Chapter 27: Mistaken
“Auton...you must be mistaken…” I shook my head, my heart beating fast like a rumble of roaring thunder. The tears that pooled at the corners of my eyes suddenly stopped as confusion filled my eyes.
Cheating...I have never tried being in a relationship back then, and I didn’t allow anyone other than him to court me. I don’t have enough experience when it comes to love but one thing is for sure: I didn’t and I would never cheat.
I have seen tons of people, from my classmates and my friends who suffered both emotional and physical pain from when their mom and dad got separated. It caused them trauma. Some were still busy coping up, but most of them were left with all those dark memories who kept on visiting them from time to time.
I don’t know if I’d be thankful that my parents died and we got separated from them due to an accident or not, but I don’t encourage loving someone when I know it would never end well. This thing he had been telling me is way out of my league and I’ll never do that.
That alone somehow made me realize that Auton was angry not because of my disappearance that night but because he saw something, but what troubled me right now is...who?
When I don’t even go with other men.
“I will never cheat on you, Auton. You are my boyfriend and-”
“Don’t make me look like a fool, Tayla! Do you think I would believe you when I saw it in my two eyes? You were not with me that night because you are busy with someone else!”
“I swear it was nothing like that! I don’t even know where you got the idea! If you keep on accusing me of things don’t expect me to explain anything, Auton! Your anger won’t fix anything!” I huffed, my chest going up and down as I tried to calm myself down.
Auton, on the other hand, was staring at me with those sharp eyes, and his forehead creased. Rage was evident in his face, and I could see right through him that he wouldn't believe anything that I would say.
But this man...this relationship. It only started and a mere problem like this shouldn’t be a reason for us to fall apart when I know I didn’t do anything bad. I would never ruin this relationship nor give up just because of a misunderstanding.
“You lie too well, Tayla...if you won’t admit anything and apologize to me then I’d rather go, don’t come running after me,” he said and turned his back, but before he could leave I immediately hugged him from the back as tightly as possible. My fingers intertwined in front of his stomach, with one of my cheeks leaning on his broad back.
“If you wouldn’t tell me what you saw there was no way we could fix this,” I said and hugged him tighter as though any minute he would turn away from me. “I don’t know what you were saying, and I know I am wrong for not telling you where I am but please tell me where I did wrong so I know how I’d apologize for it,” I added.
“Let go of me, Tayla…” he answered, but I didn’t know where I got the guts to smile even when we were in the midst of a fight. Was it because I know he was just mad and he still loves me? Or because I know I can still save our relationship?
“I won’t until you tell me what you saw that night. I really didn’t know what you were talking about.”
I heard him sigh, and after a few seconds, he put his warm hands on top of my hands and removed them, facing me with an expression as if he was telling me he surrendered. “That night, I saw you on the market with a man beside you. You even bought him some things!” he furrowed his brows, a frown formed in his face, and his voice filled with conviction like he was sure I did cheat on him.
“Those were cheap, Tayla! But you don’t even buy it for me!” he yelled, this time, his face even got more contorted.
Suddenly, a smile rose from my lips. Memories from that night played in my mind, and then I realized it was also the same night where I came to see Terren. The smile on my face slowly formed into laughter, which made him madder.
“You even had time to laugh at me? Really, Tayla?”
I tried to stifle my laughter, but no matter how I try to stop myself the look on his face would always cause me to laugh harder.
“I said stop! I’ll go! I know you would never take me seriously!” he uttered and turned his back again, but I once again stopped him by pulling his arm.
“Auton, I didn’t cheat on you. That man was my younger brother,” I said and smiled triumphantly.
Auton stiffened, and slowly, he turned towards me with his eyes filled with shock, colors running away from his face. “Y-Your brother? You have a brother?” he asked, surprise evident in his voice while I burst out another peal of laughter.
“Stop! I was asking a serious question!”
“But you look horrible, Auton! Don’t tell you had been feeling this way just because of a child?”
“You didn’t tell me! I don’t know much about you so can you blame me?!” he retorted.
“His name is Terren, Auton. You have to apologize to me for saying harsh words and be with another woman. It’s not good,” the smile on my face faded as I thought of the way he treated me the past few days. All those times, I knew he was with the same woman and I don’t even know if he had thought of me while he was doing that.
“You have a lot to discuss with me, Auton Smith.”