Broken Bonds

Nindy buried her face in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but she didn't want to draw attention from the other customers.After Fara left, her chest felt like it was going to explode. Her love for Sean, which she'd been harboring for five years, was about to be crushed. She wasn't ready to lose him again. Not after all this time.It wasn't like she was ungrateful for having a friend like Fara. She never wanted to feel this way, but Sean was just so kind to her. He treated her exactly the same way he treated Fara.Who wouldn't fall for him?Even though she knew it was wrong, Nindy couldn't help herself. She'd even tried to distance herself from Fara and Sean by studying abroad. But she already had everything to run her own coffee shop.Who in their right mind would study coffee overseas when their own country was famous for it? Only her. She was so stupid.It was all because of Sean."But I loved him first..." she sobbed.~~~

Even though she knew this was completely her fault, Nindy couldn't bring herself to blame herself. Only she knew how hard and bitter it was to try to kill feelings for someone who'd had her weak at the knees from the first moment she'd met him. She'd tried everything she could think of from avoiding tagging along with Fara and Sean, to even dating other guys. 

But nothing ever lasted.

Nindy found herself even more tortured by the longing, craving to see that addictive smile of Sean's. So instead, she settled for watching him and Fara being all lovey-dovey around campus just to catch a glimpse of his smile. Even when she tried to replace him by looking for a guy who looked almost exactly like Sean, it just didn't work. It wasn't Sean.

Those days were over. After what Fara had just said, she knew she had to kill her feelings for Sean, whether she liked it or not, and whether it was possible or not. She also thought of killing off everything else entirely, including her friendship with Fara.

She was going to start living her life without Sean and without Fara.

"Ahem!"

A familiar throat-clearing interrupted Nindy's sobs.

She slowly lifted her hands, wiping away the last of her tears, embarrassed at being caught by him.

"It's still early, you know," said the man, his voice gentle. It was Nicholas, manager at Nin's Coffee Shop and her stepbrother.

Nindy didn't respond, turning her face away as Nicholas took a seat exactly where Fara had just been.

"What's wrong? Who dared to make my dear little sister cry like this?" he asked.

"None of your business!" Nindy snapped, not wanting to let it all out to Nicholas of all people. This annoying guy would tease her about it for life, and she couldn't stand that. She'd rather swallow the bitterness alone, just like she had before, for as long as it took.

"I care about you, you know," he said, voice exaggerated.

"Psh!" Nindy stood up, leaving him laughing out loud behind her.

~~~

"Bonita!" Fara shrieked, bursting out of the elevator before she'd even laid eyes on her assistant.Bonita, startled by her boss's dramatic entrance, jumped from her chair, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Yeah, Boss?" she asked, a bit taken aback."What time is it?!" Fara demanded, her energy levels off the charts. Bonita's forehead creased in confusion. "Quarter to eleven, Boss."Oh, great. Fara only had an hour to get herself together. Should she change her clothes? Nah, that'd be way too obvious. She'd look like she was expecting a proposal. She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and headed into her office.First stop is the bathroom. She needed to freshen up, stat. It was the perfect place to do a quick makeover. She splashed some micellar water on her face and reapplied her makeup. A little mascara, some peachy eyeshadow, and a nude lip with a hint of red. Voila! She was ready to face the world.Just as she finished, her phone rang. It was Sean. "Hey, babe," she answered, tossing her makeup bag aside. "I'm downstairs."Sean was already there? She grabbed her purse and rushed out. Before leaving, she told Bonita to hold any urgent work.Sean was looking sharp as usual. A crisp white shirt, brown chinos, and that signature expensive look. Fara loved it.They headed to their favorite upscale lounge. Even though it was just lunch, Fara couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation. She was nervous and excited, all at the same time.Even though Nindy's a total jerk, at least I have Sean, she thought to herself. She was still hurt by Nindy's betrayal, but she was determined to enjoy the moment. "Hey, babe," Sean said softly, his voice full of affection. Fara looked up, her heart skipping a beat.

"What do you want to order?" Sean asked, flipping through the menu. Fara did the same, scanning the options. One thing she had to remember: she couldn't order anything messy. She had to look flawless in front of Sean so that when she said *"I do,"* all he'd see was her glowing, radiant self.

"I'll have the grilled steak bruschetta salad," she finally decided.

With that, the server kindly took their menus away. He then patiently poured wine into their glasses, giving each of them a polite nod as he finished.

After that, he rubbed his hands together nervously. Aww, he's so cute when he's nervous, she thought."You know I love you, right?" he asked. "Of course, babe," she replied, taking his hand. She could feel the anticipation building."We've been through so much together. I'm so grateful to have you in my life," he said, his voice filled with emotion. Fara's heart soared. This was it. The moment she'd been waiting for."At first, i want you to marry me, to be Mrs. White," he said, taking a deep breath.Her heart pounded.Here it comes! Fara was ready to say, "I do."Sean took a deep breath, as did Fara."I'm sorry, I can't do this. I have to marry someone else. I think it's best if we end things," he said, his voice filled with regret.