RUIN ME

KISS OF GOODBYE

I feel my butt sinking into a soft, cozy seat, and my nose detects an aroma that whispers luxury. My fingers, moving with a mind of their own, glide over the chair’s surface, discovering leather so smooth it seems to cradle me in unmatched comfort. Slowly, I open my eyes, my consciousness gently drifting back, and I realize I am in Leo’s car, under the attentive gaze of the girls watching over me.

“Thank God you’re alive!” Emily exclaims with relief.

Amisha gently touches my forehead to check my temperature, her worry evident. “We were so worried about you. Are you feeling better now?”

I nod and attempt to adjust my awkward position in the front seat.

“They had to change your slot because you passed out,” Yuri informs me. “You could have won the title.”

I chuckle weakly, knowing that winning is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole because, realistically, only my friends would vote for me, or perhaps not, because they might vote for Leo too. “So, who did win the titles?” I ask curiously.

“Cassandra is our Prom Queen of the night,” Mich informs me, and Yuri rolls her eyes at the mention of her name.

“And our Prom King is Leo!” Emily exclaims.

I can’t help but smile, knowing he truly deserves it, and the Prom King happens to be not only my friend but also my seatmate. “As he rightfully should be,” I respond.

“Leo was so worried that he had to leave the stage to carry you and bring you here to the car,” Emily tells me.

“He did that?” I ask, my voice trembling a bit.

“Come on, who among us could even manage to carry you here?” Yuri says. “It’s probably the reason he won the title.”

“He didn’t really care about winning the title. He was more concerned about you,” Mich says.

“Everyone was amazed by what he did,” Emily chimes in. “Especially the girls.”

I spot Leonardo in the distance, smoking outside the venue, a proud smile on his face. He puffs on his vape, forming a ring of smoke.

“Let’s head back inside,” Yuri suggests. “The promenade dance is probably about to begin.”

I nod and stand up with the help of Amisha and Emily, though my legs still feel weak. As we approach the venue, Leo puts away his vape and walks over to join us, and together, we enter the venue.

The most awaited part of the prom night has arrived: the promenade dance. “This is the moment you’ve all been eagerly waiting for. Are you all ready to invite your partners onto the dance floor?” Tudy declares, and all the students burst into excitement. But I feel the exact opposite because I don’t have anybody to dance with.

Mich leans closer to me and asks, “Who are you taking to the dance floor tonight?”

“No one. I’ll just take a quick nap right here for some rest.” Then, I rest my head on the table, pretending to doze off.

Soft music starts playing in the background, so I tilt my head upward, and Mich is no longer in her seat. Perhaps some guy whisked her away to the dance floor.

My eyes then wander in search of Leo, and there he stands, extending his hand to Yuri. She takes it, and they move gracefully onto the dance floor. Seeing Yuri rest her head on Leo’s chest, their hands entwined, I can’t help but feel a bit of sadness. But I’m not really upset. I just don’t know why I feel this way.

I finally spot Amisha and Mich, dancing together, as it seems no guy has approached them. Meanwhile, Emily is living her dream, dancing with her ultimate crush from another class. Her eyes gleam like stars in the night sky.

It’s a beautiful sight, watching everyone gracefully swaying to the music, love filling the air, like a scene from a movie. But here I am, sitting by myself at the table like a loner. While not everyone has joined the dance, a few still remain in their seats, chatting with their friends.

I lean my head on the table, as my strength hasn’t fully returned since the embarrassing fainting episode. I do my best to divert my thoughts away from it, knowing I can’t change the past anymore. What matters is that I managed to avoid that terrifying stage.

Just as I’m on the verge of drifting into sleep, a gentle tap on my shoulder rouses me. I glance up and find the girls smiling at me, Yuri extending her hand, asking, “May you join us for a dance?”

I smile hesitantly and grasp her hand, saying, “Sure” as we glide onto the dance floor. But as we dance, I can tell Yuri isn’t fully with me. Her mind seems elsewhere, and her eyes betray a deep sadness. “Everything alright?” I ask, slightly concerned.

She gives a small shake of her head. “No, not really. But thanks for asking.”

Minutes later, Amisha steps in, claiming her turn to dance with me, quickly followed by Emily, and then Mich.

I thought Mich would be my last dance partner, but then Leonardo comes over and offers his hand. My heart starts racing again. I quickly glance at the girls, and they nod, signaling that it’s completely okay to dance with him.

My hand gently slides into his. With our left hands locked, my right hand resting on his shoulder, and his right hand on my waist, we start to dance to the music. As our eyes meet, the world around us fades away. I couldn’t care less about what others might think of us.

“Thanks for helping me when I passed out earlier,” I say.

“No prob. How are you feeling?” he asks.

“I’m feeling better.”

He tightens his grip on my hand and waist, making me feel somewhat vulnerable. “Good,” he murmurs.

I’ve come to realize that this guy has been my rescuer countless times. He’s my knight in shining armor. Perhaps that’s the reason a twinge of unease stirs within me whenever he gives his full attention to Yuri.

But it’s not a big deal... really.

“Your eyes look sad.” Leo suddenly steps closer, surprisingly wrapping his arms around me. “Now I’m having second thoughts about telling you something...”

I gently nudge him to break free from his warm hug. “What is it?” I ask.

He shifts his gaze away. “I’m afraid... I have to say goodbye.”

My brows furrow as I feel confused and worried.

“I’m sorry,” he says, returning his gaze to me, “I’m flying back to the States at midnight.”

My mouth falls open, and I’m left in stunned silence. Is this why Yuri was sad when we were dancing? “But why?”

“My mother needs me,” he says, sounding really worried. “The reason why I came to the Philippines was to take care of her. She’s fighting breast cancer, and things are getting tough. We thought of sending her to America for advanced treatment.”

“Why was your mom here while you and your dad were in the States?”

“They split up when I was a kid,” he responds with a heavy sigh. “I wanted to stay here with my mom back then, but she believed it was best for me to go with my dad, thinking I’d have a brighter future in America.”

It makes me sad to realize the weight of his emotions. I can still vividly recall that night when my parents separated on my 8th birthday, right after the party, and then they never got together again, and then I held myself responsible for their breakup.

“Have you told Yuri?”

“I just broke the news to her,” he replies, and I glance at Yuri, who is being comforted by Amisha at their table.

I step closer to him, offering a gentle hug, saying, “Take care. I’ll surely miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” he says, patting my head and offering a reassuring smile.

“When will you come back?” I ask.

He hesitates. “Maybe in a year or two.”

“I hope your mom recovers quickly. Make her laugh with some jokes every day, and make sure she eats well and takes her medicine at the right time.”

He chuckles, saying, “Yes, sir, I’ll keep that in mind.” He checks the time on his watch and then looks at me. “It’s eleven.”

“What are you waiting for?” I ask. “You’ve got to leave now, or you’ll miss your flight!” I playfully pat his shoulder, smiling, but deep inside, I feel scared and sad, knowing my knight in shining armor is leaving me.

“But...” He gazes into my eyes so deeply it’s sending a blush to my cheeks. “There’s something I must give you before I go.”

My voice trembles as I ask, “What is it?”

His face gets closer to mine, making my heart beat fast. He looks at my lips and then back into my eyes. Gently, he plants a kiss on my forehead, a gesture so tender it feels like a promise. His hands rest lightly on my shoulders, anchoring me in the moment. Time seems to stand still, and his kiss, so full of care, steals my breath away.

I never want to breathe again.