Girlfriend For Hire (Darren Espanto)

37|| Shattered

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Shattered

J A D E

“I am Darren’s ex-girlfriend.”

Only the sound of the leaves swaying can be heard as I stared at Ericka with my heart beating fast.

She’s...what?

With a guilty expression plastered on her face she said, “Let...let me explain. Let’s sit down on that bench and I’ll be completely hone--“ she reached out her hand to hold mine but I dodged it and walked towards the nearest bench and sat on it.

“Talk.” I told her as she looks at me with a pained expression. I regretted talking to her that way, but I am so confused and furious that I don’t even care about my manners anymore. I want to say sorry to her, but I’m just really craving for answers right now.

She then sat beside me, giving enough space in between us and fumbled with her fingers as she started talking,

“Ever since Darren’s successful experience in the Voice Kids, we’ve been seeing each other. It’s kind of a long story how we met, but yes we became good friends and he was the sweetest guy I’ve ever encountered.”

If they used to always hang out, a lot of people probably would’ve seen them and Ericka would be somehow well-known right now, then. But I ignored that thought and listened carefully to Ericka’s words.

“But that was just a temporary thought. Those seven months of being together with him had been beautiful, but I broke it off, with a heavy heart, because I found out his love of seeing girls and I didn’t want to get hurt even more. Moving on wasn’t easy, there were times when I suddenly remember him, his smile, his laugh, and all the memories we had and just break down into tears. And when I found out that you two were dating. . .” she looked away and suddenly went silent.

Oh how I wish we both really were.

I flipped off the topic about me and him in my mind. “Why did you keep it from me?”

“Well...I didn’t really trust you before as much as I do now and I didn’t want our secret to be known by everybody. Only my parents knew about it. If it spreads out, you know that I’ll get hate from hundreds of fans and will get judged by many, and you know that I don’t like that Jade. You know I’m a sensitive person.”

“But Ericka, we’ve known each other for years and I trusted you with all my heart ever since!”

“I-I’m sorry. I really am. I really planned on telling you before but things fell apart and I just wanted to leave that matter because I don’t want you to see me as a weak person because of how blinded I was on Darren’s bright side and how I was too ridiculously in love with him. I am truly sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me and give me a second chance. I won’t fail you this time.”

I was really hurt to find out that my very own best friend whom I’ve trusted for years didn’t trust me as much I did, but the genuine sorrow in her eyes and voice is like a stab in my heart too.

I have decided to make the conversation longer to gather time to think about what to do. “Are...are you two back together?”