"Hey!" Fara called out from the barista counter, interrupting Nindy, who was watching her coffee brew. The aroma of coffee wafted through the air as it poured into a clear, elegant container, making Fara feel momentarily relaxed.
"Coming here this early in the morning, you must have something on your mind," Nindy replied knowingly.
Fara rolled her eyes, amazed that her friend could always find a way to dim her spirits. "I'm here because I missed you, Nin," Fara replied playfully, though of course, she was lying. Her real reason was to vent to Nindy.
Nindy gave her a mock annoyed look, then poured her freshly brewed coffee into a carton cup containing milk, fitted a lid and sleeve, and handed it off to her employee.
"Would you like a coffee, too?" she asked Fara, wiping her hands with a clean cloth.
Fara nodded, "The usual—"
"No milk, no sugar, just coffee," Nindy recited along with her, both smiling at the familiarity.
"You don't need to treat me like a stranger. I know your taste," Nindy teased. "Go find a seat; I'll join you in a bit."
How long had they been friends? They knew each other's quirks, favorites, and flaws by heart, as if they were twins. They'd been inseparable since high school, attending the same university and studying the same major. Unfortunately, they had to part ways when their careers diverged.
Fara, of course, had taken over her father's company, a goal she'd had since high school. Meanwhile, Nindy went to Brazil to train as a barista. After a year and a half, she returned and opened a coffee shop near Tania.
"So, is there trouble with Sean?" Nindy asked as she placed a coffee cup for Fara and a tea for herself on the table.
Fara smirked. She couldn't believe her friend had such a knack for making assumptions. "There's no trouble. I swear!" she said, forming a V with her index and middle fingers. "I really did miss you."
Nindy nodded, pretending to believe her. "Miss me? Yeah, sure. What else? I'm sure there's something you're holding back." She raised one eyebrow.
Finally, Fara relented, grinning sheepishly. "Alright… I have something to ask you. Just want your opinion."
Nindy snapped her fingers, knowing she was right. No way would Fara interrupt her busy morning to come to the café. Usually, she'd just send her assistant, Bonita, or have Nindy's staff bring her coffee.
"What's up?"
"So this morning, when Sean was dropping me off at the office," Fara began.
"Yes, I know. It's Tuesday. So what about it?" Nindy pressed impatiently.
"Well, he was acting different from usual. And he mentioned wanting to have lunch with me because he has something he wants to discuss," Fara said, sipping her coffee.
"Different? How? Did you ask him what he wanted to talk about?" Nindy's face grew serious. She was suddenly very invested in the conversation, even though Fara was still hesitating.
Fara shook her head, setting her coffee back on the table. The bitterness was grounding her, giving her strength for the day.
"Do you think he's going to propose?" she asked.
Nindy took a sip of her tea, her hands slightly trembling.
"If he proposes, how should I react? I'm thrilled, but I don't know how to act. You know how my default face is just… blank. Should I practice? But there are only a few hours left," Fara rambled, her heart racing with excitement or maybe the strong coffee was making it beat faster.
"If he proposes?" Nindy repeated.
Fara nodded, her eyes bright, which contrasted with the dimming expression on Nindy's face.
"If he proposes, then…," Nindy's voice trailed off. She hesitated, avoiding Fara's expectant gaze.
Nindy wondered if she'd look like that, too, if she imagined something wonderful with someone she loved, innocent face, sparkling eyes, lips trembling uncontrollably like a fool.
"Maybe our friendship should end here, Far."
It was like a slap from Zeus. Fara was stunned into silence.
The two women sat across from each other by the large glass window, now silent. Outside, they could see people busily passing by, as preoccupied as they were with their own thoughts.
"What do you mean?" Fara finally broke the silence, barely audible, as she couldn't find an answer in her head.
For the first time, Nindy looked directly into her friend's brown eyes, gathering her courage.
"I'm sorry. I am so terribly sorry. I have feelings for Sean…."
Nindy's words hit Fara like a scorching flame. She clenched her fists on her lap, struggling to hold back her reaction until Nindy finished.
"If I have to watch you marry Fara, I don't think I can handle it. It'd be better if we end this friendship. Pretend you never knew me."
Slowly, tears spilled down Nindy's cheeks. Her eyes were wet, her lips trembled. For so long, she had buried her feelings for her friend's boyfriend, telling herself that if her friend and the one she loved were happy, she'd be happy, too. But hearing how happy Fara was about a future with Sean, she just couldn't handle it anymore. The thought alone tore at her heart.
On the other side, Fara felt as if she'd been stabbed by someone she trusted. They'd been through thick and thin together, yet how could Nindy fall for the same person she loved? It was like a cancer growing inside her, festering where she thought there was nothing but friendship.
Not a single word escaped Fara's lips. She stood up, concealing her sadness.
"Yes, maybe it's better if we end our friendship, Nin." Tears now streamed down her face, though she quickly brushed them away.
"Thank you," Fara said, turning to leave.
"Far…" Nindy called weakly.
Fara paused, glancing back at her friend, who sat slumped over.
"I hope your dream of Sean proposing never happens. And I hope he never marries you."
Fara's tears returned, as bitter as the coffee Nindy had made her.
~~~
Fara walked briskly, the clacking of her heels echoing down the sidewalk. She couldn't stop her tears, drawing curious looks from passersby.
"Why did today have to be like this?"
For some reason, the short distance between two buildings seemed endless. She just wanted to reach her office, scream her frustrations, and sob her heart out. She'd only ever shared her joys and sorrows with Nindy, even more so than with Sean. So how could Nindy betray her happiness?
"Why… Ouch!"
Just as Fara ignored her surroundings and was about to cry out, she tripped. She wobbled, unable to steady herself, and braced for impact. But instead of hitting the ground, she felt strong arms catch her.
For a moment, Fara buried her face in the chest of her rescuer. She needed this, an embrace, the warmth she usually sought from Sean. But this wasn't Sean's embrace.
She pulled back to thank her rescuer, surprised to see her employee from earlier that morning.
"Ziggy?" Tania muttered, too emotionally drained to react with surprise. She buried her face again, not caring about the judgment of her employee, her chest was too tight to worry about appearances.
Ziggy quickly hugged her back, letting her hide her face in his broad chest.
"Hey!" Fara protested, struggling. "How dare you take advantage—!" She started hitting his chest in frustration.
"Miss, your makeup is running. You look like a clown. I'd hate for anyone else to see," Ziggy said, holding her gently.
"What?" Hearing his words, Fara finally stopped resisting. She wiped her face with her hand, finding streaks of black mascara and peach blush mixed together.
"Ah, what should I do?" Fara asked, not moving from her position. She was still in Ziggy's embrace. Despite the embarrassment of the situation, she could smell his cologne, a masculine scent mixed with a hint of sweet chocolate, comforting to her senses.
"Here, miss. Cover your face with my handkerchief, and let's move over to the smoking area over there," Ziggy suggested.
Every time Ziggy spoke, Fara could feel his deep voice resonate in his chest, a baritone that oddly brought her a sense of calm. Her tears had even stopped on their own, as if by magic.
After adjusting the handkerchief over her face to cover everything but her eyes, Fara released herself from Ziggy's embrace.
Maybe she missed Sean, she thought, which was why it felt difficult to leave the warmth of that protective hug, shielding her from the cruelties of the world.
And then, once again catching her off guard, Ziggy placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her closer to him as they walked together toward a shaded spot with park benches commonly used as a smoking space at the meeting point of three office buildings.
"Wait here, Boss. I'll get you some water and tissues," Ziggy said, not waiting for her to respond, leaving Fara sitting alone, her face still partially hidden.
Fara took a deep breath, wondering what bad luck had befallen her that day. She wished she could fast forward time, get to Sean quickly, and pour out everything on her mind. Maybe now Sean would need to pick up a new role as Nindy's replacement as a friend for her.
She drew another long breath, doubting if anyone could truly replace Nindy. Fara didn't think anyone would be able to. If only Nindy had chosen someone else to love.
But the thing that stung the most was how Nindy had sacrificed their friendship. Their bond wasn't just a year, it had spanned over a decade. That wasn't a short amount of time. People say that friendships lasting over seven years are supposed to be forever.
"Bullshit," Fara muttered.
"Huh?" asked Ziggy. Apparently, he had returned without her noticing.
"It's nothing," Fara replied briefly.
Ziggy handed her the tissues and a bottle of water, then took a seat beside her.
"I really want to ask what happened, but I'm scared you'll fire me," Ziggy quipped, staring straight ahead.
Fara, who was busy pouring water onto the tissue, couldn't help but turn toward him in surprise.
"If you don't want to get fired, then don't ask," Fara retorted, also staring ahead without looking at him.
"But I'm really curious," Ziggy continued.
This time, Fara ignored him. She turned toward him, grabbing his muscular hand to hold up her phone, which was already set to selfie mode.
Voila! Ziggy became her human phone holder!
"Don't lower your hand!" Fara ordered, and Ziggy, like it or not, followed her orders.
"Now, stay! I need to take off my makeup. Hold it still!" Fara said, grinning as she held back laughter at Ziggy's obedient yet bewildered expression.
"Boss, how long will this take? My arm's getting tired," Ziggy complained after nearly five minutes of holding the phone for her.
Fair enough, the tears had smudged her mascara, making it hard to clean, especially with only mineral water as a cleanser.
"Alright, I'm done. Can I have my phone back?" Fara asked.
"Don't you want to treat me to lunch?" Ziggy asked, casually throwing the question, which irked Fara. It was their first time meeting, and Ziggy was her subordinate. How could he already be this laid back and cheeky around her?
"Oh, right, since you helped me, I'll treat you to lunch. Come by my office later, and I'll give you the cash cause I don't have any on me right now."
"I thought we'd eat together, just the two of us. It's lunchtime, anyway." Ziggy glanced at his large black watch, a striking contrast against his fair skin.
Fara's eyes widened at Ziggy's words. "What?"
Ziggy instinctively took a step back, startled by her reaction.
"It's lunchtime already? Oh, no, I have an appointment! Let's do this tomorrow. Anyway, thanks for your help. Bye!"
Half running, Fara left Ziggy behind.
"HEY, ZIGGY! DON'T JUST HANG AROUND. GET BACK TO WORK, OR I'LL CUT YOUR SALARY!" she yelled as she moved further away, a smile slowly appearing on Ziggy's face.
Ziggy smiled as he murmured, "Interesting..."