Azaiah starts another diving towards remembering the thing of the past that happened. She remembered the letter. How she laughed at the letter that was sent to her from a secret admirer. She began to recall the exact thing that happened.
Flashback:
She was laughing. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw what was written with the letter she received.
“Why are you laughing?” Thea asked her narrowed look. Her face questioning Azaiah’s reason for laughing.
“I am just happy.” Azaiah answered.
“No. You’re not. That’s was an insulting kind of laugh, Azaiah.” She was lacking gentleness with the way she worded what she said at her.
The radiance from Azaiah fizzled out when she noticed Thea’s odd behavior. “I am telling the truth. I am just happy, Thea.”
Thea began shaking her head, her body backing away. “No, no. You are not. You’re lying.” Thea insisted.
“Stop it.” Ehaan told her to knock it off.
His eyes shifted towards Azaiah who was frozen while her face screamed that she couldn’t believe what’s happening to her. Thea’s eyes went to Alcuin.
“You see it? She laughed at your letter. She finds it absurd.” She told his cousin.
Azaiah’s clasping the letter in her hand. She couldn’t believe what’s happening. Alcuin’s confused eyes bored at his cousin. He was shaking his head in disappointment on Thea’s behavior.
“Stop this, Thea.” Alcuin uttered.
Cloud’s eyes were observing them. He opened his mouth to speak. “What’s wrong with your sudden change of behavior?” His question was for Thea.
Thea’s expression changed as if she then had awareness to what she had done.
“Nothing. I’m just tired.
“You write good.” Azaiah told Alcuin, complimenting him. She said to break off the ruckus.
The look of being surprise flashed on Alcuin’s face. “I’m happy that you like it.”
Thea’s expression changed when she heard her cousin. “Azaiah are you blind or what? My cousin likes you!” She was getting heated with anger again. “No-wait. He is in love with you. You are leading him on.”
*Azaiah sipped the tea. She was in deep thinking, lenient at the uncomfortable memory that resurfaced. She displayed a straightened tight look. Another one came in her mind.
“I don’t like him.” She said when Cloud asked her about Alcuin. “He’s just a friend.” She honestly declared the truth of her feelings when she was told by Cloud about a question he had for her.
A sound was made because something fell to the ground that caught both of their attention.
Alcuin dropped the bouquet. And there was Thea standing beside him.
Thea said, “See that. You hear what she said? You are just her friend. Just her friend, Alcuin! After everything that you did for her.” Dullness is in her voice now. Her eyes look unconcerned when she stared at Azaiah.
“He did it in his own free will because he likes Azaiah.” Cloud made a defense for Azaiah.
“And she knows that.” Thea argued back. “She kept on letting him to what he wants to do in order to win her heart instead of rejecting him.”
“Words matter, it gives clarity. He should’ve confessed. His tone sounded cold when he said it.
“Stop defending her!” She let the anger out. She was fuming mad.
Ehaan hurriedly went to them upon hearing Thea’s shout. “What’s happening?”
“You’re just like Cloud too. You are just the same. You both like her. That’s why you two are now addressing to chide her to stop what she is doing!” She was sharp in her way of saying it. “My cousin was making efforts to woo her. And she hasn’t done anything in return.”
“He is the one who wanted to pursue her, of course it’s just the rightful thing to do.”
Ehaan eyed her gently. “To make efforts.” He added.
“What the! The heck. You all are insane.” She was feeling more madness coming in her when she heard Ehaan. “Alcuin say something!!!”
Alcuin only stared at her in return.
“That’s it. End this.” She said at hm. “Stop wasting your for a girl who is just leading you on.”
You preach of something like that, that means the deed is familiar right?” Ehaan starts talking.
“ Do you know what leading someone on means right? The push and pull, the hot and cold method, the act like I like you but I’ll pull away without giving you an assurance.”
He was saying it at Thea. “That’s the one. And that’s what you did to me. While for Azaiah, it’s clear from the very first that she only has eyes for Galen.”
“Then why she didn’t stop Alcuin?”A prolonged high-pitch of anger came from Thea. Her eyes then penetrated angrily at Ehaan. “And Ehaan, you’re supposed to take my side. You always do that.”
“Time’s change. And you are accusing Azaiah without knowing both of their reasons. It’s all your assumptions.” Ehaan pierced his words without holding himself back.
“So are you saying that I am delusional?” She whined at him in shouts.
Azaiah and Galen’s eyes met. Azaiah’s eyes widened. Galen heard what Ehaan said. He was standing during the time Ehaan and Thea starts banters continued. Azaiah looked away from his stare but she can still feel his gaze.
“Yes! It is all of that false perception of yours that needs to be corrected.” Ehaan told Thea.
Thea gaped at what Ehaan said. “You’re going nuts.” She then reached for her cousin who was looking at Azaiah. “Stop looking at her.” She tugged on his shirt before her fingers wrapped on his arms; she was pulling him away, hard…
All of them never made an utterance. Silence took over.
Ehaan walked towards Azaiah. “Are you fine?” He asked.
Azaiah nods her head at him. It was something she couldn’t fathom. It’s that something unlikely to be real but happened anyway. Her eyes went back towards Galen who has Calli on her side. Her urge of wanting to be alone strongly gushed over her.
*Present
“I need to go the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
She spoke at Ehaan. She wants to freshen up her mind. Maybe splashing it with water will do. She doesn’t care if her make-up will come off. She just wants to wake her senses.
Calli saw Azaiah rose from her seat. “You need to go. Follow her, Galen.” She ushered him to do it. To wake him up because he’s contemplating and that she pitied Ajax being in that kind of situation of wanting to get close to someone he love but unable to do so because Ajax was afraid of Azaiah’s reaction and most especially her dismissal at his approach.
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She was staring at her in the mirror. She got the lipstick out of her purse. Putting it on her lips her eyes went to the person leaning against the door. She attentively shifted her eyes on herself. Spreading the lipstick on her lips, she made a few coats of it before putting it back.
Their eyes met through the mirror.
“We need to talk.” Ajax started.
“Is your date that boring that you wanted us to talk?” She spun and faced him.
She walked passed him as if almost he didn’t exist to her.
“We were okay the other day. Why are you not answering my calls?” He was holding her wrist, preventing her to move.
“Ask yourself. Aren’t you the one who act that cold when we talk through the phone? You told me you’re with her. And you ended the call.” Her eyes went emotionless. She fixed her expression into something cold.
She stared at him.
“Azaiah….” He was having difficulty in uttering her name.
With a tight look she prepared herself to say another word. “Let go of my hand. I have to go back to my date. “ She said it in an easy nonchalant tone.
She didn’t wait for him and instead removed his hand form her wrist and she walked. She walked away from him. She went back to their table. No hint of emotion written on her face. She began starts feeling numb.
“Did some magic happen while you were in the restroom?” He tried to make her feel lighter. Ehaan saw how Azaiah looks like she was battling with the bottled up feelings she has.
“Did something happened, Azaiah?” He laid his hand on top of hers, touching it.
Azaiah saw Ehaan’s controlled smile trying to make the air a bit lighter for her. She rolled her eyes. “We need to get out of her.” She looked a bit towards Calli and Ajax’s table.
“Immediately, Ehaan. Let’s get out of her.” She emphasized.
“Alright.” Ehaan answered. He didn’t ask any further questions. He understood what exactly Azaiah wanted to happen at the moment. It is to get away.
Azaiah withdraw her eyes when she saw Ajax back at the table. Ehaan asked for their bill and she busied her eyes staring at him and the waiter for a distraction.
“Let’s go?” Ehaan handed his hand to her.
She accepted it. She can feel the sudden rigidity of her body when they started to walk near Calli and Ajax. She didn’t look at them.
Ehaan’s hand wrapped around her waist and there with that gesture she began to thank him in her head for being a lifesaver. It steadied her for a bit.
Ehaan was putting on a show. She can feel it based on the way his head nudged on her cheeks lightly, his other hand making taps on her waist. She eased herself, calming herself.
“We’ll go ahead.” Ehaan addressing Calli and Ajax.
She took a look. She was presented by Calli’s smile for Ehaan. Calli’s eyes went on her. She then returned the smile. She didn’t try to look at him.
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Calli followed the two she waited for them to reach the exit before speaking.
“What happened?” She asked him.
He didn’t answer.
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“We need to go the bar. I need another drink.” She told Ehaan. She did not want to go home. She will end up thinking about it. She doesn’t want to end her night with it.
Ehaan didn’t listen to what she instructed.
And instead, he drove her home.
She started shooting daggers at him. Glaring she readied herself to shot her complaints to him. But before doing it Ehaan started talking.
“You need to let your mind rest. You need rest.” Ehaan said.
“How am I supposed to rest in this state? And what did you say? I need to rest my mind?” Pulling the car door she went out. She wanted to lash out but Ehaan pulled her in and extended his hands to give her a hug. She hugged him back.
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t get a hold of myself this time.” She mumbled at him while staying in a hug. Guiltiness creeps in her. She even bothered Ehaan with it.
“It’s okay. It was an innate reaction.” He tapped her back. “You need to freshen up your mind. Sleep and try your best to not think about it.”
They got out of the car. She stared at Ehaan, and her gentle gaze reached to him this time. She finally stop herself from giving glares at him. Ehaan’s putting a safe distance but she went near him. This time it was her who went to hug him. Ehaan responded back and wrapped his arms around her.
“Let’s just talk tomorrow.”
She nodded. “Please drive safely down the road. Call me when you get home okay?” She leveled her head upwards to look at him.
Ehaan smiled and gently flick her forehead. “I will.”
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Ajax saw the hug from the distance. He was looking at them while he was in his car. Annoyed at the two he was making mutterings that the only thing’s missing is them sharing a kiss. After seeing Ehaan go, he drove away.
Azaiah entered the house. She saw the same old candle she kept. The same candle that Calli held back then, she gave it to her. Her eyes flickered with irritation upon remembering a not so forgotten memory. She went to get it. And then threw it in the trashbin.
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“WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER OPENS; BUT WE OFTEN LOOK SO LONG AND REGRETFULLY UPON THE CLOSED DOOR THAT WE DO NOT SEE THE ONE THAT HAS OPENED FOR US.”
IT’S DIFFERENT NOW. WE’RE NOT THE YOUNGER VERSIONS OF US. I COULDN’T DO THE SAME OLD THING AS THE OLD APPROACH NO LONGER WORKS. I COULDN’T LET ANOTHER CYCLE TO REPEAT. IF I WANTED ANOTHER RESULT, I NEED TO BE BRAVER IN CHANGING MY ACTIONS IN ORDER FOR ME TO HAVE THE DIFFERENT OUTCOME…