How We Broke Up

36

NOW

I don't want you to be my reason why I am wailing from Taylor's songs. I want to sing out loud Tori Kelly's words: I was made for loving you, in front of you. I want to be your sugar bean, your sweet cinnamon, sweetie tootsie daisy, and all those cringey endearments.

I don't want to pretend; I want this to be real.

She ran towards the elevator, pressed his number floor. As she watches how the floor changes, her heart races as she doesn't know what to say, or react. What if he doesn't want to see me? What is he's not here?

The elevator rang, then she ran onto his apartment. Ro knocked three times while saying hope you're here. She knocked again, how are you? She knocked again, are you gone? She knocked two times then, the door opened.

Ro gasped. Her brain freeze, she was speechless.

"Can I come?" he was dumbfounded for a moment but he opens the door wider. She comes in. I badly want to hug you right now. But I can wait.

Ro walks up to the living area and sits. He went on the kitchen. I want you.

Did I say that out loud? He peeped from the kitchen, she smiled and he just nodded.

When he came back, he is holding two glasses of water. She notices how he looks good with white tees. How did he-

he asked and sat beside her.

She grabbed her water and drank. "I-

he joked, but he took it back.

he takes a glimpse at her, but he looks away.

Say I missed you.

"It's fine. You don't need to worry." He gave her a little smile. She pats his back.

Ro told him she knows her. Robert told her who is she, and how they are connected. Victoria and Robert became friends when they were sophomore in college. Robert was aware that Victoria has feelings for her and she has a best friend named Clayton. They met once but Clayton left. Robert figured he wasn't liked by him, moreover he's in love with his best friend.

Clayton confirmed the story. Then, Victoria needed to stay with her friends. Unfortunately, no woman was available to let her stay even for days. She went to Robert, he let her stay in the apartment. When Clayton knew about it, they fought and never talked again. It was easy to let it that way since they are not attending the same school. Robert and Victoria are.

"I thought she would be happy with her."

"Is that why you let them be?" he nodded. He let his back rest on the sofa.

"I felt useless. That should be me, I'm her best friend." Ro shove his head on her shoulder.

"I never did." She wanted to ask why, but she's scared.

"I wrote letters hoping to see her again. To talk to her again. I never want to be stuck with D."

"I want my best friend back." He broke down.

He whispered over and over again the same words. I want my best friend back. But she will never come back.

He even apologizes earlier for the family of the patients who died during the surgery. The accident and the deaths of his people was clearly not his fault. They died because of the complications of the surgery. It was the company's mistake to oversee the needed materials for their project. It was not his work. But Clayton insisted to her that she should have checked.

On the first trial, the company including Clayton lost to the case resulting him to lose his license. Clayton's family made an appeal, they reopened the case, then Clayton is acquitted on all counts. He can go back to his field, he chose not.

Ro didn't realize how long he was crying, until he fell asleep. She carefully puts him down the sofa, made him comfortable. While he was asleep, she took the chance.

She let out a deep sigh. "I did well. Thanks to you Clayton." She remembered her presentation.

Ro stood up to get a blanket.

She laughed, then she looks at him. Ro caresses his cheeks.

"I can't wait to spend my rest days to have a coffee with you. I wanna spend my weekends doing dinner dates. I'll meet you on elevators. I'll be grumpy while waiting you cook meals. Can you write me letters? I would gladly accept and collect them all."

"Can we break up? From pretending."

"Flirt with me, you have my permission."

She kissed him on forehead. Then, she left.