Favorite Mistake

FM 13

Ly was rushing to go to the library as she had to get some homework done before her class in 2 hours. Putting on a hoodie over her cut-off shorts, she slipped on her vans and did not even bother checking herself in the mirror.

Grabbing the door, she briskly stepped forward that she almost collided with the person on the other side of the door.

"Alyssa"

She was shocked, but immediately composed herself.

"Good morning mam. Dennise is not here.."

"I know. I'm not here to see her"

Ly started to tense up but she tried to put up a brave font. The last time they met each other, she was a child who could not even put up a fight. Now 2 years older, she knew she was still on the losing end, but this time, she wouldn't let go without a fight.

"Ok. Well I have to go mam." She replied quickly as she hooked her backpack on her shoulder and shuffled quickly out the door. She was stopped in her tracks when she felt a hand on her wrist, holding her to stay.

"Alyssa, Would you care join me for coffee? Just for a few minutes"

Ly weighed her thoughts. She had everything to loose and only 1 thing to gain -- 1 thing that would be worth all of the risks-- her freedom with Dennise. She silently nodded in agreement.

------

Sitting from across the table, Ly stirred her coffee with her head down. Occassionaly, she would look around her as if waiting for a friend to rescue her.

"Is anything wrong iha?"

"No mam. Does Den know you're here? I mean I can ask her to join us.."

"I prefer that she not.."

Crossing her legs underneath her on the couch, Ly pouted like a child trapped in a guidance counselor's chair. Dreading the inquisition, avoiding the judgmental eyes.

As soon as Arlene approached the table with coffee for both of them, Ly started to speak
"Look Mrs Lazaro, I don't mean to be rude"

Arlene cocked her eyebrows, which made Ly cower in her chair. On the court, she was the beast, the phenom that everyone feared. But in front of her, she is a David standing in front of her Golliath, trying to find her magic stone. Again, she swallowed her words.

Arlene stirred her coffee in silence, while Ly had her head down, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Putting down the stirrer, Arlene looked at Ly "Dennise told us that you two are back together. Is that correct?" she said coldly.

Ly whipped her head up in surprise; Den didn't tell Ly that she already told her parents about them. This is probably what she meant when she said she would fix things after their big fight a few weeks ago.

Looking at Arlene, she couldn't read anything from her expression.

"Uhmm, yes mam"

Arlene put down her coffee cup, and by the way her fingers were tightly wrapped around the cup, Ly knew that she was not happy with the response.

"How old are you again, Alyssa?"

"17 mam, turning 18 in a few months"

"Ok. And what year are you in?"

"First year mam, same as Dennise"

Arlene closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, trying to keep her emotions in check. Steadying her breathing, she opened her eyes, looking straight at Ly, and reached out to touch her hand.

"Alyssa, my Dennise is only 19 years old. Sometimes she thinks she's strong enough to handle the world, when in fact, she's still a kid. She's really stubborn when it comes to things that she wants, even if it means it could hurt her."

"When she was a child, around 5 or 6, she saw a beautiful flower behind our house. I told her she shouldn't touch it because it's poisonous. One day, I was called by the school clinic, asking me to come immedately as Den was sick and had to be brought to the hospital." She stopped for a moment as if reliving a memory; laughing bitterly, she continued.

"I was too scared, I left work and rushed to school. I found her in the clinic, with a fever and vomitting. In her hand was the flower. I asked her why she did it, and she just said that the flower made her happy, and then she vomitted again; shifting from vomitting then smiling, the whole time clutching her flower in her heart."

Ly couldn't help but smile, thinking about Den's misfits as a child.

"I knew, that day, that Dennise has a big heart and so much love to give, but this same love can hurt her. It is both her gift and her poison."

"I won't hurt her, and neither will I let anyone else hurt her." Ly said valiantly.

Arlene took one sip from her cup, which was now cold. "Alyssa, if you love Dennise as much as you claim to, then you would want what's best for her. You wouldn't want her to keep holding on to that flower, even if it means taking away her happiness."

She then stood up, signalling that this conversation is over. "Thank you for having coffee with me Iha. I trust you would not tell Dennise about this?"

Ly nodded, then she watched as Arlene walked to the coffee shop. Scrunching her forehead, everything about their conversation was cryptic. Foremost, she didn't know Den had already admitted their relationship to her parents. But unlike before, Den's mom wasn't angry. Ly sighed in confusion as she smacked her forehead, trying to make sense of what happened.

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"hi Baby" Ly greeted Den as they met up for lunch. "Is that all you're having?" She asked Den as she saw that Den was only muching on crackers.

"Yup, I'm good" Den smiled as she downed 1 pack of crackers with 2 glasses of water.

"Baby, that's not enough for the day. We still have training later."

"I'm on a diet" Den smiled before hugging Ly tightly and kissing her on the cheeks.

"Diet? Why" Ly stated in shock

"Hep, enough of that. What about you, what are you having?"

"I made sandwich. Well anyway, I have 2, you can have the other."

"Sure!" Den said, grabbing the other, and wolfing it down happily, finishing it even before Ly could half her own.

"Honestly Den, have you eaten anything for the day? It seems like you could it a horse!"

Den laughed and slapped Ly's arm. "Come on babe, of course I ate. I just really like your cooking.."

Ly pulled Den closer and held Den's face on her hands. "Baby, if there's something wrong, you wouldn't think twice about telling me right? No secrets?"

Den tweaked her eyebrows up, feeling a bit odd at Ly's change of tone. "What kind of question.."

"Just answer it"

"Of course, I'd tell you."

Ly closed her eyes and put their foreheads together. Den instinctively also closed her eyes to be at one with Ly. "I love you so much Dennise. I would give up anything and everything for you."

Den was surprised when she felt Ly's tears on her face. "Ly, what's wrong?"

Ly didn't respond, she silenced Den with a kiss.