Chapter 11:

I stumbled upon a quote from this famous book. ‘You’ll never know what true love is until you’ve experienced heart ache.’

I never knew what those words meant. I read past through it and finished the book without even thinking twice about that sentence. However, now I realize how true those 13 words are.

Cause right now, my heart is aching like it’s been stabbed, drowned and burned a million times. I don’t even know if it’s possible. But it ing hurts.

I was staring at my algebra book for god knows how long, but my mind kept replaying that night in my head.  Jiyong’s face as he stared at me then a girl suddenly loops an arm around his elbows. I was about to walk towards them but I froze on my spot when that girl rest her head against his shoulder while she giggled and talk to another girl. All these were happening, and Jiyong stood there, still looking intently into my eyes, oblivious to the girl intimately holding him.

Who is she?

Why is she so close to him?

“Dara, are you ok?” I heard Bom’s voice beside me.

I quickly shook my head and glance at her. “Y-yeah.”

“You’ve been awfully quiet for days now. Something wrong?” worry etched on her face.

I nod and glance back at my algebra book, afraid that she’ll see through my stupid lie. I am not ok. My heart feels like a million needles are relentlessly prickling on it. And my eyes stung as I fight against the tears that want to pour out of my eye socket.

It’s been three days since that night I saw Jiyong at the club.

We haven’t talk since then. Well, it’s partly my fault, I’ve been avoiding him since then. After I saw him with that girl, I hastily hopped inside Siwon’s car and never looked back. They drop me back at Chaerin’s house and found my phone with 12 missed calls from Jiyong. I never returned his call nor text him back. I shut my phone off over the weekend and made sure I was nowhere to be found in my house by crashing at Bom’s place most of the time.

I don’t know what I’m doing. Heck, I don’t even know if I’m still thinking straight.

No one can blame me, I was never prepared for this, first I fell 'in-like', then I recently realized I really fell in love with him right after I saw some other girl on his arm. Is this what they call jealousy? Or is it just me being self-fish, thinking that I don’t like the idea of sharing what is mine.

Yes, Jiyong is mine. And that girl is shamelessly clinging and holding onto MY boyfriend. I’m the only one who’s got the right  to rest my head on his shoulder and loop a hand on his arms. And what hurts the most is that Jiyong let her.

“Yah, Dara-ah. You can always tell us anything, you know that?” I heard Chaerin said. I looked up and saw her concerned face in front of me as she sat on her desk. And Minzy was staring at me the same way.

“Guys, I think I need to break up with Jiyong.” I suddenly blurted.

“What??!” Minzy asked dumbfounded.

“Wait? Is this why you’ve been out in the zone for days? Why?” Bom asked.

I saw Chaerin’s blank expression, waiting for me to tell more. I felt a lump formed on my throat, and the stinging sensation on my eyes had worsened. “I think he’s cheating on me.”

My friends were about to bombard me with questions when our teacher suddenly walk-in and asked us to open our textbooks.

“Let’s talk later.” Bom whispered as she softly squeeze my hands. I timidly nod. Minzy and Chaerin hesitantly turn their back and face the black board.

..

“You two should talk this out.”

“No, I think it’s a good idea to break up with him”

“I agree with unnie, that doesn’t need an explanation. He was clearly cheating on her.”

“Maybe she’s just a friend, we’ll never know until you two talk!” Bom is now irritated.

Minzy and Chaerin are adamant on my idea of breaking up with Jiyong, but Bom, who’s always been protective of me, is surprisingly on Jiyong’s side.

“Bom, what are they suppose to talk about? It was crystal clear that he was at the club with that girl. And even if she was only a friend, why was she like that and why didn’t Jiyong do anything about her, most especially when he saw his girl friend looking right at them?” Chaerin said her voice seething with anger.

All four of us are now ‘calmly’ talking inside the cafeteria. (Note the sarcasm) I haven’t had the chance to voice out my opinion ever since I finished telling them what happened that night, the three of them had been on a deadly debate. 2 against 1.

“Dara, you’re smart enough to think that this situation could get out of hand if you two don’t talk. If what you really said about you being in love with him is true, then you have all the right reasons to hear him out! And don’t forget, you weren’t supposed to be there in the first place too, maybe he’s thinking the same thing about you being in a club instead of studying at Chaerin’s house that night!” Bom said, frustration evident in her every words.

Chaerin grab my hand. “Dara, don’t listen to her! She’s under the spell of ‘Love being so perfect and all flowery’. If a boy cheats on you, he automatically terminates every right to talk to you or even see you.”

“Unnie is right. For all we know, he’s been seeing that girl under your nose.” Minzy added.

I saw fire balls spitting out of Bom’s eye as she glares at the two. “TRUST! This thing should exist between couples!!” She screamed and faced me. “Dara, you love him right?”

I nod.

I saw Chaerin rolled her eyes. Minzy scoffed.

“Then you should at least trust him. Right?” Bom’s soft voice resonate inside my head.

Trust?

Yes, I do trust him for the past few months we were together. I never entertained such thoughts that he might be seeing other girls in his university, even though I know that he’s got the looks, talent and all the right attitude every girl wants in a guy.

But, apparently, I was wrong.

“Yes Bom I trust him.” I choke on my words as I felt the lump on my throat came back. I want to cry, but I fought the urge. I’m at school. I never cried outside the comforts of my room. No one ever saw cry, not now. Not ever.

“You still love him?”

I nod again. Yes I ing love him!

“Then talk to him!” Bom said as she shoves her phone in front of my face.

And my eyes widen in shock when I saw Jiyong’s name flashing on the screen. Apparently, my good ol’ Bom-omma, had the initiative to dial Jiyong’s number in my behalf. Oh joy.

..

I nervously clutched on the strap of my bag as I walk towards a café on the corner of the street, where, if my hunch is right, Jiyong is already inside waiting for me.

After Bom, ingeniously made me talk to Jiyong on her phone during lunch break, Jiyong asked if we could meet and talk after class. In my shock and bewildered state, I agreed.

Bom triumphantl