Confessions of a Cynic

T E N

"Yesterday was yesterday. Tomorrow is tomorrow and today is today." Paulos said in a smooth and gentle manner, walking around the five couples. "Look forward to the sunrise and the beauty of the sunset..."

"He's really poetic." Psyche commented, fascinated at Paulos' poems.

"Hm." Eros replied, uninterested. "How long are we going to-"

"Shh!" She shut him up with a wave of her fingers that were accessorized with golden metallic rings and large stones. Eros groaned at this and tried to be patient. He listened to Paulos and his poetry and glances at Psyche who was completely engross by him as her eyes began to glistened.

He rolled his eyes at this. There she is again.

This wasn't exactly a shocker for him that Psyche was actually an emotional person. He recalled some time back, when he wasn't yet wearing a business suits or classy clothes rather just some simple V-neck shirts or some grey long sleeves enough to attract everyone of the girls in school. He recalled in their sophomore year where he get to have the same Literature class with Psyche and how he remembered he didn't like her having there. 

There was one time in their Literature class, that Ms.Dovetail told them about the reaper and the flowers. Nobody was listening to her, even him as he was exchanging "flirting" messages to his girlfriend back then. Nobody except Psyche. He wanted to groaned so loud and call her attention to stop being emotional over some poem but, he took some glances at her before he continued texting. 

It wasn't till then that they were told to make their own poems. Everybody groaned loudly which made him chuckle a bit but Psyche was the only who had a wide smile on her face. 

And when it was time to share their poems in front of the class, Ms. Dovetail called out Psyche. She stood in front of them, holding her paper in front of her, taking some glances from the class before she started. She didn't had her full colored hair that time but her natural blonde hair had streaks of purple hair. She was narrow and pale unlike now, she had gained a bit of weight and her skin has been kissed by the sun. Her face was more delicate and soft but wasn't given attention because of her long hair that looks like she just rushed from bed and into school.

Yet her eyes were still the same, sad-looking blueish gray ones that completes how fragile she could look. And when she began to read her poem, he didn't notice how much he was starring at her till she looked at him.

"That was-ugh. Beautiful. Beautiful." Psyche said, wiping her tears. 

Eros cleared his throat as he nodded his head. "Yeah. It was."

"Anyway, let's do the activity."

"Hm?"

"The activity. We need to reconcile? Forgive each other as we forgive ourse-you weren't listening weren't you?" She glared at him.

"I-I did. I did. You go ahead first." He managed to think of an excuse. She was convinced.

"Very well." Psyche said before holding Eros's hand and looked at him straight into his eyes. "I'm sorry for being a mean person sometimes."

"Sometimes?" He scoffed. "You're always mean."

"I'm mean because you're mean." 

"Okay. Fine. Truce. What else?"

"That's it."

"I believe Psyche that wasn't just all."

Psyche rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm sorry if I get stubborn at times. I mean, you know me."

"I know." He said, amused. "Psyche's trademark. Stand out from the others.  If you blend in, you'll disappear."

She grinned at this. "Oh. So, why are you always mean to me?"

"You're fun to pissed off."

"Wow. I think it's time for you to apologize now. We don't have much time since you'll end up by sunset."

"You're clearly exaggerating. I think the only thing that I'm going to apologize to you is..." He thought for a second and when he finally thought something, he looked at Psyche's eyes with his thoughts that went back years ago. Back on the day  he and Psyche was in that Literature class.

"Well? I'm waiting."

"I...I...never get to...to..."He stuttered which he never does. He held Psyche's hands tighter with his large hands and could feel them sweating already. "...say that your hair is actually pretty cool."

She stared at him surprised. "You thought my hair is cool?"

"I think it is. It's you. Bohemian with a touch of Psyche. I kind of like that."

"Well, you look good with yourself. Kind of ticked me off when you get too proper but then, it's you."

Eros chuckled nervously. "Thanks."

"Aren't I lucky today?" Eros grinned, wrapping his hands around Psyche as they walked towards the pool area. Far from them was Carmen in her white bandeau bikini. She was about to take a dive toward the pool. 

"Sure is." Psyche groaned. They stood across them, watching Carmen swam unto the pool like a mermaid. And when she merge herself out of water, Psyche could almost swear that everything went in a slow motion. She could even feel her jaws dropped in a slow motion too at one point.

Wha-? Is that even possible? Psyche thought to herself. She then look around, seeing some other men staring at her with their eyes on fire and their mouths hanging open. She took a glance at Eros, who had his eyes twinkling at the sight of Carmen in her wet bikini. When Carmen saw him looking at her, she gave him a smile before going to her fiance'.

"She's like a goddess." Eros said, grinning. "Don't you agree? I mean, she does, right?"

"Uhh, this is where the part where you should only look at me and not on somebody else's ass." Psyche scolded him.

"C'mon, Psyche. I mean, how can any man resist that?"

She looked at Carmen again, now sitting on her fiance's lap. Well, he has a point. "But, isn't this like a revenge game of yours? What you're doing isn't exactly in your plan."

"Well, maybe if you dressed like her, we'll have a better plan." Eros said. 

And Psyche was taken back. Her eyes widen in shocked and drastically changed to anger. But she didn't spit out fire on him. She didn't even try. She simply stared at him, gave a nod before turning away from Eros.

"Hey, where are you going?!" Eros called out. "Hey!" 

But she kept on walking away.

Well, maybe if you dressed like her, we'll have a better plan. Psyche mocked what Eros' said to her in her thoughts as she continued walking, never minding where she is going. Just to let you know, you need me more than I need you. Well, I kind of need him more too. But, still! He shouldn't treat me like that. We're not in high school anymore. That jackass who wore nothing but fitting shirts to let those girls see his body. 

And who never lift a finger to save me when her stupid cheerleader girlfriend and her minions push into that pool. Even though he definitely knew I don't know how to swim. 

And who didn't stop his friends from making jokes on me.

I swore back then, I would never ever talk to him. And I was able to do it but, then after that reunion I just...what made me have the courage to talk to him again?

She stopped and reflected to think. What made me talk to him again? And...She looked around her and all she ever saw were trees and shrubs and vines and rocks. Where the hell am I?