Melisa POV
"You want my attention? Now you've got it."
I huffed, setting my phone and books aside. Leaning back, I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at Bibi, who looked back at me with that clueless expression. Like I'd believe she was clueless. I rolled my eyes internally; I'd been trying to study for the past hour.
How could I focus?
Bibi was making it impossible. At first, it was just whining, but now she'd upgraded to slurping, sniffing, and playing with her ringtone. When she noticed I wasn't paying attention, she started talking to herself and tapping her feet. It was so annoying that just listening to her made me more frustrated. My week was already terrible, and Bibi acting like a child wasn't helping.
Why was my week so awful?
It all had to do with that stupid son of a gun called Max,
He had become a regular at the coffee shop and I loved every minute of if. Our endless flirtation and teases always made me look foward to see him. Especially when he kept trying to trick me into giving him my number but I was too smart for him.
That was until Jesicca noticed him too. If you think juts because she had a boyfriend she would settile then you are wrong. I was relieved when Haze didn't seem interested at first, but that quickly changed. He started smirking at her, smiling, and chatting her up. Sometimes, she'd even sit down with him.
Have you ever felt like stabbing someone? Not that I was jealous or anything. I mean, why would I be? Haze was just a friend—no, a customer. There was no reason for me to feel this way. But it felt wrong. Somehow this guy that i had crush on turned out to be like any other man out there. It was like meeting your here only to be dissapointed.
Clare, a staff member at the shop, accused me of acting like a jealous girlfriend when I was cutting a sandwich. In reality, I wasn't even stabbing it; I simply cut it with more force than usual while lost in thought. I had hoped to focus on online lessons to keep my mind occupied, but Bibi's tantrums made that impossible
I knew the reason for her outburst but chose to ignore it. The last thing I wanted to discuss was my so-called boyfriend, as it would only remind me of the only man who had ever truly captured my attention.
""Is there something you want to tell me, Habibi?" Bibi's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Is there something I need to tell you, Bibi?" I threw back the question, only to receive a glare from her.
"Don't start with me, little girl." She warned sternly, this time serious, but I remained unfazed. I knew the difference between her genuine anger and her feigned outrage. And in this moment, Bibi was clearly faking it.
"Bibi, I'm trying to study here and—"
"Oh, so now I'm a disturbance in your life." Bibi cut me short, dramatically.
"You know that's not what I meant," I frowned at her absurdity.
"You've changed a lot, Habibi," she interrupted again, and this time, despite the dramatic tone, I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes. I wondered why.
"I don't understand a thing—"
"Of course, you wouldn't. You've started keeping secrets from me, you've become a liar, and you no longer want me to accompany you to work like I used to. Are you now ashamed of me?" By the time she finished, I was speechless, not because of her outburst but because her words rang true.
I had indeed become a liar, and hiding the truth about my relationship status felt like keeping a secret. My heart pounded with nervousness as I contemplated whether to confess everything. But the accusation of being ashamed of her was unfounded.
Never in my life have I looked down on, or worse, been ashamed of Bibi. She was like a goddess to me! How could she possibly think that of me? Her words struck me with shock, causing a quiet moment of reflection. My emotions shifted, and my soul ached at her accusation.
I studied her intently, searching for any sign of a joke. I wished this was one of her dramatic performances, but it was clear that she was genuinely hurt. This realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.
Is that how I made her feel?
I remembered that she wanted me to take her to the coffee shop, but I refused because I did not want her to bomber me with questions about my non existance boyfriend. To think that I thought lying to her will make her calm down. Oh the irony.
¨Why, why would you say that, Bibi?¨
¨Exactly what I have said. You've been dating all this while, about your boss asking you not to bring the family into the shop. You have become rude and talked to me like I am a little child¨
"Which part, Habibi? Which part exactly isn't true?" The scene was surreal, shocking, really.
My mind raced, unable to comprehend what was happening to Bibi. Why the sudden outburst? She had never been like this—nagging, yes, but not overbearing. I was starting to lose my patience, so I took a deep breath and answered her.
"I'm sorry if that's how you feel."
"And your boyfriend—?"
"You promised to be understanding if I ever started dating, and now that I am, you still won't let me breathe. Gosh, Bibi. I'm tired of hearing the word 'boyfriend' over and over again, and that's why I can't even enjoy spending time with you!" I sat up straight, my body tense.
I couldn't take it anymore. I decided to finally come clean.
"You're right about one thing, though. I lied about having a boyfriend," I confessed. The truth was supposed to set me free, right?
"For goodness sake, I'm not a monster who's going to eat your boyfriend, Melissa!" But the truth didn't set me free. Bibi exploded in anger, convinced that I was lying again. And she called me by my full name—a sure sign of her anger and disappointment.
Looking at her, I could see a mix of both emotions.
"And can you blame me for lying to you? You've been driving me crazy with your obsession about me having a boyfriend. You make me feel inadequate without a man. I don't even understand why you're so angry!" Anger was my shield, protecting my emotions from further hurt.
"I can't sleep peacefully because of you. I can't study in peace because of you. Why would I bring you to work to disrupt my peace? Why would I introduce my boyfriend to your behavior?"
I was done and over with this obsession of hers. I knew I was harsh, but I needed to let it out.
"I had been angry for a while. I was frustrated with my grades and the missed scholarship opportunity. I was annoyed by my boss, Mrs. Green's snotty attitude, and Max's constant flirting, which I still don't understand.
But most of all, I was angry at Bibi. She was someone I relied on, trusted, and believed would never hurt me. Her excessive nagging was irritating, but what truly hurt was her low opinion of me.
I loved and cherished her, proudly showing her to the world without shame. I was so proud of her!"
"I can't believe you would think that of my love for you," I said, taking a deep breath to hold back the tears.
"I'm sorry, then, for not being the perfect daughter and granddaughter," I apologized.
"Habibi," she said, her voice filled with regret and pain. But it was too late. We had both said hurtful things.
"There's no point in explaining now," I cut her off. "I'm tired."
I picked up my books and headed to my room, ignoring her plea to talk. Guilt gnawed at me. I had never spoken to Bibi so rudely before.
"Oh my God, what have I done?" I cried into my pillow. Maybe she was right. Maybe I was a bad granddaughter.
They say, 'Talk when you're angry, and you'll say the greatest speech you'll ever regret.' And now I do. I remember when I was so little, in kindergarten, bullies used to laugh at me for not having a mom or dad, but Bibi was always there. I can't recall a single memory without her.
She was there for every parent-teacher conference, every birthday, no matter how small. I had managed to keep my anger in check until now.
"I had managed to keep my anger in check until now. But today, I let it all out. I hurt her, the person who has always been there for me, the person who loves me unconditionally. I feel terrible. I need to apologize, to make things right. I need to show her how much she means to me.
But not now. I was still angry at her. I do have a right to be angry once in a while, don't I? Sighing, I forced myself to sit down and picked up my phone, hoping that surfing social media would help me calm down. But just then, it rang.
Frowning, I looked at the unknown number on my screen, wondering who it could be.
'What?' I answered, not caring who it was. I was drained.
'Grumpy much? Is this not a good time?' The caller's unfamiliar yet familiar voice spoke, and my entire being froze. In the quiet of the late night, I realized that everyone must have gone to sleep. I removed the phone from my ear and checked the display. It was an unknown number.
No way. It couldn't be him.
'Hello, anyone there?' I heard his voice again. Hesitantly, I placed the phone back to my ear.
'Haze? I mean, Max?' I still couldn't believe it. The voice was undeniably Max's. How on earth did he get my number?
¨Hello, there, darling?"