Jean looked at Tina, shocked. The feelings Tina had for Juan were very obvious. She couldn't believe Tina had been lying all this time. This was impossible!
Her tongue could lie, but what of her eyes?
Jean traced her face for signs. She noticed Tina had mentioned George with some hesitation, almost as if she was making herself do it. On the other hand, at times, her eyes would glue to Juan's face, as if through a filter of deep sadness.
Jean squinted her eyes in empathy, thinking, 'Tina, why are you doing this?
Is this some kind of reverse psychology you are practicing to make Juan accept you? Or is this your way of suppressing your own feelings for him, this blatant denial?
But, what the future held is going to be even more painful. Juan would be upset. What if he looked down on you? It will break you.
How would you bear that?'
"Juan..." Tina spoke, breathing fast. She pursed her lips like these next words were difficult to utter. "You have to let me go... Don't make this harder than it already is for both of us. I will die at the cost of this. Please, let me go," she pleaded him, taking his hand in her own. A drop of tear danced at the edge of her eye.
Looking at Juan, she wondered, 'Juan, why is this so hard?
Perhaps, we should never have started this.
What a mistake! One that lasted for no less than 20 years! And now there is only pain and heartbreak, with our lives intertwined in an almost inseparable way.
All I want now is to make it alright by letting you go. And you hold me back. Now. Why, now?' Many times in life, one only realizes someone's value once they think of living without them.
She felt like only death could undo their 20 years, tearing them apart for good.
"Really, Tina? I am making things harder, you say? Do you even want to be with George? Stop lying to yourself and tell him to wait till you die," Juan responded with anger, which had clearly sprung out of what Tina had said before. He didn't even wait for her to say anything in return and got up to leave quickly, climbing the steps.
Jean was taken aback and didn't know what to say. Things were going out of control. She hadn't imagined it would come down to this so soon.
Jean turned to Tina and saw her horrified face. Her eyes were brimming. Jean took a deep breath and said, "Tina, why are you doing this? Don't try to fool me with this story about George. It's so obvious Juan cares for you. Why are you letting go of that? This is going to sting the relationship that could develop into something great soon."
"Jean," said Tina. She tried to smile through her tears and continued, "I'm sorry for lying to you earlier. George is real. He has been chasing me for over three years. I'm touched by his persistence and..."
"Please stop!" Jean cut her. "Tina, stop lying to me and to yourself!" She raised her voice for impact. The disappointment on Jean's fa
When her sister ran away from the wedding, Autumn was forced to marry Charles.
His name had been linked to innumerable ladies.
He had different girlfriends for every day of a year.
Autumn had never thought that she would fall in love with him.
he started to pace back and forth in the balcony. Her throat was tightening up with guilt. It felt like it was all her own fault, even though clearly she was just a character in their story.
She didn't even mention it to Zed about Juan's true feelings for Tina.
This time, she had truly made a huge mistake.
"What did you say? Juan has feelings for Tina?" Zed looked at Jean in surprise, waiting for a confirmation.
"Yes, he does," Jean nodded and sighed, standing still now. She exhaled and explained, "The reason Juan got hurt by what Tina said is that he cares so much about her."
'Hurt? What did Tina say?' Zed couldn't connect the dots.
In his mind came Juan's face and the exchange he had with him back in his room. Well, barely an exchange.
How didn't it strike him before?
Maybe if it did, he would've been able to console him.
"What is going on?" Zed asked, puzzled.
"See, all of this started with..." And on she went, explaining everything to Zed as he listened intently. She explained how much Juan cared for Tina, the decision Tina had made after she talked with her this morning and what had happened this afternoon. "So, yeah, That's about it. They love each other but don't want to accept it," said Jean. Upon finishing, she smiled a little, feeling much better in his company.
Zed was still just trying to process all this. Even though he didn't pay much attention to other people's business, it bothered him that he didn't know about his best friend's life and feelings. Jean continued, "For the whole afternoon, I kept thinking why Tina was doing this. Now, I think I know. Hear me out. She didn't want to get back with Juan, so she lied about being with someone else. But then again, it doesn't make sense that she didn't think of leaving him anytime during the past 20 years." Speaking to herself, or rather, thinking out loud, Jean came back to the dead end. Why was life so complicated?