MEBB1 : Three years too late
The last person I expected to see at my cousin’s wedding was my ex-boyfriend - Nathan.
Second to the last? His brother - Damien.
As I sat at one of the tables, I swirled the glass, letting the champagne circle gracefully inside. I looked around and spotted Nathan across the room, talking to girls who seemed familiar.
It was three years ago when he ended our relationship with the words “I need to rethink my priorities.” I remember how broke I was, how devastated I was, and how painful I felt.
It was three years ago, but I still hear my heartbeat, and my stomach still feels like it’s dropping.
“Still drooling over him?” A familiar voice appeared beside me.
I rolled my eyes, ready to snap back at him—until he suddenly pulled me closer, as if we were hugging.
I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. This time, the sound of my heart is louder. Everything became blurry; all I know is I am beside Damien, and all I hear is my heartbeat.
“Am I missing something?” Another familiar voice appeared. The voice that shattered me 3 years ago, the voice that did not think about what could happen to me if he left me.
Damien smirked. “Nothing, we’re just catching up.”
Nathan raised his eyebrow, shifting his gaze between the two of us.
“Oh, I see. Sorry for interrupting.” He said coldly.
Wait, is that bitterness in his tone? Is he affected by what he saw?
“So, I am right then; you are still drooling over him.” That made me go back to reality.
I annoyingly separated myself from him.
“I am not. And why do you care? Why do you have to do that? What’s in it for you?”
“Hey! Chill. Too serious? Guilty much?” in a teasing tone.
I looked away.
“Why are you here anyway?”
He smirked. That smirked thay made him more handsome.
“Your cousin is my brother’s best friend, which happens to be my friend as well,” he said, then winked at me.
For the second time today, I rolled my eyes.
I almost forgot, when Nathan and I were still together, he got close to my family, and since Nathan was so close to Damien, he got close to my cousins as well.
I remembered how they already had their own plans even without me. The whole family accepted Nathan, and I was surprised to see him here. Last time I checked, they were still angry about our breakup.
“Earth to Cally,” Damien said when he saw me spacing out.
I snapped out. “Okay, fine. Just keep your distance from me. This venue is huge. We really don’t have to run into each other.”
I was about to stand up, but he blocked my way with his arm, forcing me back into my seat. He pulled me closer again, this time much more gently, before leaning in and whispering, “What if I like it this way? running to each other like this.”
A shiver ran down my spine. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and my heart started pounding even harder.
Why is this happening? He shouldn’t have this effect on me.
I quickly gathered myself. Even though my knees felt weak, I forced myself to stand and meet his gaze.
“Well, unfortunately for you, I feel otherwise.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “And since when did I give you permission to call me Cally?”
Everybody calls me Sam, or Sammy, or some of my friends call me babe, or dear, or anything as long as it is not Cally, I am fine with it. Cally was given to me by my mom, who passed, so it was very, very special.
I turn my back and walk as sophisticated as I can be without anyone knowing the chaos that is happening inside my heart and my mind.
I went straight to the ladies’ room to gather myself and freshen up.
I look at the mirror, and I see a very beautiful woman. Very elegant, sexy, and captivating. Far from the girl who was broken three years ago.
Flashback
I heard a knock on my door.
“Go away, I do not want to talk to anyone!” I shouted.
Why is it so hard to understand that I want to be alone? The pain is killing me. I want to cry until the pain is gone. I want to shut everyone out because I know no one understands how painful what I was going through.
“We understand, babe. Please know that we are always here.” I heard those comforting words from my best friend Lily.
Probably, she is with our other friends and my cousins. I want their hug, I want to be with them, but at the moment, the pain is too much that I want to take it all.
Right now, all I can hear are his words—“I need to rethink my priorities.” And questions I never thought I’d be asking myself start flooding in.
Don’t I deserve to be a priority too? Did I become worthless that easily? Did I really lose my place in his life just like that?
What did I do wrong? Did I change? Did I become less of what he wanted? Or worse—did I become someone he could no longer choose?
Did I become ugly? Did I gain weight? Did he stop liking my fashion sense?
Suddenly, I was questioning everything about myself—every detail I never used to care about. My looks, my style, even the way I carried myself.
I honestly don’t know how I can surpass this, but I hope I can. Someday.
Present
I felt a tear slip from my eye—pulling me back to reality. I did not realize that it still hurts this much.
But I am wiser now; I should not let my emotions go over me.
I quickly composed myself while looking at the mirror, smoothing out my expression and straightening my clothes.
“You can do this. If someone is going to be shaken by this, it won’t be you—it’s them.”
I walked out of the ladies’ room with my chin up high. I am full of confidence that I can finish this night with flying colors.
Just as I am about to enter the function hall, I see Nathan intently waiting for me.
I take a deep breath and gather all my strength and composure.
I took a deep breath, gathering whatever strength I had left. Then I walked straight ahead, making it clear I had no intention of stopping or talking.
The moment I passed him, I caught him in my peripheral vision.
Was that sadness in his eyes? Guilt maybe? Or disappointed? Well, He doesn’t deserve to feel anything like that. Between us, I’m the one who was hurt, the one who was left. He made his decision for himself—selfish.
I went straight to the table assigned for me, sat down, and listened to the host. I will enjoy this as much as I can. I survived the past three years—one night won’t be too much to endure.
