101 Days of Heartbreak Series Book 1: Letters of Heartbreak

Chapter 4

Dear Kamita, 

Fated friend. You had called me your fated friend. 

You still do. And that's what hurts the most right now. 

But back then, I had to agree with you. If I didn't believe in destiny before, I did after I had seen your interview.  

What happened had been surreal. It wasn't merely a coincidence. Who were we to question fate?  

So I had wasted no time and had emailed you. 

Did you remember the content of my first email? It was so pathetic, wasn't it? I had obviously babbled. I didn't know how to approach you. You can't blame me though. I had been so excited and scared at the same time. Ruyu had to pry the mouse away from my hand just so he could click send for me. 

Then I had waited. For a whole two weeks.  

Did you know your response arrived at a very convenient time? Yes. It had arrived just when my two closet gay best friends had been fighting over who would marry me. You just saved me from disclosing their feelings for each other-it would have been awkward. 

Oh yes. Marry me. Arranged marriages were common in the types of families we three have. 

--- 

"Why don't you two just move here? You're here every day anyway," Ateera announced, stuffing a handful of popcorn in her mouth. "Aren't your parents wondering where you two are?" 

Gene, who was seated on the floor, briefly glanced at her before turning his attention back to the fantasy movie they're watching. "They know I'm at yours and they're ecstatic. I think they want me to make you pregnant as early as now so we'll finally be fixed. You know how much they want us to end up together." 

Ruyu, whose head was lying on Ateera's lap and fiddling with her laptop placed on his flat stomach, snorted loudly. "Dream on, Gene," he said, sounding bored. "You know I will end up marrying Ateera. We look better together." 

"You will not! I will!" Gene replied with a childish whim. 

"You will not." 

"I will!" 

"Oh come on," she intervened before the verbal war turns into something more. "The three of us know I will not end up with either of you because you don't like pussies." 

Ateera's smile was triumphant at the sudden silence. She patiently waited for the protest she knew was coming. 

"I'M NOT GAY!" Came an indignant yell from the floor. 

"Neither am I." A cold voice responded from her lap. 

"You don't want me to enumerate the proofs, do you?" she asked, sounding smug. 

"I'M NOT GAY!" Gene sputtered, his face now pink. 

"Neither am I," Ruyu whispered, sounding threatening. "And you have mail." 

Ateera's grin widened at the flustered look on her best friends' faces. She handed the bowl of popcorn to Ruyu before snatching her laptop from him. 

"Ruyu, you are such a nerd," she teased as she minimized the webpage Ruyu was reading. "What's so interesting about the 10th planet?" 

"Don't judge me. You're reading about Oda Nobunaga yesterday." 

"Touché." 

"Stop harassing my choice in articles and see if the email came from Yuu." 

Ateera frowned. "He's busy, Ruyu." She found herself defending him even though she was truly hurt he didn't respond. Was that interview really just for publicity?