Chapter 6

MELISSA QUIZON

"Wright, please answer the call." I sobbed as I waited for Wright to answer his phone. I brushed my hand through my hair. "D-don't do this to m-me."

I felt dizzy, so I immediately went to bed. I felt bad this morning and had only just calmed down this afternoon. I wanted to talk to Wright, but suddenly, my body became heavy. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to go out of my room.

I know Granny was worried about me, but I couldn’t think of anyone but Wright. I didn’t want to break up. When did things go out of control? We were okay last month. He was smiling at me, and he looked happy. How did it turn out like this?

Why did he break up with me? Did I do something wrong? Had I not given everything to him? What was wrong with me?

I was startled when my phone vibrated. I looked at it immediately, and it felt as though my burden was lightened when I saw Wright's name. I opened his message, and my smile faded.

From: Baby

‘Stop calling. Leave me alone! It's over between us.’

My eyes were watering again, and I cried my heart out. Why was he doing this to me? Did I do something wrong? I gave him my all! Was it not enough?

I picked up my phone and typed.

To: Baby

'Why are you breaking up with me? Did I do something wrong? Am I missing something?'

I covered my mouth to keep myself from sobbing. I waited for him to reply, but nothing came. It was Saturday, and it was his free time. I decided to go to his unit today. Again. I wanted us to talk about this. I couldn't let him go. We'd fix this.

We couldn't talk the night he broke up with me because he didn't want to explain. We kept on shouting at each other. I got dressed and groomed myself. I told Granny I was leaving to take care of an important thing. My chest was pounding as my taxi approached the building. I took the elevator. My steps were getting heavier and heavier as I got closer to Wright's unit.

I rang the doorbell, and in just a few minutes, the door opened. My face brightened when I saw the face of the person I loved. I looked down at his body. He was only wearing boxer shorts and looked like he had just woken up. My forehead frowned at the red line drawn on his chest. There were also small red marks on his neck. My smile faded.

"Melissa.” He used to call me ‘baby.’ “Won't you stop coming here?!"

"I-I just want us to talk, Wright. We need to work this out," I begged.

His hand combed his through hair, and he looked at me with so much frustration. "There's nothing to work out, Melissa! We are already done! What do you want me to say so you can understand?"

"No! I do not agree to this!" I couldn’t help but raise my voice. "I need to know why you're breaking up with me! What did I do wrong?"

"Bullshit, Melissa! Go home. You're wasting my time!" he said coldly.

Before he could close the door, I held his arm. He turned to me. The affection was gone in his eyes. "Please, Wright. I need—"

"What took you so long?" a soft voice interrupted what I was about to say.

A woman appeared in Wright's living room. She was wearing a thin nightgown, and obviously, she didn't have a bra. Her skin was white, and she had long hair and a round face. Due to the shortness of her nightgown, her slender body and long legs were noticeable.

She narrowed her eyes when she saw me.

"I thought you two already broke up?" One of her eyebrows rose while she looked at me.

Wright removed my hand from his arm, and he walked towards her. He wrapped his hand around the woman's waist. I felt my heart breaking into pieces. I could not stop the tears from flowing from my eyes. My lips opened a little, and a sobbed escape from it.

"Yes, but she keeps on coming back. I don't know how to make her stop from coming here." Wright kissed her forehead, and the woman smiled.

Is she the reason why he broke up with me? Don't be stupid, Melissa. Don't be a masochist. You've seen it!

"How…I thought we were okay. How did it turn out like this, Wright?" My voice trembled. The tears that I had been holding back were already dripping on my cheeks. "I gave you my all. Where did I go wrong?"

He turned to me. His face was expressionless. "You're boring. Too boring. It’s not your fault that I’ve lost my interest in you."

"Huh?" Boring?

"You're boring. You're boring to talk to, and you're boring in bed." I was disgusted by the smile of the girl who hugged his waist.

My eyebrows met. "How dare you?! I gave you everything! Even my virginity—"

"Wait. It was a gift, right? A gift is meant to be accepted and not rejected, so don't blame me for that, Melissa. It's not my fault you're stupid."

Every word that left his mouth penetrated my heart. I swallowed three times to clear the obstruction in my throat. "D-did you ever love me, Wright?"

All right, Melissa. Hurt yourself some more.

He smirked. "I'm just playing—"

"That's enough, please!" I said quickly. "That's enough. I know."

I turned my back on them and walked away.

That was enough. I didn't want to look stupider and more pitiful in front of them. He was the first one I'd ever loved. I thought we’d be together in the end. I planned my future with him. It was as if my whole body was numb from the extreme pain I was feeling.

I didn't care if my face was covered with tears and many people could see how I looked. By the time I got home, my tears still hadn't stopped. I closed the door behind me. I leaned on it and cried. Why hadn't I noticed that he was playing with me?

I wanted to hate Wright, but I couldn't because I loved him.

Granny was surprised when she saw me. “Melissa? What happened to you?”

I shook my head and hugged her tightly. “Granny, I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry? Why? What’s wrong?”

"For everything. I lied to you. I'm so sorry—"

I suddenly felt dizzy, and the last thing I remembered was the panic in Granny's face before I hit my head on the ground. Everything turned black.

Light greeted me as I opened my eyes. I first saw the white ceiling of the room.

Wait, the ceiling in my room was not white!

I sat up when I realized that I was not in my room—I was in the hospital. My clothes were different too. I noticed my grandmother lying on the sofa at the side of the room.

I stood up and approached her. "Grandma…"

She opened her eyes and was shocked to see me. "Pumpkin, are you okay?! Oh, you scared me! Did you know that?!"

"Why am I in the hospital, Grandma?" I asked her as I combed her messy hair.

She smiled, but I could still see the concern in her eyes. "We'd better call the doctor."

Grandma lay me on the bed, and we waited for the doctor to arrive. We looked at the door, and an elderly man entered. At his side were two nurses.

"Good morning, Miss Quizon. How're you feeling?" he asked politely.

I smiled. "Uhm, I’m okay, doc. I don't even know why I'm here."

"You lost consciousness, and your grandmother took you here."

"It's nothin lethal, is it? Maybe it’s just fatigue."

"Right. That's just normal with your situation right now, young lady."

"Situation? What?" Wait, what was going on? Was I sick?

His smile widened. "It's positive. You're four weeks pregnant, Ms. Quizon. Congratulations!"

"Positi—wait! What?! I-I'm pregnant ?!" My voice raised.

I turned to Grandma; she was also surprised by what she heard.

I didn't know if I should be happy or cry. I tried to be happy because an angel was living in my belly, but I also wanted to cry because the person I wanted to forget had planted a memory in my mind that I would never be able to erase.