Against All Odds

Chapter 6

It's over.

No, it can't be...

Can it?

3 years of dating, loving and being an item just ended in one night, through two words. Three years of making memories, going through every obstacles in life  just dissolve, just like that.

It can't be.

"Madison."

"Madison!"

I blink a couple of times and was instantly tugged back to reality. I turn to the source of the disturbance and it was Zack.

I wipe my face clean of the tears that seem to pour without me noticing. I may have cried semi-consciously.

"Madison, why don't you explain the whole situation to Josh and show him you really care instead of staring at the bloody wall recalling what happened last night?" Zack suggested, irritation and concern clear in his tone.

"But what if-"

"No, Madison. Positive thinking! All is well, remember? Why don't you bring along the collage you did for him and give it to him? Upon seeing it, I bet he'll take back what he said last night." he enthuse, clearly trying to brighten me up with the positive prospect.

I look at him, lost. I could see a corner of his lips frown.

He's not fooling anyone. 

Deep down inside, I know he has the same exact thought as me, which is anything but positive. A though that keep on nagging at me with a small voice at the corner of my mind. A thought that I tried banishing but unrelentingly comes back to haunt me.

It really is over, isn't?

But he does have a point. It's better to do something to get us back than staring at the same bloody spot on the walls for who knows how long.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Since it was a Saturday, most will be hanging out at the cafe or library or by the makeshift lake. But Josh wouldn't even be caught near a library or the lake, he isn't those type of guy. So the only place that he could be is the cafe. 

But he could also be in his room...

I shake that thought away and cross my fingers and prayed that he's at the cafe.

Accompanied by Zack, we venture out to the cafe only to stop a few yards from it.

The cafe only made up of a few tables and seats for the guest and a counter where the waitresses are deployed. Just from where I am, I could see Josh's tell-tale figure, fixated on something further away.

"Okay, this is as far as I go. So, I'll be here if you need me, Madison." Zack retorts, as he abruptly halt, just a few yards from the cafe.

"But, what-"

"Hope for the best, expect for the worst, alright?" he cuts in, his expression almost unreadable.

And with those last words, Zack shove me in the cafe. It was filled with chitter chatter, here and there and scent of coffee lingered.

I take in the scent and take in a few breathes, the board held securely against my chest. 

I scan the room;  for Josh's face.

There.

My knees almost buckle and my eyes started to tear up upon seeing him alone, only accompanied with a cup of coffee. Could I actually do this? He still wore the same clothes he had yesterday. I blink a couple of times and a lump started to form in my throat.

I snap my head to Zack, biting my lip, shifting my weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, clearly out of my comfort zone.

I don't think I can do this.

Zack egg me to go, flashing his thumb ups.

With Zack's support, I heave a long yet deep breath to psyche myself up.

Okay, lets do this.

I take a step forward on at a time, gripping the board tightly against my chest. I could feel my knuckles turning white after gripping the sides of the board ever so strongly, my heart beating faster than a a bullet train.

I stood near his table, wanting to just turn back run towards Zack, but he seem to be unaware of my presence, still fixated on something else.

Okay, here it goes...

I cleared my throat to get his attention.

His head snaps to my direction and his eyes widen for a moment before he reverts back to the usual size.

"Madison, it's over, please." he states, almost pleading me to just accept the fact.

"Josh, please hear me out. Um, this is my gift for you for our anniversary." I handed him the board, fidgety.

He took it and stared at it for a while, tracing every photo with his forefinger finger. His eyes filled with a brief moment of nostalgia.

"Josh, I didn't mean to stood you up yesterday. I didn't expect you to come that early and-"

"Madison." he cuts me short, his eyes cold and distant all of a sudden.

"Thank you for the gift, really but I'm seeing someone right now."

WHAAAT?

I gasp. His words echoed in my ears and I could feel my heart beat fasten. Even my knees threaten to turn all jelly-like.

How could he....?

That fast...?

"But, how could you get over me that quick? 3 years, damn it! 3 FRICKIN' YEARS! Did it not mean anything to you?" I exclaim beyond the point of disbelief, causing all eyes to stare and the noise of chitter chatter to dime down.

"It did. Now you're just someone I used to know- Oh, hey, babe." he accosted someone with the warmth that he used to accost me.

I froze.

I turn and my jaw instantly dropped and my heart cracked. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was shocked beyond compression.

No, it can't be her.

Tell me, anyone but her.

"What are you doing here, sidekick?" Nicky asks, sneering, one hand on a cup of coffee.

NO.

Tell me that all of this is a dream.

"Here, why don't you take your gift back. You could put it too good use better than I am. I'm just gonna burn it anyway." he states, non-chalantly, handing the board over to me.

"Jerk." was all I could mutter before storming out of the cafe, my face red with anger, my eyes filled with tears of frustration.

I ran towards Zack, who was my rock and collided with him. I wrap both of my arms around him and cried on his chest, ignoring the curious or puzzled stares from other college students.

"It's really over, Zack. He's already moved on. He's dating Nicky now." I manage to state before sobbing my heart and soul.

"Well, there's only one thing to do now, Madison. Move on." he states, comforting me, while I just cried my heart out, unable to reply, my shoulders shaking as a second wave of tears comes fort.

"Let's head back to our room."  he retort softly, almost a whisper.

With an arm around my waist, Zack walk me back to our room, oblivious to the stares of the public.