Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Now you know what it feels like to live with a lesbian."

Diane looked at me with an exasperated look.

"Anyway, come with me. Let's go to the kitchen." she suddenly remarked as she began walking. I followed her as we entered a big kitchen.

Mind you. The kitchen looked like the ones you see on home cooking shows. But enough with that, time to ask the real deal.

"Was that her new girlfriend?"

Diane glanced back at me.

"I wouldn't call her a 'girlfriend'. You take a seat here." Diane said as she patted the stool by the kitchen counter.

I sat there while Diane took a peek in the oven.

"Then what would you call her?"

"The flavor of the month!" she said as a matter-of-fact as she worked her way into the kitchen.

Oh right! Claire's a player. How could I forget? My ex-girlfriend was a victim of hers. Hay... memories...

"So, it's a monthly switch?" I commented while I watched Diane pour hot water into the cups.

"For a notorious player, she's very consistent, right?" Diane answered agreeing with me.

Her remark earned a laugh from me.

"Do you even keep track of their names?"

"Ay, Kuya! There's no need. This is the third time I saw her. I bet you that this is the last time I'll ever see her." Diane said with a tone of relief.

"Seems like you don't like this 'current flavor'."

"To be honest, I don't like any of them. By the way, do you like hot chocolate?" She commented then asked as she raised the canister to show me the brand.

"Sure!"

Diane began scooping the powdered chocolate into the cups.

"I don't bother to get to know these girls even though some of them tried to strike up a conversation with me. My cousin only plays with them. And I'm certainly not interested to know what types of games they were actually playing. So, there's no point in getting to know them."

"That's a fair point."

My mind began processing some suggested 'types of games they might be playing'. I felt a lump formed in my throat because of the images my imagination produced. Curse you, Brain!

It's a good thing Diane interrupted my train of thought. She served me hot chocolate and mini buttered croissants. I thanked her. She sat down across from me and began drinking her hot chocolate.

"How do you deal with it?" I asked.

"Deal with what?" Diane questioned in return.

"With... you know... 'her lesbian player ways'?"

"I just ignored it as best as I could. It's her life. I have no right to meddle with her personal affairs but..." she trailed off.

"But?"

Diane paused a bit pondering her next answer with care. After a few seconds, she finally answered.

"But, I just... I can't help but feel disappointed." She said with dejection.

"I understand how you'll feel. But, there's just something that isn't clear. What are you exactly disappointed at?" I asked then I took a bite of the croissant.

Diane took a sip of her hot chocolate before answering.

"I'm disappointed in everything. Her decisions with her life are just... Let's just say she could have done better."

"What do you mean?"

"If only I can have my way, I'll do what it takes to get her back to her old self," Diane said with a hint of determination.

An old self? So Claire isn't like this before.

"What was she like before? Was she a loyal lover to her girlfriends?" I guessed.

Diane smiled at my assumptions.

"Oh, she's loyal alright. But not to her girlfriends."

If not her girlfriends, then...

"She had boyfriends before!?"

"Well... it was only one guy. But yeah, she was once a loyal girlfriend to this 'one guy'."

I couldn't believe it. So once upon a time, Claire was actually straight. If Patrick and those other boys heard about this, they'd begin to hope.

"Well... I didn't expect that. Then what happened?"

"My whole family thinks it was because of trauma that led her to be like this."

Oh!

"Is it because of her parents dying in a car crash?"

Diane looked at me with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.

Shoot! That was supposed to be a secret. Damn! It slipped my mind.

"You knew!?!?! How-" Diane cut her words in mid-sentence. Then realization crossed her eyes...

"She told you?"

There was no point in denying it now so...

"Yes. A few days ago. She did mention it was a secret. I didn't mean to blurt it out. You knew about it so I guessed it's safe to say it."

Diane looked even more astonished.

"Yes. You're right. I was going to tell you anyway. So no worries. But, wow! She told you herself. She never told anyone about it."

"Yes. I was honestly surprised too when she told me about it. I mean she could have lied to me when I asked about her parents."

"But she didn't! That's why this is so surprising. Wait... If she was able to talk about this with you, then what are you to her?" Diane finished her question with a knowing smile.

Honestly, I don't know why she told me that. We're only pretending to be friends. We'll be enemies or more likely strangers once this is over.

"I don't know what you mean. We're only enemies trying to be 'civil' project partners. I guess."

Diane smiled wider at my answer.

"Could it be you two are getting along?"

Getting along? Come to think of it. Since the robbery incident, the hostility had left us. She no longer gets irritated around me. Wait a minute! Diane thinks we are getting along. Then the plan is working!

"I honestly don't think we are 'getting along'. But if you put it that way, maybe we are." I said in a calm and unenthusiastic voice even though I was thrilled from within.

"So... you're not mad at her anymore?"

Am I mad at her? I wanted to say yes but I didn't feel the anger in me. The hostility left me.

"To tell you the truth, I don't feel the hatred that I used to have. I wouldn't say I had forgiven her but... I think I just learned to accept what had happened."

Diane was smiling at me from ear to ear. She looked so happy to hear that.

"That's at least nice to know. Anyway... back to the original topic." Diane said shifting the topic.

Right. We got a bit side-tracked there.

"So... yes. We all think it's trauma. The car crash wasn't the only thing that contributed to it though."

"Really? So there's more."

"Yes. And it all happened in the same year when she was sixteen."

"What exactly happened back then?" I asked. My curiosity was very evident. It's not every day I get to hear Justine Claire Solistre's backstory.

"I don't have all the details but I do know some important information." Diane began then she continued.

"Her parents' car crash happened when they were on their way to get her. She was in Nasugbu, Batangas that time. She was attending an overnight beach party with her then-boyfriend."

"Oh? Why didn't they just let her stay for the night?" I wondered. But Diane had an explanation for that.

"You see, her parents never like her boyfriend. They told Ate Claire to break up with him so many times. But she was too stubborn. She wasn't permitted to go to that party. So, she escaped. You can only imagine her regret when she found out about their death the next day. She still blames herself until now."

Oh my! That was... beyond words. I thought being orphaned so soon was the worst. But knowing you played a part in your own parents' death is... It's just way worse. She didn't even have the chance to apologize to them.

"But that's just the first tragedy. The second tragedy happened the following month after that. Her best friend, her only confidant at that time, committed suicide."

Damn! And it happened when she was still grieving over her parents.

"The next tragedy... her boyfriend died the month after that."

I felt my heart sink lower than it already did. Three deaths in just three months. That's too much to take. If Claire was any weaker, she would have done something terrible to herself.

"That was horrible. I-I feel so bad for her. I-"

"And you know what's even worse?"

Wait! There's still more?

"What?" I said bracing myself for the even worse information.

"Her boyfriend died drunk driving off a cliff..." Diane trailed off almost in hesitation. But then she said.

"... along with his side chick."