We Broke Up

4 - Step 2

"The nerve of that guy! Jeez!" Sophie, who saw me reading Fred's message said.

I looked up from my phone and found all three of their pretty faces scrunched up with disgruntled expressions. All Francesca had to do was lay out her palm for me to understand that she would be indefinitely in charge of my phone from that moment. I gave it to her without protest.

"Tell me, Naeve. How many times has he called you since you broke up?" Francesca asked as she took my phone.

"I'm not sure. I never answered." I answered truthfully.

According to the article “8 Ways to Get Over a Breakup Fast”, which I followed like the Lord’s commandments nowadays, Step 2: "Cut off all contact for real. In this case, absence does not make the heart grow fonder." I did exactly that.

"Good girl." Denise smirked. "I'm happy to know that you still have a good head above your shoulders at hindi mo pa talagang completely isinuko sa gagong yun ang Naveah Montefrio namin. I mean not just the sense na hawak mo pa ang Bataan pero at least di ka pa naman pala tuluyang nagpakatanga dun. Kaya mo pa din pala siyang tiisin."

I sighed. "Thanks, Denise. Siguro kasi nalaman ko na that he cheated on me. If that didn't happen, siguro ang dali ko lang bumigay sa kanya ulit. Kahit wala nang love, I would still want to keep what we had because it was what I lived for."

"Hay naku kang babae ka!" Denise said with a grit of her teeth. "Kung di lang kita mahal, ang sarap hilahin ng buhok mo talaga, hanggang dumugo ang anit mo at ma-realize mo na you have so much more to live for."

"Like her hair?" Francesca chuckled. "Napaka-brutal mo talaga." She told Denise while rolling her eyes. She then wrapped her arms around me and said. "I know masakit magsalita itong si Maria Amelia Consuelo (that's Denise's real name before she rebelled against her parents and legally changed her name to the nickname she adopted since childhood on her 21st birthday) pero may point naman siya. There's so much to live for, Naevey. It's time for you to take your life back from Fred and everything associated with him."

"But that can only happen if you're ready. It will be difficult but if you really want to do this, you know you got us to help you through everything." Sophie smiled as she held my hand.

"That's right." Denise said as she took my other hand. "I may want to rip your ex into shreds bit by every f*****g bit but that's because I want to make you whole in the process. You got us. So are you ready?"

I looked at my friends who have been with me all these years, that no matter how much time or distance may keep us from each other, whatever happens in between, we would always have each other's backs.

"I'm ready." I declared determinedly and smiled. "I am ready. It's time to live my life the way I f*****g want to."

My best friends closed in around me in a group hug as they cheered and jumped up and down like kids. I was pretty sure that people stopped and shook their heads at the group of silly women acting like little girls in the middle of the mall.

"Pero..." I spoke and the cheering subsided. It was replaced by a nervous silence as the girls waited for me to take back what I said. I didn't, instead I asked. "Paano?"

"We start with this." Francesca said as she held up my phone then swiped and clicked on it for a while. "Yan. I blocked his number so he won't ever get to call you or text you. I also blocked him in all your social media apps and removed him from your Viber contacts. You start with zero communication with him. As in nothing. We are going to eliminate everything that has anything to do with him in your life. You don't need him in your life, not even as a friend so better get rid of everything. Kahit ano kasi pwedeng maging trigger for you to start wanting to talk to him tapos ano? Friends na tapos before you know it, he's in charge of you again."

"That's not going to happen anymore, Ate Ches. I won't let it happen but in case I forget..." I said.

"We'll be here to smack you in the head." Denise chuckled and we all giggled.

"Yes. I'll take that." I laughed as I hugged all three of them.

"Also! You'll be staying at my place until we clear your condo of all the things Fred. All the things he gave you, all the things he bought or chose for you and you chose for him has to go." Denise told me.

"Ano? Eh di parang kalahati ng condo ko yun plus 90% percent of my wardrobe. Paano naman?"

"Basta. Everything Fred is out. We sell them, including the ring. That's a 4-carat diamond. Pwede kang ibili ng isa pang condo." Denise said.

"I won't want to keep that money parang binigay pa din ni Fred yun nun di ba?" I told her.

"Tama lang yun. Sa Law ang tawag dun, danyos sa ilang taong pinerwisyo niya ang buhay mo." Sophie commented.

"I still don't think that's a good idea." I said. "Ide-deposit ko sa account niya yung pinag-bentahan."

"Hep!" Francesca cut in. "Ako na. Pag nag-deposit you will have to explain why eh zero communication, di ba? Ako na ang magde-deposit at ako na ang mage-explain."

"Alright then. My Zero Fred life starts now!" I smiled, proud of myself for the courage to take that step.

***

I found that the days following a zero communication and zero reminder of Fred became more peaceful. My place looked like it's been robbed. It had been missing the luxury of a California king-size bed, plush velvet couches, a 4-door 22 cubic feet fridge, an espresso machine and a 110- inch Ultra HD smart TV but I lived every day with a little more bounce at my feet with things that I knew I have chosen and bought for myself from my own savings.

It was a Friday, the eve of my birthday. I was on my laptop, my old trusty HP and not the MACbook Air that Fred gave. I sold that one too. I was looking at some job posts that I can apply for when I heard the doorbell ring.

I wasn't expecting the girls for a couple more hours but one could still be too excited for my first girls night out without a drinking limit and a curfew. Yup. The grand plan for my birthday weekend is to get wasted then hop on a rented limo that will take us to our beach island getaway to get more drunk.

That was probably Sophie who finished class early or Denise with some OOTN and bikini options or Francesca with a bottle of wine to warm up my rusty drinking system and a book called Girls Night Out for Dummies or all three of them.

I guess I was excited too. I didn't even check how I looked in a pair of silk tank top and shorts sleepwear that I woke up in and stayed in for the rest of the day as I lounged around the condo, contemplating about what to do with my new found freedom and figuring what to do with my life. I'm pretty sure the high bun I hurriedly pulled my hair up in was messy too. I didn't even check the peephole before I opened the door.

I swung it open and beamed. "Hi! You're earl... Sino ka?" My animated greeting was cut short and replaced by a question when I saw who was standing in front of my door.

It was a man... a strange man... a handsome strange man... a tall and very handsome strange man with a blindingly white complexion, bulging biceps, a deep dimple on his left cheek, high bridged nose, pink cupid bow lips... I found myself biting my own lower lip when I caught sight of his enticing kissers.

"They look so good I wonder how they tast... Hoy, Naveah Montefrio! Kaka-break mo lang, humaharot na yang isip mo. Ano? 3 weeks pa lang na walang MOMOL. Uhaw ka na?" I reprimanded myself from my own thirsty thoughts.

I cleared my throat and immediately sought his eyes which took their time sweet precious time traversing from my toes up my legs, body and chest to my lips where they lingered for a few seconds while their owner visibly swallowed hard before they finally met my stare. I raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on my waist. I was more of a defensive stance than annoyance for his perverse stare.

"I said, sino ka?" I repeated crossly.

Okay. I was annoyed but more on myself than him because I was guilty of ogling him too. I also cursed myself for actually enjoying the way his dark piercing eyes explored my barely covered body instead of feeling extremely uncomfortable as I would usually be.

"Anong meron sa lalaking to?" I thought.

I was never into a guy's looks, although Fred was handsome too, I fell for his sweetness and devotion when I was younger. Something about this guy more than his good looks was drawing me to him too.

"No!" I screamed in my head to immediately shake the thought off my head. "Lord naman. Umaahon pa lang po ako. Pakilayo po itong tukso please."  I silently prayed.

"Good evening, Miss Naveah?" He asked.

"Dear God, why does his voice need to be beautiful too?" I thought. "Yes?" I replied.

"Hi, Miss Naveah. My name is Rodolfo Jaime Ferguson from OCA Telegrams and Delivery Services. You can call me RJ.  I'm here to deliver these flowers and sing a message from Mr. Frederico Pascual." He smiled.

Damn that smile was gorgeous too but the sound of that asshole's name just ruined the view for me.

"No. Thank you." I abruptly said and closed the door to his face.

No! No, Fred. No, gorgeous guy. No!