ღHello, Exღ

I’m so happy today! Mhyko and I are going on a date at our favorite hangout spot—Bo’s Coffee. It’s a quaint little coffeehouse just near our college campus back when we were students.

I picked a violet dress to wear today—he told me it’s his favorite color. Mine’s polka dots, so I chose a casual polka-dotted dress. I braided my hair into pigtails, slipped on violet doll shoes, and of course, wore my nerdy glasses since I can't see well without them. Mhyko once said this look suits me, so I honestly don’t care what others think. As long as he loves how I look, I’m happy.

My phone lit up on the side table beside my bed. I just knew it was Mhyko. I grabbed it with excitement and read his text.

I’m here! Where are you?

Oh my God! He’s already there! IHHH! Mhyko really loves me—he couldn’t even wait to see me! IIIIHHHH!!!

BLAG.

“Ate, can I borrow your laptop?” asked Cyrus, my annoyingly handsome brother who can’t even admit his feelings to a girl. Sigh. #TorpeProblems

“It’s on top of my study table. Be careful—it’s charging,” I reminded him. He has this habit of leaving the charger plugged in, and I always end up unplugging it.

“Thanks, ate! (^_^) … Oh, you're all dressed up…” He looked at me from head to toe, grinning.

“Mhyko and I have a date today. I’m excited!” I said, giggling.

He raised an eyebrow. “I can tell. Good for you. Text me when you’re on your way home. I’ll pick you up.”

“Why?” I asked, confused.

“Basta,” was all he said before leaving the room. That was odd. I mean, Mhyko has a car—he usually takes me home. Why would Cyrus offer to pick me up? And why did his smile look so... forced?

Anyway, I'm just so excited for this date. It's our third anniversary, and I feel like Mhyko has a surprise for me. I can't wait!

At Bo's Coffee

When I arrived at the coffeehouse, my eyes immediately searched for him. I looked around until my gaze landed on a familiar figure sitting with his back to me in our usual spot.

Then I froze.

He wasn’t alone.

There was a girl with him—a pretty one at that. She looked classy. My heart started pounding. I didn’t want to assume the worst, but I had a gut feeling, and it wasn’t good.

Just to be sure, I called his number.

"Hello?"

I didn’t turn to look at the guy immediately. Instead, I sat quietly near the counter, hidden from their sight. But when I heard his voice, I peeked and saw it—he was the one holding the phone to his ear.

You're kidding, right?

"Wh-what are you wearing?” I asked, trying to mask the tremble in my voice. “So I can find you easily…”

The girl beside him motioned, asking who he was talking to. He just shushed her and chuckled.

"I’m wearing a blue polo shirt."

The tears came uninvited, sliding down the corner of my eye. I looked away, trying to stay composed. I wiped them with a tissue and fixed my makeup. I didn’t want him to see that I cried.

Then I noticed someone watching me from the left—a guy wearing a cap and sunglasses, sipping apple juice, staring right at me. I was the only one nearby, so I was sure he was looking at me. I stared back for a moment but eventually looked away. I had to face Mhyko.

The Confrontation

“Hi!” I greeted when I finally approached their table.

The girl turned to me first. She was... beautiful, but I could feel the bitchiness in her aura.

Then Mhyko looked up. My boyfriend—at least, for now.

“Sorry I’m late,” I said, pretending everything was fine.

“No, it’s okay. Sit down,” he offered—but instead of letting me sit beside him, he pointed to the seat across from them, moving the girl next to him.

My brows furrowed. “Isn’t this the wrong seat? I’m supposed to be beside you—I’m your girlfriend, remember?” I emphasized the word.

“No, it’s fine. I prefer you sit there.”

I held back my tears and sat where he told me.

“I won’t order. I have somewhere else to go after. Can we just go straight to what you wanted to say?” I asked, glancing at the girl who chuckled. I clenched my fists. She was laughing at me—probably because she thought she was prettier. But she had poor grammar, and that alone screamed "no class."

“Uhm, Cyline...” Mhyko finally spoke. “I’m breaking up with you.”

Wow. Just… wow.

Straight to the point. Brutal.

A tear fell down, but I kept a strong face.

“Really? Why?” I asked. I already had an idea, but I still wanted to hear it from him.

“Because—”

“Because he doesn’t love you,” the girl butted in.

I glared at her. “Was I talking to you?”

“No, but I already knew what he wanted to say,” she replied, gripping Mhyko’s arm. “He not love you anymore. He foul out of love, ganun. You understand?!”

Don’t make me slap you, sis.

“Please. Don’t speak English. It’s embarrassing.” I turned back to Mhyko. “Mhyko, why are you doing this? Did you like her that much that you had to leave me?”

He opened his mouth but said nothing.

“She has no fashion sense, no sexiness,” the girl chimed in again. “Unlike me.”

She tossed her hair and showed off her cleavage. I rolled my eyes.

“Oh really?” I scoffed. “What you’re wearing now? Bought with my money. Your classy look? Funded by me. Your glam is fake. Your brain? Non-existent.”

“What did you just say?!” she asked, clearly offended.

“I said you’re living off the money I gave him,” I pointed at Mhyko. “That makes you cheap.”

Silence.

“Tell me, Mhyko,” I said coldly. “Did you use the money I gave you to buy her stuff?”

He looked away and… nodded.

Even the girl beside him looked shocked. So she didn’t know either. Ha! Classic.

“Wow,” I laughed bitterly. “Thanks for fooling me. And today, of all days? Our third anniversary? You should’ve broken up with me sooner if you knew you didn’t love me.”

“Cyline... I tried. I really did. I liked how you treated me, how you accepted me even though we came from different worlds. But when you said you loved me… I felt guilty. Because I didn’t feel the same.”

He paused.

“I tried for two years, but... I couldn’t love you the way you loved me.”

“So when did you fall for her?”

“Last month.”

“And you’ve only been together... since last week?”

“Yes.”

“You mean to say that in a week, you fell harder for her than you ever did for me in years?”

He nodded again.

That was the final blow.

“You should’ve broken up with me the moment you realized your feelings. But no—you waited until today. Because you never loved me to begin with.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t. Don’t say my name. Don’t call me. Your voice makes me sick,” I snapped, putting on my glasses and wiping away tears.

“But I swear—I'll become more gorgeous than that girl. I’ll change everything. I’ll show you what you threw away.”

I stood up, walked away—then remembered something.

I turned back.

He looked up just in time—SMACK.
A sharp, satisfying slap landed on his cheek.

His reward for fooling me.

I’ll make sure you regret this.

ღTo Be Continuedღ