Chapter 4: Unforgivable.

Present Day.

Olivia's POV.

I get easily bored when I don't have classes in the morning so instead of sitting around in my apartment and watching N*****x, I go for morning runs.

I always stop by Christy's on my way back home, I'm so obsessed with their iced coffee.

Which is why everytime I walk through these heavy glass doors to the Café, which might I add is very close to my apartment and to campus, I'm always greeted by the lovely aroma of rich coffee beans which fills my nostrils and the welcoming sound of customers around the Café chitchatting, even though Christy's is both a Café and restaurant, many people come in for the coffee, especially students, we all just need coffee.

My eyes scan the whole place and I feel like everyone's now staring at me.

I'm wearing leggings and a sports bra, I don't know what the big fuss is about but if it's about my bleached hair then jokes on them cause it's fake.

"Jack." I reach the counter, smiling at the employee who I only know from my ethics class.

"You love the attention, don't you?" His eyes drop to my chest.

"I'll have an iced coffee, thank you very much." I show him a sweet smile while sitting on the stool.

He turns to fetch my drink and my eyes curiously roam around the Café, I catch a lot of eyes on me, I even find myself wondering if I unknowingly switched bodies with a hot celebrity this morning.

My gaze freezes on the person sitting in the corner of the Café, the best spot in the house, right by the window.

He doesn't look away or wave hello, his eyes are just on me, not blinking, not diverting, and so not readable.

Is he trying to figure out where he's seen me before?

He really really must have seen me somewhere before.

What if that somewhere might have been three years ago, before I lost my memory?

"Here you go, gorgeous, drink's on the house." Jack drags me out of my thoughts, winking at me and everything.

"Thanks." I lift my drink off the counter, sliding off the stool and glancing at my so called neighbor.

He's still staring at me.

I hold his gaze, lifting my drink to my mouth, sucking on the straw and swallowing the cold liquid.

I groan at the satisfying feeling.

That's the stuff.

My hot neighbor scratches the back of his head, looking out the window then down at his open laptop.

I sigh, knowing that I have no choice but to talk to him now.

I approach his table, standing over him and waiting for him to acknowledge me.

He does.

He leans back in his seat and the first thing he looks at is the drink I'm holding. When his eyes slowly lift to mine, I feel a strange tightness in my chest.

Something between pain and happiness.

Weird.

"Hi." I greet, feeling my heart beating in my ears.

"Hey." His voice is so low and deep.

"Can I sit?" I point at the seat across from him.

"Sure." He looks at the empty chair and I sit, placing my drink down on the table and watching him as he shuts his laptop, I'm guessing to give me his full attention.

Why am I here?

What should I say?

I lean my arms on the table, bending my head down to meet the straw, I'm actually doing this so he speaks first but he just stares at me expressionlessly.

"Best iced coffee on the fucking planet." I say randomly, he slightly tilts his head, narrowing his eyes at me like he's trying to figure me out.

I notice the star tattoo on the side of his neck, I swear I've seen it somewhere before.

But where?

Everything about this guy feels so familiar, pure deja vu.

"Hey, so, don't take this the wrong way but have we met before?" I ask him, he doesn't respond, he just blinks once so I speak again. "It's just that, I was in a road accident three years ago and I lost my memory and the other day, you... kinda looked.. at me like you knew me so.." I stammer, sounding like a complete fool.

He looks out the window, tightening that jaw then he gives his head a small shake.

"I'm sorry to hear that but no, I don't know you." He says, not looking at my face.

I don't know why but I feel so disappointed, what exactly was I expecting? A reunion?

"Then why did I spook you out that day?" I ask disappointedly, leaning back in the chair.

He shifts in his seat, running a hand through his buzz cut and cutting his eyes to mine.

"You just looked like someone I used to know." He tells me.

That interests me.

"Who? I mean, maybe I am that someone." I half laugh, shrugging, he shows a faint smile, his eyes dropping to the table again.

There's something so sad about his face expressions, like whatever he has bottled up inside affects his smile, his laughter, his... Happiness.

I hate it.

He has a beautiful face, it deserves a smile and a good laugh.

"You're not, I promise." He responds to my previous statement.

I study his face, trying so hard to peel the layers he's built around himself but I don't succeed, they're pretty solid.

"What makes you so sure?" I question, sipping my drink.

"Because.." he starts, twirling the ring on his index finger. "I'm pretty sure I can remember her anywhere, hell and back." He answers.

"Oh." I feel lost at words, "I feel like an asshole now." I mutter more to myself.

"It's okay, you just look a lot like her." He stares at me.

I notice that he didn't mention this person's name.

"Did you guys break up?" Curiosity gets the best of me.

"Let's just say I wasn't there when she needed me the most and I don't know if she'll ever forgive me." He explains.

"Aw, Jace, just try apologizing, I'm sure she can find it in her heart to forgive you." I assure him, feeling a little sad for him.

Silence takes over, my words linger in the air, I wonder if I said the wrong thing or if he just doesn't want to comment on it but then he looks at me straight in the eye and says...

"There are some things people are able to forgive, what I did to..." He cuts himself off, sighing restlessly, "What I did to her was just so unforgivable." He shakes his head.

I swear to God I've never seen someone this confused, lost and broken all at the same time.

I don't know what happened between him and this chick but this dude is a living example of why people shouldn't take advantage of the people who love them, one day they won't be there and you'll forever live in regret.

I don't know if I was ever in love but I believe love is what destroys people, it changes them completely.

If you don't believe me then just look at Jace, I can tell there was a time when he laughed and smiled all the time.

"Was it true love?" I ask when I don't find a proper response to what he said.

"I believe she was the love of my life." He stares into oblivion, looking distant.

One day, I want a guy to talk about me like that.

"Geez." I smile. "That's so cute and sad at the same time."

He drifts his gaze to my face, I feel like he's staring into my soul, reading me like a book cause I don't have the kind of layers that he has, I mean it's not like I didn't just tell him my entire life in one sentence.

"I guess." He says, not breaking eye contact.

I hate that this eye contact feels like everything, I shouldn't be feeling like this for this guy, he's literally in love with someone else.

Is it fucked up that I wanna ask where this girl is now?

Okay, that's enough, I should go.

"Well, Jace Rodriguez, if you ever feel like talking or sharing a bottle of wine or binging N*****x, I'm right across the hall." I say casually and playfully with a big smile, he stares at my stretched lips for more than two seconds then he looks away from me completely.

"Thanks." He whispers, looking at something or someone over my shoulder.

"I promise to annoy you if you don't." I threaten, showing him a side eye.

"I'm usually busy but I'll try." He tells me, his fingers rubbing his bottom lip, my stomach squeezes at the sight.

"Okay, I'm gonna go take my shower now," I bring myself to my feet, "Sorry again for the whole..." I trail, not finding the right word.

"It's okay." He's quick to say, looking up at me.

Silence. Tension. And something I still can't describe.

"Okay, see you around?" I point at him.

"See you around." His tattooed fingers scratch his head, I immediately turn around before he notices the unnecessary blushing that's happening on my face.