Imprévu

Retour de flamme

I was in junior high when I first saw him. I was mesmerized by his talents, his cunning wit and his inspiring character. He was my other definition of perfect. He was my prince charming, my whole world, and the owner of my heart. He was a senior back then and I never even got the chance to talk to him during that entire school year... oh, wait. Yeah, in prom, we got to dance and know each other. It was the first time I come face to face with him and it was one of the most memorable nights I've had in my life.

When I confessed to him about my feelings, he said that we were better off as friends. But even though he said that, it didn't stop me from loving him. Before he graduated in high school, I made sure that I'd give him something to remind him of me. I gave him a teddy bear along with my poem.

Though we were far from each other, (because he transferred to another school and I was still in my last year in high school) I always find ways to communicate with him. I didn't leave his side and I was always there when he needed someone to talk to about almost everything. I would listen to his opinions and ideas and I never fail to keep in mind. His every word is significant and is special to me.

After a year, he invited me to go out. Though I was sure it wasn't a date like a boy and a girl date, but I prepared for it. I wore a very pretty dress and I curled my hair. It wasn't any ordinary day because for the first time, I'll be out with him. Also, since it was around November, I decided to wrap him a gift for the holiday.

I was all set when I arrived at our meeting place. I was waiting for his text message when someone tapped on my shoulder. I looked around and I saw Chris, holding hands with another girl. I felt upset and miserable at my state for I looked pitiful. I didn't even know he was already dating somebody. I gathered courage and smiled.

"Are you two together?" I asked, still smiling even though we all know that I was dying inside. It was like my heart was being pounded by a hammer for a thousand of times. I felt hot and I couldn't look any of them in the eyes anymore.

"Cheska, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Alana." It was awkward, considering the fact that he just invited me to meet his girlfriend. It was like any moment, I'd burst into tears and so I handed him my gift and walked away from them, cursing myself in the middle of the sea of people.

I heard him running after me but I continued to walk. Not that I never wanted to see him again, but it was too painful for me to look at him. I sighed and for a moment, I remembered to breathe. But I was already crying by the moment his hand grabbed hold of my arm. "Cheska, are you okay?"

He was standing right next to me and I almost laughed at his question. "Do you really have to ask me that?" I wiped my tears away and I was still avoiding his eyes. I didn't want to look at him in the eyes because I felt vulnerable and I hated myself when I feel that way. The situation was frustrating but I couldn't stay mad at him for so long. Though I was really hurt, if he apologizes, I would most likely to forgive him immediately.

"I just want to know how you would react when you find out I have a girlfriend." Same old Chris. Even with all the knowledge and facts he had in his head, he was still curious about almost everything.

"I'm happy for you, though. Now I have to go." I pulled away, but he hesitated.

"I'm not happy at all. And to be honest, it was a faux."

I wrinkled my forehead in confusion. "What do you mean?" With all the things I was expecting for him to say, that line wasn't in my list at all. Now my whole world suddenly stopped because I didn't know what he means by that. I just wish he didn't have to circle around the park.

"Alana's not my girlfriend. I just used her to know how you would react."

I was staring at him waiting for the continuation.

"You still don't get it, do you?" He said when I didn't move my lips. He heaped a deep sigh and started off his speech. "Are you kidding me? I have pushed you away, but you were still nice to me. I left you, but you stayed. Every time I talk, you'd listen to me. I never loved you, but you love me. Where in the world am I going to find someone like you? Nobody has ever loved me the way you do. And I realized that without you, I feel incomplete. It's like; I am missing a part of me when I'm not talking to you. You're the one I've been looking for. The one who'd complete me... I guess... I'm in love with you."

Oh. My. Gosh.

I wasn't able to say anything at all. I slapped my mouth with my hand in surprise. I never thought he'd tell me those things. I never thought he'd even tell me that now. I was just so happy that I was still crying even if he had already embraced me. A thousand words would be too few to describe how happy and overwhelmed I felt at that moment. At that exact moment, that instant, that minute I was with him, it was priceless...

From then on, I started thanking God for the wonderful blessing He had given to me. I didn't even know what I did to deserve him, but I do know that I have to take care of the precious gift I have received.

We've been together for almost eight years and with those years, you can only count by your hands the times that we have fought. I've met his family and they were nice. They welcomed me into their lives and it feels really good being accepted. Chris had also met my parents. My dad and Chris got along very well, especially when it comes to finances. Good thing Chris knows something about stock exchange and stuffs, which is a big turn on to dad.

Our first year anniversary came, the second, the third and then the seventh... Our relationship was as hard as rock, as steady as an establishment and as strong as our faith in God. But right now, I didn't know how it all boiled down to this.