A week passed without me going to the studio. I can’t do the same next week though, as our practice will resume as Roj informed us in our group chat. Thankfully, Kevz helped me come up with excuses to not join them for lunch.
When I came home to my condo one night, I was surprised to see Drew there, waiting right outside my door. I was about to escape but it was too late, he had already seen me.
“Leslie can we talk?” he asked calmly. His voice sounded so sad so I turned to him with my forehead creased. “Are you avoiding me?”
I let out a sigh. My stomach really feels bad whenever I see him. “Not really, I’m just busy,” I replied.
“Are you that busy that you can’t even send me a message or answer my call?” he asked again and I just nodded. Letting out a sigh, he pulled his hair lightly, “Les, do we have a problem?”
My heart feels pained as if something’s gripping it tightly. ‘How can he even ask me this? It’s impossible that he doesn’t know we do have a problem.’ “I’m ok, so far. No problems at all, you?”
“Then why are we like this? You seem so distant,” he sighed. “I know I’ve said some things after what happened with Zone, but you still called me. I just missed your call and now we’re like this. Was it that big of a deal?”
I slowly looked up, staring straight into his eyes. I can see sadness there, and confusion. But I can’t force myself to believe that he’s not aware of where or when this started.
I feel like I’m about to explode as I find him pretentious and even before I do, I have to make a decision. Not just for me but him as well.
A decision that will let him do anything he wants without worrying about anything. Without hurting anyone, especially me.
“Let's stop this Drew…” I told him thru the lump in my throat. His mouth fell open, staring at me for several seconds. When he didn’t say anything, I decided to break the silence. “Let’s break up…”
I turned to unlock my unit but before I was able to, he grabbed my arm. When I turned to look at him, I was surprised to see the look on his face. He looks sad and devastated.
‘Is he crying? But why? Isn’t this what he wanted?’
“Why? Can you at least give me a good reason? Is it because of David? Zone? Did I do something unforgivable?”
I chuckle escaped my mouth, in disbelief that for him, I’m the one with the problem that’s why I’m breaking up with him. I can’t believe he’s thinking I was the one at fault.
“I already told you, Drew, even before we got into a relationship. I told you, all of you, that I hate being cheated or lied to, but you reach the quota! Imagine that? You did both in one week!” I sneered. “I don’t understand how you can even ask me why we’re like this. Do you really not know what you did or you’re pretending you didn’t know? Or maybe you want me to believe and convince myself that you didn’t do anything wrong?”
Again, he was unable to react right away. It’s like his brain had a hard time processing everything I said. Seeing he’s still in a daze, I took the opportunity to escape.
I pulled away from him and opened my door. He didn’t try to stop me from going in and that was a relief, but at the same time, it was painful.
It pains me knowing the person I trusted to not hurt me will be the one to hurt me the most. That the person who promised to love me broke the very same promise.
It hurts. It was heartbreaking.
As soon as I stepped inside, the tears I’d been trying to hold back started flowing. I went inside my bedroom and plopped on the bed and there I poured it all out.
I cried to the last drop of my tear. I forced myself to empty it all so that tomorrow, I can start forgetting everything about Drew.
The next day, I woke up feeling renewed, somehow. I have to feel good. Today’s my father’s birthday and I can’t spoil it with my drama.
I prepared myself to go home. I need to help them with the preparations and when I arrived, they already started.
We prepared two long tables in the garden. One is for our family and Uncle Chris’ family. The other table is for my friends and dad’s office staff.
When the guests arrived, we directed them to their respective tables. As soon as everyone was seated, mom offered a prayer then the food was served.
I stayed quiet in my seat as I wasn’t expecting Drew to show up. Worse is that he’s sitting right in front of David and me. Behind me are my bandmates with Kevz poking me from time to time to ask if I’m ok.
“This is a very awkward dinner. Why are you so quiet?” Uncle Chris asked. When I looked up, I saw him looking at me and Drew so I felt cold for a moment. “Are the two of you still not ok?” he added.
“Drew and I, Uncle? We're ok!” I lied.
“That's good then. We were surprised when we found out that the two of you are in a relationship, but we're very happy about it,” Aunt Letty commented.
I suddenly wanted to be swallowed by the ground after hearing what she said. To not make things more awkward, I just smiled at her after letting out a sigh.
I even wished for Drew to stay quiet, but the fairies seem to have heard it differently. He cleared his throat before sitting up straight and smirking at me.
“So, she didn't tell anyone that she's already broken up with me?” he asked everyone at our table without taking his eyes off of me.
I looked straight into his eyes, trying to figure out where he was getting the courage to talk about us. He’s so pretentious that I’m feeling upset just by looking at him.
“Don’t get me started,” I warned him in a low voice. I looked at my parents and his, and they were all just watching us.
“Why? You don't want them to know that you broke up with me just a week after telling them that we're in a relationship? And you can't even give me a good reason for it?"
“Excuse me,” Uncle Chris cut in. “Does the two of you have something going on? Why don't you talk about it first in private?”
I wasn’t planning to respond to my Godfather, but I felt insulted that Drew’s smiling at me mockingly. It makes me feel at fault when I’m not.
“I’m sorry Uncle, it's not something we can easily fix simply by talking in private. It's something he's done that's insulted and hurt me in a really unexpected and unforgivable manner,” Drew lifted his head slowly and looked at me with his brows knitted. Again, I looked straight to his eyes to make him understand my point. “I don’t’ want to talk about it anymore, I wanted the breakup to be quiet and just between the two of us. I still consider him as a friend and it will be very shameful for him if someone finds out the reason why I decided to end whatever’s going on between us.”
“Ah, you kids! Don’t decide rashly!” my father commented.
“I'll excuse myself Dad. I’m suddenly feeling unwell.”