Play Pretend

"Guys, have you heard? Jane, that one in Class B before, a batchmate of ours, just got married last month and I heard she's now pregnant too!" "Really? They're all getting married one after another, I'm envious. Thankfully, our school flower here is still single so I wasn't that worried I'll be left alone by you guys!" A raucous laughter burst out inside the KTV, followed by some joking here and there. Alyssa twitched her lips when her nickname was mentioned. Sometimes she really wants to push these people off a cliff. "I say, Alyssa, why are you still single? You're so popular in school before, and prolly still are now, but why is it that you still haven't had a boyfriend?" Alyssa being cued directly out of a sudden, was caught off-guard. She saw everyone looking at her with different expressions, some simply curious, some are gloating, and some are expecting something from her. Seeing these, she suddenly regretted coming to this reunion. It was no diffferent from family reunions. Clearing her throat, she leaned on the backrest of the chair. "I'm focusing on my career, it's too early to talk about it." Even though they don't appear satisfied, everyone just "oohh"-ed and continue to gossip another topic. Seeing this, Alyssa breathed a sigh of relief. Marriage, marriage, marriage, whereever she goes, that's all she can hear. Is she already that old? Alyssa knew she had to get married sooner or later. At the age of 26, she's been under pressure of building a family not only by her family and relatives but also by her peers. Alyssa's deep hidden fear of marriage stemmed from her mother's broken marriage and the trauma she had accumulated due to her father's abusive personality. When her mother divorced her father and took Alyssa abroad, Alyssa was only seven years old. Yet, at that young age, little Alyssa promised to herself she wouldn't get married. She told herself she wouldn't commit unless she knew that the man she's going to marry is the one meant for her. Although naïve, this belief made Alyssa live a life devoid of messy relationships and romantic entanglements all throughout her 26 years of life. Now that she had recently celebrated her 26th birthday, the pressure on her shoulder increased tremendously. Everywhere she goes, the first thing that people ask is when she is going to start a family, find a good husband, and give birth of those ugly and monkey-like thing called babies. Alyssa gradually lost all the reasons she could think off, and its beginning to piss off her family, especially her mother. Recalling her conversation with her mother the day before yesterday, she closed her eyes in defeat. "When are you going to give me a fat grandson or granddaughter? When I'm already dying of oldness? When my back is completely hunched? When my knees can no longer stand?" That's what her mother's favourite lines, and sometime it annoys Alyssa so much she couldn't help but to complain deep inside. If not because of your failed marriage, would I turn out like this? But in the end, she'll just sigh and comfort her mother. "Mom, you knew I have a career to maintain, don't you?" However, her refutal seems to provoke her mother ever more. "Career?! What career?! Do this family really lack money? With my assets, I can support even my great-great-great-great grandson!" Alyssa face-palmed at her mother's words. Her mother might be rich-rich, but it's her mother's money and not hers, and doesn't feel right wasting money that she didn't earn herself. Aside from that, it's true that she gives importance to her career development. She's now a candidate for promotion, and doesn't want to miss the opportunity. "Mom, that's your money, not mine-" With a bang, Alyssa's mother slammed her hands on the table, silencing the rest of Alyssa's words. "Alyssa, you better find a boyfriend by the end of the year, or else I'll take the matter with my own hands." With a snort, her mother swaggered out of the kitchen, leaving Alyssa alone. The young woman sighed and leaned at the door. She's familiar with her mother's temper. Her mother is a very domineering woman, and it had to do with her upbringing. Alyssa's mother, Aliana, was the youngest daughter of the late Governer of S Province and the President of a Modelling Agency. She originally lived a life of a princess, protected by her parents' care and unaware of the human selfishness. That's why when she met a professor from a small university not faraway from their home, she immediately became fascinated. She adored the man, his intelligence, and his caresses. This man brought endless aftertaste in Aliana's reduntant and dull life surrounded with luxury. She abandoned her luxurious life believing that the man would give her everything she needed and cut ties with her parents who's against with her relationship. At the same year she eloped with him, she and the man got married and gave birth to a girl whom she named Alyssa. All is well, until three years later. Unfortunately for her, it took only 3 years for the man to change face, and thus began Aliana's abusive marriage with the man. The man shed his gentle façade and abused Aliana one way or another, but because Aliana had fallen deeply for the man, it took another 3 years for Aliana to realize that this relationship will no longer work. When Alyssa was six, Aliana escaped the house with her, and they went to Aliana's parents, begging them to take the mother-daughter duo back. Seeing what Aliana and Alyssa suffered, the couple was in pain and agreed to take them back in one condition. Aliana must divorce the man. As for the man, he got imprisoned and they have lost contact with him these years. They divorced, and as time passes by, she gradually regained her domineering personality. She's now dating another man, and successfully gotten out of the shadows. Unlike Alyssa, who's still stuck in the shadows and fears of the past. Alyssa was happy her mother already moved on, but sometimes she felt it was unfair. Her mother had recovered, but why can't she? Every time she tries to date and be in a relationship, she's overcame with fear. In the end, her attempts to date always end up ruined. Alyssa sighed again. Her mother had given her an ultimatum, what should she do? She doesn't even know how to find a boyfriend. Unknowingly, the topic inside the KTV turned towards Alyssa again, much to her displeasure. For the first time, she regrets being that popular in school before. If it satisfied her vanity before when she was young, now it gives her headache. "I really thought Alyssa and Gideon are gonna date by the end of college, but oh boy I was wrong. Turns out Gideon was dating Mei at that time." Said one of the boys sitting in front Alyssa. Hearing it, Alyssa froze and quickly recovered as if nothing happened. It's been long since she heard that name. "Dude, I thought the same too. What happened, Alyssa? Isn't there something between you and Gideon before? Why did it suddenly become Mei?" It was the class monitor - who called Alyssa the "school flower" - who spoke. Alyssa blinked, then nonchalantly replied. "I've been telling you all the first year of college that Gideon and I are just friends, it was you guys who thought otherwise. Also, Mei had been pursuing Gideon at that time, so there was nothing strange when they dated. We are just friends." Alyssa was indeed telling the truth. Back then, Gideon and her are just friends, nothing more. Gideon's grandparents are in a very good relationship with Alyssa's, and both of them eventually got acquainted with each other when they were kids. Going to the same school, attending events, and competing for the same award - they were both friends and rivals. That was all until their graduation in college. To pursue a career, Gideon went to another country, and now he's still not gone back here in the country yet. Their communication is minimal, and mostly it was Gideon sending her polite greetings and short messages which Alyssa returned in the same manner. Gideon was an indifferent man, with aloofness and arrogance drilled in his bones due to his upbringing, yet his personality wasn't unfounded because he into a genius. A natural-born prodigy. If not because of the close relationship between their respective families, she probably wouldn't have entered Gideon's eyes at all and that's why she never developed any second thoughts about Gideon. She thought Gideon wasn't the type to believe in romances, that's why when he told her he was gonna date Mei back then, she was also shocked deep inside. She didn't think much of it, though. She thought it was a pity, and brushed it off. As someone who's scared of relationships and marriage, she was thankful she didn't fall in love that hard with Gideon. She congratulated Gideon and Mei, offering her blessing. Years passed by, and Gideon gradually faded away from Alyssa's memories. Speaking of Mei, are they still together now? She hardly ever heard of Mei all these years. There are some rumors of her being a famous supermodel, but that's all Alyssa ever heard about her. Mei was a silent type anyway, a low-key one, so it wasn't a surprise. "...That's a pity, you really fit each other. One is the school heartthrob, one is the school flower. You were meant for each other. Sadly, Gideon's eyes were crooked, and dated the donkey's dung instead of the flower." There seemed to be something akin to pleasing in the class monitor's voice, which made Alyssa frown. Calling another person donkey's dung didn't make her feel pleased but instead irked her more. "You are the donkey's dung," she murmured under her breath. The urge to go home suddenly got stronger, pretending to look at her watch, she stood up. "...It's late. There's something for tomorrow, so I'll go now. The bill is on me. Goodbye, everyone. See you..." Never. Forget elegance and etiquette, I don't want to stay here anymore. Without waiting for the people's answer, she left after settling the bill. She drove her Audi R8 to her condo and immediately took a bath. After drying her hair, she lay on the bed and scrolled through her phone. She saw some of her friends posting pictures of their kids, making her even more irked. As she was about to close the phone, she noticed something amiss. Unexpectedly, she saw an unread message from...Gideon. Her eyes widened, and she sat back up and stared at the message. It'd been a month since they sent each other a message, greeting each other with Merry Christmas. "We were just talking about you earlier, and now here you are..." Alyssa murmured, absent-mindedly opening the message. From: Gideon I'm coming home next month. Fetch me up at the airport. Furrowing her brows, Alyssa sat up. She was shocked. It's been years! Is he really going home next month? Alyssa was more than surprised. Staring at the string of words, sneering, she began typing. To: Gideon You're still authoritative as ever. Noted. Give me the deets, please? After clicking the send button, she flopped back onto the bed, enjoying the softness of the mattress. From: Gideon I'll tell you the week before I fly. Alyssa rolled her eyes, and replied with a short "okay". Deep inside, she was kind of excited. It's been so long after all. Closing her eyes, Alyssa smiled at herself.