We Broke Up

1 - It Begins

It all begins with three words.

"We broke up." I finally answered after staying quiet for almost an hour while my best friends prodded on with their questions and observations about me and Fred, my fiancé... ex fiancé.

They were wondering why I was unreachable for days, missing out on our Monday mani-pedi session, shopping Tuesday, Wednesday coffee date, wine Thursday at Francesca's and Friday massage night.

It was then Saturday. The girls didn’t have work today and unanimously decided to raid me in my condominium unit. We were currently sitting around my living room. Francesca and Denise sat on the plush gray three-seater couch, Sophie was on one of the single couches matching it while I was on the yellow accent chair beside an antique tea table that the girls and I found 3 years ago in the Christmas night market at Greenhills.

I absentmindedly stirred the coffee they made me which had turned cold as I waited for it... the outpouring of reactions from them. I love these girls so much but they sure can talk a lot.

"And 3... 2... 1..." I mentally counted the seconds down until they said something but they all stayed quiet.

I looked up and blinked twice when I saw them all scrolling through their phones and seemingly uninterested at the biggest bomb of a news that has ever been delivered.

"Ano? Wala man lang ba kayong sasabihin?" I asked in disbelief.

A unified sigh and they all turned to me, phones still in hand. They looked at me then at each other. I knew this. They were figuring out who gets to talk first.

We have been friends since high school. Denise, Sophie and I were classmates in our Freshman year when we joined the Drama Club in which Francesca, then a Junior, was Vice President. We instantly hit it off and have been inseparable ever since.

"What do you want us to say?" Francesca was the first to speak, as usual.

She was the group's resident Mother Teresa, always calm and collected with only nice things to say and kind things to do. She seemed to have life all figured out at 25: successful online boutique, popular lifestyle blog, stable 5-year relationship with her charming doctor boyfriend. "Naeve…” She smiled gently as she called me by my nickname which was supposedly a shorter version of my first name Naveah. I guess the one letter difference makes it shorter. “This is probably the fifth time you told us that you and Fred have broken up. Di naman tumatagal ng isang linggo, you're back together na naman." She shrugged then went back to scrolling on her phone.

"Yup. What is it this time? He got jealous of that hunky barista who gave you a free cupcake last week? Wala na naman bang time sa'yo si Mr. COO from travelling everywhere for the inter-island project ng construction company nila? Did he forget na monthsary niyo last week? Or nagpilit ka na naman ba to look for a job or start your own business at nainsulto na naman siya kasi feeling niya nakukulangan ka na sa mga binigay niya sayo?" Denise ranted.

Yes, you guessed it. She's the chattiest. The fiercest one amongst us, is also the CEO of her own international cosmetic business. Self-made despite being the only heiress to her family's chain of malls. It's hard to believe she's only 23 like me because while she goes out into the world, making her own name, I stay back here in my own shell, sitting like a little princess, pampered and well-provided for by my parents and my EX future husband; writing stories I can't share and painting pictures I can't show, without a voice and identity.

"It's different this time." I sighed. "Wala nang balikan." I added sullenly.

"What do you mean wala nang balikan?" Sophie asked. This time all three of them focused their attention on me.

The youngest in the group by a year, Sophie, is our own genius with a constant thirst for learning. She just graduated from her MBA then immediately started reviewing to take the law school admission test. I don't think she's ever going to stop studying even after becoming a lawyer. Might as well put her multi-million trust fund into good use, I guess.

I lifted my left hand and showed them that the finger that used to sport a 4-carat princess cut diamond engagement ring was bare.

They gasped in unison.

"What happened, honey?" Francesca asked as she moved to the ottoman beside my chair. She held my hand and stared at me with genuine concern.

"He left me. He fell out of love. I guess we both did. A long time ago. Hindi ako nasaktan when he told me. Parang hinintay ko na lang eh." I told them. "Parang we were just in it because it was comfortable. We got used to being around each other kaya parang ayaw naming iwanan. I would have fought for what we have kaya lang..."

"Kaya lang?" Denise asked with a raised eyebrow. She never liked Fred. She always thought that he was an ass but she tolerated him because she loves me.

"He got his secretary pregnant." I said directly.

"I knew it! That asshole!" Denise yelled. "Where is he? I am going to cut his balls out!" She boldly declared.

"Denise, calm down. Would you really want to touch those filthy nut sacks?" Sophie chuckled.

"Ugh! I guess not." Denise answered. "But I'm still going to kill that jerk when I see him." She said.

"Denise, wag na. I..." I sighed. "I don't want to waste my energy on him anymore."

"So? What now?" Francesca asked.

"I don't know. All my plans are with Fred. Ngayon, wala na lahat. I feel lost. Umikot ang mundo ko sa kanya. I lived my life according to his wishes, basing my future on his happiness." I fell silent then looked at my friends one at a time, seeing them as their own women. I wanted to be like that. I hoped it was not too late. "Siguro ngayon... Ako naman." I faintly smiled.