My eyes widened in shock and surprise after I heard the gossip from Shaine. Thoughts are running on my head, but I can't exactly put it into words. Because, after all, it was sudden. Someone we didn't expect to be here returned from a long-time disappearance. And that person brought shock to our nerves. That person ruined the peace that I used to have.
“What can you say about this news?” Shaine asked as we are now walking on the hallway.
My eyes blinked, still can't believe what I just heard from her. “I didn't expect my morning to be like this.”
“To be fair, I can't believe it as well.”
Since class hasn't started yet, it is expected for my classmates to be this noisy. TikTok sound banging on my ears, making me annoyed. After all it's just the same sound being played all over again. My classmates are really fond of TikTok like they can't live a day without it. Gosh!
“How about you? What can you say about her sudden return here in our school?” Shaine started asking our classmates like an interview. I asked her to stop, but she didn't listen.
“I'm not happy to hear it,” Ara replied. She used to be my seatmate before, that's why we became friends. But she and Shaine are more close to each other.
“Why?” Shaine chuckled. “Did you realized how ugly she is? Well, I won't judge you if you think that way. Even me can't accept the news that she's coming back again. Oh, she is already here, actually.”
Ara rolled her eyes as the both of them chuckled. “Yeah. She should have stayed there in the States.”
I just lend an ear while they are busy talking about this girl who just returned from the other country. If they can't accept it, then so am I. I'm a hundred percent against with it. She should have stayed in the States and live a good life there. Her sudden comeback here in our school is not appreciated by many students, including me.
“How about you, Mau? Are you against with it or not?” Shaine asked another classmate. I just shook my head in disbelief. She is really making this interview serious as ever.
“I strongly disagree, like who wouldn't, right? That girl is a wench, and she don't deserve to be here. I'm not happy to see her face. It reminded me of a movie that I refused to watch again,” Mau responded, as I can feel her hate for that girl.
Shaine nodded her head. “A movie, huh? Well, everyone seems to be hating her.”
“If there are few people who don't feel the same, then those were her evil friends. The rest, they hated every part of her,” Mau spot the word like poison. She is talking right now like she's holding a grudge on that girl.
“And how about you, Nancy?” Shaine walked past through the rows of chair and halted in front of our other classmate whose been listening on us since earlier.
“I can't say whether I were to hate it or not. Besides, I never had an encounter with her before. But if she tries to do something funny to me like what she did to others, then I won't hesitate to hate her all my life.”
Shaine's crazy interview goes on, as I only listened to them. She is really a supportive friend of mine since day one. We hate the same people, and we judge them together. But to be fair, our targets are only those who deserve it. We don't touch the innocents, we protect and defend them instead.
“She is indeed a bitch, Ari. Even our classmates are saying the same to her.” Shaine grinned from ear to ear, looking so happy 'bout the interview she has done. Why am I not surprise? Well, my friend hated her ever since before, that's why it's not that surprising to hear Shaine judging her.
I heaved a sigh. “Let's just hope for the better.”
“The bitch has arrived, Ari. Be cautious for she might steal your boy. Bitches are more good at flirting,” she warned me as I only looked away.
Marga, the bitch, has arrived from the States. I heard from the gossipers that she transferred here to our school and will be studying here for good. Now that she's here, my efforts in pursuing Shan will be wasted. No matter how I show all my love for him, I know he's going to choose Marga at the end. Because after all, the bitch was once his girl.
Marga is Shan's ex-girlfriend. According to my childhood friend, she picked her passion over him, that's why he was forced to let her go. Their breakup wasn't that bad after all, and that is a fact that's freaking me out until now. What if Marga returned here because she already realized for once that she can't live without Shan? If that happens, I will be a sad potato. I will be left behind again.
Shan's my childhood friend, and he finds me as someone he can always have every time he wanted to share something. That's why, of all people, I have known more of his pain. He said to me that Marga was his everything back then, and I also witnessed how he suffered after the break-up. Imagine how painful it is for me to hear the guy I like talking about the girl he loves the most. There's nothing I can do but to swallow the pain. I have to remind myself that I'm just his friend.
“I heard that Marga already arrived from the States, is that true?” I asked Shan one time when he visited me at our house. We are seated on the sofa, both facing the murals on the wall.
I know why he's here. Our house has been his sanctuary for the past years. Every time he wanted someone to listen to him, I'm the number one person on his list. But he had no idea how painful it is for me. I kept on listening without him knowing that I'm slowly breaking in the inside. Because we are talking about his girl… not about us.
“Yeah,” he replied, his sigh is as heavy as mine.
I don't know what to react. He might be silent when it comes to that matter, but I know his pain deep inside. Her girlfriend dumped on him just because she loves her passion more than his boyfriend. Isn't that breaking? Any person can be so broken, whether they relate to the pain or not.
“Are you okay?” I asked. But deep inside, I'm secretly chuckling because of how funny my question is.
I'm asking him if he's okay when I don't even know to myself if were also okay. Why not ask yourself, Ari? Given the happenings right now, Marga's sudden return, seeing the pain on Shan… are you sure you're okay?
“I'm fine. You have nothing to worry,” he said in a low tone. I'm glad he's here. At least I can give him even an act of comfort.
His girlfriend who abandoned him before returned suddenly without informing any of us. He was exchanged for passion, for dreams, for selfishness. Shan was hurt, while Marga didn't even think about him when she decided to leave him. She had no idea how painful it is for Shan because she wasn't there those days he almost lost his way.
I'm more worried about him more than I'm concerned of myself. All I'm thinking right now is Shan. What will be his reaction once he stood face to face with his ex-girlfriend? Will he go to hug her tight and say how he badly miss her? I'm afraid he might feel the same pain he encountered before.
“By the way, what are your plans now that she's already here?” I want to avoid talking about Marga anymore, but she is actually the reason why Shan's here. He wanted someone to comfort him. And I was always been there in his side.
He stared into my eyes as he heaved a deep sigh. “I don't know, Ari. I have no idea what to do. I'll just cross the bridge once I get to that.”
“I hope you will find the real happiness in your heart, Shan.” I gave him a tap on his back.
Painful.
While I'm doing my best to comfort him, I'm also feeling the pain secretly.
Comforting him sounded comforting myself as well. After all, Shan is not breaking on his own. I'm here. I'm also hurting.
“It hurts… so bad,” he whispered as he leaned on my shoulder. My heart skipped a bit hearing his sobs. How I wish Marga's here, so she can see how much she hurt him.
“I'm just here for you, Shan. I want you to know that you always have me.”
“Thank you so much, Ari,” he mouthed.