Gold Medal

Hey look I wrote another story. I call this one "Gold Medal".

                “Come on! I can do better than that!” Chris yelled at the tv. He couldn’t do better than that woman on the U.S. Volleyball team. He couldn’t do better than a cheerleader with a limp, much less an Olympic level volleyball player. The team had a real chance at the gold this year.

                To put it nicely, Chris was a douche. He was a talentless loudmouth who spent his days on his in a cubicle. He was between five-foot-four and five-foot-six and nearly five pounds per inch. Chris was a pig in all respects. He always scared her and bought her forgiveness with clichéd romance. And that was the worst part. It was who he was doing it to.

                Lily was an amazing woman. She was the smartest and kindest woman who had ever walked those halls. But she had left and the vacuum could not be filled. That was when Bruce knew he loved her. Bruce had been a teacher at Cambridge Polytechnic. That’s where he met Lily, during her year away from home.

                Lily and Bruce were best friends almost immediately. This concerned Chris but he was too far away to do anything about it. At first there was nothing physical but the more time they spent together, the more tension built. It helped that it was a hot day in Cambridge the first time they made love. They both immediately knew it would be forever. Lily decided that she will visit home in a couple weeks and break up with Chris.

                At this point she had been home for a few days and seen Chris more than once. Lily was just too nice; she didn’t want to hurt Chris. So she found herself watching Olympic volleyball with Chris, trying to find the right words to break up with him. She loved Bruce and couldn’t lie to anyone anymore, including Chris.

                Chris was transfixed by the US Womens Volleyball Team. There was a slight lear on his face.

                “We have to break up” Lily blurted out. She instantly regretted her words. She may be in love with Bruce, but she still cared enough about Chris to not want to hurt him.

                “What?” Chris quietly asked, obviously taken aback by the sudden gust of emotion.

                “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out like that. I just think it’s best we stopped seeing each other.” Lily was on the verge of tears. She had never done anything so heart-wrenching.

                “What did I do?” Chris sounded hurt, like a child finding out his parents are divorcing.

                “It’s not you “Lily couldn’t believe how clichéd she was about to sound so she checked herself. “I just don’t love you like you love me and I don’t see the same future you do. I’m really sorry”

                “You’re sorry? There’s someone else isn’t there? It’s that Bruce guy isn’t it?!” He was hurt, he was angry. He had every right to be.

                Lily bit her lip. She found it harder and harder to look at Chris. Her eyes had filled with tears and were about to burst. But she held it back as best she could. She knew the one in real pain here wasn’t her. Worst of all was that he was right, it was Bruce. But how was she going to say that?

                “I’m sorry.” Lily squeaked out, choking back her tears. She still couldn’t look at him but she knew Chris was crying. She just wanted to get out of this situation. She wanted to run. “I’m so sorry”

                Chris couldn’t speak. He was choked with rage and tears. He wanted to find Bruce and hit him. Hit him again and again. But he knew that wouldn’t get Lily back. He was flooded by the sudden realization that it was over with the woman he thought he was going to marry.  He wanted this moment to end so badly. He wanted to be alone. He wished this cold bitch would get out.

                Lily couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to get out. “I’m sorry”, she let out as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, thanking god that she didn’t need a ride home. The only question she had was whether to call Bruce on the way home or wait until she stops crying.

                Ultimately she knew she had made the right decision. She loved Bruce and he loved her. They were a pair. Lily cried all the way home, looking forward to talking to Bruce over Skype, sorry for the pain she had caused.

               

                Bruce was watching the US Olympic Volleyball Team playing against the Chinese. He had no idea what was going on, but Bruce was just watching while he waited for Lily to come home. She was stuck at work and it was Bruces turn to make dinner. The lasagna was baking slowly in the oven. The US led by 4. It was starting to look like they would get the gold.