The Scam

There were no chats nor text from her. It's been hours. I tried to calm myself and just played some online games but I momentarily check if she had already sent me a chat or not every end of the match. This wasn't like her. There must be something wrong or she might be in danger.

And within a heartbeat, I arrived at her place. I observed. I didn't go in for some odd reasons that I myself am afraid to uncover. Inside, I'd give anything to just not let that tiny hunch in my mind be a part of our perfect reality.

2215h. At least an hour before the coffee shop closes, I was outside. I stood at a distance. I saw the lights on. I saw movements. No sudden sounds or noises. She is fine. I told myself, but there was something in me that told me to stick around for awhile.

2310. The shop was closed. I was at peace, finally. I was about to get off when suddenly. An unfamiliar long haired guy went out of the shop. I could tell he was a bit taller than me. Grey sleeves, black cargo pants, and red slippers. Next to him was her. She wore that smile she always wear when she's with me. I had no clue who that guy was but she was with her. A prick of a needle to the heart. They walked in that same street we used to walk in. I didn't bother following them. I didn't have the strength to. So I went home with a heavy heart and with a mind full of questions.

I wasn't able to sleep that night. I lied in my bed curled up. The sadness devoured me as no tears fell from my eyes. I waited for hours, and it was finally 3am. An hour before I am about to meet her again. I received a chat from her finally after almost a day.

"I'm sorry, I really got busy today. Sorry for the unanswered calls and chats"

"I'm coming. I wanna talk."

So, I asked her right away about what I saw. Who the guy was and what's his role in her life. She said he was just a friend who paid a visit.

𝑨 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆.

My eyes were looking anywhere but to her. I came with no sleep at all. But she swore that that guy was nothing to her. She even had this bad habit of laughing in the middle of a serious conversation. She made it feel like it was stupid to feel that way just because they took a walk together.

𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕.

I don't know if it was accidental or it's a way of distracting me out of it.

"Come closer, please." She called like she begged for it.

I didn't move an inch but I didn't have the strength to leave either. She came closer. Hugged me from behind and swore to never do such a thing again.

Slowly, she tried to move my face in to her direction. I remained unresponsive. She had no choice.

"I love you, I'm sorry." words she uttered before her lips contacted mine. I felt her desperation for forgiveness moments later. I then kissed her back. Our bodies then did the talk about forgiveness.

We're both gasping for air. Our bodies were exhausted but it got what it wanted and so much more. With a thumping heart and a heavily breathing lungs I asked her to promise me to never do it again.

"I can't. I can't do this anymore"

Not the answer I expected nor maybe the words she expected from me. Disoriented, I asked why. I thought everything was fine. Then, we got back to where it began all of a sudden.

"I'm afraid that I might hurt you. I love you, but I'm terrified"

Now that confused and terrified me as well. I kept on asking her why. I told her I could endure the truth as long as she loves me. I asked if that was about that guy I saw,

"No. It's not him."

then I asked her why, again and again. And she gave me just a smile and said, "I love you, Joe. Thank you for coming into my life"

It was almost eight in the morning. Which means I had to go home and prepare for another day's work. But I can't go home in this state, I had so many questions but I had to. She sends be off with a smile, a kiss, a hug, and a command "Investigate". Right there and then, I knew something was really off.

It was a sunny afternoon. I was right about to go to work at 6PM. I remembered what she told me 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒. That line lingered in my mind from the moment she uttered it.

I had 3hours left. So, I felt crazy and curious. I decided to do what she said.

Where else would be a better start than in her place? I figured it's her rest day that day. Might as well know what things she does in her free time.

I was in the same spot again. Few meters away from the grey gate. Only difference was, I have nowhere to hide. There were no dark corners. It's freaking 3pm. Luckily, a cab arrived and parked in front of my location. I waited for an hour, nothing fishy had happened. Until I saw a guy with a grey cap, his long hair overflowed at the back of the cap, wearing shorts, a shirt and a white running shoes. In a heartbeat, I knew. That was the same guy. Not for long, Ariel went out. Wearing black sweater and a grey leggings. I could forgive her if she only went out and drive the guy away, but no. She went with him. All smiles.

It broke me. 𝑊𝒉𝑦? 𝑊𝒉𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝒉𝑒 𝒉𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑜 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝒉 𝑡𝒉𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑢𝑦? 𝑊𝒉𝑜 𝑡𝒉𝑒 𝑓*𝑐𝑘 𝑖𝑠 𝒉𝑒? 𝑊𝒉𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓*𝑐𝑘 𝑎𝑚 𝐼 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐴𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑙?

"Yo! Joe. What's up?"

"A favor please? I need to borrow any of your car but you have to drive it to my location like freaking now"

sobbing I called Ed, my bestfriend. I then sent him a link of my current location.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Tell me about it."

"I can't. There's no time. Just please lend me a car, Ed. I beg you."

"Okay, okay. God, I hope you are alright. But I can't drive it to your location right now. I'm in London. Dad brought me here for a business meeting. But I can let our drivers drive it to your location, stay there. I'll call them right away. Promise me one thing"

"what?" I asked as I tried my best not to let him hear my sadness.

"I don't care what happens to the car. Just drive safe. You take care, okay?"

𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏.

"I promise, thanks man." As I gaze both of them just walking meters away from the shop.

It was 10minutes, I barely could see them when the car arrived. Damn Ed, He let me borrow his new car, a 2021 model Toyota Prius. The driver got out and gave me the keys, and I sat there in the driver's seat with mixed emotions. Questions, remorse, and pain attacked me as I finally burst into tears but I wiped them away. 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡𝒉𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝒉𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝒉.

Initally, I just planned to stalk for a while and go to work. But things had changed drastically. That time, I didn't care of losing my job anymore. I just sent an excuse to my boss and hoped he'd bite. All I cared was to get to the bottom of everything. I want to see and feel every pain so I can have enough reason to walk away incase.

They got into a blue car. There were people in that car too. Maybe their mutual friends. As I was following them, I assured her that I was at work. I asked her about her whereabouts. She took time in responding to every chat I sent. But she tells me everything. Onpoint. Except the fact that she's with him.

In their every stop, I saw how close she was to that guy. There were like 15 of them on convoy, but she only was with that guy the whole time. My heart, a fragile glass, broke as her hand touches his face, as she wipes his sweat, as she shared a drink with him, as she played with his fingers. My eyes were punished to weep like it never did before. But I also saw how he treated her, he barely looked at her. Not even close as the way I stared at her like she's all that I needed to be alive. He barely touched her. Compared to how I carressed her from inside and out. So, I asked myself a serious question. 𝑤𝒉𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝒉𝑒 𝑐𝒉𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑔𝑢𝑦 𝑡𝒉𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝒉𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑠𝒉*𝒕?

𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏, 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓.

I followed them for 8 hours. I didn't saw any signs of the guy taking advantage of her. I was even shocked that the guy appeared to not care for her at all. She finally came home. The guy walked her back the shop. As soon as she went in. I called Ed to return the car. He asked me,

"Hey, you okay bud? Tell me about it."

"I dunno. Not now, Ed."

"If that's the case, keep the car and go home. You sound terrible."

"Alright. Thanks, Ed."

"Take care, Joe. I'll see you soon"

Now, it's the moment of truth. I drank a couple of beers, went to the shop, and knocked on the grey gate. Moments passed, I heard the locks undone.

"Hey! Babe, why are you here?? Isn't your off supposed to be later at 7am??"

"I know everything now."

"That guy, the one you were with that dawn, is your boyfriend. And I am just... the other guy. Is this why you couldn't promise to stay away from him?"

She was stunned by the truth I just spilled, No word came out of her mouth. She was just standing there right infront of me. Her worried face suddenly shifted to a shocked one but she kept her cool right away.

"I followed you. I never went to work. I saw everything. From the moment you both rode that car, to the moment he walked you back here"

"Am I right?" I asked.

She nods. Confirming the devastation of every truth I know. She then filled me with everything. She answered all my questions about the two of them.

The pandemic was still going on that time so there was still curfew. We hid on a dark corner to evade the patrolling police.

I hate her. I hate that I love her.

"Did you ever loved me? or were those as fake as you are as well?"

"I do. We wouldn't be here if I don't. I swear. I didn't want this to happen so I hid the truth from you. I don't want to lose you. You're the only person in the world who reminded how it felt to be really loved by someone, Joe. Not even him."

The more I asked questions, the more I understood her. It wasn't the type of confrontation I pictured as I drove to her place. Turns out, our hearts talked the storm out of the picture. I knew that she'd go in the shop the moment I run out of questions so I throw her a lot of them. I kinda know that that could be the last time I'd talk to her might as well talk to her 'til it's over.

She pulled me off for a walk at that same street again. There were no anger in my voice anymore. We knew everything has to end but I felt like she wasn't ready for it. Every step I took on that same empty road, gave me that same feels.

Again, we ended up on that same park. Sat on that same spot. Stared at the exact same emptiness under the moon and the stars. We had nothing to talk about. Then, we remembered about the silly stuff we used to do there. We'd laugh at them. Then, silence again would conquer the place 'til one of us thinks of something to say just to fill the emptiness of the moment. Just to extend our time for another minute. There were so much in our hearts that I felt were just right in the tip of our tongues but for some reasons we let the nonsense topics pass through instead. None of us gave up in saying something. We defeated silence hand in hand. But I know I had to go, so I asked her to send me off just to Ed's car at least. She threw a smile at me and stood up. Every step we took was heavier than the other. There was silence not just in that empty street but also between the two of us. We knew the end was just a few steps away. I parked Ed's car in that same dark corner of the street. We finally arrived. I bid goodbye as she hugged me tight. I got into the driver's seat and started the car when...

She opened the car door and rushed on top of me. She was in tears as she held my face kissing my lips. My tears fell as well in awe. 𝑇𝒉𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝒉 𝑚𝑒. We let our hearts win just for the last time. Even though we know it's wrong but we gave it all in that one last shot on each other. It felt so easy giving in to what we believe the universe has destined us to be. I know I had to walk away from this feeling, away from this girl on top of me, away from this place but I told myself to procrastinate just this one last time. My heart begged my mind. Every ounce of sweat, every Joule of force, every drop of love was poured in to that last chance for us to make love. We didn't disappoint. It felt like the first time even better. We both knew that and the fact that all these were about to end as a ray of sun peaked through the car window. We dressed up and walked to the shop's direction. As we were inside the building, she pulled me in and gave me her tightest hug and a kiss to the forehead. I then reciprocated her gestures. We stared at each other for the last time. I saw her tears ran down her eye so I went out to not let her see mine. I wept in front of that grey gate before finally taking a step away from everything.

Just meters away getting back to Ed's car my phone rang, it was her name on the screen. I stopped myself from answering her calls, her messages. I blocked her calls, blocked her in chats, and text messages then cried myself to sleep.

It was 7PM when I woke up at a couple messenger chat notifications.

"Hey, You're Joe, right? I'm Chino. I wanna talk to you. Can we meet?"

I had no friend named Chino. No acquaintances of such. Then, my alarm went off. It was time to prepare for work. It was my night shift schedule. So I did. While doing so, I remembered he's a long haired dude. Could it be? I grabbed my phone and started to stalk the guy. He really is Ariel's boyfriend. Then I checked my blocked calls and messages. There were tons from her telling me to come back. To stop this madness. Of how she needed me. That she finally realized the prison she was in. And that she finally broke free from it. Then, she left a final message,

"I'll be waiting. Please don't go."

I stood there with my phone in my hand dazed of how the events have turned. I didn't know what to do nor even what to think. Do I have to risk it all again? I already got out, do I have to dive into such uncertainty once more? But if I don't what kind of man does that make me? Don't I love her?

Then, I undone all the blocks I made. I finally decided.

"Hey, is that true?"

"Yes, I am. What do you want?"

𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆.

From that point, we got back to each other. But this time, things weren't so easy. Chino was there doing any means necessary to stop us. With the use of the years they went through, he connived with her family to separate the both of us. But we fought through these challenges. We secretly see each other. Until, everyone in their family took part in guarding her. Her brothers joined her in the shop, her dad and aunts often visits. Chino visits her everyday at the shop. I could see that they liked the guy for her. I wish they had seen what I saw. I hate his every pound of flesh. I saw how he treated her. Like an unwanted piece of a picture. But now, only when he realized he's about to lose her, only then he acted right. I know. I was there almost everyday. Every chance I get. Watching them. It's heartbreaking. Sometimes, when we're secretly chatting I can't stop myself from losing confidence. I know a part of her was liking Chino's sudden change of heart but she always refuels my ego.

"I don't love him. Please just give me time. I have to work on my family first. They have to accept that we aren't a thing anymore. Joe, it's you that I love. It's your hugs and kisses that I look forward to each day. We just have to trust the process for now. Please? I am just waiting for him to give up on me."

So, I continued to wait. Continued to fight for her from afar. Continued to trust her. Trust that time will bring us to a point where all we that have been fighting for pays off.

But in contrary of the high hopes she gave me, each day that passed were added to the days that we hadn't seen each other, unread messages, very late replies, days were I just kept on checking my phone for her messages but none comes up. I still forced myself to the idea she always promise me. 𝑆𝒉𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒. 𝑇𝒉𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑝𝒉𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝒉𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑜 𝑡𝒉𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝒉. She'd say that she was having a hard time finding the right opportunity to communicate with me with all the people that's guarding her from doing so. I'd believe her and say how much I missed her. Seldom times, I wouldn't get a reply. A needle-prick to the heart but I'd talk myself out of it,

"Maybe, something just came up. Maybe she realized that she was being watched and got off the phone"

It was a sunny noon. The day was a beautiful Sunflower. It was as beautiful as her. I was feeling good and positive about it when,

"Hey, they already know. Don't reply to this convo. I'll chat you with a sunflower emoji to let you know it's safe to reply"

It turned my day upsidedown. My heart thumped. I was like a dad on overseas work waiting for good news about his wife's labor. After about five hours of waiting...

"🌻"

A sunflower emoji... It's her.

"Hey babe, what happened?"

"I'm sorry, Joe. I'm sorry for taking this too far. For bringing you deep into this mess. What we are is a 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒."

"I hope someday you will find it in yourself to forgive me"

𝐼𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑖𝑔𝒉𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝒉𝑒 𝑔𝑢𝑡.

"I am giving him; us another chance."

And just like that, everything I fought for; every feeling I gambled for her went down the drain. I tried to reach out for her but she was unreachable. I still can't believe how that 𝑓𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝒉𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 turned the tide against us. I rushed to the coffee shop. It was closed but the windows were open. Wide open so I could see the truth with my own eyes.

I saw a girl. Her smiles were so genuine as the guy she was with tickled her. They ran around the cafe like children playing under the rain. They were happy. I could hear her giggles as she excitedly evaded every possible chance of getting caught. Then, he finally caught her by the counter, near the cash register. She faced him. They looked each other in the eyes, and kissed.

and in that very moment,

I realized. He wasn't the one whom she waited to give up. He wasn't the one who was loved less. He wasn't the one who's getting erased as every hour of the day passed. In contrary of what she always told me,

𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑒.

𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑚.

• • •

~𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙲𝙷 𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚈 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈 𝙾𝙽𝙴

~𝙴𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖 𝚜𝚒𝚡

But I... just can't open my mouth and say a word. From looking at her face, I altered my sight to that light I hate. I was starting to like it though it hurts my head like hell, but it's not more than the torture of seeing her. It's the lesser evil, I preferred. I felt the numbness has spread all over my body. It must be that serum they injected in me. My eyelashes began to weigh more than it should. The sound of that beeping machine near me began to sound like it was going away. My muscles refused to fight any further. But I hadn't felt any anxiety in me, I felt relief knowing that this'll be over soon.

This time, I am the one that gets to choose. .

𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒍.

[𝚃𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎𝚍]