CHAPTER 04
978 Words
CHAPTER 04 GO HOME
”Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I'm going back to the start”- Coldplay
VINCENT
"HERE'S to you both, Elizabeth and Alejandro!" He muffled while raising his second bottle of whiskey. His mouth twitched in bitterness and frustrations. On the floor of the hotel room were empty cans of beer and another bottle of tequila, with lemon peels and salt – all scattered everywhere.
Holding his phone on the other hand, he stared at the photo of them together during their college days. The three of them, smiling widely in their graduation togas, brave for the challenging years coming ahead.
Those days were just young and carefree. Precious.
Elizabeth and Alejandro were best of friends since they could remember. He met them in college. After surviving the tragedy of the shipwreck, his parents decided to let him study in Manila, to avoid sea travels.
The three of them became good friends. Then, Elizabeth became his girlfriend after graduation which Alejandro objected a lot. He drifted apart from their friendship from then on and he knew why.
He recalled having a lot of arguments with Elizabeth where Alejandro had been brought up a couple of times too.
“Beth, I am a man and I know when another guy is interested with my girl. And I am telling you, Alejandro is.”
“Ridiculous, Vince! Your jealousy is getting out of hand.” She said.
And just look what happened. After he broke up with Elizabeth to marry Aya, Alejandro rushed into the picture, wasting no time.
Well, men do have instincts too.
He shook his head in great disbelief. Who would have thought they would end up like this?
He remembered one time; Aya confronted him about Elizabeth, which earned a slap and verbal threats from him. He ignored all the guilt he was feeling at that time. He had really liked Aya to give up!
But damn, the woman just won’t let go.
A sudden gush of memory came over him. All were recollection of beating Aya in a blurry vision and fading echoes of her cries, all those threats and insults he threw relentlessly.
All of these plus the combined liquors in his system were enough to make him want to puke.
Intoxicated, he tried to walk over to the bathroom. It took a lot of energy to get up each time he stumbled on the empty cans and other litters in the room, but he managed to get to the bathroom sink just before he threw up.
Throwing out almost all that he took in got him a bit sober. He splashed some water on his face and rinsed the rancid taste off of his mouth. Then, he glanced at his reflection on the wall mirror.
Wretched and f****d up − How did I even become like this?
He traded everything for his vengeance to his parents, who compelled on the tradition at his expense.
He neglected the inner voice that constantly tells him to stop and just accept the situation. After all, being married to Aya was not as bad as he expected.
But he chose to be numb and stoic just to get to his plan. To this day… this failed day.
Aya…
She never told a single soul about what’s going on behind the doors. Even at that time she was rushed to the hospital because of a severe infection, she remained silent before her parents and in-laws.
Whatever that was holding her back from disclosing, was not of his concern anymore. Though, it left him a lot of questions.
For the umpteenth time now, what should be his next steps?
He vision started spinning as he tried to think things through.
Is this the heaven’s way to f*ck his life?! Why? Was it wrong to yearn for his freedom? To marry someone of his choice? To settle down at his own pace?
His parents, Aya and her parents, the elders and the tradition; they all connived against him! They all took it away from him!
Why did the heavens take their side instead of his?!
Tears streamed down his face. Soon, the room was filled with his wails. He cried for his failure, for being helpless. He cried for the pains of abandonment.
Come morning, he got up with a major headache. Last night, after his breakdown, he decided to go home. Because that’s the only option he got.
Maybe this is the life he was destined to live.
He thought of Aya and realized, they could have been a happy couple had he given it a try. After all, Aya has been nothing but persistent for which he never understood why.
Probably it was not too late for them. He could still use his one month vacation or maybe take Aya with him abroad, where he initially planned to escape with Beth.
He wasn't sure about everything at the moment.
After a few hours on the road, he arrived home. He was welcomed by Aya's luggages being brought down from the mansion's staircase.
He went up to their room and saw her just finished packing all her belongings. He swiftly glanced the interior of their room, it was almost empty.
It had been around fifteen minutes since Aya left, he remained staring on the ring Aya tossed before turning her back on him.
This was yet again another unexpected for him. She left him just when he decided to start anew with their marriage.
She has finally given up.
He should be happy, he didn't have to endure her presence anymore nor force himself to accept their marriage. After all, he didn't love her. He awaited for this moment for a long time.
But now, after everything, it did not feel right.
Now, what?
- Writer
