Opposites Attract

Chapter-14

Khumtsa makes himself comfortable on his couch and turns on his sides so now, he is facing me and not the ceiling. Vito skoots down on the carpeted floor and leans on his couch so that they are both facing me.

Great. I'm the entertainment now.

I take a few more seconds, trying to gather what little was left of my emotional strength.

No running.

"You know how we got together." I begin.

"I don't. You forget moonlight, that I was not a part of your life until college." Khumtsa states as a matter-of-fact.

For some reason known only to her, Vito is grinning away to glory. I give her a confused look.

"Nevermind that." I said, waving my hand in the air.

"No no, tell him!" Vito says as she claps her hands together.

"It's no use now." I argued, hoping that she will give in.

"But it's important to let him know so that he'll see what a total jerk Tiren has been."

"He already feels that way."

"Argh!" both of us look at Khumtsa who looks way beyond annoyed.

"With you two, the story will neither begin nor end" He complains.

"Grace, just start from the very beginning and end briefly. I don't need to know all the details." he concludes.

"Okay, so..." I begin again.

"And Vito, don't interrupt her." he says, cutting me off.

This is never going to end.

"Okay. Nobody opens their mouth until I say I've finished." I say sternly and both of them nods understandingly.

"We were classmates in high school. He was new and I had never noticed him until we were paired up for a fashion show for the school's cultural day programme." I began, the day still very vivid in my mind.

"That is so cliché, it was an obvious sign that you were never meant to last. How did you miss that warning?" Khumtsa asks me with all seriousness.

"As I was saying," I continued ignoring his question and giving him a sharp look to shut him up.

"It wasn't immediately after that, that he asked me out. I had forgotten all about it until a year later. We got in touch with each other through facebook. We used to text from evening till morning and after three days, he asked me out. He said he had been liking me since the day of the fashion show. I don't believe that anymore." I pause as everything comes rushing back.

The way he smiled during rehearsals as we walked towards each other. How can I forget his smile? He has always been smiling. Even now, it makes me feel weak and my heart clenches at the sight of him smiling. My Happy Prince.

Used to be my Happy Prince

"So, is that it?" Khumtsa asks, bringing me back from my thoughts.

"She didn't say she's finished" Vito corrects him.

And I said nobody opens their mouth.

"I said I want to finish high school first before entering a relationship. You know, set an example for my siblings. He said he'll wait and he did, so patiently." I smiled at the thought.

I look at both of them and Vito seemed to understand. She gives me a sad smile.

Continue. End quick.

"But I fell for him in the process and three months later I said yes. We dated all through high school. He never made me feel unloved, always had a smile on his face and we never fought."

Khumtsa opened his mouth to say something but closed it after a thought.

"We finished high school and entered college. It was all going fine until last summer. He always seemed so busy with his part time job. I did not think much of it. Now that I think about it, I should have been wiser. I should have asked questions the day he left me at our usual place waiting for him. I asked him out on a date and we planned to meet outside your church." I said, looking at Khumtsa.

"That's our usual place. I waited for three hours. He didn't show up so I went back home. Later that night, he said he was engaged with work and forgot to tell me. Even then, I didn't question him. Now I know why they say love is blind. I was so fixed on him that it blinded me from all rational thinking." I stopped, trying not to cry.

Not here. Wait till you reach home.

"On the last day of summer vacation, I was taking my siblings for an evening walk when I saw him and Rachel holding hands and walking ahead of us. I could not gather enough courage to walk up to them. But I wanted them to know that I've seen them so I walked past them, playing with my siblings as Odimar chased and I ran with Jungtina. I did not look back. But I know they saw me because the next day, Tiren said he was running late so we cannot go to college together. It was okay with me. We haven't talked since then. He didn't break up with me and neither did I but we're not together. I think that is why I'm still stuck. We never ended it. I did not get my questions answered, didn't get an explanation and I don't think I ever will." I finally finished and wait for them to say something but they just stared back at me

"And that's okay" I say again.

Liar.

"So..." I drag out the words.

I look at them but they give nothing away with their expressions.

"You have nothing to say?" I asked, unable to hold the silence.

Vito turns her head to look at Khumtsa and asks, "She didn't say she's finished, did she?"

"No, she didn't." Khumtsa replied, not even looking at me.

"Should we wait for more?"

"I don't know, I'm getting sleepy."

They talk as if I am not even here.

"Okay! I've finished . The end." I rush in to say, making gestures with my hands in the air.

They look at me and I see one smirking while the other is grinning from ear to ear as if to tell me that they have my back and it ultimately brings a smile to my own face. When things could have turned gloomy, they make light of the situation with simple acts like this and I love them both for not saying it will be okay but showing me that they are here for me.

I'm keeping these two forever.

"Hold on a second. You told me that you guys ended it in good terms and that everything is okay now." Vito remarks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

Scratch that. I'm keeping just one. The short haired one.