“Hello, baby. Where are you? You want to hang out?” he asked. Before, hearing him say the word baby to me was a music. It made me float in cloud nine. But now, it didn’t sound right.
“I’m at home. How about you pick me up?” I suggested.
“Sure. I’ll be there in ten.” Then there’s the click.
I sat down on the edge of my bed and squeal in irritation. I had to get a hold of myself. I had to make sure that no one would get in my way of taking my revenge on Eliot. Valentine’s day is just around the corner and I had to make sure that he would stick to me until then.
“Tori, someone’s here for you,” Nathan said grudgingly, and I knew—the instant he addressed that someone—it was Eliot.
When I closed my bedroom door behind me, I found both guys leaning on the wall. They were both having a scowl on their faces. “What’s with the face?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“And you really have to go out with him,” Nathan muttered.
“Nathan, it’s just for today.”
“And today was supposedly the day we’re going out,” Troy fretted.
“I got to go,” was all I said to them. There’s no way that they would understand me. They never got the chance to embarrass theirselves in front of the whole student body. I had to redeem myself, and to do that, I had to do it to him as well.
I saw Eliot sitting on the step of the porch. I was still standing by the doorframe and hadn’t called him yet. He was still unaware of my presence.
“Eliot,” I started, barely audible for me.
He turned to the side and that’s when he saw me. He stood up and walked to my place. “Hey. Let’s go?”
I opened my mouth to say something. Something that had been hiding inside of me for the last year. Something that I wanted to know. But I closed it when I realized there’s no words would dare to get out.
“You okay?” he asked worriedly.
“Yeah. I’m okay. Let’s go,” I assured him.
* * *
We went to some party I hardly recognized. There were few students from our school but most of them were strangers to me. I was standing by the wall… alone. Eliot was gone for fifteen minutes now and I didn’t know where to find him. He said that he would be getting drinks for us.
“Look who’s here,” I heard an all too familiar voice speak up. I slowly turned to face, none other than, Penny.
“Hello, Penny,” I greeted.
“Why hello, Tori. Haven’t seen you around lately? How have you been?” she asked with an obvious sarcasm in her voice. “And, the new outfit is quite the trend.”
“Thank you. You have a…” I paused and checked her out. “Clean clothes,” I finished. I managed to give her a sweet smile which only caused her to scowl at me.
“You think you’re better now because Eliot get back to you, huh?” she came closer to me, spitting out the words in disgust.
“I am better yesterday, today and tomorrow. How about you? Are you better now?” I asked sweetly.
“I am better. Better than you,” she responded.
“Oh, really? How so?”
She smirked at me. I knew what she was trying to say. If I didn’t overhear her, I would’ve thinking what was on her mind right now. But since I heard everything, I was not surprised at all.
“You’ll know soon,” she answered before finally disappearing with the crowd.
Just that exact moment, Eliot came into view with two red cups in hand. “I met a friend somewhere on my way to the drinks,” he said, handing me one of the red cups.
“It’s okay. I had a little chat with…” I trailed off, looking straight at Eliot. He stopped midway from sipping on his drink.
“With whom?” he asked.
“With Penny,” with that said, Eliot spat the drink. The person in front of him scowled at him, swearing before stalking away.
He wiped his face and questioned, “What have you two talked about?”
“Nothing. Just something about being better,” I responded nonchalantly.
“Okay. Anyway, Valentines is in five days. I’m expecting I’ll be your date?” he queried, looking unsure about his statement.
It took me a moment to answer. “Yeah, I guess.”
“You guess? You’re unsure? Is there someone else who asked you?” he asked worriedly.
“Yeah, there’s someone. Troy asked me, and I am considering it.” I took a sip of my drink, looking at him over my lashes. His face was contorted with what I could form was surprised, annoyed and sadness.
“But… I am your boyfriend.”
“You are!” I exclaimed, smiling a taunting smile. “That’s why I said I’m considering it.”
“You shouldn’t’ consider it, right?” he asked for confirmation.
I paused to think. But I was just mocking him so he would think that he had some competition with me. “I don’t know.”
“Tori, I am your boyfriend,” he repeated, now looking for serious than before. “You should be going out with me and not with some random guy, who I can say, was living with you right now.”
“I didn’t get back to you so you could order me around about the things that I have to make decisions of. Now, if you’re just going to scold me about these things, we better call it over,” I told him, walking past him and out of the house. I threw the cup in the trash can and started walking my way home.
“Tori, wait!” he called out.
I stopped on my tracks and faced him blankly. “What?”
“I’m sorry. I know that you still doubt me, but whatever I am feeling now for you are real. I thought of it for the last months. And I can say—truthfully can say to you—that I really, really love you and I don’t know what to do without you,” he exclaimed.
I found my breathing got short and my heart was skipping a beat. The memory of yesterday storming back in my mind again.
The gym lit up. I had to squint my eyes so I could adjust to the blaring light of the gym. I saw a lot of student by the bleachers watching me intently. I had seen none of Eliot’s presence which only made me tremble in place. I didn’t like attention and the way people look at me was scary.
“Eliot, where are you?” I called out again, sniffing. Tears were starting to well up in my eyes.
“Poor Tori. You think he would really fall for you?” Penny’s voice came into my field of hearing. She wasn’t near me, she was somewhere in the gym with a microphone in hand. Not only did I hear her, but everyone in the gym. I could hear laughters and murmurs everywhere.
“What’s going on?” I asked carefully.
Eliot walked right in front of me. “Hey, Tori. Surprise!” he exclaimed.
“What do you mean?” I swallowed hard. I could feel my knees were starting to shake, and anytime, I think I would fall on the ground.
“This is just all a game,” he muttered, coming closer than before. He held up my chin and our eyes met.
“A game?” I stammered. Tears were now pouring down my face as I thought of it. “What do you mean game?” I asked for elaboration.
He moved back and faced the crowd. “A game, Tori. A love game, if you put it that way. We played you.”
“We?”
“Yes, we.” Penny came into view as well. He walked to Eliot’s place and started kissing him on the lips. After what felt an eternity, Eliot approached me. “It was just for fun. And wow, I never thought that you would really fall for it.”
“Tori?” Eliot’s voice sent me out of my reverie. “You okay?”
“I’m perfectly fine. Like I said before, I’m considering Troy’s offer,” I said, putting an air of finality to the conversation.
“Tori,” he grabbed my hand forcefully, exasperation filling his voice. “You shouldn’t.”
“Why? Because he might do what you did to me last year?” I asked annoyingly.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“The what?” I shouted, frustration now taking over me.
He just stared at me. N
o words came out of his mouth. His grasp on me loosened until finally letting me go. “He’s using you,” he mumbled.
“Using me,” I repeated the words. Tears were now welling up as I thought of the repeat of last year. “Using me?”
“Yes. It’s for his popularity. If he could ask you on a date on Valentine’s day, he will be popular. That’s a deal that he made with us popular kids,” he explained.
I hadn’t noticed that the tears were now rolling down my face. I took a step back, causing me to stumble down the floor. I couldn’t think straight anymore. Would I really believe Eliot after what he did to me?
“I know that you might not believe me because of what I did to you before, but it’s true,” he said, as if reading what’s inside my head.
I curled my knees up to my chest and buried my face in there. I cried—cried hard enough—all the frustrations that I was feeling. What if Eliot was really saying the truth?
“Fun, you say?” I had asked, before stomping my way out of the gym. It was raining when I got out. What a cliché moment. But not like the movies, no one followed or ran after me. I was all alone and by myself. No one would really dare to comfort me.
And just like before, I had been played again.
Chapter Five
“How’s your date?” Troy asked when I got home.
“Fine,” was all I said to him. I walked straight to my room. I locked the door behind me, and instantly, I fell down on the floor. I ran a hand to my face as tears continued their way out of my eyes.
“Tori?” Nathan knocked.
“Go away,” I muttered.
“Tori, open up,” he demanded now. The knockings grew heavy. “Tori.”
“Go away!” I now yelped out. “Just go away! Please, leave me alone,” I sobbed.
What did people really see in me that they wanted to play jokes on me? I was just having a normal life, why couldn’t I have it?
“Tori,” it was now Troy’s voice. It was very calm that I almost fell for it.
“Go away,” I mumbled.
“Tori, let’s talk,” he offered.
That hit the cry button in me. Tears were now falling endlessly. I cried my heart out. I cried my stupidity away. “Go away!” I shouted once again.
“Tori—”
I stood up, opened the door and slapped Troy. “That’s for using me,” I hissed.
“For using you? What are you saying?” he asked, and I didn’t know if he was feigning innocence or he was really surprised by my action.
“Stop doing this to me. Just stop!” I shouted.
“What’s going on?” Nathan came, asking.
“You don’t have anything else to do that’s why you’re messing up with my feelings? What am I?” I asked softly, tears still falling from my eyes.
“Tori—” he tried to reach for me but I raised my hand to make him stop.
“Don’t.” And with that, I returned inside my room, locking it again as I sulk in the comfort of my bed.
No one would really appreciate me and love me for me. They were all fakes and users. They should be burning in hell because of their doings.
I hadn’t noticed that I fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw that it was two in the morning. I went out of my room and went to the backyard. I lay down on the hammock and closed my eyes. The air was cool, nipping to my bare skin. I didn’t know if I should continue my revenge to Eliot anymore. There’s nothing going on in my head. I just feel so vulnerable and almost everyone was trying to break me.
I sighed deeply. “Twinkle, twinkle, little stars. How I wonder what you are,” I sang, staring to the dark blue horizon of the sky.
“Tori,” someone blurted.
I sat up immediately as the voice registered in my head. I glared at him and hopefully he would melt. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Tori, let’s talk,” he said calmly.
“About what? Huh, Troy? About how you’re using me to get to popularity?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he shook his head, coming closer.
“Eliot told me about it. You don’t have to hide it anymore. I already know,” I muttered. I removed my gaze at him as I felt my eyes to water again. Why was I even in the brink of tears? It’s not like I had feelings for Troy. It was just the idea of getting hurt once again.
“I don’t really know what you’re talking about, Tori. And whatever Eliot said to you were not true. I swear, I would never hurt you,” he assured me. He came closer, touching my face and wiping my tears away. “Please don’t cry. It hurts me to see you so sad,” he soothed.
“But he said that—”
“It’s all a lie,” he confirmed.
I looked up at him and I was lost in his gaze. The moment his green eyes stared back at my blue ones, I got lost. I knew that I shouldn’t be feeling any of these things but I couldn’t help it now. I had developed my feelings for Troy in a matter of a week. All the work he did to make me like—love—Valentine’s day was now coming.
“I really like you, Tori, and I would never hurt you,” he said so calmly that I thought it was someone else’s voice.
“Troy, I—”
“Tori,” someone called out.
“Eliot,” I mumbled.
“What are you doing here?” Troy asked, glaring at Eliot.
“Troy, you have to stop this,” Eliot said. “Just let her go.”
“What are you saying, Eliot?” I asked confusedly.
“Tori—”
“Stop, Eliot!” Troy hissed cutting him off. “What are you even doing here? To hurt her again?”
“I’m not the one who’s hurting her,” Eliot grumbled.
I came in between them. “You both are confusing me. What’s going on?”
“He’s using you, Tori. That’s the truth,” Eliot told me. I might have believed him the moment he said it to me. But with what he did to me before, I couldn’t do it.
“Tori, don’t listen to him,” Troy came up to me. He started to pull me inside the house. I looked back at Eliot, who was looking back at me, sad.
“What’s he saying?” I demanded once we were inside the house.
His brows furrowed at me. “I don’t know. He’s just making lies. Don’t believe him.”
“I don’t believe you either. I just met you. How would I know that you’re saying the truth? How would I know that there are no lies in them? How would I know that you really like me, when you can just say it bluntly?” I said all in one breath. Even though I had developed feelings for Troy, I was still unsure about it.
“Then, don’t believe me. I guess, you won’t like Valentine’s day ever. I can never make up your mind about it. I’ll be leaving this morning. My mom had called your mom and said that I had to transfer because of their work,” he paused. “I guess, this is goodbye.” He started to walk off.
“Wait!” I found myself calling for him. He stopped but didn’t turn around, and so I continued. “You’re leaving now? I mean later? What about the ball?”
He now faced me, smiling. “If you say that you like again Valentine’s day, I’ll make an exception and be here until the ball.”
I laughed humorlessly. “I can’t say that to you. I don’t want to believe in love anymore. I don’t want to like or even love Valentine’s day. It broke me and I couldn’t afford to let it break me again,” I cried.
“Then, I don’t have anything else to say. There’s no reason for me to stay.”
“There is,” I immediately interjected.
“What is it?”
I was debating in my head. Should I say to him that I had developed my feelings for him and he might have made me like Valentine’s day? With another thought in my head, I answered, “Never mind.”
“Then I guess this is really goodbye. Bye, Tori,” he said remorsefully. As he turned his back on me, I broke out of tears. But I kept the sob inside my throat. It’s better for us to stay this way. It’s better for all of us to stay this way.
* * *
“What are you going to wear?” Maureen asked me.
“I’m not coming,” I answered tiredly. Tomorrow is the Valentine’s day ball and Maureen had been a complete annoyance to me.
“Yes, you are. What happened last year won’t happen again,” she told me, smiling a huge smile.
I huffed, sitting back on the couch. “There’s no one in particular that I could go with. So, going there is not an option anymore,” I muttered.
“It’s about that Troy guy?”
I glared at her. “No one mentions his name here at the house anymore. And you’re not an exception.”
“You like him, don’t you?” she teased, nudging me to my side.
“I wish I could say that,” I mumbled almost all to myself.
“Then why didn’t you stop him?”
“And what? Confess? I had known him for a matter of just two weeks. Confessing that I like him is not on my list,” I said bluntly.
“And being this melodramatic is in it? I mean, Come on! Tori, he could be your happy ending,” she complained.
“I still had something to do with Eliot,” I mumbled, pouting.
“What? Revenge? It won’t get you to what you wanted!” she yelped out in exasperation.
I sighed in resignation. There’s no way that I would get my revenge now. Eliot and I—well, we hadn’t see each other for the last four days—were parting ways. After what happened to the three of us, he hadn’t showed his face to me. We didn’t have any class together, so not seeing each other was predictable.
“I’ll be going now. I’m going to pick you up tomorrow to make sure that you are coming. Forget what happened last year and start a new one this year. This might be your year, so live it up!” she exclaimed, wide eyed.
“Yeah, whatever. Bye.”
I went to my room and just lay on my bed. Troy had been texting, calling and e-mailing Nathan. I just realized yesterday that they were good friends the moment they got here. Why didn’t I notice it earlier was beyond my imagination. I think I was too preoccupied with the thought of having someone as popular as Eliot to be hanging around with me.
I decided to dial Eliot’s number. On the third ring, he picked it up.
My Valentine Ending Page 4