It's Not Like Choosing Ramen

^-^

"That's the story!? That's it? Maji~e de?!"

She burst out laughing, hearing Bella's last word. "I can see that you're learning the language - not from anime, I hope."

Bella scoffed in annoyance and stepped on the gas pedal.

"I mean, what do you want me to say? The guy was happily married - he said." She scoffed and added, "I want to believe that he wasn't even if he truly does just because I don't want to feel like a loser."

"What kind of story is that?" she stole a glance over her shoulder before speeding up again.

"Come on, go easy on the gas!" She yelled. "Life is not like the shit that you are writing in your novel, where everything is rainbow and butterflies - saved by a CEO, with abs. Life is messy and…"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Laurie." her voice was laced with annoyance.

"I mean, of course, we met after that night. His company hired the service of our company as an intermediary to a business acquisition. I found out later on that he was in London for business. We dated, we kissed, we had sex, we fought, we broke up...FCUK Isabella! Stop driving like a maniac!"

Her friend wasn't listening and just pressed her foot on the gas pedal. She was within the speed limit but she kept on changing lanes like she was doing a go-kart game or something.

"Truly it was just like any other love story that didn't work out. I wasn't the best girl for him, I'm glad he's happy with his wife." She laughed when Bella glared at her over her shoulder. "This time, I meant it. I'm glad he is happy with his married life. He is a good man. He deserves happiness. And that night was the best of what we had. In my memory of us, that was the best...because we were being honest with ourselves and had no expectations other than to get into each other's pants."

She slowed down as they got off the highway and entered a busy street a few kilometers away from their house.

"I don't get it. Why are you so invested in that story? I mean, I get it. You are a writer, you listened to a story, your brain plot this awesome idea in your head, yadda, yadda, whatever...but then it was just another bust, you know."

It's not that I feel strongly about your love story. I just want to understand why you kept on running away from marriage when you have plenty to choose from." She gave her a good look when they stopped at a red light. "I wanted to get married but nobody notices when I'm all over the place, basically screaming - hey, I'm free for the taking! Come! Come!"

She laughed so hard at what Bella said because she said those exact words when she was dead drunk on the island of Siargao not so long ago.

Watching Laurie snorting like a pig in trying to hold in her laughter made her laugh despite the irony of the situation. They laughed like crazy, that if someone just glanced in their direction anyone would think that 'those two foreigners just lost their mind.'

"Those times on the island were epic! Do you miss stepping out of your room and the beach is right on your doorstep?"

"I kinda miss it. I miss the beer sunset session."

"Beer sunset session… yeah, that one is also golden. You got drunk and yelled at men to - come, come!" she snorted into another fit of laughter.

"It's embarrassing but at the same time, talking about it now, was kinda funny."

"It is hilarious!" she said, still chuckling. "If I didn't get that freak accident, we were still on the island, having fun."

"I don't think so, I mean, it was all fun but I really want to write. I want to write down the story of these 'people' in my head."

She propped her elbow on the window and leaned sideways to have a better look at Bella as she drove. Her words resonate with her. The feeling of wanting something to the point of crossing an ocean to chase something or someone - in her case.

Bella left her stable career, dropped everything that was comfortable, stable, and predictable back home to chase a dream of being a writer. A career that was being looked upon as nothing but a hobby. Something that you do in your free time and does not bring food to the table.

She turned her gaze outside the car windows and thought to herself when was the last time she pursued something with zeal. She can no longer remember! When she left her job in London and finally went home, she found herself moving from one island into another.

The Siargao surfing accident was the final straw that her mother used or attempted to use to make her stay at home and open the discussion of settling down. Instead, here she is, in Japan, hiding until her mother calms down.

Andrei might think that she's enjoying it, but she's not. She was done with seeking adventure, creating trouble, and just wanting to sit down, sip some wine and let the world pass by.

Her mother has a different idea though. She was still thinking that it's her responsibility to ensure that she would end up at an altar in a white dress, with a man next to her side.

"Here we are!"

Her thoughts were disrupted when Bella announced their arrival as she parked the car outside a three-story building.

Pulling her suitcase inside the house with a living room that opened to a small garden. She smiled, looking around. This place was like a blast from the past. There are not many changes from the last time she was here.

She parked her suitcase next to the leather sofa and stepped out of the small garden. She kicked her house slippers and opened her arms as she twirled barefoot on the ground.

"Hey Bella, you know, it doesn't really matter how many choices you have - marriage is not like going to the instant ramen aisle of Family Mart and picking one that looks delicious."

"What? You saying something?"

"Nothing." She laughed and dropped herself on the patch of grass.