Her pain

Lianne was walking by the street to their house. It's nearly nine in the evening when her work ended for the day. She's so tired and endures it instead of asking her boyfriend to pick her up from her workplace because Jerome once told her that he was not feeling well and he might not be able to pick her up. She was worried about him so she rather choose to take public transportation to get home.

Jerome was her long-time boyfriend, he courted her back when they are still in Highschool and get into a relationship with him at college. Lianne graduated as a journalist, while Jerome was an engineer. But both of them had no stable job. In Jerome's case, his family is stable and wasn't suffering from any problems, compared to her? Her mother was suffering from leukemia, which needs more effort to finance its medications.

Despite their situations, Jerome was always there. In means of sadness, he will come and help her ease the sadness she was feeling. He's so caring and a loving boyfriend that she cannot think of finding another man, Jerome is enough.

She stretched her arms as she is still walking by the street. Closing her eyes, to feel the sound of her bones, and the sensations of her tired body. She guessed she exhaust herself to be feeling tired like this way.

Upon opening her eyes, an unexpected picture of a couple welcomes her weakening eyes to get wider, her lips parted in surprise.

She just saw her boyfriend with Tiffany, they looked so happy while walking by the street with their hands connected. Lianne was on the other side of the street, while the couple that made her heart clenched in pain, was on the opposite side. Tears begin to form in her eyes as she can feel her breathing hitched. She's having a hard time to breath.

How could Jerome do that to her? Why did he lie to her about being ill when he's actually with someone else? What are the things that she lacks to give to Jerome? Why's he cheating? Isn't she enough for him? The tears she was holding fell when the couple kissed happily. It's like, her heart was ripped and dodged into pieces.

The street was lively with the festive lights, it was prepared for the fiesta of their town to be approaching. Many couples, peers, friends, colleagues, and family are having fun as they pass by her and saw her crying. Some did pause from walking and was about to approach her, when she run away, in pain.

She doesn't like the feeling, she's struggling. Jerome was her first love and her first boyfriend. He showed her what the world brings to everyone, which she wasn't able to see and appreciate. Jerome brought the many surprises that makes her fall so deeply in love with him.

But, why did he cheat? She thought... she's the only girl he will love, like what Jerome told her. She believes in him because she loves him. He means so much to her, he was her inspiration. But what she saw caused her heart to bleed. Why would her boyfriend do that to her... why? She couldn't find any reasons for him to cheat. She did not entertain other guys because it will make Jerome mad. How come... that he's the one who was doing stuff that he doesn't like her to do? Was he just fooling her? If it is... since when?!

Tears are unstoppable for she couldn't control her feelings to burst out. She just saw her boyfriend having an affair with someone she know! Does the two time her? Questions flocked over her head, to the point that she's feeling going crazy.

Not until she passed by a bar. It's a large bar and based on its stance and the accommodators... It's quite famous. She wiped her tears away and brought herself to enter. A sea of people welcomes her sight, loud music, and dizzying lights. There's no turning back anymore. She has to unwind and let go of the pain she's feeling right now.

This time, she has to forget about family obligations. All her life, she's been a good daughter. She didn't complain even if she was already tired. She guessed, she have to give some time for herself, and she'll be getting that now.

"A bottle of tequila please," she said as soon as he gets to reach the island counter. The bartender seems surprised with what she requested.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we don't serve a bottle for commoners. You might want to try shots?" and at the same time, suggest another offer.

"Fine, serve it to me!" she's pissed. The picture of her boyfriend keeps on flashing to her mind. It makes her shiver in rage.

An hour later...

"You! Bastard and a cheater! Fuck you for hurting me! Fvck you for making me believe with your shits!" she's not in her right mind, and was already drunk. "I loved you with all my heart... why?!!" and turns to be emotional after. She couldn't explain rather than tell that she was hurting. Too much that she didn't expect to feel.

"Good evening, Sir Miro" the bartender greeted Miro when he gets approached the woman.

Lianne crouched herself at the island counter. With her arms covering her face, she sobs. She doesn't care if someone sees her in that state. She just wants to let the pain out of her chest.

"What happened?" Miro asked while looking at the woman.

"I think, relationship problems, Sir. She looks messed up and broken." the bartender then shrugged its shoulders and left to entertain another customer.

"Miss, are you alright?" Miro asked as he lay his hand on her shoulder. He swallowed.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm broken! My boyfriend cheated on me with my goddamn friend!" tears begin to form in her eyes, which made Miro still. He just saw a woman in pain outside the set. It's pure and there's no scheme of the act on it. Like what he usually does during making drama.

"Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't know" he apologized and take the stool chair beside her.

"Give me another shot!" she's wild and pissed. Miro combs his hair with his hand while looking at the woman who's asking for another drink. "Damn life!" she hissed and drink the shot after. When she's done, she slammed the shot glass by the island counter, causing it to break and wounded herself. Miro's shocked and takes the girl away from the broken pieces.

"Get off of me!" she shouted. Catching everyone's attention.

Miro tightened his grip on the woman's shoulder, almost hugging her. "No! You may be in pain, but you're taking it too much! Hurting yourself physically is out of the choices!"

Lianne is crying while trying to get away from Miro. People near them stop and watch what they are doing. "What's the poise of living, when the person who was the reason for my happiness cheated on me without me knowing!" she's totally out of her mind, she's arguing to a total stranger who's being a good samaritan to her.

"Then that bastard doesn't deserve you! What do you think will be his reactions when he sees you like this? He will laugh you out because you do look like a damn fool to believe with his shits!" Lianne weakened, for the guy has the point.

"What's going on, Miro?" Cole asked Miro when he gets to notice the scene happened. "You do know that you aren't allowed to be involved with situations like this. Leave her alone!"

"Just do your job, man," said Miro and escorted the girl outside. Cole just sighs and just like what Miro said, he does his job.

Miro doesn't know why he does such a thing to the woman even though it's a stranger. He just felt like, worrying and of course, getting to know the woman who captivates him.

But by the time they reached the bar's exit, they get to encounter Jerome. With a woman that clung in his arms. Smiling all wide. Lianne stopped that made Miro stop too. They're happy, while she's hurting. Her chest throbbed.

"I love you, Jerome"

"I lo--Lianne?" Jerome seems surprised of seeing her there, he took the girl's hand off of his elbow and was about to reach her, when she automatically slap him in the face. Before Jerome could react, she got away from Miro's hold and run away.

Miro can't seem to swallow the situation, not until he saw the rage from her when she slap the boy and run. He was about to go after her when the man grabbed him by the collar.

"Who are you?! Why are you with Lianne?" the man said angrily. "Are you two cheating behind me?!"

Miro countered his attack by pulling the man's filthy hand off of his collar, pushing him away followed by a punch. Miro's gone mad with Jerome. How dare this man hurt a woman who's been faithful to him? He has no right to suspect when he was the one who's cheating behind her watch! Even if the woman did not tell him about her problems... He could determine, and this guy in front of him was the reason for her pain.

"What if we are?!" he bombarded, as he did not notice the people watching them and gossiping. Maybe because he was a celebrity, people flocked them quick. "A bastard like you doesn't deserve her! Mark that to your mind!" Miro then turned his back when Cole came and told him to stop

Jerome gritted in anger, he was affected by what Miro said. He moved to hold Miro by the shoulder, turning Miro to face him and blow a punch to Miro's face. Miro acted fast and counter double attacks to Jerome's.

"Oh my god, what's happening?"

"OMG! Miro!"

"Do I hear it right? Miro has a non-celebrity girlfriend?!"

"Have you seen the girl's face?"

Bouncers came to stop Jerome from attacking back, same as Cole to Miro. "Stop it already, Miro!"

Miro's chest heaves up and down, chasing his breath while glaring at the bastard. His vision went dark, wanting to kill. "Let's go! Damnit, you're giving me a headache!" he had no choice but to let Cole drag him out of that place.

"Miro, was it true?"

"Who's the lucky girl, Miro?"

"Is it true that you're in a relationship?"

Escaping from that place isn't easy, making Cole blow a harsh breath when they get to enter the car. "What's with you, Miro?! You should've avoided it!

Cole was sulking at him while he was not minding him. His problem now is... how will he find that woman? and yes, he wants to find that woman, if she's the cause of his problem, then she will be the solution too.

But, where will he go to find her?

To be continued...