CHAPTER 2: "After 2 Years"

"When someone else's happiness is your happiness, that is love." –Lana Del Rey

***

SMILE'S POV

"Besty!" My gay bestfriend Pekta was shouting while running towards me inside the airport.

I'm back in my homeland again, the country which I left when I was 17 to run away from the pain. But hell! I am here again fully decided to face the pain just to see him and be with him. Maybe a lot of people say I'm stupid! Yes, I am. Because that is the way I love. I love unconditionally that even if it hurts, I'm now willing to feel the pain and sacrifice.

"Best!" I said and hugged my best friend who's with my cousin Lilia.

"You bitch! What are you wearing?" Pekta asked me.

"What about my outfit?" I innocently asked.

"Well, it's really different going abroad isn't it? It's changing." Pekta said while staring at me. Black fitted short skirt paired with a sexy blouse and 3 inches high heeled boots. The new me. I was not like this before but surely people change.

"Cousin!" I hug my cousin Liliana.

"Hi, I like your outfit huh!" She said. Oh well, if I look like a bad girl, my cousin is even more of a bad girl than me.

After having a little chat, we went home straight.

Lilia and I are in the mall now. It's been two weeks since I came back here in the Philippines and now I'm preparing myself to go to school again as a 3rd year college of Fashion designing course. I'll be at the same school as hers. Well, I must get ready for everything that might happen.

"Couz, are you all set?" Lilia asked me. I nodded and put what I bought in the cart she was pushing with all the groceries. We are living by ourselves. We have our maid but she's just at home every weekends.

I told Lilia that I would go to McDonald's first to buy sundae and burgers, and she agreed. The length of the queue at the cashier takes forever. Annoying!

When I entered McDo I immediately ordered, but when I turned my head, I saw him. He was sitting in a corner. He's still Adrian but now something's change. His twinkling eyes are gone and it was replaced with a sad one. The smile on his lips was gone. I was about to approach him when my order was given but I just noticed that he's staring at someone or something.

I followed the direction of his gaze. I saw a familiar girl eating on one of McDo's table. The girl is with a boy. I looked again at Adrian who was just around the corner. The sadness and anger on his face are vissible. The woman, that's her. She's Adrian's girlfriend or should I say, her ex.

What was the reason of their separation?

Does he really love that woman so much that he had to destroy his own life just for her to came back to him? I wish it was me.

I remembered the moment I got the news of their break up.

---

"Best!" Pekta shouted while we were having a video call. "How is life in the states?" The gay asked and flip his hair.

"Well, it's fine." I answer sluggishly.

"Hmmm? For almost 2 years you still haven't moved on?"

"Ha? What are you saying, crazy?" I acted as if I didn't get what he was trying to say. I know what he meant. True, I'm not fully move on. How can you move on when you keep on thinking that person? Stupid!

"Hey, girl I have a news for you!"

"Blabbermouth!"

"Don't worry, it's about Adrian--"

"Okay. What?" I really wanted to hear something from him though I was preventing Pektang from telling me about that man.

"Hahaha! Excited?" He said laughing at me, I raised an eyebrow at him. "I have the best news, the police arrested Adrian last week because he caused some disreputable actions at the bar he always went to."

"What?" I was shocked! Adrian is not a person who'll end up in jail. That's what I thought. "Impossible! Don't fool me."

"I'm not joking." He answered me.

"What happened?" For the first time in two years, I opened my mind to hear something from him again. For the first time, I wanted Pekta to tell me something about him. I 'm worried.

"They broke up with an unknown reason. Adrian couldn't accept it so he went to the bar, smoked, drank a lot of alcohol!" I just listened and I couldn't seem to believe what he was saying. Adrian would never do that, so I thought. "So, when he went to the bar, he met the girl with the girl's new man. He punched the new boy friend. Bugbug Berna! Boogsh! Pakganern! Unfortunately, a policeman suddenly came and he was arrested. Luckily, he was bailed already."

I was silenced. I left so he can be happy, no, I mean because he was happy. But what is this now?

"There's still the best news. Do you know that the girl sided with the other guy. But even though that happened, Adrian is still begging her come back, but the girl is too hard. She has no heart. And your Adrian looks very hopelessly pathetic. He's a mess. - "

"That's enough! That's enough! You're a bad story teller." I complained so that he stop.

"Hey witch I'm not done yet!"

"Stop it. I got it. I don't like how you narrated it! All right, bye first."

"Are you okay? Hello, why are you crying?" I didn't answer him then I closed my laptop.

I lay down on the bed with one arm resting on my forehead. "Why Adrian? Why is that? Do you know I'm hurting because you're hurting! Damn it! Why are you still affecting me like this? I hope I'm the one you love. Why not me!" I shouted like a fool.

---

I looked at Adrian. I just want him to be happy even though I am not the reason of it. But now I don't think he is happy. I don't think he deserves those sad eyes.

I took a deep breath then I approached him. I sat in front of him blocking the painful scene that he had been staring at. He looked at me without any emotion.

"Adrian." I said his name, but he ignored me. He stood up and walked straight out of McDonald's. Before he finally left, he glanced at the woman who was the cause of his suffering.

"Wait. Adrian!" I followed him. I don't know what went through my mind at those times. All I know is that I want to hug him just in case my hugs will relieve the pain he felt.

~ SOMEONE'S POV

I know he's been staring at me and Ryle before. I'm in pain but I need to do this. He will be hurt even more if I don't leave him right away. I want him to find someone better.

"Wait. Adrian!" The woman who approached him earlier shouted. Does she know Adrian? Who is she? She's familiar but I can't really tell.

I just watch them. Adrian didn't stop. He immediately got into his car and pulled it over. The woman was left behind and later another woman approached her with groceries.

"Lyca!" Ryle waved his hand in front of me. "Are you okay?" Ryle asked. He's my friend. Yes, just a friend but I'm telling everyone that he is my boyfriend so that Adrian would avoid me.

My avoidance will be good for him. Even if it hurts, I'll put up with it. I don't want him suffer even more.

I smiled at the man in front of me. "I'm fine. Thank you."