6 Chapter 5

On Griselda's thesis presentation day, she was so excited; she always wanted to present something that big in front of a bunch of people. More importantly, in front of her parents and her supervisor, plus the professors that taught her for the past four years. However, no one noticed the sadness behind her smiles except Angelica. She tried to comfort her, but Griselda didn't give up on her smiles to not let anyone see her sad eyes. She was scanning the audience for that special someone, but she was convinced that he betrayed her. She was so quiet waiting for crashing the stage thereupon she loudly sighed before putting a rueful smile on her face.

· ANGELICA: Are you okay baby girl?

· GRISELDA: you are still calling me baby girl every time you feel or think I'm not good.

· ANGELICA: well, addiction be like (laughs).

· GRISELDA: I am ALRIGHT, stop being a mom.

· ANGELICA: Yeah, you can act like that with everyone, but not me. What's going on? I can see it in your eyes, you are barely holding your tears.

· GRISELDA: I'm still missing Jona every second. He should've been here beside me, encouraging me, whispering for me from the audience, cheers for me when I finish, dedicate him, and thank him in my acknowledgment for being there with me in my ups and downs.

· ANGELICA: I know how much this is hard for you, but you need to be strong. This is your future up there.

· GRISELDA: I've been strong all this time, don't worry I can handle it, I already get used to it. (with a down voice) Stupid Jonathan!

Finally, it's Griselda's turn to present her monograph and defend her opinions while answering the juries' questions. To not be stressed, her first step to the stage was full of courage as if she already owns it. She tried to avoid eye contact with people, but she was also looking at them as if she is searching for someone. She was so obvious. Angelica looked at her and understood that she was looking for Jonathan if he's hiding somewhere between the audience.

She attracted everyone's attention with her self-confidence and the way she presented such an interesting topic. To say it another way, she slew the presentation. The whole audience stood up clapping for her when she had finished. Her parents were happier than ever and proud of her. However, even after achieving this so many things, she wasn't that happy. Angelica and her friends have taken her to celebrate the achievement that she was waiting for for so long. Having fun doesn't exist in Griselda's wordbook anymore since Jonathan has left. Yet, Angelica being herself has made Griselda's fun her mission.

· ANGELICA: You finally finished this thing. I was alone since you have started that project. But seriously I'm proud of you, and you had proved to the professor that you can master anything already. Trust me, the next years will be easier with Dr. Hamesh.

· GRISELDA: You have no idea how much I was lifting on my back because of it, especially the presentation day.

· ANGELICA: Ok! Enough talking about studies. Time for fun.

After a while, when they sat up, they started drinking, laughing, gossiping about the people around them, and doing all of the girly stuff. Meanwhile, a stranger headed to Griselda and asked her for a dance. He was looking at her since they entered the café. She accepted dancing with him innocently just for fun. Her and Jona's favorite song comes on, "lucky me, great timing", she said, but she was dancing on it with another guy, unfortunately. She closed her eyes and started imagining that she's dancing with Jonathan, but she realized that she's just going to ruin her achievements in moving on. The guy asked her for her number and she politely refused.

· ANGELICA: why did you say NO! He seems nice and even cute. What are you doing?

· GRISELDA: Exactly! He seems nice, I don't want to. He looks serious and not going to ask for friendship only. I can't hurt him that way, it's so selfish.

· ANGELICA: why not? Isn't he nice? You just said so, go talk to him.

· GRISELDA: I said no, I don't need to know more guys in my life.

· ANGELICA: like you know plenty.

· GRISELDA: you know what I mean. I don't want to hurt anyone because of him.

· ANGELICA: why are you going to hurt anyone? Are you waiting for Jonathan to come back to you or something?

· GRISELDA (she was blocked with her mouth open): NO! I'm not! I mean. I'm just saying that I don't want to.

· ANGELICA: so you are not ...

· GRISELDA: No, I'm not anything. Stop talking, let's dance.

· ANGELICA: you danced too much, sit down a bit. I don't want to dance.

· GRISELDA: no! Tonight is our night let's have some fun! Com on (she pulled her to the dance floor) put your heart into dance and dance will never leave your heart! I start to believe in this because it works, I forget about everything while dancing.

· ANGELICA: you sure about that?

· GRISELDA: what do you mean?

· ANGELICA: Nothing crosses your mind right now.

· GRISELDA: uh! I don't understand what are you referring to?

· ANGELICA: you can't be on the dance floor all the time, you can't dance forever nonstop.

· GRISELDA: WELL! I wish that could happen.

· ANGELICA: well, guess what, you cannot. This is the real world; you need to deal with it. Let's go to talk someplace more private. (They went to the bathroom and Angelica locked the door to not let anyone enter). I hate to see you like this, like an alcoholic addicted stupid person that can't deal with life, running from reality all the time. As I said, you need to deal with it.

· GRISELDA: Deal with what exactly? I'm living the moment without thinking of the past that I couldn't forget until now. Don't I deserve it? To be happy, to smile sincerely? To think of how to do this or what to drink instead of thinking of him, and when he is coming back, or he is even coming back or not? Don't you know how much this is hard for me, to narcosis myself with something like dance? I have no other clue. I can't deal with it some other way, except that I found out that dance is the only thing that makes me forget just a little tiny bit about that stupid person, who easily forgot about me without saying a word.

· ANGELICA: How could you just judge him without giving him a chance to explain first?

· GRISELDA: Good, you just said it. You saved my energy! "Without giving him a chance to explain" he didn't give me the chance to let him explain. Moreover, where is he now? Is he here trying to explain his situation? He's somewhere on the planet having fun, and I'm killing myself with my stupid mind that can't stop gigging by its useless cackles.

· ANGELICA: Then have a life. Stop pushing people away from you. Guys are not all the same. Plus as I said before, don't judge someone without hearing from him the whole story.

(THEY STOPPED YELLING)

· GRISELDA (suspiciously looking): I bet you know something, but you are not telling me. Did he talk to you? Did he come back?

· ANGELICA: Do you want to see him?

· GRISELDA: NO.

· ANGELICA: Then why are you asking if he's here?

· GRISELDA: I'm just curious. (after a few seconds of silence) Did he?

· ANGELICA (nervously): it's not that I didn't want to tell you. I didn't know how to tell you, and I just don't want you to get hurt anymore.

· GRISELDA: Did he or did he NOT?

· ANGELICA: well yeah! He did... we did! We talked.