STORY 4 :    NECKTIE

 

 

 

“Tiffany!!! Catch!!!”

 

I heard Jessica shouted from a far. I turned around and saw a fast approaching thing headed towards my face.

 

It was already too late. The well lighted room suddenly became dark and a soft dark colored cloth dangled on my head covering completely my sight.

 

There was laughter.

 

A soft and melodious laughter which makes my heart skip a beat everytime I hear it.

 

This is a normal routine whenever Jessi comes to my apartment for a sleep over. This is when professional working girls turned into giddy kids.

 

“Come here….” She patted the empty space on the bed beside her. She opened her arms gesturing me to come near her.

 

“So… what is it that you can’t wait to tell me?” I asked as I crossed my arms above my chest.

 

“Guess what.” She teased. I rolled my eyes.

 

“You barged into my house late in the night. You ruined my beauty sleep. And now, want to play a guessing game?” I told her incredulously.

 

She grinned.

 

“Spill it Jung, or else I will throw you out of my apartment so I could have my sleep.” I taunted.

 

“Tiffany…..”

 

“…………………”

 

“He asked me to marry him….” She said softly with a serious face while looking straight in my eyes. I held my breath in anticipation.

 

He… asked..you…to---------

 

‘Please say you didn’t say yes….’ I silently prayed.

 

But there are times that prayers aren’t enough… especially when what you’re praying for is not really meant for you.

 

We stood there in silence… looking deep in each others eyes.

 

“And?....” I asked.

 

“And I said yes!!!” Her serious face turned into a very happy one. Contented and happy. She giggled and shrieked.

 

I looked down and smiled weakly then looked at her again as she continued to shriek and giggle. I smiled. How could smiling be this painful?

 

This guy… her boyfriend.. and now her soon to be husband.. they’d been together for six years now. This guy, which happened to be our classmate in highschool, courted Jessica on our last year of college and they got official the day before our graduation.

 

I can’t be mad at him? Why should I be mad at him?

 

He took my Jessi away..

 

But still.. I cant hate him. Because she loves Jessica and Jessica loves him. She makes Jessica happy.. and with that, I am happy.

 

Or am I?

 

“I’m so happy Tiff…” She hugged me.

 

I sat emotionless at first, as if hesitant to react.. or just simply froze. Then, after painful seconds went by, my arms moved and trapped Jessi’s body on my embrace.

 

I patted her back and held her tighter. My chin rested on her shoulder.

 

“Am happy for you……..”

 

 

 

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“You know how to fix your tie now huh?” She teased.

 

“Just shut up and finish your tea. My break is almost over and I have to go back to the office.” I said while fixing my tie.

 

“Grumpy old lady. Why don’t you find yourself someone… to become your boyfriend and eventually be your husband. It could make you less grumpy.” She teased more.

 

‘But I already found someone.. someone that I wished to be my girlfriend and then.. eventually becomes my wife.’

 

“When did you learn to fix your necktie?” She asked after sipping the cold milk tea. I just shrugged.

 

“Its good that you finally knew how to fix your tie. You’re a grown up lady now and I was fixing your tie since middle school.” She scoffed.

 

“And I------“

 

“Yeah yeah.. You still fix my tie when I started working at the office.” I cut her off.

 

“I’m proud of you.” She teased again.

 

I finished fixing my necktie and looked at her.

 

“I had to learn to do this Jessi. I shouldn’t rely to anyone anymore with just a simple task.”

 

‘And I have to get to use with you not fixing my tie anymore. I can’t rely on you to fix my tie forever.’

 

“That’s my girl!” She pinched my cheeks.

 

“Aish! Stop it.” I slapped her hands away from my cheeks. She laughed. The soft melodious laugh that I adore.

 

“There’s your future husband. Run into his arms. Shoo!” I said when I saw her fiancé outside the café.

 

“Don’t miss the party okay?” She said while standing up.

 

“I know. I’ll be there. Tonight will be your last night before you enter a married life. Why would I miss that?” I said while smiling.

 

She stepped out of the café and went straight to her fiancé’s arms. Their lips met and I looked away for a moment.

 

‘Why do I have to see that?’

 

When I looked back at them, they were both looking at me with a smile in their faces. I smiled and waved at them.

 

There it is again. How could smiling be this painful?

 

I watched her retreating figure… holding hands with the man she loves.

 

I watched her. I could only watch her because she’s not mine anymore. Oh well.. she’s not mine to begin with anyway.

 

I closed my eyes and bowed my head. A genuine smile formed in my lips as a let out an audible sigh and shook my head slowly at the same time.

 

I looked at the fading figure of the woman that I fell in love with. My eyes were fixated at her until she totally went out of my sight.

 

I sighed with a smile again as I looked up in the blue sky. It hurts…. It hurts so much for the fact that we couldn’t be together.

 

It hurts so much for the fact that I really love her.

 

Its too late…..

 

I have to let go.. even if I don’t want to.

 

 

“You’re doing it the wrong way.”

 

I tore my attention from tying my necktie and looked at the direction of the voice, which actually just beside my left ear. My eyebrows formed a single line once our eyes met.

 

“………………………..”

 

“Your tie…” She said softly like afraid to even move her lips. Her warm breath tickled my own lips. And then I realized how close our faces were. So close that our lips could touch when we speak.

 

I creased my eyebrows and scooted back a little.

 

“You still don’t know how to tie?” She asked smugly.

 

“Its not my fault that our school uniforms have neckties.”I answered.

 

“You’re lucky I’m here to help you…. Or else you won’t be able to enter the gate of our school.” She proceeded in fixing my necktie. She stood so close to me. I closed my eyes as I inhaled her minty smelling hair.

 

“Well… I didn’t asked you to.” I scoffed.

 

“There… finished!” She beamed at me after fixing my tie .This girl is weird… in a nice way. I suppressed a smile.

 

“You tied it nicely.” I said while inspecting my necktie.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I like it.. do you mind fixing my tie from now on?” I asked teasing her. Her face showed confusion and disbelief. I laughed.

 

“Nah! I’m kidding. Thankyou for fixing my tie. By the way… I’m Tiffany.” I offered my hand to her and she gladly accepted it.

 

“I’m Jessica. It’s nice to know you. Now, I got myself a new friend on the first day of class in middle school.”

 

“Yeah… I’m also glad. Atleast I won’t be alone at the first day of school.”I held her hand and we started to walk towards the gate.

 

“And I would have someone to fix my necktie everyday.” I added. She hit my arm playfully.

 

“……………………….”

 

“………………………..”

 

We entered the school grounds.. holding hands… fingers interlaced.

 

“You really don’t know how to fix your tie?”

 

“Yeah……………”

 

“From now on… I’ll be fixing your tie.”

 

 

Now that I know that its time to let her go.. because now.. I know how to fix my necktie on my own.

 

 

 

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