FIFTEEN

I stared with eager eyes as her jaw dropped open.

"Wait, what?! What do you mean by that?" Her questions came.

"I said I love you," I repeated, hoping for a better answer.

"Derek, why are you making it so hard for me?"

I frowned at the question. "How am I making it so hard for you?"

"You just don't understand!"

"Then make me," I took her hand in mine and pleaded. "Please, Tricia. Just make me understand."

"J-just stop! Stop, okay? I've got far more important things to worry about than this." She took her hand from me and turned to leave.

"Tricia, wait."

"What you're saying now is just too much to hold. Derek, I just can't. I'm sorry."

I clasped her hand and drew closer. "Trish, please hear me out..."

"Leave me alone!" Her face turned red with rage. "Is that why you came here? To tell me about your stupid feelings for me?!"

"Stupid?" I gasped as my heart came throbbing.

"Yes, Derek. Stupid! I don't love you, and there's no way I'll ever love someone like you. You just have to forget about me and move on!"

Move on? I gulped in pain, watching as she walked away, not looking back.

TRICIA'S P.O.V

Derek, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean everything I said. I really didn't mean any of it. I just can't let you be dragged into this. My life's a bit messy now, and you coming in would make it a lot worse. I hope you can forgive me. I really hope you can.

That night, Derek drank himself to stupor while Tricia, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on.

She had sighted him that night - in a bar where she and Chelsea had gone out for girls' night.

She excused herself and hurried towards him - staring with pity eyes, she said, "Derek, why are you doing this? Why do you have to put yourself through all this just because of me? Why?!

He raised his head up and asked drunkenly, "Who are you?"

"D-Derek. Derek, it's me... Tricia. You have to stop. You really have to." Tricia said amidst tears, clasping his arm

"What do you want?" The barkeeper asked.

Tricia ignored his question and threw an angry stare at Derek. "Derek, that's enough! You've had enough drink for one night." She took the bottle of whiskey from him.

"What's going on?" A familiar voice spoke behind. "Is everything all right?

Tricia looked at her and shoved her bag into her arms. "Here, Chels. Hold this."

"Oh, give me that. I want more." The strong stench of liquor filled the air at his voice, as a blonde, brown-eyed lad interrupted. "I'll take it from here, you two."

"And who are you supposed to be?" Tricia looked at him, as he laughed.

"I'm Oliver,"

"Just Oliver?" Tricia folded her arms. "Got no last name?"

"Oh, forgive me. I'm Oliver Jackson," He introduced fully. " Derek's roommate." He added.

Tricia unclasped her arms and said to him. "Well, Oliver. We should help Derek out of here. You can call the cab while we bring him along." She pulled Derek up.

"You don't need to worry. He's my responsibility."

"And why is that?"

"Cause he's with me." He said to her.

"So you're the one that brought Derek to this place? What were you thinking?!" Her face reddened, and Chelsea cut in.

"Um, you two. I think we'd better hurry. It's getting late." She fixed her eyes on her watch.

"Chels, you should go. We can take care of the rest." Tricia said to her.

"But, Trish, there's no how I can leave you here..."

"I'll be fine." Tricia assured.

"You promise?"

"I do. Just go, all right? Oliver and I can take care of it."

Her best friend relaxed at the words and gave her a hug - exiting the bar as she took a cab back to campus.

TRICIA'S P.O.V

Derek's room was such a sight. Even in the dark, you could still make out the posters that hanged on both sides of the wall, and the tons of shirt scattered on the bed - with hundreds of things I couldn't quite tell, piled up on the floor. "What happened here?" I turned to Oliver as the light came on. "Oh, crap!" I rolled my eyes around the room.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend what happened? He came back here, looking all furious and all. And before I could know it, he sent everything crashing through the ground. " He explained. "Didn't know why, really."

Oh, this is all my fault, I thought, feeling my heart race.

I wanted to tell Oliver that Derek and me weren't together, but found myself saying nothing.

"Okay!" He clapped his hand. "Is there anything you wish to have? Water, perhaps?" He asked.

"No, thank you." I shook my head and made towards the bed.

"All right, then. Guess I'll see you two later." He said, and made to leave.

"Hang on a second. Did you two, I don't know... quarrel?"

I smiled faintly and gave a 'no', feeling the dryness in my throat.

Was he actually leaving? I gulped, finding it so hard to accept the fact that I was spending the night at Derek's.

I heard the door slam shut, and I breathed a sigh. "Guess he actually did." I thought aloud, looking to where Derek slept soundly.

He uttered a moan as his eyelids slid open slowly, and shut again, relieving me a bit.

I sat beside him, admiring the smooth curvature of his face, and felt the urge to brush a strand of hair that popped out in front aside - finally giving in to it.

I saw myself getting carried away doing so, as I hummed, forgetting all about my anger towards him.

His face twitched and his hand moved, and I got up instantly, hoping he hadn't heard me.

He muttered something I couldn't quite catch, and I pulled closer, making out some of the words.

"Márcia... Márcia, please don't leave me. Márc..."

I shuddered and took my hand away. Márcia? Who-who is Márcia? I asked myself and got up, making towards the bathroom.

I had no idea what to do next, and I had no other option but to take a piece of cloth that laid by the corner, and a white bowl on the sink, as I filled the latter and made back to the room.

DEREK'S P.O.V

I woke up feeling really tired, and I got up slowly, feeling my head ache badly.

I looked to my side, noticing the presence of someone, as I made to touch her.

"You're awake," She said sleepily with her raised slightly as she squinted in the light.

"Tri-Tricia?" I gaped at her, having no idea if it was real. "What are you doing here?"

"How do you feel? Do you want me to make breakfast for you?"

"Yes. I mean, how are you here? Where's Oliver?"

"Oh, your roommate?" She yawned and laughed. "He's not yet back." She answered and yawned again. "Just wait here. Let me just... get you something. I know you're famished."

"Tell me what happened, Tricia. Did you stay here all night?"

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what?" I winced and thought, remembering going out with Oliver. "I do. I just can't recall exactly -"

"Hmm. Well, I'll go prepare breakfast." She said, and made for the cupboard like she had actually been here before.

I tried recalling what had went on last night as memories of the previous day came crawling back. I remembered how worse her words made me feel, and how badly I wanted to drink just so I could forget.

I looked around, realizing everywhere was all cleaned up, and I marveled at how she could have possibly done that alone. Is she really changing? What's her reason for this?

Well, what do you know? Tricia might be really changing.

~~~ TBC ~~~

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