Chapter 4

Bea's chance to receive the promotion she's been hoping for has finally arrived. After the previous general manager resigned, the position had been vacant for weeks. She is regarded as one of the candidates for the role. She worked hard for this and can't let an opportunity like this slip away.

Bea got up early and made all of the necessary preparations for her upcoming presentation. However, things do not go as planned; her car's tire flattens, and she has little time to fix it.

"The heck! Of all days, why now?"

Urgh. She tries to book an Uber but there's no available nearby. Austin left early so she had no choice but to take the subway. It was a rush hour and the ticket line was too long. She kept checking her wristwatch and she still had time though.

"Be patient Bea, you'll go there on time."

She tries to calm herself.

Despite the fact that the train was overcrowded, she forced herself inside. She waited for a taxi after taking the subway. She was about to board one when she accidentally eyed someone familiar.

Is that Lauren? She's sure, it's her. Fear covered her. She saw it right at the mini-park.

"Miss, are you going to ride or not?"

The taxi driver asked. Bea slid open the car's door and stepped inside.

"Can you follow that car please, hurry!"

Bea ordered the taxi driver. She had the urge to confirm rather than die out of curiosity. When she spotted her at the mini-park, she thought everything was just her imagination, hence ignorance might be the best thing to do to survive.

"Faster mister driver, we're losing her."

She's getting more frustrated with the situation, not sure what to think. What if it's her? What should I do? Should I go and ask her what she's doing here? 

They followed the car until it stopped in front of a cafe, Bea stepped outside and paid her fare.

"Thank you."

She hurriedly went inside the cafe trying to chase Lauren, wishing she was wrong. As she pushed the door open, her heart pounds too fast for no reason. It was like she was about to witness something that would turn things around. She stepped inside and look around the cafe. Her world crumbled at what she had just witnessed.

"Instinct never lies."

She murmured to herself. It was indeed Lauren, in front of her was her fiancee, Austin.

Austin never mentioned seeing Lauren. When did they start seeing each other? She wants to invade their conversation yet she got stuck. She can't move. Memories suddenly flash in her head.

"Street food later?"

Bea happily asked Austin after taking an exam in math. They are in the tenth grade and share a seat, which has brought them closer together. Bea would always complain about how much she hates mathematics, whilst Austin enjoys solving equations. During their free time, Austin would tutor her so she won't receive failing grades anymore. Everyone thought they are dating but they are not.

They got some street food and went to their favorite hangout, a town plaza. They will always go there and chill. They also carved their names in a stone- Bea and Austin.

"What was your answer to the bonus question?"

Bea started the conversation as they sat down on the grass.

"What did you answer?"

Austin asked back. He slurps his fruit juice and took a big bite at his burger.

"Stop answering my question with a question. But I am confident with my answer."

She boasted. She saw one of her classmates' papers a while ago and they got the same answer so she's confident that she got it right. She didn't cheat, she saw it by accident and compared their answer.

"It's fifty-two." She continued. Austin laughs as if she said something funny.

"What? It's fifty-two. I even solved it. Clara got the same answer too."

She explained but Austin didn't stop laughing.

"Will you stop laughing! What did you answer?"

She smacked Austin on his right shoulder to stop him.

"Did you even read the problem?"

Austin teased her.

"Yes, of course." She answered defensively. She even read the problem a hundred times and did lots of computation and she always got the same answer.

"You need to study more."

Austin said and patted her head like a pet.

Without Austin by her side, she wouldn't be able to survive her studies. Those little gestures of Austin could send thousands of electricity down her spine. Butterflies are celebrating within her.

"The question is a bit tricky, False is the right answer."

He said as he finished his food.

"What? How come?"

She exclaimed. How come it's a true or false question? Math is truly a pain in the ass and most people would probably agree with Bea.

"Don't think about it, let's go. Let me send you home."

Austin stands up and extends his right arm toward her, offering to assist her in standing. She grabs him and pulls herself to her feet. Austin had always been a caring man, who would resist a guy like him? Definitely no one.

That would always be their bonding time after school. One time, Bea attended their classmate's birthday and some guy tried to hit on her on the dance floor. Austin is watching her intently not leaving a glance. So she flirted back to see his reaction.

"You look beautiful, what's your name?"

The guy she's flirting with asked. It's not their schoolmate and Bea had also no idea who this guy is, yet Austin keeps on starting so she needs to keep going with his plan. Bea placed her arms around the guy's nape and leaned a bit closer to whisper into his ear.

"Thanks for the compliment."

She whispered as she stares back at Austin. 'C'mon take the bait Austin', she yells in her head yet Austin is not moving, but she knows, he is glaring.

"My name is Kyle, how 'bout you?"

The guy asked as he advanced its moves and placed his hands on her waist. He stinks into alcohol. She became uncomfortable and was about to remove Kyle's hands from her waist when suddenly someone pulled her. It was Austin.

"Excuse me, who are you? "

Kyle asked with furrowed eyebrows. Austin pulled her placing her at his back and faced Kyle.

"Back off man."

Austin said in a serious tone. Uh-oh, he is not enjoying this. Kyle is drunk and was about to punch Austin but thank goodness, our classmates were able to stop him.

"Sorry,"

one of his friends apologize and took their friend away.

"Let's go, Bea,"

he held her hand and pulled her outside.

"Austin, where are we going?"

Austin, on the other hand, kept walking and dragging her outside.

"Austin wait,"

She pulled her arm, releasing it from his grip successfully. Austin faced her angrily.

"Are you that naive Bea?" He yelled.

She was caught off guard, Austin got mad but afterward, she felt butterflies in her stomach. Is he jealous?

"Why? What's your problem?"

She acts as if she doesn't get what he is talking about. She is enjoying this.

"That guy is trying to harass you."

Instead of feeling sorry, she chuckled. Austin became more handsome in her sight. Having someone to scold you when you have done something wrong is the best feeling ever. You know that that person cares for you.

"You are overreacting Austin, we are just dancing."

She tried to explain but that only made him more frustrated. He brushed his fingers in his hair whilst Bea stares at his delicate movements.

"I am sending you home."

He then pulled Bea, she was tired also so she goes with the flow. It's not a secret to everyone that she had a crush on him, only Austin is not aware of it or he just doesn't care. A lot of men are trying to hit on her but she refused because of him.

"Both of you look lovely and sweet together." One of their classmates complimented them.

"Thanks, we're just friends."

Bea would always reply whenever they mistake them for a couple.

"Nah, I don't think so," they wouldn't believe that they're just friends. Well, who wouldn't? Their actions toward each other are alike with couples, just with no label.

Yet those magical days with her prince vanished when they enter senior high. They don't have the same section anymore and Austin would seldom go to the plaza, their favorite place and Bea would always wait for him there.

"Sorry, I have a lot of things to do today," Austin explains.

Bea would always wait for him even though she already knew, he wouldn't come. Austin changed but Bea blinds herself from the truth.

"Hey Bea, I thought you and Austin are dating?"

One of her classmates suddenly asks.

"Why?"

"There's a rumor circulating the whole campus that she's courting Lauren."

Her eyebrows furrowed with what he heard.

"Who's Lauren?"She asked. She never knew someone named Laure.

"The muse of section A. I thought you are close with Austin? Didn't you know?"

Her classmate said. She never knew about it so she shakes her head a bit as a response.

"They are already official, I heard one of his classmates talking about it in the hallway when I was heading towards the canteen,"

another classmate rebutted.

Is that the reason why Austin never goes to plaza anymore? Day and night she'll wait there, rain or shine, without a leave. They will bump into each other in school but Austin would only smile at her and the end. No more hi's and hello's, no more hugs and chills in the plaza.

"Austin. can we talk?"

Bea would go to Austin's classroom during breaktime and look for him.

"I would love to Bea but we are doing our research right now."

His groupmates glared at her for interrupting. Bea squeezes her pinky finger to calm herself.

"Sorry, but, it's break time. Just five minutes."

She even made a number five gesture in her hand. She's desperate to talk to him. Austin look at his groupmates for permission but they ignored him.

"A minute would do."

She pleaded desperately.

"Excuse me Bea but can you come back next time? We are rushing this paper now."

One of his groupmates said.

"S-sorry."

Maybe, Austin is just busy with his studies she thought, trying to convince herself. So she went back to her classroom with dismay and decided to go back again later. She won't lose hope.

"There's a show in the oval." A student shouted.

They all headed to the oval, just to witness Austin holding a flower and a life-size teddy bear, in front of Lauren.

"Lauren, happy monthsary!"

Austin said as he handed her the flowers and stuffed toy.  Everyone shouted in awe.

"Thank you!"

Lauren took the flower and holds the teddy bear with her wide smile. "Hooo!!"

On the other side cheered, his classmates. Everyone looked too happy for the both of them.

"They are perfectly matched in heaven. I envy the girl. He is too sweet."

Other students said as they giggle.

Some of her classmates would look at her with confusion and pity in their eyes. That was a painful scene she had ever seen.

"Isn't that guy your boyfriend Bea?" Someone asked pointing their fingers at Austin.

"They already broke up." Someone would reply.

"They're just friends."

"I thought Austin and Bea was a thing before. What a pity, though Lauren is more a beauty."

"Isn't he your boyfriend Bea?"

Her classmate talked at the same time asks questions like a reporter, questions after questions, making her more confused.

"Huh?"

She couldn't answer, so she run away instead. She went to their favorite place and cried. She has no right to call him her boyfriend since they never had a label in the first place.

She picked up the stone engraved with Austin's name.

"You changed suddenly without even giving me a warning. You are an asshole!"

She throw the stone as tears flowed down her cheeks. She's mad at the same time hurting. Is everything just her imagination? He made her feel special and suddenly ghost her? Or what if she had just assumed things? Austin is her first love, also now her first heartbreak. And ending a relationship that only she knew would be the hardest thing she would do. It's drowning her.

Who would have thought that it would be this painful to be ghosted? Hurting because you have no idea what had gone wrong between the two of you, waking up and realizing that everything is gone.