Present Day
"Pasta-smashtah!" This memory always makes her cringe. Mark was one handsome sonofabitch but he wasn't a great guy. This she knows first hand.
Driving down the road, Mara can't help think about how perfect her life was before that day.
Happy life. Happy love life.
Until...
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5 years ago
"So, how do you get this good at cooking?"
Mara had to look up at the handsome guy before her, who is now enjoying the pasta for her boyfriend who can't make it their lunch date.
Mark sure is stuffing his face with the stuff. Can't help but smile at that.
"I kept on practicing to impress Richard."
The cafeteria is quite crowded today, so it was a blessing when they found a two-seat table at the farmost corner of the area. Mara is also busy enjoying her packed lunch while looking at Mark almost inhale the dish.
Others in her position might find it a boyfriend -girlfriend thing, but for her, they are not even friends. Won't even qualify as acquaintances. He merely falls under the neighbor category.
Plus, who would think a girl like her who always puts her hair in a messy bun would think that she is the girlfriend of this human-specimen? I am already bewildered at having Richard as my boyfriend, how much more for this guy?
"You're staring."
"Who?" I asked after I realized he was talking to me.
"You. And I find it uncomfortable."
And she does believe him at that since she can see his ears slowly turn red. She wanted to laugh but that would make him turn red more.
"I am NOT staring." I had to emphasize NOT, since I wasn't staring. At all. Atleast not that I know of. But damn if I am going to admit that. "I am just curious as to why you have thought it wise to converse with me today."
He went back to studfing his face with the pasta before answering. "You looked like you needed help."
"Me? Need help?" An amused laugh came out from her. "Are you serious?"
"Especially with the pasta."
Well, THAT, she can't argue with.
They continued to eat in silence until they finished everything.
While she was putting the containers back in the lunch bag, Mark decided to ask her a question then.
"Do you still have classes after this?"
"No more."
"Do you want to go home together?"
Now, this guy is reaching the highest point of being weird today.
"What is going on with you?" Mara blurted out. That seemed to have surprised him. "You have been my neighbor ever since I was young, but never have you even acknowledged that I exist, except for like a handful of times. And here you are now, eating lunch with me and asking me to go home together. We don't even qualify as friends. What is wrong with you all of a sudden?"
Don't worry. I have practiced blurting out without catching any other person's attention, thus nobody is looking at us.
And the nerve of the guy to just look at her the whole time without blinking. A few minutes later, still no response.
She resumed packing everything since he seems to not be interested in answering her.
"Are we not friends?"
That earned him a scowl.
"Well, duh! Of course not. You are just my neighbor, Mark. We have never tried to reach out to each other as friends, and I sure don't want to start. So, please give me a break and stop trying to talk to me." She has already put eveything back in the bag. "So leave me alone." I then walked out on him.
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I decided to go straight home. My outburst with Mark made me lose all my willingness to deal with human beings.
I am not a loner but I do have times when I just want to stay away from a homo sapien at least 16 hours in a day. You know what I mean? They just throw too much BS at me that the best way to get out of it is to stay away from them.
I rode the bus on the way home. Just looking at the passing people on the streets. I noticed that somebody sat beside me, but I didn't care enough to look. I just enjoyed the peace the scenery in front of me brings and the quiet the rock music in my earphones brings.
10 more minutes in the ride and I decided to close my eyes for a bit. "Dealing with people stresses me out." I thought out loud.
Out of nowhere a phone screen appeared infront of my face. "I feel the same." was written on the screen.
Startled, I whipped my face to the person sitting beside me to see Richard sitting beside me. I automatically smiled while taking off my earphones.
"Babe! I thought you have something important to do?" kissing his cheek has been a long time endearing act of mine so I was a bit shocked when he declined that.
I also just noticed that his eyes are not as happy as I usually see them. He can hardly meet my eyes. My phone beeped. I didn't want to to check it since I wanted to check on Richard to know what's wrong. But Richard motioned that I check it nonetheless. So I had to. It was from him. I looked up to ask him what's it about but with his sad face, he once again motooned for me to read it.
"Please, let us converse via text. I don't think I am brave enought to say it from my mouth." says the message.
I looked up again. Becoming more and more nervous. I have a feeling it's not going to be good news.
Beep. Another message.
"Mara, I am so sorry. I have been cheating on you for quite a while now. I have been dating another girl during the past few weeks and I feel like I should break it up to you before I feel like I could hurt you more than I should."
I didn't know what to feel. Or say. Or do.
Another beep.
"I have truely loved Mara. But I believe that we may not be for each other. I am sorry for hurting you."
Tears fell on my phone screen. I haven't realized that I have already started crying.
Beep.
"I don't know what to say now. Please don't cry for a jerk like me, Mara. I will get off at the next stop. So for now, I would like to give you one last hug. I know this would hurt you a lot, but I hope you will find a better guy to love you in the future, Mara. Someone who isn't a jerk like me."
And with that, the bus stopped. Signalling that they have reached a stop. Not hers. She felt Richard's familiar hug and scent. She can't bring herself to move, much more hug him. She doesn't know what to do now.
Richard let go. It was the most painful thing that happened to her. But she doesn't know how to respond. Richard gave her one last smile. A sad smile. Kissed the top of her head. Stood up, and left her life for good.
That's when the dam broke.