by Yuriko Hime
“I brought my ride. Besides, I don’t want the paparazzi to see me leaving school with you.”
“I nearly forgot about that.” She frowned. “Okay, I’ll just see you later then. I have to go now. I need to hide from the admirers.” She winked.
“See you.”
She picked her bag from the table and walked briskly out the room. Five people immediately tailed her. She had so many fans. How was she able to handle that? I walked to my own bag and grabbed my phone. I sent Tim and Patty a text message saying that I was going to put the plan into action. In case you were wondering, our plan was pretty simple. All I had to do was cook for Glace to get her heart. I didn’t know if it would work though. But since cooking was my expertise, I prayed that I could express my feelings through it.
I headed to the direction of the parking lot and whistled softly. The grocery was my first stop. I needed to buy the ingredients for the meal that I was going to prepare for her. Afterwards I planned to drive home to change into something, I don’t know, sexier? I did all of those things before going to Glace’s house. By now I had her address memorized by heart.
The gate to her property was opened by an inch. That was strange. Glace liked that closed. I peeked inside before walking in and heading to the house. The front door was also ajar. I didn’t mind it and went straight to the living room. Where was she? She knew that I’d visit. Maybe she was in the kitchen.
As I entered the dining area, the sight that beheld me made me stop and gasp for air. My knees shook on its own as I tried to comprehend what I was seeing. Glace had her back to me. She appeared to be kissing Eris. I wasn’t that sure. But the way Eris leaned to her and the way Glace’s hand was touching the redheads face convinced me of what was happening. As their heads moved in sync, Eris groaned softly. My hands tightened on the grocery bag that I brought.
I felt sick in the stomach. My eyes teared up and clouded my vision. I didn’t think it would hurt this much to see her like this. No. I couldn’t stand it. I placed the grocery bag on the table before silently walking away from the house. When I reached the car, I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. I had no right to cry for her. We weren’t together. She didn’t even know I loved her. How could I turn it off? Was there a switch somewhere that would stop this awful feeling?
I took a large gulp of air and forced myself to calm down. To calm down and not break down from the wrecking ball that was smashing continuously, breaking my heart. Drowning my lungs. Burning my insides to cinder. Making me bleed. She and I were nothing but friends. I should be thankful that she even gave me the time of the day. Get a grip Dulce. Start the engine and go. You don’t belong here.
I did as my mind instructed, driving as fast as I could away from her house. When I reached my destination, I cut the engine and got out. My feet took me to a place that I haven’t visited in a long time. I sat down on the grass. “Hey daddy,” I whispered as I stared at my father’s tombstone. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been.” I trembled. “I was so caught up in myself that I neglected coming here.” I tried to form a smile but it ended as a grimace. “Your daughter experienced her first heartbreak today dad.”
My voice cracked despite telling myself not to feel weak. “There’s this girl that I really like. She has coffee colored eyes that I love to stare at. Sometimes I feel like she touches me from a single look. I love how she takes care of me, and I like how she’s very loyal. But I also hate that about her. She’s so fateful to someone that isn’t me. She wasn’t mine daddy, and I still ended up falling for her. I’m so stupid.” I hugged my knees and stared at the tombstone. It read Richard Gavin- a loving husband and father. Underneath the dates was a quote. True love waits, it said.
It was a lie.
Chapter 14. Parallel Lines
I sat in front of my father’s tombstone for what seemed like hours. In reality, it was only 30 minutes. Only that short amount of time has passed since I saw Glace kissing Eris. I wanted to cry. I wanted to go back to Glace’s house and tell her to love me. Demand it even. But my pride held me back. It wouldn’t be good for me and her. We were friends, and friends were expected to support each other in love.
Now that she got her dream girl, I had no room in her heart. I needed to forget her, just as I did when Denise rejected me last year. This time was different though. This time, I was already falling fast for the one who hurt me. It was like rubbing salt in a wound. But with all wounds, I needed to heal. Maybe someday it would turn into a scar and make me stronger. But for now avoidance was the key.
A soft crunch of a twig snapped me out of my reverie. Before I could even look behind me, Glace sat silently on my right. She was so close that I was able to smell her. Of all the people to follow me here, it had to be her. How did she know where I went? “I saw the grocery bag on the kitchen table. Why did you leave?” she asked. I turned my head to her and saw her eyes searching my face. I just couldn’t get mad at her. She only got what she yearned for all these years- her first love. It wasn’t her fault that I fell in love with her.
“I saw you kissing. . .” I couldn’t continue the sentence. My mouth simply refused to say that I saw her making out with Eris. I inhaled deeply and tried again. “I saw you kissing another girl a while back.”
Her brows furrowed, and for a moment, she had this confused look on her face. “We,” she said before I cut her off.
“Shhh. Don’t speak Glace. I’m happy for you. You finally got her.” I smiled at her though I died a little bit inside.
She continued to look confused. “Dulce, what you saw back there. Eris and I were—”
I shrugged, refusing to listen to her. “It was just as I said. There’s no need for an explanation.” I nudged her with my elbow. “You told me before that I’d be the first person to know when it happens. You’re such a liar.” Both of us fell silent. There was a tightening sensation at the back of my throat. I couldn’t breathe. It took a few gulps of air to stop myself from crying in front of her. While I was battling my internal conflict, Glace stared at the tombstone of my father, looking out of sorts. Her mouth was opened slightly. She appeared to be baffled. A few minutes passed like that.
Like an unspoken agreement, both of us talked at the same time. “I have something to tell you,” we blurted. “You first,” we said together.
I scratched my ear. “Let’s say it at the same time. Ready?” She nodded.
I didn’t know what her reaction would be. I didn’t really care anymore. My mind was yearning for self-preservation. It would hit me hard, but somehow I needed to tell her that it was alright that she was dating Eris. For both our sakes. So she wouldn’t think I was too attached to her. That I loved her and it hurts right now. I didn’t want her to be nice to me because of sympathy. On the count of three, both of us said what was in our minds.
“I like Denise,” I said the biggest lie ever.
“I love you Dulce,” she confessed.
What? I blinked several times, trying to process the information she said. But didn’t she love Eris? Blood rushed to my face. It seemed like time stood still. In that moment, I knew that I was scared. I felt the fear like a blade slicing my skin. I was more frightened at that instant than heights. More terrified than losing my best friends. More petrified than ever before. Because in that moment, I knew I made a fatal mistake that would hurt the most important person in my life with what I said.
My eyes inevitably went to hers. The raw emotion that I saw there hit me like a sledgehammer. It almost knocked me unconscious. The saddest thing was she smiled at me. She gave me a genuine smile that was very pretty but at the same time heartbreaking. And then tears fell from her eyes.
“Glace.” My voice cracked. The thing about Eris was completely forgotten. All that remained was the unmistakable misery- hers and mine. Her tears flowed like steady stream coming from a waterfall. I have never seen a person so hurt before, and I was the cause of it. She squeezed her eyes shut and cried softly.
I immediately engulfe
d her in my arms, wrapping my legs around her so she was sitting right in front of me with no space between us. Her head went to my shoulder and there she sobbed quietly, her body trembling. I wished I could take it back. I wished I wasn’t stupid and didn’t hurt her at all. But I couldn’t. Not in this moment. What would I say? Ha-ha, I was joking? What would Glace think of me? She would never trust a word I say again. She’d think I was using her.
Time continued moving, and the words I said would never ever be erased. All I could do was to hold her in my arms, give her warmth, and say I was sorry, until such time that I could make her feel that she was the one I really loved. “Don’t cry. . . Shhh. . . Please don’t cry.” The tears I’ve been holding back finally broke free. I found myself sobbing with her.
“I love you,” she whimpered. Her tone was a combination of litany and agony. I stroked her hair and rocked us both like a mother soothing her child. Only I was a stupid teenager who made an amazing person like Glace cry. “You told me not to tell you,” she sobbed. “You told me not to remind you. That you’d remember. But you didn’t.”
I didn’t have a clue about the things she was talking about, but I still listened as her body shook and her trembling voice told me that she loved me over and over. Before I knew it, we were back in her house, inside her room. I took her to the bed and lay with her until she fell asleep. The whole time I was thinking of what I should do to correct my mistakes.
Days crawled by. I said crawled because it felt like I was locked in a time warp where nothing and no one was moving as it should. If you were wondering where Glace was, I didn’t know myself. She has been absent for a week. I tried calling her but she wouldn’t pick up. She wasn’t at her house either. At least no one answered when I rang the doorbell. People were beginning to panic. The idol wasn’t in the school. It was a cause for rumors. My classmates were also nervous. The play was next week but Romeo was nowhere to be seen. I decided to take action for my wrongdoings.
When the last bell rang, I said goodbye to Tim and Patty and hurried to my car. I drove straight to Glace’s property, parking the car on the street. No one would answer if I rang the doorbell again, so this time I’d have to break in. Well more like entering and not breaking, but you get the drift. I waited till nightfall to ensure that no one would see me climb the wall. It was good that I was athletic and slender or I wouldn’t be able to reach the top and drop smoothly on the other side. It was also lucky that Glace didn’t have a Rottweiler or a big dog, or I’d be torn to pieces by now.
I walked briskly to Glace’s house and tried the door knob. What do you know? It was open. A peek on the living room and kitchen told me that she wasn’t there. I also tried the music room and library but no such luck. I climbed the stairs and crept into her room. There she was, sleeping on her bed. Even with her eyes closed, I could tell that it was puffy. Her lips were devoid of lipstick but it was still pink. She had a hoodie on with no jeans, and she was hugging a pillow to her chest. God I missed her. All of her.
I climbed next to her on the bed. She stirred awake when I took the pillow from her arms. “Go back to sleep,” I said. “I’ll be your pillow.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Dulce?” she said, disoriented. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for you silly. Now go back to sleep.”
“Will you stay? Your mom will flip.”
“I told her I’m sleeping over.” I stroked her hair. “Would you like something to eat? I’ll prepare anything for you.” She gazed thoughtfully at me, no doubt thinking what was going on. It was that, or she wanted me to go away. I hoped it was the former.
It was my turn to take care of her. She was hurting. She wasn’t okay. I’d make up for that. Not by saying anything to her because that would just mess things up, but by showing her that I loved her too. Her and not Denise.
“I want beef and mushroom,” she said after a while.
I got up from the bed. “Okay Glace. I’ll run to the store and buy the ingredients.”
She grabbed my hand before I had the chance to walk away. “Please don’t go.” Her voice broke. She swallowed hard. “What I mean is, there are ingredients in the fridge. You don’t have to go to the store anymore.”
“Alright. I won’t. But while I’m cooking, go and bathe. Change your clothes too. I can’t stand seeing you like that. Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she murmured.
I gave her a small smile before walking out the door. Once in the modern kitchen, I proceeded to make the dish for her. I was tasting the sauce when I heard her play the piano from the music room. Its melodic sound streamed inside the kitchen. It was a sad tone to accompany her mood. I sighed. Wish I wasn’t the one who caused that.
While waiting for the meat to soften, I went to the music room and watched her play while leaning on the door frame. She had her eyes closed. Her hands moved in tune to the music. Why so cute Glace? “You can always sit here beside me,” she murmured while playing.
I went near the grand piano, leaning my weight on the black instrument. Glace opened her eyes and stared at me. Before I knew what was happening, she was already in front of me, pinning my hands to the side. Her familiar scent wafted in my nose. It made my heart beat faster.
Glace stopped inches from my face. “If I was a bad person who had no control, I would have kissed you right now Dulce.”
I swallowed. “Well why don’t you?”
“Because I respect you. So let me do this instead.” She kissed my left hand. “I may not be your present, but I will always be your past, future, and forever. Remember that.” Glace left me by the piano. I followed her to the kitchen after pulling myself together. She was serving the beef and mushroom, plus rice on two separate bowls when I walked in. “Let’s eat in my room instead,” she said.
When we reached her bedroom, both of us sat on the bed with our legs crossed. She took a bite of the meal I prepared and smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. “It tastes great Dulce. Better than anything I had before.”
“Thank you.” As we ate, I caught her staring at me. “What?”
“You’ll make a good wife,” she whispered. I choked on the mushroom. After gulping on the glass of water we brought and placing it back on the bedside table, I stared incredulously at her. She shrugged. “My wife.”
“Glace I. . .”
“Don’t.” She placed the bowl on the bed and hugged her knees. “There’s just so much I can take Dulce.” My throat felt dry. It hurts seeing her like that. I wanted to tell her that I loved her and I was a liar, but I was too scared for my own good. She wouldn’t look at me the same. Glace would hate me for lying. I couldn’t take that.
“You have to eat,” I said instead. She shook her head, not looking at me. My heart ached. With a sigh, I took her bowl and scooped beef and mushroom. “Say ahh.” I placed the spoon near her mouth. When she didn’t open it I said, “How about we play a game. You like that right?”
That got her attention. “What kind of game?”
My voice held a promise. “I’ll be your wife for a day if you eat.”
The corners of her mouth perked up. “It’s a deal Dulce,” she said without hesitation.
Chapter 15. Make Believe
A soft thing brushed on my left cheek, urging me to wake up. As I turned to my right, I caught sight of Glace, propping her head up on the bed using her arm. She gave me a heart stopping smile before saying, “Good morning wife.”
“Good morning baby,” I managed to utter. It rolled out of my tongue naturally. As if I was always meant to call her that. She scooted closer and nuzzled my hair with her nose. My body relaxed when she touched my back. She stroked it gently.
“What does my pretty wife want for breakfast?”
“I should ask you the same thing Glace. I’m going to cook for you.”
“I refuse,” she said, smiling. “I’m the one who’s going to take care of you baby.”
I pushed her playfully from me. “Why don’t we cook together then?�
�� She agreed after thinking about it. I caught sight of her cotton undies when she removed the comforter and rolled out of bed. I felt a sudden rush. This would never get old. She produced a hair tie from the bedside table and fixed her locks, exposing her toned tummy while her arms were up.
“If you like it, you can touch it.” She smirked. I groaned as I covered my face with a pillow. Peeping Tom much?
She walked to my side of the bed. “Some couples take a bath together. Wanna?” I considered her offer. After a few seconds, I removed the pillow from my face, as well as the comforter and slid out of bed. Her mouth dropped open when I gave her a look and purposefully walked to the bathroom. If she wanted to play that game, I was more than willing to participate. Your turn Glace. What are you going to do?
I stripped my clothing before entering the Jacuzzi. She didn’t follow me. After bathing and getting dressed, I opened the door widely, only to find her sitting on the floor just outside the bathroom. “What are you doing there?” I asked. “I thought you wanted to bathe together?”
A blush made its way to her cheeks and ears. She was too adorable. Glace looked shyly at me. “I changed my mind. I wanted to give you privacy.” She didn’t want to take advantage of the situation. What a sweetheart.
I kissed her forehead. “Hurry up and bathe slowpoke. I’m going to start cooking. I'll wait for you in the kitchen.”
I was frying the eggs when she came down. She wore a tank top, dark blue skinny jeans, and desert boots. Glace surprised me by going behind me and snaking her arms around my waist. She whispered, “I can get used to this sight. Careful Dulce or I may lock you here with me.”
My ears turned hot. “Wh-what else do you want to eat?” I stammered.
She released me from her grip. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll prepare the sandwich.” She walked gracefully to the pantry and took out the ingredients she needed. While I was frying the bacon, Glace sliced the tomatoes.