[Four years back!]

Outside, it was sunny Saturday afternoon in sleepy Emerald Wood’s Village on one of the seven thousand six hundred forty tropical islands in the Philippines. For a couple of hours now, I have been fidgeting in my seat. Since earlier, I have been battling in my head on whether to speak what’s on my mind or just to keep it to myself for the fear that in any moment, an angry lion would just grab and twist my neck if I make a mistake.

Afraid to be scolded, I continue typing some phrases on the keyboard of my laptop. It’s for my essay in my English subject that will be due tomorrow. But from time to time, I would peek a glance to the guy sitting on the sofa across from where I am. To my surprise, that guy squinted his eyes towards my direction. I gulped a couple of times before shaking my head as if saying it was nothing. I turned my eyes on the screen in front of me to type some more words.

__Judging people just by mere picture of themselves will end up into meager evidence. It is not possible to know a person overtime, actually it takes a lifetime. As Marcus Fabius Quintillian quoted, “We must form our minds by reading deep rather than wide.” Because there is a probability that a person shed tears when he frowns, he hid guilt when he smiles and he kept pain when he laughs. Or the painful irony may happen. It is possible that a person may hid victorious laugh on your misery, he may enjoy watching your broken estate as you’re trying your hardest to put every piece of the puzzle of yourself to make it whole again and he may celebrate your greatest downfall in life to the point that he’ll do everything just to make sure that you’ll never reach the peak anymore. Who knows? Only time can tell…__

I saved the draft in my laptop then looked at the man who is reading his book of wisdom. I rolled my eyes for I can’t help to taste the bitterness in my words. Couldn’t take the uncomfortable silence, I hissed and opened my mouth to speak.

“No.” said Tryst coldly even before I could even utter any word. He’s always like this. He’s not letting me finish a sentence. Actually, it is kind of irritating but I just let it pass. I don’t want him to be angry at me.

“Pretty please? Do it for me Tryst. Just this once.” I pleaded even though there’s a hint of nervousness in my voice. I just wish that he’d agree this time for it’s a battle between life and death!

“No.” he replied. There he is again together with his irrevocable resentment.

I did nothing but heaved a sigh. It would be useless if I continue to whine, I’ll just get tired but he’ll never agree in the end. Crap!

Damn this man… now I don’t have an interviewee. I sighed in frustration. A teacher of mine in a certain subject asked us to find an interviewee. A teacher in profession to be exact. Then the first person I thought who will fit perfectly is this guy but we never had a consensus since last week.

He keeps on rejecting my offer for the reason that only he knows and he won’t tell me no matter how many times I ask why.

When I told him that I’ll just find another interviewee myself, he shouted at me saying that I’d regret it if I do that. I don’t know what to do now. I don’t want to fail in my subject. But what else could I do?

“What time will you go to your parents to pay them a visit?” he asked, still not looking at me. It just means that he wanted to end our ‘simple talk’--- well, if you call that talking. I rolled my eyes at him.

“Now,” I answered, standing on my feet. I walked through the front door.

“Tiara, I can’t do the job.” said he in a pleading voice.

“I can count and tell you how many times you said that since last week.” I said and went back to where I left him.

He reached out his hands to hold mine. “I’m sorry.” said he.

“It’s okay.” I said, assuring him that it’s fine then I hugged him even though I’m saying in the back of my head that it’s actually not fine.

He hugged me tighter and nestled his face in my neck.

“Hey, you’re going to crash me. L-Let go!” I said, laughing.

He laughed a little then the next thing I knew is that his soft lips is placed on mine. It’s not just an ordinary kiss like those we have shared before. This kiss is telling me something but I just can’t name it. My mind is in daze… what is it?

I snapped out of his hold and looked at him straight in the eyes. His dark eyes are holding a million of words but he hides those from my sight by looking away.

“You’re hiding something.” I said and smiled bitterly. This will not be good.

I wait for him to say something. I have a lot to say in my mind but I want to hear his explanations first. But my words lost its shape when I heard him said, “Let’s have a divorce.”

For the first time in my life, I felt that a giant umbrella has covered half of the earth sucking all the life force that the living has. I felt that my soul has left me and wandered around. Unmoving, I never know what to say. It’s as if my vocabularies have failed me big time. A teardrop escape from my lifeless eyes as a scorching pain crippled the organ inside my chest.

I was staring at him that felt like an hour now. I’m waiting for him to take back what he said but he remained silent.

“You didn’t mean that.” I said, still waiting for him to take it back.

Please say yes. Take back what you said. You’re just making fun of me like you used to, right?

He just stared at me with pity.

“No. I mean it. I’m tired with you! I am tired at listening to your demands. I know that your little head can’t catch serious matters easily but try to use your brain this time! I don’t love you! You know what? I don’t even like you. You’re too childish and a brat. I only like intelligent woman and clearly, you’re not like that. I just agreed to marry you to pay a favor to someone. I just used you! But now, I want out of this. Let’s have a divorce! I’m marrying someone else. I love her so much! I’m sorry Tiara.” he confessed.

I was so stunned upon hearing his revelation. It was like a bomb that disrupted in my ears. He was just fooling me around! I had been a toy. For a year, I thought he was in love with me. All this while, everything was just an act? All I thought about him was a lie?

To think that I’ve been trying to be a good wife for him and now this! He just treated me like a useless trash!

He handed something to me. I unconsciously took it.

“That’s my wedding invitation. I am inviting you to attend our wedding. Please come. Analie will be glad to meet you.” then he gave me a mocking smile. But I notice that his eyes are sparkling upon uttering the name of that woman. He’s in love.

“You cannot do this to me. We are married, Tryst!” I said in conviction, trying to scratch a sense out of his brain.

“Well I have our divorce papers here. Just sign it then we’re all done.” he heartlessly said.

I smiled bitterly. I was betrayed by a stupid man! My mind can’t process everything at once but I’m trying. I tried thinking of a point where did I go wrong. May be if I could trace a point I’ll be able to picture out why this is happening to me. Of all people in the world, why a girl like me has to experience this dire situation.

While my eyes are gushing tears without my permission, I signed all the papers for our divorce.

After that, I gathered all my personal belongings then left that house. The house I am imagining to live in all my life. I was crying all the way home. Back to my parents’ house.

When I saw the cab driver’s sympathetic look, I feel ashamed on my appearance but that didn’t stop me from weeping inside his taxi. The pain is just unbearable.

Giving a thousand-peso bill to the taxi driver, I opened the cab’s door and went out.

That night, I told my parents about Trsyt’s revelation. Because of rage, I also told them that I don’t want to hear anything from him ever again!

“We know. He told us a month ago.” dad said.

My eyes immediately diverted at my dad. A month ago? So, he knew! I felt betrayed again and this time, by my own daddy!

“And you didn’t do anything about it? He cheated on me -- your daughter! Haven’t you even thought about my feelings?! I hate you!” I shouted at my dad. My cheeks are wet because of my flooding tears.

“Tiara! Watch your words! Don’t talk to your dad like that!” my mom lectured me. Her finger was pointing at me and her face was very serious.

“But mom! He knew that Tryst is cheating on me but he didn’t tell me! What kind of a father is he?” I cried agonizingly.

“Stop it! Tre—” my mom was cut off in midsentence.

“Let her Agnes.” dad held my mom’s arm and gently dragged her away from me. They left me crying in the living room.

Life is so cruel! You won’t know who can be trusted. Time will tell you the true colors of everyone around you. Just shelter yourself when that happens. Because no one will be there beside you. No one will care for you. And that is the saddest truth.