Chapter 20 - Distance

I miss Glace. She has been avoiding me for days now. We still sat side-by-side in school, but for some weird reason, she’d avert her gaze from mine or excuse herself whenever I’d request to talk. I thought I could ask her to hangout over the weekend but she wouldn’t answer my calls. She wasn’t at her place either.

I was beginning to get worried. She has been like this since the day of the dinner date with Rick. I wanted nothing else than to talk to her. To ask her what was on her mind or if she was getting tired of me. But I simply had no opportunity to do so. She refused to give me one.

That was why when Friday came, I cornered her inside the classroom after the bell rang and asked my two best friends if they could get rid of anyone who would attempt to stalk Glace. Like promised, the two of us were left in the classroom. Perfect.

“Baby,” I said while giving her a confused look. “Are you avoiding me? Please be honest.”

Her face formed a deep frown but she didn’t look directly in my eyes. Something was definitely wrong. I could feel it. “What are you talking about Dulce?” she asked.

Forgetting where I was, my body moved nearer to her, until we were only inches apart. I touched her chin and tilted her face to mine so she could not escape me. “Please look at me,” I said sadly. “I miss those coffee colored eyes.” My heart fluttered helplessly against my chest. Was she not in love with me anymore?

She maintained a poker face, but her eyes betrayed her. Clearly she was guilty of something. “I miss you too,” she whispered and cupped my cheek. “I love you Dulce.”

Like always, her confession of love gave me a jolt of electricity in my body. However, this time it was a combination of thrill and sadness. It felt like she was hiding something from me. Oh God please don’t let it be another woman, I thought in horror.

“If you really love me, then please stop running away from me Glace. I know that something is bothering you. Tell me what it is so we can work it out. Did I do or say something that you didn’t like?”

She cleared her throat. “It’s not you, it’s-“ I didn’t let her finish her sentence. I wouldn’t. “Please don’t,” I said in a raspy voice. “Please don’t tell me you don’t love me anymore Glace.” My eyes squeezed shut involuntarily. I was absolutely terrified of what she was going to say. I wouldn’t know what I’d do if she said those words.

“God no,” she said before embracing me in her arms. She was warm and soft. Just like always. “Falling out of love with you is simply impossible Dulce. It’s like telling me to kill myself. I don’t want to be strangers. Not again.”

“Then what’s the problem?” I asked in a trembling voice and bit my lip to stop myself from crying. Her left hand gently rubbed my back in a circular manner which soothed me in an instant. She was the only one who had the power to break me and pull me together.

She removed her embrace and held me at arm’s length. “I just have a lot of things in my mind right now. Be patient with me baby. In time, I’d find a solution to the problem and we can finally be together without any distractions. Trust me please.”

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. “I wish I know what you’re talking about Glace. Won’t you tell me what’s been bothering you so I can help?”

For a second there, I saw her considering the prospect, but she quickly shook her head in a silent no. “Telling you will just complicate things Dulce. So all I’m asking you right now is to trust me.”

My mind battled it out. Should I just leave it at that? But I loved her and when you love a person, you should always find it in your heart to trust. Even if it was scary. “Okay. I trust you,” I said. “But please don’t avoid me anymore yeah?”

“Uh huh,” she replied and gazed deeply in my eyes with such love that I totally forgot I was still in school. We were about to kiss when Tim entered the classroom. “Sorry to cut your lovey dovey action guys but the guard is making his rounds. We need to leave.”

Glace and I nodded to Tim and watched him leave the room again. I turned to my girlfriend. “Can I go to your place?”

“Sorry baby, I have somewhere to go today. Maybe another time.” My shoulder slumped in dejection. I thought everything was going to be fine between us. Apparently not. When she saw my reaction, she hurriedly fished out something from her jeans pocket.

“Here,” she said while handing me a keychain. I stared at her in confusion. “What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s the key to my house. That one over there is for the gate,” she said while pointing to the thingy that had buttons. “Since my gate is electronic, you just have to push that so you can activate it and go in. Don’t make another copy. It’s one of your girlfriend privileges.” Her eyebrows wiggled.

Despite my earlier sadness, I couldn’t help but smile at what she said. Glace was so cute when she was like this. “What are the other privileges?” I asked playfully and trailed my finger on her neck. I knew she was sensitive there.

Her breath hitched but she was able to say, “You saw me naked.”

I kissed her gently on the neck, making her freeze. She also moaned-slash-gasped at the action which I found to be really sexy. “Your body was perfect. I can’t wait to explore it,” I teased. I wasn’t usually like this but damn I missed her so much.

Before she could respond to my suggestions, Patty entered the room. “Guys we really need to go,” she said with a worried expression. I sighed. “Okay Patts, we’re right behind you.”

I turned to Glace. “I’ll wait for you to figure things out okay? Do what you have to.” She nodded in agreement and both of us exited the classroom. After leaving in our own rides, I went straight home and shut myself inside my room. I really needed time to rest. The whole thing was exhausting.

Come Wednesday afternoon the very next week, I called someone who I thought I’d never contact on my own. I really needed her help. If you’re asking me why, I’d just say that Glace got worse. For some reason, she avoided me even more and I couldn’t take it anymore. It was time to get advice from someone who knew her.

“Hello Eris, it’s me.”

“Who?” she asked from the other line.

“Dulce,” I replied impatiently. Honestly though, how could she not recognize my voice? The girl was crazy. I wonder how Patty fell for her.

“And who is that?” she asked again. “What the fudge Eris? It’s me Dulce, Frio’s girlfriend. Are you high or something?”

“Chill virgin girl. I was only kidding. God, kids these days,” she said. “Well what do you want?”

“I’m not a kid,” I retorted. “And let’s meet up at the park.”

Without another word, Eris hanged up. I wasn’t sure if she got what I said or if she was coming at all, but I went to the park nonetheless to wait for her. After 20 minutes, she catwalked in the area and sat beside me on the bench. Thank goodness no one else was here. People would think she was a very pretty model, or a loony girl who escaped mental.

“Why did you want to meet up?” she asked while crossing her long legs. “I’m a busy person you know. If this is about sex then forget it. I have a girlfriend right now who I’m planning to bang, err. . . Uhm make love to, yes that’s the term, very soon. You’re cute but no thanks.”

I raised my eyebrow at her. “I’m not going to ask you for sex. And for you information, that girl you’re planning on banging or whatever is my best friend.” I watched as her mouth opened in surprise. “That’s right Eris. Patty is my friend and if you ever break her heart, I’m going to make you cry too. I’ll make sure of that.” I threatened.

“But I’m not here for that,” I sighed. “I’m here to ask you something.”

Eris composed herself and asked, “What?”

“Do you know about Glace’s childhood sweetheart?” I asked with a frown. “Forget that. Do you even know what’s bothering Glace right now? She’s been so withdrawn that I’m beginning to suspect that there’s another woman.”

Eris thought for a while. “I do know that Frio is in love with a woman. But I’ve never seen another girl that she’s so crazy for aside from you, so I can’t tell if she has another girlfriend on the side. What I do know however is Frio will never cheat on you.”

“How can you tell?” I said.

“Frio has been very cold to other people since I’ve known her. From the beginning, that girl has been a great actress. She’s able to portray any role given to her, whether a daughter, a lover, or whatever the director asks of her. But as soon as the camera stops rolling, she’d go back to being the ice princess. Why do you think they named her Frio? It means cold as ice. Kissing her on scenes wasn’t allowed too. She made it clear that she’d only pretend to kiss an onscreen partner.”

“Anyway, what I was trying to say is, you’re the only one she was sweet to. Believe me Dulce, you should see her with other people. She’s different with you and I just know that she’d never do anything to destroy what you have. This is coming from a person who knew her since way back.”

I let out a breath. “But she’s been so withdrawn lately that I don’t know what’s what anymore. She wouldn’t tell me the problem either. If she’s not cheating on me, then what’s going on?”

Eris stared at me seriously. “You’re the only one who can answer that,” she said. “We don’t know what she’s thinking right now, but I think if you really want to, she’ll open up to you.”

I nodded and glanced at Eris. “You know, I never thought that I could talk to you like this. You’re quite different from what I’ve imagined. Who knew that you’re not a total weirdo after all.”

“Who said I was weird?” she snapped.

“Well you do catwalk everywhere you go. Is that a habit of yours or what?” I said with a smile. “Does Patty find that endearing?”

Eris blushed profusely at my question. She really got a soft spot for my best friend. “I’ve been modeling for years Dulce, so it’s just natural that I pick up on the catwalk thing.” She stared on the ground and sighed. “But I try not to do it in front of Patty. I feel self-conscious around her.”

I patted her leg sympathetically. “I know what you mean. When I met Glace, I was the same way. In fact, I still feel shy around her. But that will change right? My best friend is a laidback person so you won’t have problems with her. Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Promise me that you won’t do anything to make her cry.” She smiled at me in a very Eris way while flipping her red hair over her shoulder. “That’s going to be easy,” she said.

“And don’t ask her to have threesome with another person either. I swear I’ll poison you if you do that.”

“Of course,” Eris said with a roll of her eyes. “And how about your problem with Frio, what are you planning to do?”

I squared my shoulders and tried to sound as confident as possible. “I’m going to have a heart-to-heart talk with her. It’s time I know the truth. See this?” I said while showing her the key to Glace’s house. “I’m going to use my girlfriend privilege to corner her.”