"I will," I ran my fingers through my hair and plonked on the bed, feeling the soft mattress sink beneath me. The weight of the day's emotions pressed down on me and made even the simple act of sitting up feel like a monumental task."I just need time."Clara's eyes softened with concern, but her voice remained firm."Well, you don't have that time," she started to pull me up gently but insistently. "Because I'm going to the club and you're coming with me."I felt a surge of resistance well up inside me."No," I said definitely and started to pull away, my body tensing. "I'm not going anywhere."The thought of facing a crowd, of pretending to be okay when my world had just shattered, seemed impossible."Please, Ana," Clara pleaded desperately. "I can't watch you go away like this. You're my best friend, and seeing you like this... it breaks my heart."I sighed. "Just let me have this night. It's been four years!"Clara shook her head, "Doesn't matter. Four years or four decades, cheat
ANASTASIA5 YEARS AFTER“Why do I have to go there everyday? I wanna go with you!" She said and turned away from me.I sighed, dropped her backpack, lunchbox and my bag on the chair and stooped to her height."Hey baby,” I said softly and she responded by turning away from me again.“Amie please," I took hold of her hands but she snatched it away. “Don't talk to me."“Amie, look at me," I said in a firm voice and she immediately turned to me with a pout and watery eyes. I hate to raise my voice at her but sometimes it was the only way to get her to listen.I gently took her hands in mine and thankfully, she didn't pull away this time. “Baby, you can't come with me to work. It's not allowed."“Why?" She sulked, “I can work."“I know that, Amie," I said with a small smile. “You’re a very hardworking girl. But right now, school is more important for you, okay? When the time is right you'd work and no one will stop you."“What can't I work now?" She whinged, “I'm five!"I almost threw my
I sighed in relief. "Oh, Dennis, you're a real life saver," I told him as he got down from the car and helped us in, tucking Amie in the back seat."You can say that again," he smirked as he opened the front passenger door for me and I climbed in.Surprisingly, Dennis, the dangerous guy I was intent on not having anything to do with, was now one of my close friends. After that day at the bar, after rushing me to the hospital, he had waited for me till I woke up and since then he hung around. In fact, he more than hung around. He became a friend indeed. Even during my dark days, he'd always be there to uplift my mood.Though it didn't take long before he confirmed my suspicions of his interest in me. I was happy to turn him down with the news of my pregnancy but it didn't deter him. He was ready to take me and my pregnancy without even probing me about who the father was.His love and care touched my heart, if I was to be honest, but Aiden dealt with me real good. I wasn't ready to hop
ANASTASIAMy brows creased in worry as I dialed his number for the umpteenth time.'Hey there, if you're hearing this then I'm unavai-'I stopped the voicemail before it ended."Babe," I pouted even though he couldn't see me. "Where are you? Are you okay? I've been trying to reach you for eons now. Call me as soon as you see this, okay?" With a small smile on my lips, I added in a singysongy tone, "I miss you."With a sigh, I placed my phone facedown on my lap and looked outside the taxi's window. The driver just arrived at the only point on the expressway where he could make a U-turn. Right then, I decided that it would be better to stop at his place before I head to mine. Else, I would spend all day and night worrying until I hear from him.It had been an eventual past two weeks because i was out of the country with my colleagues from college to celebrate our graduation."Please, make a U-turn here," I quickly told the driver before he would go too far. His eyes met mine in the rearv
ANASTASIAMy strides were longer and faster as I made my way to his apartment.There was a reasonable part of me that was convinced that those pictures weren't photoshopped. And there was also the part, slightly smaller, that believed - or rather, wanted to believe - that it was all a lie. A stupid dumb prank.Aiden just would never do that to me. He was not the type of man who would jump onto the next woman he sees the moment I am out of the country. It just was not possible.I made my way through the open gate. As I stopped before the door, I noticed that my breaths were ragged and the palms that I wounded around my bags were sweaty.I put the bags aside and wiped my palms on my jeans then I took a deep calming breath.I knocked but there was no response. I slowly wrapped my fingers around the door knob and pushed. Immediately, it gave and the door creaked open. As I stepped in and closed the door before me, I frowned at the messy state the living room was in.I made to call out to
ANASTASIAWith a sniff, I stopped my incessant knocking when I heard hurried footsteps coming toward the door. I leaned on the door, unable to stop my sobs.I had meant it when I said it was over but a part of me had hoped that he would come after me, take me in his arms and reassure me that it was all a big misunderstanding but he had only stood there, barking my name like some crazed maniac.Clara opened the door with a smile, it widened a bit when she saw me but immediately fell when she noticed my tears."Are you okay?" She frowned, her eyes filled with questions. "I didn't know you would be back so soon," she said slowly, her frown deepening, "Ana, are you okay?"She reached for me and I couldn't hold back myself anymore. I fell into her arms and cried like a baby. My heart felt heavy and my shoulders shook as I gripped the sides of her shirt and cried harder, soaking her sweatshirt with my tears."Shh," she patted me on the back. She closed the door and led me inside the living
I sighed in relief. "Oh, Dennis, you're a real life saver," I told him as he got down from the car and helped us in, tucking Amie in the back seat."You can say that again," he smirked as he opened the front passenger door for me and I climbed in.Surprisingly, Dennis, the dangerous guy I was intent on not having anything to do with, was now one of my close friends. After that day at the bar, after rushing me to the hospital, he had waited for me till I woke up and since then he hung around. In fact, he more than hung around. He became a friend indeed. Even during my dark days, he'd always be there to uplift my mood.Though it didn't take long before he confirmed my suspicions of his interest in me. I was happy to turn him down with the news of my pregnancy but it didn't deter him. He was ready to take me and my pregnancy without even probing me about who the father was.His love and care touched my heart, if I was to be honest, but Aiden dealt with me real good. I wasn't ready to hop
ANASTASIA5 YEARS AFTER“Why do I have to go there everyday? I wanna go with you!" She said and turned away from me.I sighed, dropped her backpack, lunchbox and my bag on the chair and stooped to her height."Hey baby,” I said softly and she responded by turning away from me again.“Amie please," I took hold of her hands but she snatched it away. “Don't talk to me."“Amie, look at me," I said in a firm voice and she immediately turned to me with a pout and watery eyes. I hate to raise my voice at her but sometimes it was the only way to get her to listen.I gently took her hands in mine and thankfully, she didn't pull away this time. “Baby, you can't come with me to work. It's not allowed."“Why?" She sulked, “I can work."“I know that, Amie," I said with a small smile. “You’re a very hardworking girl. But right now, school is more important for you, okay? When the time is right you'd work and no one will stop you."“What can't I work now?" She whinged, “I'm five!"I almost threw my
"I will," I ran my fingers through my hair and plonked on the bed, feeling the soft mattress sink beneath me. The weight of the day's emotions pressed down on me and made even the simple act of sitting up feel like a monumental task."I just need time."Clara's eyes softened with concern, but her voice remained firm."Well, you don't have that time," she started to pull me up gently but insistently. "Because I'm going to the club and you're coming with me."I felt a surge of resistance well up inside me."No," I said definitely and started to pull away, my body tensing. "I'm not going anywhere."The thought of facing a crowd, of pretending to be okay when my world had just shattered, seemed impossible."Please, Ana," Clara pleaded desperately. "I can't watch you go away like this. You're my best friend, and seeing you like this... it breaks my heart."I sighed. "Just let me have this night. It's been four years!"Clara shook her head, "Doesn't matter. Four years or four decades, cheat
"I will," I ran my fingers through my hair and plonked on the bed. "I just need time.""Well, you don't have that time," she started to pull me up. "Because I'm going to the club and you're coming with me.""No," I said definitely and started to pull away. "I'm not going anywhere.""Please, Ana. I can't watch you go away like this.""Just let me have this night. It's been four years!""Doesn't matter.""Clara-""I'm sure he's probably still humping some other lady and you're here sulking pathetically."She was probably right. The girl was in his house afterall. He probably went back into her arms after I left."His cheating ass doesn't deserve this. You should go out there and have fun. Show yourself and him, that life goes on no matter what," she said softly.I sighed. "Okay."And that was how I was roped into going to club when I should be morning my lost love.It wasn't such a bad idea though. Infact, I'm glad I am out here, I thought as Clara and I twerked to the song that came on
ANASTASIAWith a sniff, I stopped my incessant knocking when I heard hurried footsteps coming toward the door. I leaned on the door, unable to stop my sobs.I had meant it when I said it was over but a part of me had hoped that he would come after me, take me in his arms and reassure me that it was all a big misunderstanding but he had only stood there, barking my name like some crazed maniac.Clara opened the door with a smile, it widened a bit when she saw me but immediately fell when she noticed my tears."Are you okay?" She frowned, her eyes filled with questions. "I didn't know you would be back so soon," she said slowly, her frown deepening, "Ana, are you okay?"She reached for me and I couldn't hold back myself anymore. I fell into her arms and cried like a baby. My heart felt heavy and my shoulders shook as I gripped the sides of her shirt and cried harder, soaking her sweatshirt with my tears."Shh," she patted me on the back. She closed the door and led me inside the living
ANASTASIAMy strides were longer and faster as I made my way to his apartment.There was a reasonable part of me that was convinced that those pictures weren't photoshopped. And there was also the part, slightly smaller, that believed - or rather, wanted to believe - that it was all a lie. A stupid dumb prank.Aiden just would never do that to me. He was not the type of man who would jump onto the next woman he sees the moment I am out of the country. It just was not possible.I made my way through the open gate. As I stopped before the door, I noticed that my breaths were ragged and the palms that I wounded around my bags were sweaty.I put the bags aside and wiped my palms on my jeans then I took a deep calming breath.I knocked but there was no response. I slowly wrapped my fingers around the door knob and pushed. Immediately, it gave and the door creaked open. As I stepped in and closed the door before me, I frowned at the messy state the living room was in.I made to call out to
ANASTASIAMy brows creased in worry as I dialed his number for the umpteenth time.'Hey there, if you're hearing this then I'm unavai-'I stopped the voicemail before it ended."Babe," I pouted even though he couldn't see me. "Where are you? Are you okay? I've been trying to reach you for eons now. Call me as soon as you see this, okay?" With a small smile on my lips, I added in a singysongy tone, "I miss you."With a sigh, I placed my phone facedown on my lap and looked outside the taxi's window. The driver just arrived at the only point on the expressway where he could make a U-turn. Right then, I decided that it would be better to stop at his place before I head to mine. Else, I would spend all day and night worrying until I hear from him.It had been an eventual past two weeks because i was out of the country with my colleagues from college to celebrate our graduation."Please, make a U-turn here," I quickly told the driver before he would go too far. His eyes met mine in the rearv