18 Confronting Him

This man is..! Custard Face!! HE's Jason?! What... How... Why didn't he say anything?! He couldn't have forgotten about me, right? Even if he didn't know how I looked like after almost 2 decades, my name would at least ring a bell. Then why...? The questions keeps coming and there's no end to them. Moreover, the boy I got over and the man I started crushing on turned out to be the same person. How am I supposed to feel about that? My chest hurts so much that I almost wince. Don't cry, Mia, not now.

Mia:...

I'm so stunned that no words come out of my mouth. Naomi squeezes my hand worriedly.

Naomi: Mia? Are you okay? Is something wrong?

Mia:..! Huh? Oh, um, yeah.

I finally snap out of thoughts and manage to scramble out a response. I don't understand... why would he do that? I think back on what he said when he left my house a week ago..

Custard: Can we do it on Saturday?

Saturday... That's tomorrow. One day to go.....

Mia: No, it can't wait.

Naomi: Eh? What are you talking about?

I say my thoughts out loud and Naomi looks at me, puzzled.

Mia: How much time do we have before we leave?

Naomi: 2 and half or 3 hours. Why?

Mia: It's nothing.

Naomi: Mia, I'm your best friend, aren't I? Did something happen between you two? Is that why you look pale? You can tell me if something is bothering you.

Naomi...

Mia: It's just that... looking him reminded me that I... accidentally put my dry-cleaning clothes in the laundry.

Sorry Naomi, I don't want to say the real situation aloud and look like a complete idiot.

Naomi: Huh..?

We finish our conversation shortly after that and return back to the counter. I continue my shift somewhat absentmindedly. Heh, he played me and I was stupid enough to not see through it. He is nothing like the 6 year old Jason I'd promised to wait for. I guess that I didn't change much though; I'm still naive and gullible.

How do I feel about Jason now is no longer a question. Some people say that when you love someone, you love them no matter what happens. But could you, forget love, even forgive someone for toying with your feelings like that? I... I hate him for what he's done.

I hadn't had an ounce of actual romance in these years and that's why I got excited when someone so charming suddenly showing interest in me for whatever reason. I confused that excitement with the feeling of love and hurt myself in the process.

As though the fog's finally been lifted, these thoughts rush to mind making one thing clear: I need to stay away from this man to protect my feelings. I can't just let him crush them like that. The past is in the past, and the feeling I thought was 'love' is just mere excitement.

After my shift, I change out of my uniform and to my clothes and step outside. I take deep breath and pull out my phone. I've still saved his contact as 'Custard Face', huh. I go to the settings and change it to 'Jason Leigh'. That's right, we're not so close anymore so as to address each other's names so casually.

I press the 'call' button and the line connects. Pick up, pick up, pick up.

*Beep!*

He picked up the phone!

Jason: Mia? I never thought YOU'd be actually calling me, what's up?

Yeah right, I never thought I would either. I try to sound as normal as possible.

Mia: Are you free right now?

Jason: Kinda, I was just getting off work. Is something wrong?

That's... good.

Mia: Where are you?

Jason: At the Seven Seasons office, why?

Seven Seasons? That's a very famous clothing brand, I guess they hired him, huh. That's a little far from my house but, it can't wait, it just can't.

Mia: Can you meet me at the railway station, near platform 3's exit in like 30 minutes?

Jason: Uh, okay...?

He sounds a little dubious but I pay it no mind hand up the phone. It'll take me 20-25 minutes max, to reach there. I quickly grab a cab and go to the place.

Good, looks like he isn't here yet. I idly look around and see a newspaper stand nearby. Hmm...

A few minutes later, another cab pulls up near the exit and out steps Jason with his bag over his shoulders, looking normal as usual. He walks over to me and smiles but I don't smile back. Normally, that smile of his would give me butterflies but now, that's not the case.

Jason: You actually took initiative in inviting me out, gotta say, I was quite surprised.

YOU were surprised? Just wait till I tell you something interesting.

Mia: Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.

Jason: Is something wrong?

My serious tone wipes out the smile off of his face.

Mia: Everytime I ask you your name, something or the other comes up, doesn't it?

Jason: So, you went out of your way and asked me to meet you just to get my name?

He asks, a little surprised.

Mia: That won't be necessary anymore, Jason.

Jason: Huh? Wh-... Wait, how did you?

He looks at me with his eyes wide. You're wondering how I found out, eh? Let me show you something.

Mia:...

I hold out the fashion magazine that I purchased at the newspaper stand a few minutes ago. He looks at the cover and gasps. It's a photo of him with his name written on it in big, bold letters; it's the same one Naomi showed me. Had she not come across it and shown it to me, he would still be deceiving me.

Jason: Mia,... I...

He searches for words to explain it to me. Seeing this, my vision gets blurred by tears and my lips tremble as I part then to ask him the one thing that I've been wondering all day.

Mia: Why..?