( Alys Prov)
When everything is just too much to handle, you should take a breather and think things over. Maybe there's something wrong, maybe you should change something for the benefit of both of you.
The silence after the storm was numbing. I can't move. I'm waiting to see what Fier has to say next. It was as if anytime, I would die from a heart attack.
"So, that's it?" her voice was cold as ice.
I didn't hear anything but my own heart beating.
I heard footsteps pacing back and forth. It was Fier walking.
"Well," she said, "Okay. You know what, Drake? You're an asshole. I don't know why people think that you're perfect. No, e. You got me pregnant yet somehow, you want me out of your life. Yes, I threw myself at you but it fucking takes two nod! You wanted it too."
It really hurts to hear that the person you love is with someone else. Even if you say that it happened when you were not around, when you had a fight, it still hurts, doesn't it? Because if he loves you, he won't give up. That's the ideal. But we're not in an ideal world, we're in the real world. And in this world that we live in, we make mistakes.
"I'm sorry..." Drake mumbled.
"What can your sorry do? Will you be the father of my child? No, right?" she said and then paused. "Know what, Drake? You're so selfish. Since you're selfish, maybe it's okay for me to be selfish, too, right?"
My heart was racing so fast. I was nervous about what Fier would say. I didn't want to hear it. I was scared and hurt right now.
"I'll give you the freedom you're so fucking desperate to have. You have no responsibility to me, or to your child. But don't expect to see your child again. Did you hear me? Don't expect, Drake. Starting now, you don't have a child. This is mine. I'm his only parent."
Shit. No. It's not possible.
"Fier."
"Oh, heck! Don't look at me like that! This is what you want, right? Well, here it is! I'm giving it to you! Don't expect me to come on your terms, Drake. I wasn't born to be a saint. I'm a human, I have bad habits. This is the best I could give you."
And then there were noises. I didn't know but I just sat down. It was so hard. Even though I should be happy for others, I don't know which part of what's happening right now should make me happy.
"Goodbye, Drake," she said.
I suddenly hid to the side. I didn't know how to face Fier so I just hid.
Tears were falling down my cheek while I was watching her go away. Should I be happy? Here it is, oh. She herself decided to leave Drake and me.
It took me minutes to calm myself down. I wanted to fix myself first before I faced Drake.
I stood up and wiped my tear-stained cheek. I needed to look brave. I shouldn't be weak. If I were weak, Drake would be even weaker.
"Drake," I called out his name.
He was there at the end of Fier's bed, sitting with his hand on his head. He was already in such a difficult situation. He was only 22 but I felt like we were already old enough to know everything that was happening in our lives.
I walked slowly. He wasn't crying but his face gave it all. He was hurt.
When he saw me, he smiled.
I sat down and hugged him. He hugged me back; he hugged me tight.
I was caressing his hair and told him, "Okay just cry..."
He didn't move a bit and so I just listened to his ragged breathing. I took this opportunity to pacify him, even though I, myself, haven't even digested everything that had happened. The events were too fast. I couldn't even keep up. It was as if everything had happened suddenly.
Who would have thought that three weeks could change everything? Drastically, even.
"Are you alright?"
He didn't answer.
"Drake, I'll talk to Fier, okay. I'll tell her that it's okay for me to be here. Please don't be sad, I'm more hurt when you're like that..."
He held my hand. I could feel him hurting even with a simple hug. Is this really the effect of epic love? It's like when your loved one is hurt, you're hurt more... Sometimes even triple.
For the first time, he looked at me.
"Why are you like that?"
"H-ha?"
He smiled. "Why did I fall in love with such a selfless girl?"
"I'm only like this with you, Drake. With others? Maybe I'll put myself first. They say, survival of the fittest. But when it comes to you? You're my priority. You'll do the same for me, right?" I asked him. But it wasn't necessarily a question. When you give, you shouldn't ask for anything in return. That's when you'll know that what you feel is real. Give but don't ask.
That night, we ended up cuddling together. Even though Drake told me not to talk to Fier anymore, I have decided to do things on my own. I don't want to see him regret it because he chose to put me first over his child. I don't want him to regret it when the day comes.
The next day, I woke up to find Drake no longer by my side but there was food on the bedside table.
No note. I don't know, even though Drake can be colder than ice sometimes, I'm used to it. Because that's who he is. He was like that when I met him. It's just a bonus that sometimes he's sweet. I don't want to force him to change for me. He is like that, I accept him.
I left our house to go to Cristine's. I had no clue where Fier lived. When I arrived at their house, the guards let me in right away, probably because I had been here before when I was 'planning' my wedding with Drake. Maybe if I had agreed to marry him before, there wouldn't be anything like this.
But what's the point of what ifs?
"Is there Cristine?" I asked one of their maids. She pointed me to the back, in the garden.
I walked and saw her and Fier talking with their backs to me.
I didn't want to listen to what they were talking about but I heard Drake's name.
"Are you sure about that?" Cristine asked her.
Fier was holding a glass of water. Even with her back turned, you could feel the strength of Fier's presence. Sometimes I envy her. Her courage. When she wants to, she'll say it. Because me, sometimes I think about what others will say, what they will feel. It's happy inside but sometimes, it's also suffocating. You can't do what you really want.
She nodded.
"I talked to the twins already, they'll take care of my papers and everything, I'll stay here until the ticket arrives."
"But you really wouldn't tell me what country?"
"No, Cristine. I'm leaving Drake and everything, and you being his friend puts me in jeopardy. It's better that you don't know."
"But I'm your best friend too..."
"We could skype."
"That's not fair! How can I be the godmother of a baby if I don't even have a clue where to send my gifts?"
Fier chuckled. "Oh, you're such a child sometimes, Cristine. You'll see my baby, okay? We'll videochat as often as possible. Maybe after years, when it's okay and settled, I'll let you know where we are."
I didn't know she was this serious. I thought she wouldn't just talk to Drake, when she was just carried away by her anger...
But this?
This was too much.
She will take away Drake's rights to their child.
"When will you leave?"
"I don't know yet, Cristine. Maybe tonight, tomorrow, or next week. Just as soon as possible."
I was lost in words.
I slowly left their house and got into my car. What should I say to Fier to change her decision?
I was about to start the car when I saw Fier's siblings. They were twins if I'm not mistaken.
I hastily opened the door of my car and approached them.
"H-Hi," I said.
They looked at me. They didn't recognize me. I was hiding when we first met.
The other man raised an eyebrow at me.
"What?" he asked.
"Are you Fier's siblings?"
"Yes, why? Do you know her?"
I took a really deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I'm Alys-"
"Whoa, whoa. You're the Alys Perez?" the other guy asked me.
I nodded.
"What do you need from us?" said the grumpy-looking man.
I closed my eyes for a moment and then spoke the unspeakable.
"Please don't help Fier leave the country."