UNNECESSARY EXCUSES

I could feel my heart beating extremely fast inside my chest. 'What have I done to myself?'

After staring at the phone for a while, I finally picked up. Silent reigned for a few seconds as Romeo waited for my response.

" You have finally picked up my call," he finally spoke when he noticed that I wasn't going to say anything until he spoke.

" I'm so sorry for not picking up your calls. I have been busy these past few days." I responded with a low tone.

" Busy with what? You never lack excuses in your life.

One day, it will be, 'Aunt Elisa is around, and I can't come out.' Another day, ' I have been busy cleaning the house.' Aren't you tired of lying?" his angry voice echoed from the phone, but I remained silent.

I could understand his point. We're dating, yet, he doesn't see or talk to me anytime he wants to. It hurts, but I have no choice but to keep our relationship a secret.

" Can't you speak?!" he yelled from the phone, and I didn't notice the time my tears started dripping down my cheeks. " I have always known that you don't love me. You keep giving excuses and assuring me that one day, things will get better, but the opposite is happening right now…"

"Romeo, I love you. And I would forever love you. Why don't you understand this?" I cut into his words with a cracked voice.

"Stop lying to me! I'm not a child… If you truly love me, then why did you switch off your phone for a few days? Why didn't you call or pick up my calls when I called, huh?

You should have told me that you don't love me from the beginning, and I would have known what to do." I could feel the anger in his voice.

" I beg of you, stop saying this. You're hurting my feelings."

I was at the verge of breaking down into tears, but I was trying to control myself.

" Feelings? Which feelings? Do you ever have feelings for me?" he smirked, and his words kept hurting me. But I wouldn't blame him. I blame myself for not being there for him anytime he needs me.

He had tried. If it were another guy, he would have broken up with me a long time ago, yet, Romeo was still patient enough to listen to all my excuses.

I could remember how some of his friends advised him to break up with me because I was no use to him, but he refused, yet, I kept hurting him. It reached a point where they had to separate from his best friend for my sake.

I saw true love in his eyes.

" I-I…" I was about to say something but burst into tears. Clara engaged me in a tight hug as she comforted me.

" Accept my apology, I-I never meant to hurt you. I just ran out of patience, that's why. But I promise not to do it again."

His soft voice echoed again as he heard the sound of my sobbing. I couldn't utter a word to him as I buried my face in Clara's shoulder.

Clara took the phone from my hand and placed it on her ear and calmly said to Romeo," You shouldn't have used such words on her."

" I'm sorry about that. I was outraged, but now, I'm fine. Ask her to forgive me, please," he pleaded.

" Oh, you are fine now after hurting her, right?"

"No, Clara, it isn't like that. I was just…"

" You don't need to explain. Let me clarify it for you that Ruby truly loves you, but you and I know that she doesn't have freedom of her own to come to visit or call you anytime she likes. You know that, right?"

" Yeah, I do,"

" If you know, then why the anger? Why are you making it look like she doesn't love you anymore? For your information, Ruby has no boyfriend apart from you…"

Clara's statement got me letting out more tears as it reminded me of the marriage contract I just signed with Aidan. I wish they could stop that conversation because it was hurting me the more.

" Thank you for the explanation," Romeo responded and continued," I'm the luckiest and happiest man on earth for being only her boyfriend. But please do tell her to find a place in her heart and forgive me."

" Her heart has been occupied, so there is no more place for mercy." Clara retorted and Romeo chuckled.

Ignoring Clara, Romeo said," I'm sorry, my Princess. I won't try it again."

He was referring to me, knowing fully that I was listening to their conversation.

" She has forgiven you, but don't just try it next time," Clara warned.

" I won't, that's a promise."

Romeo assured her.

" So, can I see you guys today?"

" No! You can't." Clara replied sharply as if she were still holding grudges against Romeo.

" Why?" he inquired.

" Because we are in the hospital."

" Huh? Hospital? Doing what?" Romeo found himself driven to inquire for more information.

" Well, her mom has been admitted to the hospital for about two days now."

" And you guys didn't inform me? Why?"

" I'm sorry about that. Ruby's mind never went there because she was mixed up when the whole thing started." Clara made it clear and I was relieved by her explanation.

" I wish I had known. Please, can I come over to the hospital?" Romeo asked.

"Hmm… no." Clara's answer was based on the signal I gave her.

I wouldn't want Romeo to come over to the hospital because I wanted my mom to recover from her illness before I could meet Romeo and talk to him face-to-face. He needs to know about this contract I just signed. I wonder what his reaction would be.

My mind was far away from my soul as different thoughts ran through it. I had stopped sobbing, yet I could barely listen to their conversation.

After the call, Clara asked me where I got the money from, but I didn't respond to her question. She knew that I wasn't in the mood to talk, so she let me be.

My mom was my focus. Let's wait for her recovery and I will tell everyone what happened.

~~~

' Every so often I wonder if she truly loves me, but at times I see the sincerity in her eyes. I wonder what her aunt's problem was. Ruby is mature enough to be denied keeping a relationship. Was that how her parents treated her?

I mean, Aunt Elisa. Even if that's how she was treated when she was at Ruby's level, does that guarantee her to treat Ruby this way?

That isn't my concern right now. What's going on in my mind now is about Ruby's mother. I wonder what must have happened to her. I do pity her since the very day she lost her husband.

Men are always the first to die in a family. Such is life, but I don't know why.' Romeo wondered as he laid on his bed.

It was dawn and Romeo was inside his room wondering about the condition of Ruby's mother. He picked up his phone to dial her number, but then, a call just popped up. It was an unknown number.

On picking up the call, the first thing Romeo heard was," Stay away from her. You have been warned!"

Romeo got confused. He was more confused when the caller ended the call without waiting for his response. He tried calling it back, but it wasn't connecting.

"Who should I stay away from and who is this mannerless person?"