Deception

Chapter 14

    Jairus Villaflor never followed his family’s footsteps in his career path. His mother and father both worked in the field of medicine as a pharmacist and a nurse, respectively. Even Gabe, his older brother, became a nurse but not he. He was more outgoing, more into travelling, and more into talking people that he decided to be a business man. He wasn’t gifted in the field of arts but he worked as one of the top managers in an International Architecture firm. He couldn’t draw or sculpt or anything artistic for s**t but he sure did know how the financial system worked and he was good in it.

    One time, his business partner was supposed to attend a major project but could not do so. Instead he was the one that the company asked to represent them and he was glad that he agreed; because if he didn’t, then he wouldn’t have met Eliza Sarmiento.

    He was awed by Eli’s shining gray eyes and vibrant blond hair. He was moved by her passion in interior design and he was even amazed by the girl’s mind. After that meeting, her face stuck in his mind. From time to time they’d see each other because of the joint project. He would find himself smiling or waving at her, and she would also return the smile. It was only friendly and polite but he felt happy by the little pleasures.

    After maybe a month of casual interactions if Eliza hadn’t asked for coffee, he would have had. He was surprised but accepted the girl’s invitation.

    “I heard they offer good coffee and delicious pastries here,” Eli said as they both entered the café. They were greeted by the tantalizing aroma of coffee.

        “Smells mouth-watering in here. There’s a saying that says that the most effective advertisement is the word of mouth. I hope that the rumors are true,” he said as he offered her a seat.

    “I hope so, too. ‘Caused I’d be really embarrassed if I brought you here and it isn’t up to your expectations,” she said jokingly.

    “Oh, believe me. Anywhere with you is fine.”

    He didn’t want their first ‘date’ to be all about work. He wanted to really talk to her, maybe flirt a bit more. And it was what happened. He couldn’t let go of his smile when Eli blurted that she wanted to get to know him more because she liked him.

    It was as if Eli was courting her because she was always the one who initiated their movies, outings, or just chilling at her house. She would send him gifts and flowers with little notes attached to them. Honestly, who wouldn’t fall head over heels for this girl? He liked her the moment he set his eyes on her and now, he had fallen. So he did the next best thing he knew. He asked her to be his girlfriend, officially.

    “I know it’s too soon, I mean we’ve only had real talk only weeks ago. But the past days were the best I’ve had in a long time,” he confessed, gathering the courage to ask her. He knew that she liked him as much as he felt for her, but he still felt nervous.

    “I’m glad that you’ve felt that way. I’m sorry I interrupted. What were you saying again?”

    “I’d like to ask you to be exclusively mine.”

    “If you hadn’t asked me to be your girlfriend, I would have asked you to be my boyfriend,” she grinned from ear to ear and hugged him tightly.

    Jairus got a glimpse of the real Eliza when he was in a relationship with her. He celebrated with her through her success. He was there throughout her bad times and rants about how she couldn’t see herself as worthy. He would always remind her otherwise.

    He knew of her insecurities to Kris’ success. She would also share her resentment to her father who always compared her sister, Elaine, with her, and her hatred to her mother’s expectations to her. He listened to her as she poured all her disappointments in their dysfunctional family, and her bitterness to Elaine because she left her alone to deal with its mess. He took care of her and understood where she was coming from. To him, she was broken and needed someone to help fix her up.

    It just wasn’t him.

    After 7 months, they broke up. Towards the end of their relationship, Eli barely had enough time for him. She was always chasing some dream and always comparing herself with others. Despite his efforts to remind her that she was perfect the way she was, she still wasn’t satisfied.

    “I feel like you only need me so that you’d have a plus one in your functions. You only wanted to show me off to your colleagues but you are actually drifting away from me, Eli,” he said sounding so hurt.

    Jairus didn’t know this, but Eli really loved him with all her heart. But she couldn’t let go of her thirst for fame and success. She was greedy for people’s approval and her dragging Jairus was destroying him. That was why she decided to let him go.

    “I know, Jai. And I’m sorry for doing this to you, to us. I wanted to tell you that I love you so much. You mean the world to me and I don’t want to destroy the only person I hold dear.”

    “We could still fix this.”

    “I have to fix myself first. I’m sorry I jumped to this relationship even though I know I still have issues. I just couldn’t help it, you know. And along the way, I fell hard for you.”

    “You say you love me but why does this sound like you’re breaking up with me.”

    “Because I am. I can’t let you drown with me so I have to let you go.”

    After that, Eliza distanced herself from him while he sought relief from alcohol. Gabe witnessed his devastation but he really couldn’t help his little brother, especially with matters to the heart. Jairus became a drunkard. But when he wasn’t showing up for work, wasn’t eating at all, and picking fights at the bar, Gabe interfered. He helped Jairus by having him admitted into a rehabilitation center for alcoholics. He stayed there for months. He didn’t know that while he was fighting alcoholism, Eli was also battling with Diabetes.

    When he was released, he steered out of trouble and kept alcohol away from him. It was an accident when he met Eli again. They caught up a bit and he knew then that his feelings hadn’t been erased. He didn’t know if it was the same with Eli but he still asked if they could try again.

    She said yes.

    But only almost two weeks in the relationship, Kris called to tell him that Eli went home with another guy.

    “Answer me, Eli!” he begged.

    “I’m sorry Jai,” she said through her puffy eyes. “I was just so drunk, I lost my mind. But I swear I never, ever slept with anyone.”

    “What about the other night? Kris called and said you went home with another guy.”

    “I kissed him back but I told him I wanted to go home so he drove me here. He backed off when I said I had a boyfriend.”

    “It hurts me Eli. I thought we were going to try again.”

    “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking, Jai.”

    Silence enveloped them until Jairus asked what he feared in that moment.

    “Do you still love me, Eli?”

    She stared at her apologetically. It hurt him to see the answer in her eyes.

    “Then, why? Why did you agree to be with me again?”

    “I still love you. I am just not… in love with you anymore. I thought I could bring back the feeling. Now, I know I couldn’t.”

    She hugged him tightly and said that he deserved someone who could love him and not someone who was as selfish as her, not someone who only loved herself. She wanted to break up with him again but this time, he didn’t agree. He wouldn’t let her break him again.

    All he felt that time was the deliberate rise of his own anger.