Romantic Short Stories [DUBREDO]

II. Afire Visage

Elise knocks on his apartment's door to talk, he opened it and welcomed her inside.

"I'm sorry about how I reacted last time—"
"No, it's fine. I understand." He interrupts. "I shouldn't have done that — to kiss you without permission." He apologized. "But I won't apologize about what I said because it's true..." He moved his sight to her. "I love you." He professed once again. It relieved her to hear it again from him, it made her even more sure of her purpose of coming.

"Yeah, I get it." She replied. "I came here because I wanna tell you that I didn't run away and avoid you for days because I don't feel the same." She stammered upon explaining. "I was just overwhelmed because... nobody ever did that to me, tell me they love me... and I never thought anyone would do that to me, specially, you." She added and looked at him with a sorry stare. "I mean, look at me. I look horrible. You look fine, a lot of girls out there wants you, you can get so much better than this, why would you choose someone like me?" She asked.

He sighed, "My heart tells me to choose you, that's why." He replied leaving her speechless. After having enough of silence between them, he moved beside her and held her hands.

"What do you want me to do for you to believe me? I love you, it's true." He gazed into her eyes but she didn't know the answer as well. "I'm just scared that one day you'll hit your head onto something and you'll realize you don't love me or or you'll meet another girl and you'll dump me—"

"Elise— sssh, no. No." He interrupts her. "Trust me when I say this." He followed and kissed the back of her hands. "I love you. I dated other girls before because I wasn't sure about these feelings yet but nobody made me feel happy as much as you do." He continued trying to erase all her insecurities.

"This may sound silly but you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." He stroked her hair at the back of her ears and gazed into her brown eyes, his favorite feature of her. "Take the risk with me, please?" He uttered with a deep voice before he looked down to her lips and leaned closer for a gentle kiss.

Elise closed her eyes and allowed herself to dissolve into his course. They barely noticed how their clothes slowly lessened upon the exchange until they drowned into the the depths of their love and took each other for the first time. He turned her into a woman and she turned him into a man.

—

Six months after they decided to be officially together, Rodrigo convinced Elise to come with him so he could finally introduce her to his family — his mother and sister.

She hesitated at first worrying about how they might not like her for him because of her looks but Rodrigo promised he'll never leave her whatever happens. Eventually, she said yes.

His mother Soledad and his sister Jocelyn welcomed them as soon as they arrived at their house. It shook them to finally see his girlfriend, Elise, but as expected, they expected something more for her. They didn't like her looks, they started to wonder if Rodrigo was really serious and he was. They pretended to act nice towards her whenever Rodrigo is around.

His phone rang, he excused himself leaving the three behind at the dining area. "So, Elise." Soledad took her attention. "How did you make my son like you?" He asked but it appeared differently to her, specially that Jocelyn chuckled after the question.

"Uhm," she gulped nervously and glanced at Rodrigo at a distance while he was on the phone. "We were good friends for years and we were very close until... we fell in love." She shared anxiously.

"Really?" She replied and took a bit of her meal. "So what do you do for a living?" She asked again.

Elise felt so small but she needed to respond out of respect. "I am actually a graduating student, hotel and restaurant management, but I stopped this semester because of financial problems. I work as a maintenance personnel at a small office in Pedro Gil so I can save up." She shared.

"You mean, a janitor?" Soledad asked. Elise nodded in humiliation. Rodrigo came back after receiving the call. They acted normal not hinting Rodrigo about the humiliation they gave to his beloved girlfriend.

"Are we all good?" Rodrigo asked breaking the silence. "Of course." Soledad replied, Jocelyn nodded. He smiled and looked at Elise. "I told you, you'll be fine." He reminded her, she nodded and faked a smile.

"So, Rody. When are you gonna start working for your scholarship grant?" Soledad asked. Elise paused from eating and looked at him. "You're working for a scholarship grant?" She asked feeling proud for him. Rodrigo remained silent, he wasn't prepared to tell about it to her yet but the topic slipped.

"He was already granted with the scholarship in UCLA." Soledad replied dragging him more. Elise felt a bit lost, "UCLA?" She asked. "Yeah, didn't he tell you?" Soledad retorted, Elise looked at Rodrigo for some help.

"Did you take it?" Elise asked. Rodrigo kept his head low, he nodded. She felt a bit doomed as it equates to him leaving for long to study. "I'm leaving in a month." He confessed with a weak voice.

Elise' insecurities crawled up her head once again. "I just... remembered, I have a duty in an hour. I have to go." She excused herself, and bowed politely to his family before walking away. Rodrigo ran after her at the porch of their house.

"Elise, let me explain—"
"Explain what?" She cuts him in. "That you didn't tell me that you're leaving me in a month?" She followed.

"I'll just study for two years—"
"Two years?!" Elise scoffed.
"I know, but I won't be leaving you, Elise. Come on." He tried to enlighten her. "It's just two years for my masters and I promise to be back immediately." He promised. "It's for our future, Elise. Please trust me in this." He pleaded. "I'll get my roaming number so we can consistently communicate, everyday like the usual. Please, Elise? It won't be that long." He explained.

"But that's two years without you, Rody." Her voice cracked. "Yeah, two years without you is hell for me too but we can do it. Let's do this for our future and I promise you, after I get my masters degree, I would never leave you again. I'll get employed here or there in US and I'll take you with me." He negotiated and assured her.

Elise understood his point but it was a tough game for her especially that she knew about it in such manner. "Okay," she nodded with teary eyes. "But please give me some time to think this through." She requested and isolated herself for about a week to be fine with the situation.

"Long distance relationship never works." Soledad told Jocelyn. "I know." She rolled her eyes. "They won't last long. It's either he will find someone else there or I will make a way to end this foolishness." She assured.