KATE’s P.O.V.
“I couldn’t understand it! It was Darrel that told me about this arranged marriage. And now his son has a wife?”
I looked down, before nodding. Mom sat beside me and caressed my back, only making me feel worst.
“I told you, didn’t I?” Mom glared at Dad. “This marriage wouldn’t bring any good to our family specially to Kate...”
“I don’t need your drama, Katheryn. What I wanted to know is why did that happened!”
“Oh, so that’s what you really care about right now, Armando?” Mom stood up, looking mad at Dad. “What about your daughter?! Don’t you care about her feelings?!”
I sighed, feeling the guilt for I am the reason why my Mom and Dad are fighting right now. I wanted to throw a tantrums and cry in front of them, remembering the scenario when I first saw my old friend after almost a decade.
“Stop it, Katheryn! I don’t want to hear it from you! I’ll go and talk to Darrel about this...”
“You’re just gonna talk to him and do nothing about this humiliation?!” Mom challenged him. “Then go ahead! That’s what you always do! You’re all talk!”
“What do you want me to do then, huh?! Force his son to marry our daughter?! He’s a married man, Katheryn!”
“That’s not what I’m talking about!”
Dad was about to shout again when I stood up, cutting their nonsense argument.
“Stop it, both of you! You’re not even helping! If Darren doesn’t want me, then fine! I’ll make him fall for me even without your help!”
“But Kate, he’s a married man!” Mom exclaimed.
“I don’t fucking care, Mom!”
I turned around and stomp away from them. I heard my Dad call my named several times before he finally gave up. I hid behind of our walls before I decided to secretly listen to their conversation.
“Look at what you’ve done, Armando! Now she doesn’t want to listen to us anymore!”
“She doesn’t want to listen because you're so annoying!”
“So it’s my fault now?! Who told her to get married to that man anyway? It’s you, Armando, it’s you!”
“Fine! I’ll cut all the investment and the potential business partnership between me and my bestfriend as soon as I confirmed about his son’s wife... Is that enough for you? That’s what you want to happen, right?”
“I didn’t say anything about that!” Mom complained.
“Yes, you didn’t, but that’s what you want, right? Don’t test my patience, Katheryn. I know what I’m doing so please stop ranting about this stupid marriage.”
“You’re just like my father,” my Mom stated, her voice was full of hatred.
“So? I’m only doing this for Kate and for your family’s legacy. That’s what your father did, right? He forced us to get married... And now I’m regretting it.”
Mom burst out into tears as she heard those words. Dad left her there, alone while crying. I wanted to reached out and hug her but I couldn’t, right after what I’ve done earlier. I decided to just go into my room, and sleep.
Hours passed by so fast and I just realized that it’s already been a week since I found out that Darren and Claire were already married to each other. Dad started to pull out all of his shares in Herrera Corp. as he promised to my Mom. They’re still aren’t talking to each other and I just tried my best to ignore it for I know that they are going to reconcile pretty much sooner or later.
Today, I decided to go out and do some shopping all by myself just to forget all about the chaos that is currently happening in my life. I used public transportation, not bothering to asked one of our drivers to go with me. I wanted to experience being a normal person even just for a while, and I’m thankful that Mom let me leave alone.
First, I decided to purchased some clothes and shoes before picking a good restaurant to satisfy my cravings. As I walk through the never ending stalls inside the mall, I turned around, being amused by one dress hanging at the corner of the walls. I straightly went to that direction, not minding the other people around me.
I was nearly there when someone... Someone bumped me with their shopping cart. Out of shock and pain, I completely lost my balance, causing me to fall down on the floor. My shoes’ heels were now broken into two pieces.
“Ouch...” I whispered.
“Miss! I’m really sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you!” a familiar voice stated.
I looked up, and a mix of overflowing emotions flooded my heart. I knew this man... And I can’t be wrong. I’m pretty sure that it’s him. By the way he’s looking at me right now, and I instantly knew that he also remember me. But he just didn’t know what to say.
“Ms. F-Frias, right?” he asked.
Elijah smiled at me in amusement, and even though I could still remember the way he denied me on our gradation day as his friend back then, I can’t help but to smile him. We finally saw each other again.
“Elijah...”
“Ms. Frias! It’s really you! I can’t believe it! We met again!”
He ran towards me and help me up. He then gave me a tight hug, making me blushed as our bodies collide.
“H-how are you?” he asked.
“I’m fine. How about you, Elij?”
“I’m doing very well. Actually, I’m a teacher now. Claire and I are in the same school.”
I frowned, and he look at me in confusion.
“What? Is something wrong? Isn’t she your bestfriend? Wait, please don’t tell me that you two haven’t reconcile yet after eight years of being apart?” he asked curiously.
“No, we haven’t. And we will never be just like the way we were before.”
“Why? She told me your name... Kate, right?”
I looked up at him. Claire even stole my chance on telling my first name to Elijah. She’s ruining everything.
“Are you alright?” he added, looking worried.
“Yeah... I’m fine.”
“Then why aren’t you answering my questions?”
I sighed, before saying another word to him.
“I was supposed to get married with a guy named Darren... But Claire took him away from me just like how she did before to Gabriel.”
Elijah’s eyes widen, before he said something that made me as shocked as possible, realizing that the world is really is too small for us.
“I know Darren! He’s my bestfriend... And Claire...”
“Is that true, Elij? Are they really married?” I asked, finally getting the opportunity that I needed.
“Uhm... Y-yeah. They are.” I don’t know why but I wasn’t convinced by his answer.

“Are you sure?”
He look me straight in the eye, trying to observe if I’m only doing this to get even with my old bestfriend.
“Yes.” He answered surely. “I even attended their wedding just to be Darren’s best man. So... Are you saying that you’re the one that Darren supposed to get married with?”
“Yes,” was my short reply.
“Oh. I’m glad it didn’t happen.”
“Excuse me?” I raised one of my brows.
“Huh? It’s nothing. You know what, I have a lot of things to tell you about. Do you mind if we grab a lunch together right after I buy you a new pair of shoes?”
I just smiled, before nodding.
“Fine.”
“Yes! Come on, this is my treat!” he shouted as she pulled my arm to drag me around the place.
After he bought me a pair of new shoes as he promised, we went to the nearest restaurant just to eat lunch. Elijah ordered two servings of one of their most expensive meals.
“I know you probably don’t eat some random food so I decided to bring you here. I hope you like it. It’s very classy and comfy in here.”
“Yeah...” I agreed as I rested my back on one of their cozy chair.
“Darren is so lucky to be your fiance. But you two can’t talk to each other anymore for I know that his wife is surely waiting for him at home...”
I was merely annoyed by the fact that Elijah got the nerve to say that in front of my face. I can’t believe it. Maybe he’s right. He’s not my friend for Claire had already taken him away from me as well.
“Please... Just change the topic. I had enough of hearing about that from home. I wanted to have a peace of mind even just for today.”
“Sure. Anyways, one of our batchmates organized a high school reunion for all of us. Claire and Gab will surely come.”
“I don’t give a damn about them anymore. How about you? Are you coming or not?”
“I will. This is once in a lifetime chance to meet our old friends and classmates in high school again...”
“Then I’ll go too. When and where?” I asked curiously, only wanting to know about the place so that I could slap it hard to Claire’s face how I can finally socialized with other people without any hesitation or help coming from her.
“I’ll just send you the address and schedule. And also, it was already three weeks from now so you better be prepared.”
I nearly laughed at his statement. His jokes aren’t funny anymore as it was before.
“I’m always prepared, Elij.”
And with that, we sealed our conversation after we finished eating our meals. We talk about almost everything, mostly our stories and experiences inside of the eight years duration in time.
As we walk through outside looking for Elijah’s car, we stopped, before looking at each other. They are so many unanswered questions that I wanted to ask him, but we haven’t had much time left.
“Here’s my new cellphone number. You can call me anytime.” Elijah handed me a piece of paper containing his contact number. I did the same, we exchange our numbers before he offered me a ride home and I gladly took his invitation.
“Are you sure about that? Our house is too far from here...” I asked him, just making sure that he really wanted to take me home.
“Yes, I’m one hundred percent sure. I wanted to take you home.”
I just nodded before he opened the door of his car and I entered inside. He did the same and as soon as we are both sitting pretty inside of his car, he asked something while looking at me with a serious expression plastered upon his face that made my heart stopped for a moment.
“Why haven’t you tell me your name before? You know, I waited for you at the rooftop of the tallest building in our school right after our graduation ceremony but you didn’t come. Tell me, did I do something wrong to you, Kate?”