Reaching The Brightest Star

CHAPTER SIX

Chloe

The Unexpected Encounter

Thunders of emotions fill my chest whenever our eyes meet. It sent shivers down my spines that I couldn't help to stop. I might surrender and just run towards him to embrace him with my sorrow. Seeing him again after six years felt like home. He is the only man who can affect me like this. Many years have passed and I'm still into him.

After I'm done drying my dress, I went back to our table as if nothing happened. I lost my appetite when I felt the aura that surrounds them. One look and I already know that I don't want them near each other. 

They are just sitting beside each other. What more if I see them kissing? I'm gonna die, probably. But we can't stop that, they're in a relationship after all. 

I played with my new soup that the waiter served when I'm gone. I don't feel like eating this anymore. 

"That Dorothy Salazar is an example of a desperate b***h," I turned to my friend Laura who's pointing her finger across our table. She's secretly pointing at the woman beside Marco. 

"You're pregnant, Lauren. Don't stress yourself." Bethany warned her. 

"True! I heard that Marco drove her away but her face was too thick and she didn't even move." Isabella agrees with what Lauren said. 

"He drove her away before, did he still do that until now?" Bethany sarcastically questioned. Isabella glared at her.  

"It's really like that when you're like a leech's family. For sure, it's the money she's chasing!"  Everly looked at Dorothy as if she was ready to rush and shave her head.

"Her family is wealthy. I'm sure that it's not about the money." I said. 

I can sense her genuine feelings towards Marco. I can see that every time he looks at the young man.

"What you said was true. But I just don't really like to see them close together." Lauren works for Marco's company as an interior designer. She probably always sees the two together even in the office.

"Let it pass, guys. Let them be. The important thing is that we are all together now." I smiled as I said those. Desperate to hide the pain I feel inside.

"That's really the job of the leech. Even if you don't like it, it still sticks." Everly butted again.

"We don't know if the leech's favorite body has given up as well," Bethany said.

"Beth, what's your problem? You've been disagreeing with us before." Isabella couldn't stop herself from speaking. Bethany just shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to sip the soup in front of her. 

“Wilder told me that the two have been fixed for marriage,” Bethany added. 

"I'm not really a fan of those fixed marriages! That's life-destroying!" Monica hisses in frustration.

She experienced such a scenario in her life before. So that’s her point of view about that. I still remember how she cried every night while begging her Italian grandfather to withdraw the command.

"Let's stop right there. They might hear us." I gently remind them. I can see their dissatisfaction with their actions and words. But what can I do? I can't control their opinions.

I just looked at them alternately as they talked about the woman beside Marco. They look good together, I assumed. It was as if they were destined and now they are doing the right thing to fill in the blanks in their lives. Reconciled or not, she is still happy when she is with him. I can see that.

I was having a hard time, it was too painful to see him with others. I used to tell myself that I would be happy when I saw him in the company of others. But I couldn't. Heaven might punch me in the face with everything that I said.

He's happy with her and I can see it in them. They were like royalty in their own kingdom. I've been gone for too long. I don't know how much they have fallen for each other in my absence. Were they friends before he courted her? Is there a need for courting? I have no idea how the two of them are fixed. He never mentioned anything about it before. She was chosen by his family for him. She must be that likable. 

I really hope it was me. s**t! I can't help but envy her. 

I lost my appetite for all the food that was served on our table. Especially when I am seeing them across our table. My heart is pounding so loud. He was so gentle on her. 

"Where are your husbands? Your fiancé?" I stuttered. I need to divert my attention to stop my pounding chest. 

"They were probably with their friends, we let them have some fun on their own." Bethany answered. She slurped her soup in an elegant manner.

"My fiancé is in Romblon. He's busy preparing for our wedding next week." Monica was blushing every time we talked about her fiancé and the upcoming wedding. She's so happy because finally she will be getting married soon. She is the youngest in my group of friends.

And I can't believe that she will get married first before me! As if I have a plan? I don't even have a boyfriend to propose to me for a marriage. 

"How about you Chloe Scarlet? Any plans? And when?" Lauren must be referring to my own wedding which will never happen. 

"I don't have a boyfriend," I answered awkwardly. 

"Don't lie to us!" Isabella exclaimed.

"I didn't lie," I said. 

"Don't you have any thoughts about having your own family?" Lauren asked me. 

"No. I'm not yet ready." That's the only answer I can give to them for now. I didn't even know how to answer their question. They were all looking at me, measuring my expression. I can see their humor and ghost smiles on their lips. They will not give up interrogating me, I swear. 

"Come on! You're successful now. What else do you want to achieve?" Everly said. 

"Marriage is not yet written in my vocabulary, that's all." I answered. 

"If you wait for yourself to be ready, you'll have to wait forever." Bethany said.

I stared at her for a moment. I couldn't imagine that I would be hearing that from her. I have known her even though I'm away. She always tells herself that she's not ready for commitments such as marriage and family.

"Speaking of success, tell us your story! I heard your name was raining all over Norway!" Monica said. This is also hard to answer. It's not true that I was famous in Norway. I am still nothing from my friend Gab. He's five times more famous than I was. 

"I am not really that successful," I answered. I feel the awkwardness shadowing me. 

"What? I've watched some international news on TV. And I was not wrong when I happened to see you there!" Everly added to the conversation.

"It was one time. And a very short exposure." I simply answered. 

"Why?" They asked in sync. I burst into laughter. 

"My friend Gab was an internationally famous tycoon's son. We hang out often. We already know what the media does, everything about him will be covered in their platforms." I said. 

I once remember when I was harassed by a reporter in Oslo. She want to interview me but I refused. She grabbed and pulled me towards her to make me answer all her questions. Luckily that Gab was with me that time so I was protected by his bodyguards as well.

That's when I started learning Martial Arts. Gab encouraged me to defend myself from that kind of person. I don't like violence but I need to if it's necessary.

"Oh! Your friend is rich." Everly hissed. I turned to her and her meaningful stares and smile were creeping me. 

"Filthy rich," Bethany said.

"Wow," everyone recited. 

"And your career? Care to tell us?" Isabella asked. 

"I'm a doctor," sagot ko. Bakit ba sa akin napunta ang usapan na ito? Ako na lang ba ang pwede nilang maging topic dito?

"That's it?" Lauren asks.

"Ano pa bang sasabihin ko?" I don't do much about my career. I am just focused on reaching my goals.

"Everything!" Lauren hissed. My eyes glazed over in the air.  They will not stop teasing me until I give in to them. That's good too, so I don't have to look at them. My eyes and heart just hurt when I see that kind of view.

"I was once featured on TV because of being graduated as a Filipino foreign student from that university," it's not an easy journey for me to achieve all of these. There are times that I just wanted to give up, especially in my first year of residency. To acquaint myself with other people was always a challenge for me. Especially in their own language. I'm so relieved that most of them are speaking English, but hey, that was hard too.

"And?" They want more! What more could I say? I don't even have a secret.

"And I got ninth place for passing the board exam to be a licensed physician," I said. I burst into tears in front of my aunt when I saw the result of my board exam. I even kissed the floor of our sala that I forgot about everything. I didn't expect that I would be included in the top ten. But it was a blessing for me, afterall. 

"I just gave my best, that's why I'm a doctor now," I added. 

"We knew you could do that!" Isabella praised me. I smiled at them.

"You have been an acer ever since high school," Lauren also praises. 

"How about that Gab? Did you see him as your husband? He was a good catch ha! Rich and handsome. What more can you ask for?" Those are the type of men that my friend Everly always dreamed of. Even now that she already has a husband, she still finds a way to check out affluent men. But she is still faithful and loyal to her husband.

"He was just my friend," I simply answered but they continued to tease me.

"I don't see it with Gab. He's looking at you differently, romantically." Lauren sips her soup.

"You still haven't met him but it seems like you already know what he feels," I stated. Lauren is so funny. 

"On TV! When the camera is with the two of you!" She said. 

She's right, I still see that in Gab's eyes. But the only relationship I can offer him is friendship. I lost count of the times when he confessed his feelings about me but I always refused. I thought he would get mad the last time and he would avoid me but that never happened. He was very understanding of my situation.

Even with the loss of appetite, I still finished the soup. The next food that the waiter served was the main course meal. In the middle of lifting my spoon to my mouth, I caught him looking at me. Looking at me with his dagger eyes. 

He's looking at me!

I felt ashamed of myself so I put down my spoon and cleared my throat. I can't make myself full of his stares. 

"You did not touch your food. Any problem? You don't like it?" Isabella easily caught my actions. I turned to her and rewarded her with my half smile. I just wish that she didn't see me looking at Marco.

"I'm fine. The food is nice." I turned my attention to the food. I forced myself to swallow it even if it was hard.

His eyes remind me of sorrow. His lips remind me of pain. His presence reminds me of how deep my love is for him.

Whenever our eyes lock, I always feel nervous. I don't want to give in. When I rush myself I will repent at the end. I should not bother myself with how I feel. It has nothing to do as he is already happy with someone else. 

He's slicing the steak perfectly. Every move he makes is just so perfect. He exchanged his plate with sliced steak for Dorothy. He knows how to be a gentleman when it comes to her.

"Stop looking," Lauren whispered. I looked away when I felt my eyes heated up. My tears wanted to fall. I am weak. I'm losing because I have nothing to hold.

Bitterness and envy Immediately drew on my body. He did not do it to me before. Maybe people changed, as he changed. His gentleness, his care for that girl is to the moon. They are the lovers at our opposite table.

Of course they are! They will not be that sweet if there is nothing going on between them! I can't take this anymore. The pain in my heart is gradually burning me inside.

"Excuse me. I'll just need to go to the restroom." I didn't wait for their response. I immediately went to the ladies restroom just behind this gymnasium. I locked myself in one of the cubicles. I put down the toilet cover and sit upon it. I didn't even notice the tears falling down my cheeks.

For six years, I remained silent. I forced myself to be happy. I forced myself not to cry. I didn't even know that this would be the outcome of hiding all my pain. My tears are like the rainfall that doesn't want to stop. 

"Stop this nonsense, Chloe." I begged myself.

"There's nothing for you to do," I wiped my tears away. I don't even care if my makeup got ruined.

"I told you to not attend this party, right? You didn't even listen! Now you're suffering like this." I scolded myself like it will really answer back. I want to tell myself how wrong this is.

"You are so stupid!" What's the point of dressing up if his attention will not be mine?

I heard the door open and two women entered as I saw under the door of my cubicle. I stopped sobbing so they will not know that someone else is here. I heard what they talked about.

"Did you see Marco? Wow!"

"That kind of entrance, magical! They were so good together."

"They were extraordinary!"

"Their pathway was covered by pixie dust!"

The imagination of this woman. Wow.

"Marco was born handsome. He's been my ultimate crush since high school."

Oh! I smell confession.

"Me too. I think all the girls in our batch had a crush on him." 

"Who would not like that man? Handsome, smart, athletic and wealthy! He was really a girl's dream before."

"Even now,"

"Do you remember that he once had a girlfriend in our batch?" 

"Yes, I remembered."

They were talking about me again. Ever since grade seven, I have known Marco. And I didn't see that he had a relationship with others before me. 

"She's pretty. They were also good together."

"But the woman he's with now have a lot of chemistry,"

Okay girl. I hear you. 

"Have you ever wondered why they broke up?" 

"What I knew was that the girl went abroad. Maybe she cheated with a foreigner." I heard their sarcastic laughter that made me crumpled in anger. 

Who are they to make up such a fake story? 

My blood is literally boiling right now. I stopped myself from stepping out of this cubicle because I might grab their hair. 

"Is she even here? I haven't seen her yet." 

"Me too. I still haven't seen her yet." 

Do not even bother to find me. Just focus on your stupid fantasy! If only I know who you are, I will dash your heads to the wall! 

"I just hope that he proposes already. They we're dating for too long."

Since when?

"We still didn't know much about Dorothy. I heard that she went to La Salle Lipa." 

"That's why she's not familiar. But she's gorgeous, sexy and maybe smart."

"She's literally smart! De La Salle, we do not underestimate that." 

Really? She just went to a prestigious university and yet you assumed that she was smart?

"She's an architect right? She must be working in Marco's company." 

"Maybe," 

The conversation outside gradually became quiet and calm. I don't know what to feel anymore. I cannot move or talk. My tears also stopped from falling but I felt my wet cheeks.

Maybe I needed a drink? 

I went out of the cubicle when I made sure that no one was still inside. I hate those women! I just want to slap them really hard. I just fixed myself in front of the mirror and did some retouching. 

"s**t!" I hissed.

My nose was slightly red and I do not know how to cover it. They will really know if I cried or not. Every time I cry, my nose turns red and it takes a couple of minutes before it goes back to normal. I grabbed my compact powder and applied it onto my face. I waited for two minutes just so the color of my nose will be balanced on my face. I grabbed my lipstick and added a layer onto my lips. One swipe and that's enough. 

The door creaked wide open and I didn't expect the person who entered the room. Wearing a silk satin white long gown, her hair is on the side with big curls. She's a few inches taller than me or it's because of the heels? She doesn't even need makeup! She's flawless. She really took care of herself. I was suddenly stunned from my stand, our eyes met in front of the mirror. I was thinking that she would speak but she just smiled before entering the cubicle I used earlier.

To my surprise, I immediately felt cold. I did not expect her to be that kind to me. Did she know about us? Did Marco tell her? She would not smile at me like that if she knew what had been between Marco and I before. I exited the restroom because I don't want to see her near me again.

I want Marco back. But that will never happen now that he's with someone. 

It hits me really hard.

Dorothy is beautiful, has a great body and she took good care of it. She has a respective profession that is higher than my level. I did not come from a rich family. I don't have overflowing cash in my bank account. She's too high for me to compete. Marco is with her. That's more than one thing for me to lose. Now I know. Who would have not liked her? She has everything. 

The way she smiles, it's genuine. No hatred or envy. But my heart hurts whenever I see that smile. She seemed happy. Her life's probably perfect.

Envy. That's what I feel right now.

Our encounter in the restroom hits me on the face. I just encountered the present!

The past has nothing to do now. You are now replaced. No! You are now out of his life!

Out of his f*****g life.