“Good, thanks. Been a while. How’s the team going?” He leans his hands on the back of the chair sitting across from me.
“Really well. Javi is smashing the season,” I reply curtly. I have nothing against him. I just don’t know how to act around him anymore, being so close to my ex.
“That’s great. Javi is solid in every race. A true reflection of his team,” he offers.
I nod with a strained smile I can feel doesn’t reach my eyes.
Taking the hint, Shelby nods and stands up straight. “I wanted to see how you were doing…after all the shit that happened. I’m sorry things turned out the way they did. No one deserves to be treated like that.”
“I’m fine, didn’t mean anything, right?” My voice falters.
Shelby must see my mask falling and sits down. “Sophia, please know I didn’t know anything leading up to what happened. I was so disappointed in him, and I let him know it. We don’t speak anymore. He took great offense to me calling him out and ignores me, true to the narcissist asshole he is. But good riddance. Neither of us need that in our lives.”
I am completely taken aback. I never thought that Shelby intentionally took sides because he was friends with Perry before we were together, but I avoided himbecauseof that reason. I didn’t want Shelby to provide him with updates on me. I never imagined Shelby would call him out on his behaviour. I’m speechless. My face cannot hide the surprise.
Shelby continues, “You’re a good person. You deserve someone better than him. Someone who has the guts to be honest and open with you.”
“Thanks, Shelby. You didn’t have to call him out on it…”
“No, I did. That behaviour is not to be tolerated. It’s despicable! I don’t want to be associated with anyone like that.” He shakes his head.
“Hopefully, Perry takes on what you said,” I reply.
“Shelbs!” A familiar voice approaches us.
I look up and see Javi approach my table, leaning down to place a paper bag on the chair next to me, assessing the situation between me and Shelby. Straightening back up, I swear he stands taller than before. Maybe it’s just my angle looking up at him.
“Javi! Good to see you, man!” Shelby stands up and and sticks his hand out for a handshake before giving that guy half hug.
Javi accepts his hand and returns the half hug with a pat on the back.
“Joining us for 2-wheel action instead of 4 this weekend?” Javi asks enthusiastically.
“Can’t keep me away from the bikes for too long!” Shelby replies with a warm smile. “I better head back to my table. Good seeing you, Sophia. Javi! Keep up the good work this season.” Shelby pats Javi on the shoulder.
“Keep those awesome shots of me coming!” Javi calls back with a return clap on the shoulder as Shelby leaves.
He turns to me immediately. “Everything okay? You look shell-shocked. Was he talking shit?”
I feel like I need to take a moment. I look down at my table, eyes wide.I can’t believe he stuck up for me and condemned Perry’s behaviour. They were pretty close.
Javi can clearly see my internal monologue happening and takes a seat next to me on the bench.
“Open your laptop. Pretend to be showing me something on there,” he says, resting a comforting hand, out of sight, on my knee and squeezing it to show his support.
I follow his instructions in a daze and open my laptop back up again. I look back at him and say, “Shelby told me he called out Perry for the way he treated me. They don’t talk now because of it.”
“Good! That behaviour is toxic. Plus Shelby is good people,” he agrees.
“I’m…just surprised,” I manage to mutter.
“Yeah, I can see that.” He stifles a chuckle.
His laugh takes me out of my head. “Why is that so funny?”
“Believe it or not, there are some people who like you around here. They don’t talk about how you got dumped and condemn you. They say they can’t believe anyone would dump someone as great as you and hope you make it back to how you were before,” he says.
“What?!” Another round of shock hits me.Am I really that pessimistic and self-deprecating these days? I immediately went to “I am the loser” and not “They can see this was wrong on his behalf.”
