One

Thirty

Jade's POV

"Wha—Althea..." my voice cracked and a single tear slide down from my eyes. I felt like I've been hit square in the chest. My breathing becomes heavy and my mind refuse to hear what she said. Friends? Why? Why? Oh God, please...

Althea held both of my hands and wants me look at her. I refused and I cried no longer able to keep the tears.

She held my chin up and softly, "Jade...please look at me."

"Al –Althea.. please stop. Please..." I cried harder. "I can't bear this. I –just please stop."

"Jade.. No. Listen.."

"No." I pulled away from her and covered my ears looking at her in anguish. "I don't want to hear what you're going say. Please. What you said is already enough." I sobbed.

"Jade, wait! Listen." She removed my hands from my ears and hugged me. I struggled but she held me tight. She was stroking my hair when she whispered, "What I mean is I want us to start again... by being friends..."

I stiffened and let the words sink in. Althea pulled away and cupped my face with her hands; she wiped my tears and smiled. "Are you ready to talk now..?"

...........................................

Althea's POV

It's been two weeks since we talked. I must say, my plan worked. Slowly, we're getting there. Don't get me wrong. Of course, I love her. Still. And it's she that I want to spend the rest of life with. But.. A lot of things have happened between us. We have spent eleven years apart and if we both want to spend the next 11 years or so together, i believe we have to make things right this time.

But just last week, she did something making my heart melt each time. One day, I was at the restaurant, after a meeting with my partners, one of the staffs handed me a bouquet of yellow and white tulips and the card attached said:

Eleven: You look as pretty as them.

Please forgive me for everything..

Hopeful,

J

I frowned at the word eleven but smiled and the flowers made my day. I called Jade and thanked her for the flowers.

Two days after I received the flowers, I was about to go out and visit my Mom when the receptionist stopped me and gave me a teddy bear sitting on a basket, surrounded with heart balloons. I blushed when the receptionist and the guard teased me. I smiled at them and went to my car. I let it sat at the passenger seat and stared it while smiling. I reached for the card and read:

Ten: Teddy will remind you what an awesome childhood we had together.

xxx,

J

Ten? Hmm.. what the heck is she doing? I looked for my phone and dialed her number.

"Hey.. i guess Teddy's with you already.." She said happily.

"Hi! Uh, yeah.. He's with me.. Thank you. But.. look, What's going on, Jade?" I asked.

"Uhm, well.. just let me be. Just let me do these things to make up for everything. And of course, to show you and let you know that I will never stop pursuing you. Never. Not until you're mine.." She chuckled.

"Jade! You don't have to do this.."

"I know. But I want to.. so, stop complaining and just enjoy it." She said giggling.