3 A Melody of Misery

Things don't always go the way we want, it's us who go with the flow, destiny guides us, it takes us to what we deserve. If it is bad, it doesn't mean that it's the end, it's never the end when you are a good person, it's just not fair.

Even though circumstances will separate them, Griselda felt really happy for him, because she is the one who knows how much this dream means to him.

 GRISELDA: It's okay, we will feel desperate, but everything will be fine. I wish I can come after you but my studies are good here. Moreover, we will do great, just a little patience. We will talk every day as we used to do, it's not going to be that bad. You will come back, after all, it's not like we are not going to see each other ever again.

 JONATHAN: I can't spend a day without seeing you, plus I'm afraid that this distant relationship will make us give up on each other, or it may make us obliged to find someone else to replace the absence or maybe...

 GRISELDA: God Jona, you need to kill those delusions of yours, this will never happen just trust me and believe in our love. Keep remembering that we loved each other for ages, we met other people but still, we didn't forget about our love. Be strong and don't forget that our love is bigger than any failure. Remember, "my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite". Go and rock'em all, you will do great I'll do fine and it's just a matter of time and things will come back to normal as it used to be.

 JONATHAN (chuckles): Shakespeare again! Promise that you'll wait for me.

 GRISELDA: I'm not going anywhere dummy, I promise to wait for you forever.

The day of Jonathan's departure has arrived, they passed the previous day together. The next morning, Griselda went with him to the airport with his family to bid farewell. They have been talking every day and nothing has changed between them except they were missing each other more every day.

Technology didn't cover their missing to each other, instead of forgetting each other as to how he thought, they strongly loved each other more than before. Yet, they accepted the reality and tried to stay positive by waiting for the day that they will meet again.

Unfortunately, one day the connection with Jonathan suddenly has been cut for no reason. Griselda kept unstoppably calling him but nothing has changed, he's not answering the phone or the messages. She texted him to send her anything just to know that he's okay.

The situation stayed the same for many weeks, she didn't give up. She kept waiting for him to give her a call and explain what's wrong. She was so scared that something happened to him because she knows that he can't just cut off the lines with no explanation. Two weeks later, she got too curious to know what's going on with him and what happened. She was tired of waiting, she went to his family and asked them, but their answer was a real shock.

 GRISELDA (hesitating): Good evening Mrs. Melton, I'm sorry to bother you but I didn't hear from Jonathan for weeks, is everything okay with him?

 Mrs. MELTON: Hello darling, yes he is okay we just talked yesterday and he said he's doing just fine.

 GRISELDA: oh! Okay, thank god he's fine. Well, I better take my leave, but please can I ask you a favor? Can you please not to tell him that I came by?

 Mrs. MELTON: Yes, of course. But why I can't tell him? Are you kids fighting again?

 GRISELDA (chuckles nervously): we just had an argument as always, you know how childish we are. Please do me this favor and don't mention it.

Mrs. Melton accepted Griselda's favor to not tell her son anything about her checking on him. Griselda struggled a lot mentally, she was sad, upset, angry, disappointed, and miserable.

Day by day her condition was getting worse than before. One day, she fainted at home while trying to get a glass of water, her parents heard the noise and rushed to check the noise. They have never noticed what's going on with their daughter because she was living on campus and pretending to be fine while visiting them.

*In the hospital*

 Dr. MELTON: First, you may feel comfortable because your daughter is fine, she fainted because of her stress, anxiety, and anger. All of these factors influenced her heart because naturally, she's not a strong person that can endure educational or practical hardships or even emotional ones. Anger is a normal emotion, but for her according to what she explained to me, she can easily get stressed and angry because of something she wants badly. In a word, that can cause her a heart attack. Today she was lucky, but she needs to be more careful.

Griselda's parents went to see her and check on her. After a little while, she asked for her phone to call Angelica. When she arrived at the hospital, Griselda's parents took their leave to bring some clothes for her, because she's going to spend the next five days in the hospital to stay under medical care.

Angelica didn't want to ask her anything because she knows that her breakdown is related to Jonathan. She didn't want to hurt her more by reminding her of him. On the other hand, Griselda can't get over the problem without talking about it.

 GRISELDA (crying while talking): Angy! I tried! I really did! I tried to get over it not just once but I just can't.

 ANGELICA: Forget it baby girl, stop talking about it, you will just get sicker! You need to forget about it one way or another. Don't worry it's a matter of time and everything will get back to how it was.

 GRISELDA: it can never get back to how it was, he was always there and I was in love with him back then too! Do you understand he was always there? How can I get over it? I don't know me before without him, I just don't remember a day before him simply because he was always there since forever. It's just so hard for me, I barely made it when he was gone but now he's gone for good.

 ANGELICA (hugging her): still, you need to fight it! Let's forget the past, you need to start fresh, I'm always going to be here for you as always. It's just a bad period and we will cross it, not easily but things will be better.

 GRISELDA: I just need to understand, I can't just stop thinking about it so sudden! I need to understand first, I need a normal reason that will justify his action. I have so many questions wrecking my head's wall. Why he did that? Why he suddenly stopped talking? That's not normal? Did I do anything wrong?

 ANGELICA: stop it! You definitely didn't do anything wrong?

 GRISELDA (Yells): then what's the purpose?

 ANGELICA: Okay! First, you need to calm down! If you want to have answers and think carefully, you must calm down to not get sick again! It doesn't worth it. Look, I didn't want to say that because I don't want you to get hurt anymore. Jona is my friend too, it doesn't mean that he is not wrong, but maybe there is a reason why he did that AND it's not because of you, I'm sure of that. I know that he loves you too as much as you do or maybe more, he can't forget about you or replace you overnight. Don't be so dumb.

 GRISELDA: then why?? If what you are saying is true, why he didn't call? He called his mom!! Why he didn't call me too? At least to explain to me what's going on and I will understand him.

 ANGELICA (yelling): yeah! You are right! But we don't know what his circumstances are. However, still he needed to call or even texted you to not put himself in a misunderstanding situation like this. He needs to call no matter what if he loves you that much and care about you. I'm sure he has no idea about what's going on with you right now.

 GRISELDA (shocked): OK! Are you sure I am the one who needs to calm down?

 ANGELICA (noticed her tone): Oh, Yeah sorry! I aggressively reacted for a second. (Looking at her smiling) here you go the smile I'm looking for. Let's forget about him for now. Here's the plan, I'm going to talk to your parents to let me stay here for tonight instead of them and let's have a girls' night. It's been so long since we didn't sleepover anyways. I'll hide some junk food and bring it with me later to not get caught by Mr. Melton or any of the nurses.

 GRISELDA: Wasn't that the plan? Anyway, Bring some chocolate with you.

 ANGELICA: of course, it's the main thing, it's the healer.

 GRISELDA: Okay don't be late, I'm already bored and lost in my own mind.

 ANGELICA (whispered in her ear): It's all going to be fine, it's just a matter of time. You know I've been in your place once, and remember what you told me back then, "It's all going to be fine, It's just a matter of time".

Angelica stayed at the hospital with Griselda having a girls' night, they watched a movie, ate popcorn and some chocolate, talked all night, and slept on the same bed laughing at their hilarious memories.

One week later, Griselda was discharged from the hospital. Her life has completely changed, she started to take anti-stress medication for a period of time. She tried to change so many things not only her life, and the campus she lived in because they were both living in the same place. She and her friend rented a small apartment. They have changed everything in order to not think of Jonathan ever again. She thought she can make it, but love is not that easy, love is a disease that lives in the infected person's bones.

One day, Griselda was working on a class research for her final year project, she is a business student, she didn't choose her project on her own, but her supervisor gave her an interesting topic that she asked for at the beginning of the year.

At first, her supervisor didn't let her have that topic until she can prove to him that she is capable of doing it. Fortunately or unfortunately, she also didn't know if it was good news or not, whether she should be happy or upset.

The topic was about exploring the healthcare industry, especially in private hospitals, whether they care about the hospitalization or the money, whether they are running a hospital for fine purposes or just to run a business. She couldn't reject the topic because she was a back pain to her supervisor to let her work on it. He will think that she's not as capable as he thought she is. She flashed back the days she was excited to work on that topic, and the headaches she caused to the professor.

Griselda wanted that project so bad back then because of Jonathan. He is a medical student, their schedules were so busy that they couldn't meet for days, and the project was a good reason to spend more time together. She was excited more about working with him than on the project. While she was studying the project, she was remembering every moment she spent with him when they started college. He was always telling her about his classes, what they are studying, and everything related to medicine. Luckily Angelica enters talking from the door as always and faded all of her deathless memories.

 ANGELICA: I'm so cold, I'm so tired, I'm so hungry, I'm so...

 GRISELDA: dead if you don't be quiet. I'm working on my project here.

 ANGELICA: okay working lady, just do it right.

 GRISELDA: yeah! You didn't even sit yet and you started with your teasing again. But good thing you came at the right time, I was drowning.

 ANGELICA: I know, I always have good timing.

 GRISELDA: not always, unfortunately. Get over yourself. Go change and come to see the disaster I've put myself in.

 ANGELICA: you said disaster, do you really think I'm going to change first. You need my help on that or what? Something I worked on last year?

(Angelica is a business student too, she had her project done before Griselda)

 GRISELDA: No, but I can use some of your brilliant ideas.

Angelica approached to have a look at the project, and the moment her eyes landed on the laptop they widened, she was shocked because she knew the story and the relationship that links the project with Griselda and Jonathan. She kept looking from the Laptop to Griselda almost twenty times before she let the words out.

 ANGELICA (her mouth dropped): OH... MY... GOD! Did he really give you the project!