A Love with Regrets(Full Story)
It is the grand reunion of my old school. The school and the aura are just like when I first step foot of my school, old high school friends.
I did not recognize my old high school friends because of our mature looks because some hit the 30s and some have kids. Until they waved at me and they are so excited to see me in person again. It was 15 years since we graduated high school.
“Hi, Audrey! I missed you so much!” Mary rejoiced.
Mary is my friend at high school that she won the prom queen and the honor student also. Now, she is a Marketing Manager at a newspaper company and she has a family already.
“Hi, Mary! It’s been a long time! How are you? You are looking great!” I said.
“I’m fine. How about you, Audrey? I have seen you always on TV,” she replied.
Yep, I am a reporter/journalist at a television company. I always go out of the city just to get a scoop on everything I have. I always go to the danger zone and some political aspects which is great for me.
“Oh, I’m fine. It was a relief that my boss accepted my day off and just attend the reunion of my high school. I wanted to see you too,”
“After all the years, huh,” Mary said.
“Ummm Mary, can you add me on Facebook? I just returned my Facebook account,” I asked.
“Yeah, sure! Finally, after all the years, you have it!” Mary said.
“Yeah, I was not controlling of myself that time, that’s why my mom decided to remove my Facebook account. Now that I’m 30, I am allowed to do that,” I said.
“By the way, where is your boyfriend? I heard you have a boyfriend,” Mary asked me.
“He will be going to fetch me. He didn’t attend because he wanted me to enjoy hanging out with you,” I said.
After meeting my old friends, I saw a familiar guy who has a past around me. This guy has changed a bit. He is not the handsome guy I knew. I remember something 16 years ago when I am with him. A love that was tragic and marked me in my heart. A love that has a sad ending. Now, I found a guy with who I will spend my entire life. Suddenly, Mary approached me.
“Mary, I have to tell you something,” I said.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I saw James. He is kinda sad,” I said.
“THE JAMES!” she exclaimed. Looking at the direction of James.
“The jerk who broke my friend’s heart. What is he doing here?” Mary fumed.
“Calm down. This is our reunion. Don’t let our past deal with it,” I said.
“But he broke your heart, girl. If only he just had the sense, you and James will be together at this state,”
“I regret what happened 16 years ago. In the lake. If only I loved him more then, he will not find another girl to fill in his heart,” I said.
“I know it’s hard but you must move on, girl. You have a sweet boyfriend and will treat you like a lady. We are all grown up,” Mary advised.
“You’re right, it’s wasn’t supposed to play out that way,” I answered.
Suddenly, the host will announce something to start the reunion party. The music stopped.
“Hello, Sto. Niño High School Class of 2015!! Welcome to our annual reunion for the batch of 2015. Let’s start with the opening prayer followed by a principal’s message,” the host announced.
While they started the reunion party, I remember something that will take me back to the past. The past that started it all. When I was in 9th grade, I have a boyfriend who is James. He was charming, sweet, and gentle. He is a high school basketball varsity player. We met in an accidental practice at the gym wherein the typical meet-cute, the girl fell into the guy’s arms because she slipped. That began our love story.
He always gave me flowers and went on a date whenever there were no classes. I have always a chaperone with my friends because my mom requires me to have a chaperone whenever I have dates with James. He agreed that time and it was heavenly. One day, I never knew, that his love for me, dissipated as I gave him much love that he can’t handle.
“Why do you always bring Mary and Candace when we go out on a date?” James asked me while we are walking towards a fast-food chain.
“Because my mother is really strict. She agreed on having a date with a chaperone,” I answered.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Mary and Candace were in a nearby cafe to look out for us. I love when going out on a date, James is so affectionate and being a loving boyfriend. He is really the boyfriend goal that girls were eventually jealous of me.
We agreed that when we have dates, we will have a chaperone by our side. He always so romantic that I am always head over heels with him.
“Good luck on your test, Audrey!” James said.
“Good luck too!” I said and kissed his cheek for good luck.
I always do that whenever it was exam day. He waited for me outside of my classroom and held his hand to go home. He sometimes treats me ice cream as a reward food. I was always affectionate whenever I am with him. It was like I was in heaven.
“James, why do you choose me as your girlfriend? There are tons of beautiful girls who are for your standards,”
“You are different with those girls. I love you inside and out. I am not after those girls, I am only after your love. You are my life,” James answered.
It was a romantic hang-out. It was surreal that it was like a dream that I will never wake up. I asked myself, what did I do to steal his heart?
When it was his game day, I always cheer for him only. I always got jealous whenever a girl will approach him and give him something to win over. When he won the game, I went towards him to hug him but suddenly, while running towards him, I saw a girl. A girl who is flirting with my boyfriend. She was offering a towel and water bottle. I was shocked, he was smiling at that girl wholeheartedly. It was like he found someone so perfect.
He didn’t notice me that time. Sometimes, when we hang out or go out on a date, he was unhappy and sad. He was like regretting something.
“Is everything alright?” I asked.
“Yeah. Just tired and all,” he answered.
“Just want to say. I love you and I am here for you,”
“Thanks,” that was all his reply with a little smile on his face.
He went on and on. He was not as affectionate and loving as when he was with me. He even swore that time that he will not get tired of my love for him. Now, he is getting tired of me and he is not enthusiastic whenever I am with him or being extra affectionate. I am asking myself, is there someone in his life that will replace me because I don’t live by his standards? I am doing my best for being a good girlfriend to him.
Suddenly, the moment wherein the lake scene happens. I never expect something that made my life changed.
“I have to tell you something,” James said.
“What is it?” I asked. Shivering from nervousness.
“Let’s break up,” James plainly said.
I was shocked. I was really hearing this sad statement. I was ready to be devastated.
“What?” I asked again with my tears falling on my face.
“Let’s break up. I am tired of our relationship,” James plainly said.
“Why?! I never did something wrong. I became a good girlfriend to you and yet this is my reward?” I was crying angrily to him.
“Yes, you did nothing wrong but I have another girl before you and I met,” James admitted.
“So after all this time, you tried to fool me. I LOVED YOU EVERYDAY! To the moment that my life was offered to you! And yet, you just tried to fool me in my feelings,” I am frustrated and angry at the same time.
“No, listen to me. I love you, so much. I enjoy being with you. It seems that I was really a fool that I never chose the girl who loves me so much. I am not the guy that you wanted,” he explained.
I cried so hard to the point that I hit him in his chest.
“Why did you lied to me?! Why did I love you in the first place?” I was in tears while hitting his chest.
He held my hands. “I don’t want you to be hurt. I want you to be happy. Find someone that will make you happy,” he said.
“I am okay to be with you, please, don’t do this to me,” I pleaded
“No, I’m sorry but I need to let you go,” he said.
“It doesn’t play out that way, James. Why?!” I was crying at his knees.
Suddenly, Mary came. She was going towards James and saw what happened to me.
“I KNEW IT! You have another girl before Audrey, am I right?” Mary said to James. Her blood was boiling.
“Yes,”
With that response, Mary slapped James on his face. His face went red and Mary was so fumed with rage that she knows the story.
“That is why I was against this relationship before. I trusted you, James! You betrayed my friend! You jerk!” Mary fumed.
“Audrey, let’s go. You don’t deserve this guy,” she said while helping me pick up on my feet.
I was in great despair. I didn’t see him again after that incident happened. I moved on when I finished high school and I swore to myself that I will never fall with a guy like that. He was happy with his new girl and he was okay with it.
The memory was suddenly stopped when I am still at the reunion party and it was time for the valedictorian speech of mine. It was a bad memory that etched into my heart. When I am delivering my speech, I saw James, in his 30s, and no girlfriend or a wife beside him.
After I delivered my speech, I went to my place with my friends. I remembered my tragic love story with James like watching my own movie.
“I remember my tragic love story with James when I saw him,” I said to Mary.
“He betrayed you that time,” Mary said.
“I know. He is a human, even though he wants me or not. I still forgive him for what he did to me,” I said.
She comforted me and we went to the school hallway to reminisce our memories in high school. Suddenly, James approached us in the school hallways and he was shocked that he met me again for the first time.
“Hi, are you Audrey Mendoza?” James asked me.
“Yeah. The same Audrey Mendoza,” I replied.
“Hey you! James Pahati! You hurt my friend even 15 years passed. I will not forget what happened that moment,” Mary yelled.
“Let me talk to him, please,” I told to Mary.
She agreed and she went to the washroom. I walked with him towards the school hallways and reminisce about our memories. The memories that when we were together as friends and lovers.
“Audrey, I have to tell you something. It was a very good opportunity to meet you again,” James said.
“Are you married? Do you have your happy ending with the girl you love?” I asked.
“I- ummm. We broke up,” he replied.
“Oh, I see.”
We went to the cafeteria and sat down together. We have a moment of silence and James spoke to me.
“Are you married?” he asked me.
“No, but I have a boyfriend,” I told him the truth.
I have a boyfriend when I was new to the journalism world and I found true love again with my boyfriend. I never despise love again.
“That’s great, Audrey. I’m sorry that I hurt you in the past. I left you and just went to another girl. If we never broke up, I could marry you in an instant. I regret everything,” he said.
“It’s okay. We have our scars together but we learned something from each other. I regret what happened but when I realized, love is not always a happy ending. We are soulmates but we are never meant to be together,” I explained to him.
“Yeah. Good for you, Audrey. I’m happy for you,” he said to me.
“I know that you will find someone that will make you happy and will cherish you. I know that you wanted to start over our relationship and regret everything but it will never be the same as before,” I told him.
“You’re right. Maybe we can be friends,” James said to me.
“Yeah. I want us to be friends again.”
We shook our hands and gave our numbers. We went outside of the school to reach the parking lot. My boyfriend is waiting for me in the parking lot and it is time to say goodbye.
“So, this is it. Thank you for everything. It was nice meeting you again,” James said.
“Yeah, it was nice meeting you again. Thank you for everything,” I responded.
We left with no words behind. Love never requires you to have a happy ending but love will find a way to make your life interesting. In my high school years, it was a love story with regrets but now, it was a love story full of lessons. It was a regret for the past but this time, it was worth it the memory of a love that we live.
Fin
