Chapter Eighty-eight
Maxine’s Point of ViewContent bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
“Hey, you okay? Your eyes are swollen,” Ferries mumbled.
I nodded and bowed my head. We’re walking in the hallway. We went to school together with Angela.
“Gosh, I was surprised when you suddenly cried,” Angela said. “I thought the whole world was going to collapse.”
“Tch,” Ferries clicked her tongue, “It’s not the time for your jokes.”
Angela put her hands up, “Okay, okay. Sorry.”
“You know, why did you fall in love with Alyn? Don’t you hate him?” Ferries suddenly asked, she’s not looking at me. She’s looking at the way.
“Hmm… I don’t know either. It just… suddenly happened,” I replied.
“Does his cousins know?” Angela asked.
I turned to her, “About what?”
She shrugged, “You know, what happened between you two.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I answered and looked down again.
“Why did you fall for that asshole? Tch, and isn’t he your boss? You can just fall to Troy instead,” Ferries said, irritated.
Oh, right. They didn’t know my real relationship with those five. Uhm, should I tell them now? Haa, maybe it’s also the right thing to do. I think they won’t spread it to others, because I saw how caring they were yesterday. After I cried, they told me to rest and just forget what happened for a while. Who would have thought that my enemies will be my shoulders to cry on someday? Life is really unexpected.
“I’ll talk to you later, uhm… during break time, I guess,” I said. I will tell them later what my relationship with Alyn and his cousins really is.
“Yeah, sure,” they both replied.
We were just a few steps away from the classroom when I stopped. My heartbeat was pounding and I couldn’t move.
“Hey, why did you stop?” Ferries asked.
“Uh-uhm… I don’t think I can go to the class, my head hurts,” I said. I was about to turn around and walk away when Angela suddenly spoke.
“Is it because of Alyn?” She asked.
“What do you mean?” Ferries asked her. I think she didn’t notice Alyn yet, standing in front of the classroom.
“Look,” Angela said.
Ferries gasped then held my hand, “Let’s go. Just ignore him, okay? Nothing will come good to you if you will avoid him like this. You should at least let him know that you can go to school even after what you saw. Show him that you are strong, Max.”
I shook my head. My hand that she was holding was shaking too, “I-I can’t, Ferries. I can’t.”
Angela heaved a sigh, “Yes, you can. We’re here. Let’s go,” she said, then grabbed my other hand.
They both pulled me and I couldn’t do anything but to follow them. I took a deep breath and bowed my head. I think my tears want to come out. Shit. Please, don’t. I don’t want Alyn to see me cry… To see me cry just because I was hurt by what I saw yesterday. Just because of his unfaithfulness.
“Max,” he was about to touch me when Ferries immediately slapped his hand. “The heck? What’s your problem?”
“My problem?” Ferries’ grip on my hand tightened even more, “You! How dare you hurt Maxine? You’re so shameless! I thought you were serious but I think… I misjudged you.”
“You know nothing, give Max to me and we will talk,” Alyn said.
“She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Angela interrupted. “If you really love her, wait for her until she’s ready to talk to you.”
“And who are you?” Alyn asked Angela. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”
“Maxine is afraid of you, Alyn,” Ferries uttered. “You cheated on her. She saw you kissing another woman. What do you think she will feel?” She scoffed. “Of course you don’t know because you haven’t experienced what she went through. You have never experienced cheating because you always do it.”
“I don’t care what you said to me, I want to talk to her right now,” Alyn insisted. He was about to grab my hand again when Ferries hid me on her back.
“Back off,” she uttered.
Alyn scoffed, “Are you really concerned about Maxine? Or do you just want to separate us?”
“Oh, is that what you think? Then, let’s ask her if she wants to talk to you,” she said and turned to me. “Maxine, do you want to talk to him?”
I shook my head, “N-No.”
“Hear that?” Ferries turned to Alyn. “Just wait when she is ready to face you again. The more you do this, the more she hurts.”
“Let’s go inside, Max,” Angela uttered and pulled me away.
Alyn’s Point of View
[Yesterday during break time]
I bought food for Max and I. I will ask her to eat at the rooftop so no one can see us if I were to kiss her. I know she will get mad if I kiss her in front of the students. I don’t want that either because she might hear hateful words. She has been through a lot, and that will be enough. I don’t want her to get through hell again, I don’t want her to get hurt anymore.
I was on my way to Maxine’s classroom when someone suddenly appeared on my way, wearing a hoodie.
“Hey, get lost. I was in a hurry,” I said.
Instead of answering me, she took her hood and lifted her head. My eyes widened when I saw who it was.
No, maybe it was just her look alike. It can’t be. She can’t be here. She can’t be because she’s in Korea. She was a trainee there to become an idol: her dream.
Yeah, that’s right. She left me to follow her dreams so it can’t be her.
She smiled widely, “How are you… MOO?”
N-No. Only her and I know our endearment because we don’t call each other when we’re not alone.
Because I was shocked, I dropped the food I bought for Maxine and me.
She pouted, “Why are you so shocked? It’s as if you saw a ghost.”
She was about to touch my arm when I immediately smacked her hand, “D-Don’t touch me.”
She sighed, “Oh, come on. I’m not a ghost, Alyn. Do I have to spell my name? I’m E-L-A-I-N-E R-O-S-E L-E-V-I-N-E. I’m Elaine Rose Levine, your lover.” Then she smiled sweetly.
I shook my head, “No. She’s in Korea.”
“She was. I’m here now, I came back because I realized that I can’t live without you. I always get distracted because of thinking of you,” she held my hand and squeezed it. “I came back for you, moo. I still love you and I can’t forget you. I regret what happened and my decisions, it’s not too late for us right? I’m still the only one for you right?”
My jaw clenched. I took back my hand and picked up the food that I dropped earlier. After that, I stood up and looked at her in her eyes, “I’m in a hurry. We can talk later.”
I walked past her and didn’t look back. But instead of going to Maxine, I went to the rooftop alone. As soon as I arrived there, I yelled and kicked whatever I saw. My knees went weak and it brought me to sit. I screamed out of anger. I clenched my fist and punched the ground until my fist went numb. When I got tired, I leaned against the rooftop door. I covered my face with my palm and started to cry.
Fuck! Why now? I already have someone! I can’t let go of Maxine just to get back at her. I just said earlier that I don’t want Max to get hurt again but I will hurt her if I don’t think of this wisely.
Fuck, no! I shouldn’t get back at her. Before she left me, she told me that we were done. That she won’t come back to me again. She said she loves her dreams more than she loves me. She said that we’re not meant to be.
○○○○
Class ended and I was walking in the parking lot when someone suddenly pulled me and brought me to the dark.
“Moo, it’s me,” she said.
As I heard that, I immediately pushed her away, “What the heck are you doing?”
“What? You said that we will talk,” she uttered. “Let’s talk now. Aren’t you happy that I went back for you?”
“Why would I?” I scoffed.
“W-What?”
I took a deep breath, “I have a lover now. We’re happy, you can’t destroy us.”
“No. You’re lying, you’re just surprised to see me again. You just can’t show how much joy you are feeling right now,” she giggled. “It’s alright, I know you so you don’t have to avoid me. I’m your lover, it will hurt me if you keep doing this.”
“Lover?” I scoffed. “Yes, you were once my lover, who broke my heart.” I sighed, “You know, let’s not talk anymore. We don’t even have anything to talk about.”
I was about to walk away when she pulled me and was oppressed by a kiss. My eyes widened at first, and I was surprised. But when her lips moved, I couldn’t do anything but kiss her back like I was being enchanted.
And the next thing I knew was Maxine was standing there, holding a flashlight, watching us with her widened eyes.