Day 2: What do you know about love

Lincoln, his mother, and I were seated at the table. Currently, we're inside the restaurant of the resort, having a little talk which doesn't feel like little at all. Mrs. Sandoval's eyes were looking at me and her son with a meaning behind them. It was as if she was telling us to confess something before she could even open her mouth.

But neither I nor Lincoln has the guts to speak out. We sat there with our mouths shut, waiting for the elder one to start a conversation. I can't help but fidget with my fingers as I sensed that something was wrong.

"Tiffany," Lincoln's mother softly called out my names. In an instant, I shifted my gaze onto her. Sat straight while waiting for her next phrase.

"I heard Lincoln's giving you quite a hard time," she stated while glancing at her son and back to me.

I faked a smile. "Oh, not really, Mrs. Sandoval. We're fine actually," I responded. My head turned to Lincoln's side to shoot him a knowing look. It's like I'm ordering him to ride along with me.

The woman, however, faints a smile. A smile that I know exactly what it means.

"Is that so?" Mrs. Sandoval then pulled out a brown envelope from her bag and placed it on the table. Sliding it towards me, "take a look at that and tell me what you know about it."

Her words had me looking at her with worries in my eyes. I'm afraid that it might be something against me, something that might ruin my family. With a single nod of assurance from her, my hands hastily fumbled on the envelope, flipping the top part open.

Inside I spot a few photographs. My heart beats so loudly in my chest. It was like a racetrack for horses and they began running toward the finish line. The anxiety of the possibility that it might be pictures of Damian and me strolling around the mall yesterday is making me sick.

But then when I released the photos from the envelope my face got painted with sheer horror. Flipping through the developed pictures, my eyebrows narrowed down. I gulped, turning my head once again to Lincoln's direction.

He gave me a confused look and I'd rather not speak in this type of situation. With trembling hands, I presented the pictures for the other two to see. I watched how Mrs. Sandoval heaved a sigh in irritation while Lincoln's face darken at the photographs of him with Samantha in a place I do not know.

"Lincoln," my voice came out strained as I stopped myself from stuttering.

All of a sudden Lincoln's mother hit the table with her hand. We turned our heads to her side, slowly and carefully. Mrs. Sandoval pointed at one particular picture where Lincoln was caught kissing Samantha on I supposed a restaurant's balcony.

"Do you even use your brain, Lincoln?" His mother spat out with a ranging voice of anger. "What do you think will happen if the media see this?!"

I got startled at the way Lincoln's mother sounding like on that very moment. Silently, I began praying that she doesn't have any idea about what was going on so far here in Dubai. Quietly and sincerely asking for mercy towards everyone that may get affected by this anger.

"You'll stop lingerie around that girl or you will see her downfall right in front of your eyes," Mrs. Sandoval threatened.

Glancing at Lincoln, I thanked the heavens that he chose not to retaliate. After all, nothing had happened so far, and hopefully, nothing would happen anytime soon.

But then, of course, nothing goes well with how you wanted them to be.

Suddenly, the door of the cabin flew open and revealed a figure that I wasn't expecting to see at this resort. I got up from my seat immediately, determined to drag the lady out of the scene to not make the situation anymore worse but Mrs. Sandoval stopped me from moving by raising a finger in my direction.

"Young lady, I'm surprised to see you here."

Mrs. Sandoval then stood up from sitting, gradually walking close to where Samantha's standing. Lincoln hurriedly went to Samantha's side. The chair fell backward on the floor at how fast and reckless he moved.

"Mom, you can't do this." He said through gritted teeth. Using his arm as a barrier around Samantha.

I clasped my hands together. Stepping away as I start to envision how everything would turn out for both Lincoln and Samantha. It's getting clearer and clearer especially when Lincoln said the words I hoped he won't say.

"I love her."

A loud gasp left my lips and Mrs. Sandoval seems to notice it. The woman turned her head to me before bringing it back to the couple right in front of her.

"Aren't you ashamed saying that in front of your fiancee?"

They started squabbling and all I could do is watch. I thought whatever Lincoln would say won't affect me but somewhat, somewhere within me, something aches. Perhaps, it was me in college who used to like Lincoln. Although it wasn't that long I still used to like him, at least.

I like him until Samantha entered the story. And now I feel like the same thing was happening all over again.

As they kept on arguing and almost frankly shouting at each other's faces, I mustered up my courage to speak. Stepping forward with my head lowered down, eyes looking at the floor.

"Love? What do you know about love?" I stopped moving when I was a few meters away from them. Lifting my head to meet Lincoln's eyes which are unexpectedly focused on me.

Balling my fist and already forgetting the pain that I've been suffering from since this morning. "You tried to get me laid two days in a row and you'll stand here saying you love her?" I asked with my voice cracking up at the very end of my question.

That's right. Lincoln doesn't know a thing about love. Who is he to say such things he couldn't have a grasp of? Not everyone is a fool to believe.

"You only know how to make ways to get into someone's bed and sleep with them," I continued to speak. Yet again stepping my feet until I walked passed by Mrs. Sandoval and finally stood right in front of Lincoln who gradually placed his arm, which was once protecting Samantha, to his side.

"You know nothing," were the last words I uttered as I exit the cabin. Heading towards wherever my feet would take me.