Fragments of Us

50: Jema

I never thought I'd ever want to even think about this place again, but that was before her. My Ella. All I can see now is the life I'm going to make here with her.

We were sitting near the shore, away from the deafening crowds, as Ella leaned her body against my shoulders and as I gently stroked her hands with my finger.

"Baby?"

I said this to break the wall of silence between us. She, too, was just savoring the moment.

She turned her gaze at me.

"Do you mind if I ask?"

She just looked at me as if she were telling me to continue.

"Why did you and Amy broke up?"

I saw her bitterly smile as I mentioned Amy's name.

"It's totally okay if you don't want to talk about it."

"No, no. It's okay."

Ella let out a heavy sigh before speaking again while her gaze was fixed on the waters.

"She was my best friend, my first love, my first everything."

She looked back at me while I was just intently listening to her.

"I thought we're going to make it 'til the end because our relationship was almost perfect. Only that," she paused.

"She said she wanted a child of her own," she laughed, and just shrugged it off while I squeezed her hand.

She saw pain in my expression.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm all over it now. I just know I couldn't bear to lose you in the same way or any other way."

She cupped my face and pulled me close to her.

"That's why I almost died when I saw you hugging that jerk."

"You were jealous."

I teased her.

"I was not."

"If you say so."

I rolled my eyes at her again.

"So what's up between you two?"

She curiously threw the question at me without any hint of accusation. She just really wanted to know.

"Well, Tots was my ex-boyfriend."

I thought she was going to be upset, but she wasn't.

"And?"

"She's getting married."

"Uh-huh."

"To Amy."

She was obviously shocked upon hearing it.

"Okay, what the actual fuck?"

"I know. I know."

We exchanged meaningful gazes and just laughed like best friends.

"And why did you and Tots broke up? If you don't mind me asking, by the way."

"He got me pregnant."

There was horror on Ella's face.

"Is Mafe your kid?"

She seriously asked, which caught me off guard.

"No, she's not, you silly!"

I smashed her shoulders.

"He was not ready to have a child yet. Tatay was mad about it, almost disowning me. I lost our child because of miscarriage, and that's why I thought I was leaving this place for good."

"Baby, I'm sorry I didn't know."

Ella kissed my hand and placed it on her face.

"What I've lost is nothing compared to what I have now."

Ella's gaze completely softened as she looked into my eyes.

"I love you, Jema. And I want you to be my last love."

She said this as she was pulling something out of her pocket.

"Rushing here from Manila, finding our empty house, and seeing you with Tots, I just thought I'm already running out of chances to tell you what I truly felt towards you."

Ella said this as she bent her knee toward me.

"So I'm not taking any chances now. Jema, will you be my girlfriend? Please be my girlfriend."

Our eyes were already bawling because of Ella's confession.

I couldn't even move my lips to answer because of how surreal the moment was, so I just nodded at her.

Ella wore the ring to me and stood up, instantly catching my lips as she got back into her knees.

"Thank you for not giving up on me."

Ella said this in between our kisses.

"I'm willing to give up everything if that means having you in the end."

Our kisses were heated, and that was the first time we made love as a couple.