Nothing good about goodbye

Chapter 4

Maria hesitantly looked up towards the direction her name was called. The angry voice was disturbingly familiar. Her eyes widened in shock.

“Jason?”

“What are you doing here?” the jilted male demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Andrès’ eyes darted between them, and he got up, standing in between the seated Maria and a fuming Jason.

Her once long hair, which flowed freely down her back, was now cut into a bob that framed her face. She wore a simple black blouse tucked into white high-waist pants that emphasized her curved figure. She looked different. Confident. Stunning.

Jason felt helpless, and his heart ached, fully aware at the back of his mind that Maria no longer belonged to him. But he wasn't going down without a fight, oh no siree!.

“Wow, this is the new you, huh? Guess your taste declined.” Amanda sneered from behind, while admiring her perfectly manicured fingernails. “Maria, you have no shame. Jumping from one man to another.”

Jason took a step closer towards his former girlfriend but was stopped by Andrès.

“And what’s this?” The hazel-eyed man continued, glancing down at the box of snacks that were sprawled across the table. His lips curled into a wicked smirk. “I see you're reclaiming your position as a maid but with someone else this time.”

Maria forcefully gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white due to her rising temper. “Jason, we have broken up. My affairs are no longer your concern.”

Before he could respond, his eyes widened in shock. The realization of who Maria sat with suddenly dawned upon him.

Jason backed away from his so-called rival. “Wait, y-you’re Andrès Jacques?” he stammered, studying his face carefully “You’re the one~”

“Yes, I am he,” Andrès interrupted. He turned to Maria with a small smile. “And she is my assistant.”

“You have no right to be with another man,” Jason snapped, returning his attention to the female who had recently left him. “You don’t just walk away and start seeing someone else as if what we had was nothing.”

Her hands curled into fists at her sides and she slowly rose from her seat, her face crimson red. “Like it’s nothing?” Her shaking voice low and cracking. “I gave up everything for you, Jason and I got the opposite in return. You were the first one to treat us like we were nothing. Like I was nothing to you!”

Maria felt suffocated. She had the urge to break down into tears, but she couldn't afford to do so In front of Jason and Amanda, so she turned sharply on her heels and stormed out of the café, leaving Jason deeply thinking of all she had just said.

Andrès rushed after her, his shoulder brushing Jason’s as he passed him.

And Jason almost followed Maria as well, but Amanda held him back, and pulled him to herself, whispering into his ear. “You have me now. You don't need her, let her go.”

“Do you think she knew we wanted to meet him?” Jason asked Amanda as he got ahold of himself.

“I won't be surprised if she's trying to sabotage our efforts.” Amanda hissed back.

Maria turned back to see Amanda and Jason in an intimate position, adding to the sting she felt in her heart. Reminding her of the time, energy, and love she has wasted on the man she was with before. Too bad she decided to run away, leaving Andrès to return to his exhibition, with only her brooch in his suit’s breast pocket.

As Maria soon slowed down to a walk as she returned to her hotel room, she began to recall the sacrifices she had made for Jason over the years. She recalled one time he was down with the flu when they were still in college. She missed an important test to stay back to take care of him. When he got better, she tried contacting him only to find out that Jason his friends were all hang out somewhere leaving her by herself.

She laughed bitterly at how she realized that the only time Jason would say nice things to her was when he felt like going to bed with her. Too bad that her love for him didn't allow her to see the red flags back then.

However, Maria now felt light-headed, and reality hit her like a punch to her gut. She had been the only one fighting to keep them together. Regrettably, Jason never made any attempt to reciprocate at all.

She closed her hotel door and slid down the door as she thought about the next step she was going to take. Maria decided to start by moving into the new apartment she recently heard about that was closer to Andrès’ studio.

She got up and went into the bathroom, pouring the cold water that ran from the tap on her face, slightly refreshing her. Maria then went back to the bedroom and began packing her stuff when her closest friend, Susan, came to visit.

“You're going to Jason? You're moving back to him?” She inquired, all in one breath.

Maria offered her a small smile and shook her head firmly. “I told you that I meant it when I said I was done with him.”

She thought back to all the times she had adjusted and made herself uncomfortable to meet Jason's needs while he never made any sacrifices for her. She remembered how she’d stayed up late, waiting for Jason to come home because he had not returned her calls or text messages, only to be dismissed with stupid excuses and unconcerned shrugs. She recalled planning multiple dates for them only to have him cancel at the last minute, preferring to spend time with his friends. Along with the countless times she had to make sacrifices to fit into his life; like putting her career on hold to focus on loving him.

Every kiss she initiated. Every hug she gave without being asked. Every “I love you” that was never said back. And when she confronted him about it? He called her needy.

Now Maria is finally relieved that she no longer has to hope that he would become someone she knew deep down he could never be for her. She felt light-headed, as a bitter reality hit her. Maria realized that she had been the only one fighting to keep them together. He never made any attempt to reciprocate her efforts.

She escorted Susan out and ordered an Uber so she could check out the apartment she was notified about. Once she got there, she fell in love with it instantly, making her sign the lease immediately.

As she set her belongings in place, a wave of sadness washed over her, but it was different this time. It wasn't a regretful feeling. It was just her realizing all of Jason's faults that she overlooked because of being blinded by her attraction to him.

She sighed, pushing back the unwanted feeling. Healing was going to take time, but she was ready to move on with her life.

Maria stood in the middle of her sitting room, the floor occupied with unpacked boxes and shopping bags, thinking of how to start when a soft knock sounded at the door.