several minutes, before he turned around to see two angry women, Raishie and Diana with their arms crossed.

Instinctively, he stepped away from Ashley. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“What?” Ashley slapped Tom then addressed the two women. “I’m sorry, I had no idea he was taken.”

Diana stepped up to the women. “He’s not. You can have him.” She turned around and walked away.

Raishie and Colin caught up to her as she entered the elevator.

No one spoke as Diana fumed all the way to the room. When she entered her suite, she began to pack.

“Colin, pack Tom’s stuff, please.” She asked politely.

“Of course.” Colin handed his cell phone to his fiancée then began to gather Tom’s things as Raishie bolted the door.

“Do you want to leave, Dee?”

She shook her head as tears began to fall. “No. But, I will get another room. Not sure what Tom plans to do, but his free ticket has expired.”

Raishie took the lingerie out her friend’s hand and held her. Dee broke down.

“He was so perfect like Colin. I thought he was the one.”

“Colin is only perfect from a distance.” She wiped her friend’s tears. “Trust me.”

“Thanks?” Somewhat offended, Colin remarked.

“This isn’t about you, Colin.” Rai gave him a look to silence him.

Dee smiled through her tears. “The two of you are so perfect together. And I want to find that.”

“One day. Just don’t rush it. And we are not perfect together.” She sighed. “He tries to kill me and I try to run. It’s not perfect to me.”

Colin coughed. “Well we can be with a little training. She can train me not to be an accidental assassin.”

Rai rolled her eyes at him and corrected. “A lot of training.”

“Perfection may be overrated.” Dee chuckled. “You can communicate honestly with each other and that’s what matters.”

“You’re confusing honesty with Rai’s I don’t care if I hurt you attitude.” He looked up in time to see a pillow fly at his head and dodged it.

“True.” Dee smiled as she wiped her tears. “Thank you both for your support. Odd that I’m not as hurt as I think I should be. I think I’m okay now.”

“Either way, he’s not worth crying over.” Rai looked around. “Want Colin to throw his suitcase in the lobby?”

Her best friend nodded. “But I’ll feel like a third wheel if I hang out with the both of you.”

“Nonsense. Maybe the two of you,” Rai pointed to her best friend and her fiancé, “will discover you have more in common than I do with Colin.”

Both Colin and Dee threw a pillow at Raishie.

“That was intentional.” Colin winked just before his fiancé tackled him onto the bed.

“So was that,” Rai said as she sat up on top of him.

“Whoa!” Dee put a stop to their sensually charged game. “I need to pack and get another room. We need to focus here.”

Colin and Rai rolled away from each other.

“I have an idea.” Rai grinned. “We’ll go shopping.”

Instantly, Diana’s face lit up, “I like that idea.”

“Who’ll be buying?” Colin asked as the girls returned to their tasks, but his only response was a giggle. “Or is paying the better word choice?”