It was mid-afternoon on what would have otherwise been a regular old Saturday, and Tyler and I were standing in the middle of our living room, arguing.
Normally, the two of us would have been cuddled up on the couch together, watching a movie, or else gone out with friends or family for the day. Today was different from any other Saturday.
"Diane, the last time it was an accident!" Tyler tried to reassure me, not wanting to sound angry. "I was completely wasted, babe. I didn't have a clue what I was doing! But now, Im sure that I didn't do it. Im not even sure I am the father of her child"
"And that's supposed to make it all better?" I cried, shaking my head with amused disbelief. "God! Walton what were you even thinking?"
"What was I thinking?" Tyler challenged, raising an eyebrow. "I was thinking that I hadn't seen you in over what? Four months! and that the last I saw of you, you told me you didn't want me in your life anymore.. I called you for several times but you didn't pick up"
I hesitated for a moment, unable to deny that accusation. This much was true. A month prior officially getting back together as a married couple, Fights between the two of us could normally be resolved within a few short hours- a day at most, with gentle words and pleading kisses.
It was a rare occasion when a fight lasted for more than twenty four hours and when it did, something serious had to be the cause of it.
It wasn't a typical stupid fight in nature, I supposed. When the two of us got into a serious argument, it wasn't uncommon for one to say something hurtful to the other by accident.
As different as we were in personality, We also had our own similarities. Both us were stubborn, strong headed, eager to win any battle. And when we were pinned against one another, we had to fight fire with huge, searing flames.
Well, it was a serious matter especially when Rebecka, of all people! Showed up right in front of the door
I was making dinner when the doorbell rang. After a day like that, the last thing I wanted to do was work into the wee hours of the night at the office.
What I really craved for was a healthy homemade meal, a glass of wine, the comfort of our own home and a good book in bed ofcourse with Tyler.
At this hour, We weren't expecting anyone, but it was most likely to be Iñigo or maybe Mom, who enjoyed showing up unannounced for an impromptu movie night session or random visit
I smiled sadly to myself. Movie night sounded like the perfect remedy for the day. I answered the door with a smile that vanished as soon as I saw the smartly-dressed tall blonde woman standing there.
"What are you doing here?" I said with so much venom in my voice. I really can't believe Rebecka Thompson of all people would show up in this decent time of the night!
"Is Tyler home?"
"He's busy as of the moment" I retorted back and was about to close the door when she block it with her own heels
"I really need to talk to him, Diane. It's important that he knows that---"
"What? Can't that wait 'til the sun rose from the east? Can't it wait even for a decent time of the day to tell it? Is it that important or are you really that desperate?" I raised my left ringed-finger at her and triumphantly rubbed it on her face
"We're married. The guy you'd been tailing behind your desperation is already married to me can you cut it out and get a life? You're really a nuissance you---"
"I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant with Tyler's child."
With this in mind, Tyler tried a different approach. "I'm only human, Dee." He scratched the base of his neck casually, shrugging his shoulders. "Aren't I entitled to a mistake every now and then?"
I opened my mouth to respond, my eyes widening with shock at the sheer stupidity of his question.
As I groped in the darkness of my mind for the right words, my mouth fell shut again and I shook my head with disbelief, running a hand through my hair, as though it might relieve some of the tension that was built up inside right now.
"I can't believe you'd even ask me that," I murmured, more to herself than to himI turned away from him then, pacing slowly towards the twelfth story window.
I chewed absently on my fingernails- a nasty habit I had when I was nervous or deep in thought, and Tyler stuffed his hands awkwardly into his pocket as I leaned against the windowsill, staring blankly at the bustling streets below.
Tyler stood on the other side of the room, waiting anxiously for me to plot my next move. Surprisingly, I remained one hundred percent quiet- something that Tyler probably didn't necessarily take as a good sign.
Sure, he was getting a break from the yelling, but I being quiet for lengthy periods of time never amounted to anything good in the long run. Knowing me, He knew I was likely to spin into a full blown temper tantrum any second now.
But my next words were not angry, not even heated with temper. It was at least a full minute later when I finally broke the awkward silence between us, but it was with a shaky laugh.
"Four years now," I said quietly, my voice wavering slightly. "We were together for four years, and you were able to forget everything we've been through in the blink of an eye."
Tyler took a cautious step towards the window, his heart clenching at the pain that filled his my voice. "Dee," he tried to interrupt.
I ignored him. "I've been nothing but loyal to you for four years, and you're able to forget about me the second you see that slutty secretary I told you to fire long before."
Tyler shook his head desperately, though I couldn't see his action from back on. "It wasn't like that," he tried to convince me. "I was probably drunk, Diane, and I'm sorry. What more can I say to you?"
Breathing out a heavy sigh, he decided to cut to the chase. "I didn't sleep with her, okay? I'm sure of it"
"Tarantado ka, Tyler" I exclaimed at him with such furty, turning from the window to face him once more. "I wish you knew what that word means. Tarantado ka Tyler. Gago, Manloloko, Siraulo Putangina, Tyler Who are you fooling out of this shit?."
He wished that he could deny this, but his eyes fluttered shut as he realized those words were probably nothing but profanity in my local lingo
I retorted. "Face it, Walton; you screwed up."
For some reason, my words sparked anger from within him and I saw how he found himself clenching his fists defensively at his sides.
He choked out, surprised at the anger that swelled within his voice. "I know I messed up, okay?"
"Messed up?" I snorted, incredulous. "You did a whole lot more than mess up, Tyler." I ran a hand through my hair, choking out laughter as I shook my head. "God, I should have figured that something like this would happen eventually. I mean, You already did it once, why would I ever think you'd change?!"
"I have changed," he tried to tell me, extending a hand towards my shoulder.
I slapped his hand away aggressively, anger flashing through her eyes. "Your'e right," I spat out bitterly, my eyes filled with disgust. "You have changed. You've gone from an insulting, chauvinisitc, womanzing pig- to a selfish, self centered asshole who cheats on his wife. Gago ka Tyler!"
And that was when he snapped. Before he could stop himself, his thoughts came tumbling out of his mouth in the form of harsh, cruel words.
"Can you even blame me for cheating on you?" he spat out, giving no thought to his words before he spoke.
"Just listen to yourself! It's no wonder I tried to find some action from someone else. Any guy would need a break from an uptight, annoying bitch like you!"
The impact of his insult was like a slap to the face, and My eyes instantly narrowed as they filled with tears, a direct result of his cruelty. He witnessed the strength that I had left crumble away into ash as my face fell, imprinted with hurt and betrayal.
His own chest was heaving with each breath he took, and his facial features softened instantly as he shook his head, knowing that what he had said had been far too harsh.
Sure, I had been out of line with him. The difference was that he deserved it, while I owed Tyler nothing. He was the one in the wrong here, not me
Taking a step towards me, he reached a hand out, trying his hardest to convince me of his remorse. "Dammit, Dee; I'm sorry," he said, no trace of anger left in his voice. "I didn't mean that, I really didn't. It just slipped out."
He moved to brush a lone tear away from my cheek but I slapped his hand away violently, my face crumbling as I sniffled hard, trying to fight off a fresh batch of tears.
I failed miserably, and salty tears made their way down my cheeks as I backed away from him, shaking my head with as much strength as I could summon.
"I'm not fighting with you," I said, no resolve or fight left in me. He could tell by the look on my face that our fight was about to come to an end, but he also knew that ending the argument here would amount to no good in the long run.
And sure enough, the next words out of my mouth were final, defeated. "Just get out of here," I whispered, swiping at my tear-stained cheeks with the back of my hand.
Frowning, Tyler's forehead furrowed, uncertain of the meaning of my words. "What do you mean, get out?" he questioned, confused. "I live here."
"Either you leave or I do," I said defiantly, folding my arms across my chest as though emphasizing my position on the matter.
When Tyler continued to fix me with a dumbfounded look, as though he were certain that I were kidding, I gave a half-smug shrug of the shoulders, though tears still shimmered in my eyes.
"On second thought, maybe I should leave," I continued, and he knew by the sarcasm in my voice that I was about to take a stab at him. "Once I'm gone, you can invite your precious lover back over here to have your happily ever after."
Tyler cringed at my attempt at humour, shaking his head. "Dee, you don't want to do this," he said, not completely confident in his own words. "Don't fight with me, please. I never meant for things to turn out like this, you have to know that."
I stared at him blankly, my arms still folded across her arms. The look on my face suggested that he would have to do a whole lot better than that to win me over this time. No amount of sorry excuses and pleading kisses would make amend this wrong.
Reaching up, he cupped my cheek against the palm of his hand, relieved when I did not immediately jerk away.
"I love you, alright?" he assured me gently, forcing a shaky smile onto his lips. "I promise you, baby, nothing like this will ever happen again."
I reached up to wrap my fingers around his wrist, pushing his arm aggressively to his side again, before releasing his wrist from my hold.
"Damn right this won't happen again," I snapped, laughing coldly. "And do you want to know why this won't happen again?"
Tyler didn't trust the look in my eyes, not one bit. Swallowing hard, he forced a calm front. "Why?" he asked, half afraid of the answer.
"Because I'm breaking this up with you. I'm filing an anullment -- A divorce or whichever just to get rid of you" I said, forcing a bitter smile. Tyler's face drained of all colour, but I took no notice. "It's over, Tyler; we're through. I never want to see you again."
Desperate now,Tyler seem to let his guard down. Not caring how pathetic he sounded anymore, he gave in. "Diane, I love you," he begged, his eyes shining pleadingly in her direction. "Please baby, you can't do this."
Strutting across the room with my head held high, I grabbed my jacket of the rack, slipping my arms into it while skillfully avoiding his gaze, as though I knew that might break her resolve.
I fumbled with the zipper on my jacket, doing it up clumsily. I reached for the doorknob to the front door, determined to leave, but Tyler acted on instinct.
Before I could stop him, he had grabbed me tightly by the wrist, spinning me around to press me against the closed door.
His lips captured mine possessively, as though making some sort of claim, but I acted quickly. Our lips had barely touched when he felt something hard strike the side of his head, and my hands were suddenly pressed to his chest, shoving him up off of her.
He stumbled backwards, catching himself on the corner of a nearby wall. Rubbing his head where I had smacked him, he squinted at me, taken aback.
"What the hell was that for?"
"That was for kissing me," I yelled at him. And before he could stop me, I slapped him hard across the face. "And that was for cheating on me."
"We could make this work out, Dee.. We could if you would just let me---"
"You've gotten her pregnant, Walton. You went too far this time! How could you?"
"Dee..." He pleaded desperately reaching out for my hands
"I never want to see you again," I said bitterly, shaking my head as I looked him up and down one last time
There was something in my eyes then, something like realization. It was as though I hadn't truly looked at him before now- as though I was seeing something in him that I had never witnessed before.
"I'll send someone along to pick up my stuff next week," I said flatly.
And without another word,I turned away from him and wrenched the door open, storming out with my hair flying behind my in a messy frenzy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Kuya?" I forced a smile upon my lips, trying to make my tone normal. I was back in my unit alone in the dimness of the area, only the light from the lampshade illuminated the entire living room of my flat.
"Baby Sis? What's up? Are you crying?" It was Kuya Chris and judging from what I've heard on the other side of the line it looks like he was busy preparing dinner with Ate Georgina, his wife.
It was already two in the morning and I can't seem to be driven back to sleep no matter how hard I try and if I could count corrently, Barcelona, Spain is 6 hours behind Manila so it only means that it's only 8 in the evening at Spain
"Kuya .. Ang sakit" I said as tears slowly dripping and rolling down my cheeks "Ang sakit sakit, Kuya"
"Is this about Tyler again? Thought you guys are going steady. Ano nangyari? Ayaw mo na ba?"
There was a moment of silence between us. I couldn't even begin how I would retell to my older brother what I found out just recently ..
Hey, Kuya.. nabuntis ni Tyler yung ---- It sounds a little off
Kuya Chris, You know that Blonde bimbo I was dying to pull her hair with? Well, she got pregnant with Ty---
"Tsk. Tsk. Baby Sis, The reason why people give up so fast is because they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of how far they have gotten. Kung ano man yan Problema niyo, hindi yan matatapos Diane kung lagi kang A-ayaw at tatakbo"
"Di ko man gusto sabihing Ayoko na, Kuya pero di ko lang talaga kayang panghawakan ang salitang Kaya ko pa kasi nakakapagod na."
"Baby Sis? What did he do this time?"
"He lied to me, Kuya .. Again" That's putting it lightly. He have gone to the worst this time
I heard him sigh before he spoke up" Sometimes people lie to you because you can't handle the truth"
"But I deserve to know the truth Kuya, who's side are you on anyway?" I snarled at him and harshly wipe my tears away
" I'm no one's side, Baby Sis. I can't even promise you that relationship can get through without any fights, but you can always make your relationship worth the fight, Diane. Always. Pagusapan niyo yan"
"I dont think madadaan pa 'to sa usapan lang Kuya. He screwed up big time" I insisted gripping my phone tightly as to stop my self from stammering
"Mahal mo pa ba?"
"OO pero---"
"At mahal ka niya di'ba? That's why He married you and kept on pursuing you. Think about it, you kept on pushing him away but he's always there for you. He can have anybody he wants but he's there. Right there with you because he loves you Baby Sis"
"Kuya .."
"And Diane, When you allow others to solve your problems, you never learn anything, if you wish to mature you must think for yourself .. Sometimes, you've just got to shut up, swallow your pride, and accept that both of you are wrong. It’s not giving up; it’s called growing up."
I was silent for awhile, savoring every bits of words my older brother told me. He was partly right. I shouldn't have jump on to conclusions like that. Come to think of it, maybe Rebecka wasn't even pregnant at all
But the image of a Rebecka with a bump on her stomach says otherwise. I tightly shut my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.
Maybe if she was, How sure am I that it was Tyler's?. Kuya's right, I should probably talk to him soon
"I'll think about it Kuya .. Thank you"
"Any time, Baby Sis Just remember that good relationships don't just happen. They take time, patience and two consenting adults who're madly in love getting through all the hard times together.Good night, Diane .. Im sure it's already passed two am right now. Sleep well. Love you!"
"Love you too, Kuya"
Tears pricked at my eyes when turned off my phone. My heart swelled with emotions, bubbling so violently it almost burst over.
I didn't even know how to feel now, didn't know whether to cry my heart out or to stay calm - but I just clenched my fists and steeled myself, telling myself to be strong. To be fierce and to fight.
This wasn't the time for being ninny. No time to cry or feel scared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When provoked, my solution was simple but juvenile. I admit it I was the ignoring type. Which meant that from this second forth Tyler might as well as be a ghost in my eyes.
My usual tactics involved pretending he didn't exist, making life so terribly inconvenient until one of us caved in and apologized.
Well I'd be damned if I was going to say sorry. What right did I have to get angry at him for keeping a secret? Maybe that was the thing Liam was talking about. Was Rebecka being pregnant supposed to be a secret for eternity? Does Liam know about it long before?
All these questions are making my headache worst than I thought.. And I sure as hell didn't need to rely on Liam as well considering he's one of the Walton's after all. I sighed, rubbed at my temples and signaled for the bill.
Screw him.
It didn't help that Tyler and I are sitting opposite each other in the office. Throughout the day, I tried my best to just ignored him like he was made of thin air.
Not that he went out of my way to talk to me. How could he act so call despite the fact that there were tension-- dark heavy tension--- between us.
I just kept glowering at him, hoping that he would catch my angry stare and at least do something, anything at all. But to my dismay he just avoided looking at me altogether.
The amount of work pouring in was simply staggering - the fact that my Dad was already in the office had everyone panicking like a herd of nervy sheep.
Office output was at a new maximum and everyone was just driving themselves hard. Come dinnertime I forced myself not to face Tyler as he packed up his things and left without a goodbye.
What a great day. I was exhausted and my mood was perched nicely on the South Pole. Without Tyler giving me a ride home--- Since it's one of my coding days, it meant that I would have to take the LRT back home - hurrah, what a lovely end to a horrid day.
I checked the messages on my iPhone, reading through the thread of texts I'd been swapping with Alex all day. To hand it to him, he'd made the time to send out a few funny messages. But the sparse replies always came late because I was just so busy.
I hadn't managed to see Tyler once all day despite my effort to avoid him. Sighing, my stomach growled and I glanced at my watch.
Ten thirty. My fingers hovered over the phone as I contemplated asking Tyler out for dinner, Im considering that so we could clear things up but I looked at the timestamps on each message and realized that it was very unlikely that Tyler would even have time for a quick coffee, what more dinner.
Briefly, I wondered if I should at least let him know that I was leaving the office but I glanced over at Tyler's office and my temper flared. Why should I tell Tyler about my whereabouts?
I was done being questioned and the thought of having to report my activities to someone made me feel indignant. If I wanted to go home, I could damn well go home without needing to inform anyone--- Well, probably inform Dad but heck!.
Talking to Tyler could wait until I was back and settled at home. I slipped the phone into my pocket, picked up my bag and headed towards the elevator.
Just when I thought I was alone the moment I pressed the lift's button. Someone has to hitch ride with me and to my utter surprise, it was Tyler Walton of all people.
It was one of my agonizing moments in my life. We just stood the opposite corner of the lift and I suddenly felt like it was too small for the both of us. It was suffocating and the air was deadlu quiet which is something Im not used to
Maybe this is my chance? Maybe I should do what I have to do
Turning to my right, I was even more surprise when he turned his face to my direction asking the same tension-killing question that I have in my mind
"Can we talk?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BINABASA MO ANG
The Runaway Bride
RomancePerfect ---- The understatement of Diane's life. Former playgirl Diane Bustamante felt happy on her upcoming wedding. Finally, She was ready to tie the knots with Tyler and was content on settling down once and for all. But WAIT!! -- CANCELED...
