James + Leona

James + Leona / The Break Up

James and Leona sat at the quiet cafe they went to on their first date hours after their announcement to their parents.

Leona had mascara running down her cheeks.

James' best button-up shirt became slightly undone.

Mr. and Mrs. Yang had pulled James aside, desperately trying to coax him out of his decision to marry Leona. "Why?" James demanded, over and over again, even though he knew. He just wanted to hear it from them.

Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez weren't shy with their explanation, though. They told Leona their suspicions of James. "He's not strong enough for you," her mother said, waving off Leona's objections. "How is he supposed to take care of you and your children if he can't even take care of himself? Mija, be reasonable!"

Leona wanted to cry, to yell, to walk away from them. But she couldn't. Everything she'd ever done, she's done with her family behind her, supporting her. For the first time, Leona doubted her relationship with James. If her family disapproved of him, how could she have a future with him? Was the love she felt for him only mere infatuation? Were her suspicions of love all those years ago right all along?

James, however, doubted nothing. From the moment they met, he knew that there was nobody else for him, and he would stand by it. And when he overheard Leona's parents openly doubting their relationship, he fought.

"You're wrong," he said, turning away from his parents. "I am strong. And I get stronger every day with Leona by my side."

James stared at Leona expectedly.

Leona stared at the floor.

The night went on, and so did both families' objections. Mr. Fernadez became frustrated after a while. "Ay, Leona," he hissed. "You're better than this. Marry a man that can take care of you. This man isn't what you want!"

"Right," Mrs. Fernandez agreed. "Remember Pedrito? You liked him, didn't you?"

Leona looked like she wanted to burst into tears at her mother's words. She turned away from everyone and refused Tania's attempts to console her.

"James," Mrs. Yang said. "Remember Sara Lee? Such a nice girl. Such a perfect smile."

James ignored her and watched helplessly as Leona's shoulders began bobbing up and down.

Eventually, the night ended. Rafael pulled Leona aside. "Make the right decision, okay?" He said. "Think about your future. Do you want to spend your life with someone you can't depend on?"

"You don't understand anything," Leona told him, wiping her tears away. "And I'm not some maiden that can't take care of herself."

Rafael didn't seem to believe that.

James and Leona padded to that quiet cafe when everyone was gone, thinking about everything their families told them. They sat at that table, ordered those same drinks, and made a painful decision.

James whispered, "I love you."

And Leona cried, "I love you, too."

But they left the cafe alone— Leona first and James second.