We Broke Up

3 - Tough Love

The next day, the girls took me to the mall because retail therapy is life.

After eating breakfast in a popular Italian restaurant, we went to our favorite clothing shop and started looking at some clothes. They were all gorgeous but I couldn't get myself to take one from the rack.

"What's wrong?" Francesca came to me with a couple of dresses in her hands. "Wala kang nagustuhan?" She asked.

"Magaganda naman lahat." I weakly smiled. "Magsusukat ka ba? Go na. I'll be fine here."

"Sige ah. Pili ka na diyan. Magfi-fit lang ako. Minsan lang mag-volunteer and kuripot na si Denise ng credit card niya for shopping day kaya samantalahin mo na." Francesca giggled and went on her way.

I sighed and went over a few more racks. There was one particular yellow dress on a mannequin that I liked but only stared at it. I didn't even touch it. It was a shift Bardot dress.

"Gusto mo yan?" Denise asked. "Wait. Pakuha tayo sa rack." She said.

"Wag na." I told her.

She looked at me and raised an eyebrow with one hand on her hip. "Why? Miss Naveah Montefrio, may 5 minutes mo nang tinititigan yang damit. Tapos sasabihin mo, wag na?"

Sophie who was within earshot, walked over to us. "What's going on here? Denise, baby armalite mode ka na naman. Isa lang naman ang trigger mo eh. Is it?"

"Why don't you ask Naeve here." Denise answered.

"Naeve, what's wrong?" Sophie asked softly as she placed an arm on my back. She's slightly shorter than me and is the most clingy in the bunch.

"Ewan ko nga. Bigla na lang galit si Denise." I answered.

"Ako? It's my fault now?" Denise gasped exaggeratedly and dramatically clutched her chest. "Bakit hindi mo i-explain sa akin kung bakit ayaw mong bilhin yang damit na halata naman na gustong-gusto mo? I already know the answer because it's been the same reason we've been hearing for four years but I want to hear it from you."

"Oh, I think I know na. Naveah?" Sophie said.

I sighed and looked at the dress. It was too bright for my wardrobe which over the past four years has only consisted of conservatively cut clothes in black and white or darker shades of blue and brown. That yellow dress was one my 16-year old self would have worn.

Before...

"Fred wouldn't approve." I said softly, looking down guiltily as I admitted what my usual answer was. 

"Ayun! It's that scum again!" Denise exclaimed. She turned to Sophie. "See? Knew it. We have to flush that guy out of our girl's system. Grabe lang." She then turned to me again. "You can't buy this dress in your favorite color to show off your to-die-for shoulders because that asshole wouldn't approve? Kanina din ang tagal mong umorder ng pagkain dahil gusto mo ng sweets pero sabi mo binabawalan ka nung gago mong ex to eat stuff that will make you fat. Well, putangina niya! I ordered all the desserts on the restaurant's menu for you kasi you f*****g deserve it. If you could only see the smile on your face while you were eating that cheesecake. Yung ngiting yun, hindi mababayaran ng kayamanan ko. It felt so damn good, Naveah. That's how you should be happy. That's how you should've been happy all those years with him. Tarantado talaga yun! Kita mo na how he didn't love you, Naeve? So kung tumaba ka pala, he won't like you na? Ikaw namang tanga, dapat matagal mo nang iniwan yun!" My friend preached.

"Denise!" Sophie gasped. "Stop. You made her cry na."

I didn't even know I was crying with all the truth my friend just slapped me with until I heard Sophie say it and I felt a painful sob rip through my throat.

Denise immediately looked guilty and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm sorry, Nae-nae ko." She said, calling me by her special endearment for me. "I didn't mean to make you cry." She sighed and held me tighter. The other customers were already looking at us so Sophie pulled us to a more discreet corner near the changing room.

"Oh? Anong nangyari?" Francesca asked as she walked out of the changing room. "Nandito ba yung hayop na Juan Antonio Frederico Pascual IV na yun? I'm going to call security." She immediately rushed towards us and hugged me from behind, sandwiching me between her and Denise.

"Uy! Wait lang." Sophie said and joined the hug. "He's not here, Ate Cheska. Calm down." She explained. "It was Denise. Siya nagpaiyak kay Naeve."

"Sorry na nga." Denise pouted.

Even though I didn't see it, I was sure Francesca gave Denise her signature 'You've been a bad girl and now Mama's angry' frown.

I sighed and wiped my tears as I slightly freed myself from the hug. "No. Tama ka naman eh. I needed that tough love speech. And I'm really glad to hear it from someone close to my heart kesa sa iba ko nadinig." I looked at them one by one then stared at the floor. "Ako talaga ang may mali. This is all my fault. I did this to myself."

"What? Seriously? You should stop blaming yourself. We could sue that bastard for domestic abuse. Grabeng emotional torture ang ginawa niya sa'yo, Naevey." Sophie commented, using one of my friend's endearments for me. "That's no joke."

"Sophie's right. Wala kang kasalanan, Naeve." Francesca said. "You loved him and devoted yourself to him because he promised to do the same to you. It's not your fault that he's a cheating asshole." She added.

Her last word made all of us giggle. "What?" Francesca pouted.

"Kasi naman you saying asshole is like oranges growing in an apple tree." I laughed.

"Grabe naman kayo." She chuckled. "But if it makes my baby girl laugh. Okay lang sa akin." She told me then pulled me into a hug again.

That started our little hug fest again that never fails to make me feel better. Half an hour later, we were walking out of the store, giggling, with shopping bags in hand, one of which held the yellow shift Bardot dress that I wanted.

Then my phone beeped and I froze when I read the message. It was from Fred.

I miss you, honey. Can we talk?