Accomplishing all the requirements for school, I rewarded myself a long, warm, and relaxing bath for tonight. I felt contentment soaking in my warm bath and a pop music as a background. My eyelids felt heavy, so I decided to close it and take a nap.

I woke up after almost an hour and did the usual things in bathing. Then, I got a towel from the cabinet and put it on my hair to dry.

But then suddenly, the door of my wardrobe was pushed open and a figure appeared; it was Venise my best friend. Rather than getting surprised by her sudden presence, I just stared at her plainly before I heard her screaming and turning her back on me.

I looked down and realized I was only on my boxer briefs. "Damn it," I hissed under my breath, "Stay still."

I heard her say, "Geez. I'm sorry, Mark."

I could only put my clothes in a fast manner. I mean, I told her to never enter my bedroom without my permission even we are best friends. She could have stayed in the living room. Guys have to have their own privacy.

"Okay, done."

She slowly turned to me; her face was still red from what she has seen. I chuckled, walking slowly towards her, "Did my body corrupt your eyes and mind?"

She might have failed to prank me but that doesn't mean I wouldn't get revenge. She stepped back, "What are you doing Mark Tuan," she stated rather inquired.

I trapped her in between my body and the wall, leaning in to her neck. "You smell nice. You've just taken a bath, am I right?"

As I enjoyed sniffing her sweet scent while my eyes are closed, I suddenly felt a tug on my leg and a hand on my shoulder before I felt the cold-tiled floor beneath my back. I sighed, I should've thought this would come; she wouldn't be a black belter in judo for no reason.

She smirked, holding me still. "Avenger, are we?"

"It was a sweet avenge after all," I winked and she twisted my arm a bit, I groaned. "Venise," I called her name in pain.

She stood up, satisfaction drawn on her face. "You should learn martial arts, really," she said as she reached out her hand to help me stand up.

"So, you would have the reason to make me as your dummy? No thanks, dude."

"You need it; you look like a stick, you know?"

I glared at her in which she giggled only; I don’t look like a stick!

"Stick, huh? For sure the image of my hot body was stuck in your mind."

She could only glare at me to which I smirked. I will always win over her silly games.

Silence engulfed the room; I slumped on my bed as I eyed her walking around and staring at my canvas. "She's really beautiful," she commented, touching the canvas of my girlfriend.

I smiled out of nowhere; she's indeed very beautiful. I missed her so much but we weren't really in good terms right now.

"I was wondering why she even chose you," she mocked again and all I did was to throw stare daggers at her. "I was kidding," she giggled before flopping beside me.

"Why are you here anyway?" I asked, well it was already late, and she was still up and outside her pad.

"Let's go out tonight?" Venise asked, grinning widely at me.

I looked at my clock sitting on the bedside table, "Nine o'clock? I don't think so, Ven."

Well, I would prefer lying on my bed by this time. I need enough sleep anyways.

"You've stayed for days to finish your drawings! Come on, you won't let me alone by the streets, right?"

I sighed; I can never win when she speaks like this, talking to my conscience. "Okay, okay." She looked at me as if waiting for my next words. She really knew me well, "We won't take long. Just buy what you were craving for and I'm sending you home," her home was actually on the second floor of this building, so basically we're neighbors.

"How'd you know I was craving?"

I chuckled, "I won't be your best friend for no reason."

I grabbed my trench coat since it was chilly outside and threw her a coat that I outgrew. She smiled seeing it was here favorite color— blue.

We walked down the streets as she was deciding where to go. I swear her cravings were annoying the hell out of me; I mean who wouldn't if she kept muttering foods to eat like a mad pregnant woman?

"Hey, you are not pregnant; are you?" I asked her all of a sudden.

She raised her brows as her eyes widened, "What were you thinking Mark Tuan?"

Oh damn, are you trying to kill yourself, Mark? I need something to distract her right now, or else I'd be a dead tuna. My eyes landed at 7-eleven beside a closed store, across the street, "What about an ice cream, Venise?"

"Oh? Ice cream?" Her eyes scanned the area and I sighed in relief when she dragged me to cross the street.

Before entering, she looked at me sternly. "My treat," I said reflexively as I smiled widely, hoping it was a good payment for what I had said.

As she was busy enjoying her free ice cream, I was trying to contact my girlfriend. We haven't talked for a week after that one night fight, and it was amazing how I was able to manage of not making up with her for a week—or maybe I was too busy to even mind my love life?

"Calling her?" I heard her say, so I looked at her instantly.

"No," I denied.

She flicked my forehead suddenly that I whined for a while, it stung. "Don't lie to me, Tuna. Should we drop by her flat before we go home?"

A smile slowly crept up my face, I'm so grateful to have her as my best friend. I embraced her tight, "Thank you, Ven,you really are the best!"

I stood by the doorstep of her flat, nervous for no particular reason: I was hesitant whether to knock on the door or not.

"I'll do it," Venise said then knocking on the door thrice. "Reconcile, okay? I'm staying by the corner," she gave me a reassuring pat on my shoulder.

I just nodded at her, faintly smiling. Then the door was pulled open, "Macie.”

But she wasn't happy to see me; I can see it in her eyes. This might be the reason why I felt nervous a while ago, "What are you doing here?" Her voice was no longer sweet, it was rather cold.

How did she change by one small fight?

"I'm sorry, I was wrong," I held her hands. It was surprisingly cold, different from what I was used to.

Her hands become cold just like her voice, why is she like this? Doesn't she love me anymore?

I was expecting her to reply but her eyes spoke instead, giving me her cold stares. "You know, I can't do that to you. I love you so much to hurt you, Mace. I'm just here sorry for yelling at you that night," I cupped her face this time, gradually leaning in.

However, she pushed me away. I felt hurt with one single movement from her. "We broke up already, remember?"

"It's up to you if you wanna break up. Go date your ing best friend; I don't care. Just do whatever you want, it doesn't matter to me. I'll just go to sleep."

I knew it was my fault why our situation worsened. I slapped her right after hearing those words about Venise and me: she doesn’t have anything to do between us; she’s not the one to be blamed.

Never did I cheat on her, I certainly can't do that to her. "No, we didn’t break up, I didn’t say so. You were the one who concluded that," I retorted.

She hissed, rolling her eyes at me, "Alright, telling me such as if you didn’t bring her here,” she smirked at me. “You think I didn’t hear you both talking? I am not stupid, Mark Tuan.”

“Why do you have to drag my best friend all the time?”

Macie exhaled audibly, grinning sarcastically, “This won’t make any better and we are not together anymore; what's the point of making up? You go home and don't bother me anymore."

She closed the door with a bang, leaving me staring at nowhere— dumbfounded. We really did break up? Shouldn’t we try another chance? We have been together for two years and just end up like this? It’s unfair, definitely not fair.

“Macie! Come back here! We can’t end up just like this! Please, please, we can’t just end up like this.” I pounded on the door; voice loud until I found myself tearing up which caused my voice to crack up a bit. “Please, Mace; you can’t leave me like this.”

She can’t leave me hanging, she can’t leave me broken, and she can’t give up without even trying, again.

I leaned my back against the door and sat; I felt a hand on my shoulder. Even without looking who it was, I know it was Venise. “Let’s go home now, Mark. It’s getting late.”

I looked up, meeting her eyes. I usually don’t let her see the weak side of me but I was too hurt and weak right now. “We can’t end up like this,” I repeated once again.

I felt like a broken record, right now. Broken, that was apparently me.

“Let’s get you home,” she showed me a faint smile.

The next day, I went to check her in her classroom. She was talking with her male friends, the other one draping his arm on her shoulder. I stood by the door until one of them noticed my presence.

“What are you doing here?” Her greeting to me was a snap with a brow raised, “Can’t you really stop bothering me, Mark?”

“So it’s me again?” I puffed. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you what are you doing? We didn’t officially break up, Macie, and you are here flirting with them?”

She rolled her eyes annoyingly, “We didn’t officially break up, huh? I don’t want you in my life, Mark. Why is that so hard for you to understand?”

“Why you gonna be like this? Why is it so easy for you to let me go?”

“I don’t need to explain to you,” and she turned her back on me but I grabbed her wrist and spun her to face me again. “Let me go,” she tried to break free but I won’t let her go.

“Hey, Tuan!” It was the guy who draped an arm over her; I gave him glares. He smirked at me, “You look desperate, man,” his group of friends started laughing at me. He held my hand, which was holding her, too hard that I reflexively let her go.

“Thanks, Dylan,” Macie said.

Then a dark female voice came by, “And what the hell are you doing to him?” It was Venise, her eyes dark as if ready to fight any time. “Let him go or I’ll give the hell to you.”

He eventually released me and chuckled to himself, “You were just lucky today.”

Venise tugged on my forearm and dragged me out of the building, “What were you doing, Mark? You want yourself to get hurt again and again?” She raised her voice at me.

“And so if I do, you can’t do anything about that, Ven! I want her back. I just want her back! If I didn’t do this, it’s as if I’m taking my life on my own, I can’t live without her. She has been my life for the past two years,” once again, I cried in front of her. I’m such a weakling.

“You’re unbelievable, Mark.” She looked at me as if amused. “What were those seventeen damn years before you met her? You live without her presence since you’re born! Why not live without her again?”

I gulped and settled my eyes on anything but her. I was speechless; I don’t know what to fire back. My mind says she was right but my heart says she was wrong.

I found myself walking away from her; I don’t want anyone by me right now. I just want my