( Alys Prov)
"W-what?"
I couldn't speak for a minute.
Marry him?
He looked at me, bit his already bleeding lip and nodded. "Yes, Alys. Marry me. You love me, right?"
"Tripp..." I trailed off. God! I don't know what to say. Yes, I love him but isn't he being too hasty in what he says? Why does he want to marry me? Because he threatened Drake? What kind of pompous reason was that?!
He smirked and turned his back on me. He put his hands on the back of his head. "So this is where we're going to fall, Alys. Still Drake."
"Stop it!" I shouted at him. "Why are you all Drake?! I'm already here, right? I'm explaining and yet you're being an ass!"
He laughed at what I said. God, what's happening?! Where's the Tripp I know? The one who's just quiet?
"Ass, Alys? Maybe I have the right to be an ass, right? Shit, Alys. 2 years. I spent 2 years chasing you. Then when I finally caught up with you, I spent 2 years wondering if it was really me. Shit, Alys. I've been crazy for 4 years! Maybe I have the right to be stupid at least once!"
I grabbed the water I was drinking earlier and drank it. What the hell! This is all Drake's fault!
"Me? Don't you think about how much effort I put into showing you that you're the one, huh?! All you see is your insecurities! What about me?!"
He turned away from me but I could feel him crying. God, he's shaking. Damn, Alys! You're hurting him!
I wanted to come near him and console him... but I can't. Not now. We're both so confused. Maybe it's because all our issues are only coming out now. I thought we were perfect for each other because you know that? We don't fight. We're always together, always agreeing on the same things. But it turns out, we're both in denial. We want a perfect relationship so we're trying to avoid the issue... Drake.
And guess what? He didn't stop us.
"Alys, leave me alone," he said after a few seconds.
"I don't want to."
"Please."
I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Tripp, it's..."
I was surprised when he pulled my hand away. Damn. It really hurts to be pushed away by the person you want to be with. It's really crazy.
"Leave me alone, Alys. We'll just fight if you don't leave me."
I took a deep breath before nodding.
"Okay," I said. "But I'll be back, Tripp. We're not done talking yet."
I walked out of his office and saw his secretary looking at me. Maybe she heard us shouting, maybe she was surprised that Tripp was shouting. Even though I was surprised too. It was just now... it was just now that I saw him so angry, that he was so angry, he was crying.
Why doesn't he want me to see him cry? It hurts more, eh. I hope he shows me that he's hurting because I'm hurting too. I hope he knows that. He's not the only one who's struggling, I'm hurting too. He's not the only one who loves, I'm hurting too.
I got in my car and cried.
I just want all of this to end. I don't want it anymore. I just want a simple life, I don't want this. It seems like something happens every day. Sometimes I'm afraid to wake up because every time I wake up, something bad will happen.
But I'm also to blame. I started this. You're a jerk too, Alys. You wanted Drake Palma to be your boyfriend, I hope you found out everything that happened next.
From: +63916 1905***
Let's talk.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Ssh, Alys. Calm down," I told myself as I tried to get rid of the shaking in my hands.
To: +63916 1905***
Let's end this madness.
After sending it to him, I drove to where it all started.
"Drake, just... just stop this."
That was the first thing I said to him when I first saw him.
He looked at me like he knew what was going to happen. Actually, he probably did. He took a gamble on me. He wanted to propose even though he knew his cousin and I were together. He thought I was a sure bet. But you're wrong, Drake. We're done. When I told you before that the moment you got in that taxi, we were done, I wasn't lying.
I don't want it anymore.
You're just a pain in the ass.
"What?" That was all he said.
"This. The chasing and the begging and the hurting. Please, I don't want it anymore. Seriously, Drake, that's enough..." I said, almost begging.
I never begged... just once. To him. Then now, to him again. Wow. This is what loving him was all about, all begging.
He shook his head. "I won't stop."
"I don't want it anymore!"
"I don't believe you."
I started crying in front of him. Frustration. Annoyance. Anger. I didn't know what to feel anymore. He wasn't the Drake I knew anymore. The Drake I knew, wouldn't torture me like this...
I went over to him and held his hand. "Drake, if you really love me, please, that's enough...
He also held my hand and looked into my eyes. "I wish I could... but I can't... and I don't want to."
I was slowly losing hope. He wouldn't stop me and I wouldn't let us be like this. I was tired. So tired.
I raised my hand and slapped him.
"Stop begging, Drake! Even if you beg, even if you kneel in front of me, I can't give you anything. Nothing more, you hear? I gave everything to Tripp!"
He was holding his face as I slapped him and he still wouldn't face me. He slowly turned around and I saw the anger in his eyes.
"You think I like begging, Alys? You think I like making a fool out of myself?" He shook his head. "No, Alys. I don't like. I don't like it. You're tired? Damn, I'm more tired than you are! You're always saying how I broke you but did you ever think about me? About what I feel? Damn, Alys. You have no fucking idea what happened to me.
"I left you, yes. Tangina, Alys, I know. Every fucking night I remember the look on your face when I left you. Shit, I always picture you breaking down and begging me not to go. Do you have any idea, Alys? Every. Fucking. Night. Your face haunts me every night. Tangina you don't know how much I want to go to New York and apologize to you. Shit, Alys.
"But of course you don't have any idea. Who am I anyway? I'm just Drake. The guy you loved, the guy who could do without you. I'm just that, right? But do you fucking know that I'm also the guy who cried when he knew you're with his cousin? Damn it, Alys. My Dad hated you for what you did to me. You never saw me, Perez. You never did.
"It's always about you. The way I hurt you, the way you suffered. But what about me? I had no friends, Alys. I had no one. You have Tripp and Tofer. I didn't have anyone. You think that's fair? Tangina, no. Your trick. You were living your life hating me while I was here living mine while wishing you'd come back to me.
"And now you're saying that I'm pathetic? Then yes I am! I'd spent the last four years being pathetic over you, Alys. Four years. What more if I'll be pathetic for the next two days?"
I was sobbing so hard. I don't know anymore. It's a mess... I don't want it anymore... Please, that's it...
He put out a box and handed it to me. "Come and marry me or lose me forever. I'll be pathetic for the last time."
And then he left me, with my heart and mind broken.