Jessica’s POV

            I enter her room without knocking. As soon I’m inside the room, all the memories come flushing back. She’s sitting in the middle of her bed and jolt up after she realizes who just barge into her room. Our gazes meet and before we can say anything, the bathroom door opens.

            “Je-Jessica.” Tiffany comes out and she’s also pretty shocked at my sudden appearance in her room. This is our first encounter after our argument. 

            I look at her, “I need to talk to Yuri. Would you mind giving us some time alone?” I ask her in the most polite way I can muster.

            She looks at me and to Yuri, then back to me, “Yeah, sure.”

            As she passes me, I put my hand on her shoulder, “I’m sorry for everything I said. I’m really sorry, Tiff.” I was such a for saying those nonsense things to her.

            She looks at me with a smile, “It’s okay, you didn’t know.”

            I smile back at her and she exits the room.

            When I look back at Yuri, she shifted her position and now she’s sitting on the edge of her bed, looking at the wall in front of her.

            “Yul.” Look at me.

            She sits still, not making any movement.

            “Yuri.”

            She turns her head slowly to finally look at me, her eyes full of emotion. Pain, fear, longing, and...... love?

            “Yes?” that voice I miss so much.

            I inhale deeply before I ask her the question I’ve been wondering for weeks, “Why did you lie to me? Why didn’t you just tell me that your mom doesn’t approve our relationship?”

            She looks startle by my question, but then she tears away from my gaze and looks down instead.

            She doesn’t answer me right away. It feels like hours I stand there staring at her, waiting for her answer.     

            “It’s easier that way.” She says in a very soft voice.

            “It’s easier?”

            “If I told you the truth, what could we do? What could you do?” she looks up at me.

            “I don’t know, but at least I wouldn’t-”

            “Hate me?”

            “You hurt me so much that night, Yul.” Remembering the worst night in my life brings tears to my eyes.

            She looks guilty, “Trust me, it’s better if we hate each other.”

            “Do you? Do you hate me now, Yul?”

            She looks down on her lap and doesn’t answer.

            “Because I surely don’t. I hate you for what you said that night and how you avoid me all this time. But deep down I still love you, Yuri-ah. I’m still..... foolishly in love with you.” How much I tried to push back my tears, it manages to come out.

            “Jessica...” she stands up and wipes the tears on my face, “You don’t know how much it hurts me, seeing you and act like nothing happened between us. Talking to you and knowing there won’t be anything happen to us in the future.” She doesn’t make my tears stop, she makes it worse, I cry even harder. I put my hands on top of her hands that are on my cheeks, still trying to wipe away the tears.

            From my blurry vision, I can see she starts to cry also. But then I feel her face got closer and closer until I feel her lips on mine. Oh God, I miss her so much. I start kissing her back. But it doesn’t last long because she realizes what she was doing and pull away. She lets go of my cheek, her arms fall limply on her side, and she takes a step back from me.

            “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t do that.”

            “No, it’s okay.”

            “It’s not okay, Jessica. We can’t be together. No matter how much I love you, we can’t. Things are going so well with my mom, she’s changing. It’s like she’s a different person now, a better person.” I can see a hint of happiness in her eyes, “But at the same time, I also feel empty. I miss you terribly and no matter how hard I tried, I can’t stop myself from loving you.”

            Now she looks lost and confused. I was hoping to hear those words from her so bad, but listening to it now, I felt guilty rather than happy. I can’t be selfish, I have to let her go.

            “I’m so sorry, Jessica. I really am.”

            It takes some time for me to form the right words to say.

            “I’m sorry too. I wish things didn’t turn out like this. I understand if we can’t be friends. But just so you know, you’ll always be someone special to me.”

            Suddenly she takes my hand and opens it. She puts a pinky ring on my palm and closes my hand. That pinky ring was my gift for her on our anniversary.

            “Give it to someone else. Someone better than me, someone that can make you happy.” She tries to smile but her lips are trembling.

            I shake my head, tears starting to pool on my eyes again. 

            She kisses my forehead, “I’m sorry.”              

We were as one, babe

For the moment in time

And it seems everlasting

That you were always be mine

Now you want to be free

So I'm letting you fly

Cause I know in my heart babe

Our love will never die, no

You'll always be a part of me

I'm part of you indefinitely

Boy don't you know you can't escape me

Uuu darling cause you'll always be my baby

and we linger on

Time can't erase a feeling this strong

No way you never gonna shake me

oh darling cause you'll always be my baby

I know that you'll be back boy

when your days and your nights get a little bit colder

I know that you'll be right back baby

Baby believe me it's only a matter of time

You and I will always be

You and I

You and I

Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey