Arabella is a typical teenager who loves adventures. She’s living her life to the fullest. She’s an easy-go-lucky kind of girl who wanted to beat her own limits. Almost all of the things on the wild side world were no longer new to her. Liquors. Drugs. Illegal drag racing. Cigarettes. Pub houses. Street parties among others. Amidst all this, she still felt empty. It’s as if there’s a hole inside of her that those things weren’t enough to compensate it. A missing piece she can’t put a word on it. To get rid of that weird feeling, she started to party harder. She skydives. She attends martial arts sessions. She thought she’ll be happy. But she’s not. Her lonely heart is keeping up on her.
And then she realized what she’s missing; to fall in love and be loved. She can’t believe it at first but maybe that was she’s looking for. She had boyfriends in the past but nothing serious. All of them were just for fun.
One night, she met a guy named Kimball. A very good looking guy with the saddest eyes she’d ever seen. He seems lost and isolated; well, that’s what her first impression on him anyway. She approached him. They talked and became at ease with each other. She learned that he just came out in a 5-year relationship. He even showed to her the picture of his ex. She took it and asked him to forget it and just for tonight he’ll let himself enjoy her company. The hesitant Kimball agreed with her proposition when she put her famous puppy-sweet-little-eyes into gear. She used this to manipulate his mind and it works. They dance. They drink and get wasted. And then they ended up having sex. They spend the rest of the night together w/ so much pleasure. A night that will going to change both of their lives.
On the next day..
Arabella woke up first, and before the stranger wakes up she quickly picked up her clothes and fixes herself a little then run off. She’s in a hurry that she never even has a time to look back. At home, Arabella locked herself on her private room and burst into tears. She maybe wild and labeled as a party queen but she never has sexual intercourse with anyone before. But last night she gave up her virginity to a total stranger. She doesn’t even know if Kimball is his true name. What if he just made up his name or his story to get laid? What if she gets pregnant? What she gonna do about it? She felt ashamed of herself. She hated herself for being so stupid. She admits that she’s attracted to him but what she’d done is unforgivable. She feels like a dirty cheap slut.
On the other end of the line, Kimball woke up with hang over. He cursed himself when he saw a blood stain on his bed sheet cover. He scanned his mind to recall what had happened last night. Yesterday, he was pissed off and stopped in a bar. Then a lovely chic flirted with him. They get along really well. The woman seems to know how to make him forget and lose his rational mind. He tried to remember her name but no to avail. All he can imagine is her angelic face. The heat of her voluptuous body the moment he held her. Her sweet tastes. And the way she calls out his name every time he made her come. He cursed again when he realized what damage he can possibly did. What if the woman he met was just under age, hanging in that bar with fake ID. He dismissed her smiling face on his mind when he realized what that image got him. Just a mere thought of her can make him turn full on. He drags himself into a cold shower and let her memory drift away with the water. To lessen the weight of his conscience he hammered into his mind that the woman maybe a first timer slut.
Back to Arabella, she decided to run away. She told her parents that she wanted to study abroad. She needed to get away just incase worst comes to worst and she’ll get pregnant. Before that, she battles a lot of argument first against her parents before they’d finally give in. Good thing her persuasion power never fails her.
5 years later..
Arabella’s back for good. Yet again, the ghost of that night haunts her. Abroad, she punished herself by changing her ways. She dropped all her bad habits and no-sense routine. In short, she followed a straight life. She attends classes on days and works her ass off at night. Just not to have a free time for party. That drastic change in her life is hard for her at first but in the long run she makes herself used to it. In the past 5 years she grew so much that u can’t trace the old Arabella on her. But one thing that didn’t change, despite of everything she can never bring back what she lost and what she had to face to get through those tough times. Payback is really a bitch.
At home, her parents were very proud and happy for her. Her Dad, even asked her a no-joke position on his company but she decline it politely. She told him that she wanted to establish her own identity outside the shadow of her wealthy surname. She applied to another company. And get hired with the position she deserves.
A year had gone so fast. She really enjoys her work. She loved it. She put all her time into it. And the management can’t deny her efficiency. In fact, the CEO acknowledges her work and her bright ideas.
One morning, she felt strangely nervous. She doesn’t know the reason behind it. As if there’s something held her down, she knew it in the pit of her stomach. On her way, she’s still anxious. Her instinct told her that something she doesn’t like will going to happen that day. Her heart beats unusually fast and out of rhythm. She stopped walking and closed her eyes. She breathed in and out sharply hoping to calm her nerves.
When she reached her department, she was so surprised to see everybody unusually there at this hour. She speed up her paced and asked the first person she bumped into what’s the fuss all about. She can’t hide her shock when she learned the news. It turned out that Mr. Chua, their reigning CEO was announcing his retirement and he wanted them to be the first to know and introduces his predecessor.
Blood drained on her face when she saw the face of their new Boss. She never prepared herself for this day. A faceoff to the man she tried to forget. And the man seems to notice her and approached her directions. She prayed all the prayers she knows silently. She wanted to run away from him and hide. But she also know that’s impossible to do and stupid even.
“ We’ve met again.”, He whispered on her ears when he passed her. She stands still. She didn’t make any move because she knows for a fact that when she did that she’ll going to fall apart. Linda, her assistant and friend led her to her office and left without asking and she silently thanks her for that. When she’s alone, she laughs so hard that tears dwells up on her cheeks. She will pass as a lunatic. Laughing and crying at the same time. She even skipped her lunch to avoid him. Arabella knows this will not going to lasts but do it anyway. And she’s right.
Her assistant pass her a memo from the CEO office.
“Come see me ASAP’’
She crumpled the paper. She’s so pissed she can’t think straight.
With so much hesitation on her heart she dragged herself on his office.
KIMBALL MONTES OFFICE, CEO
Inside that locked door, the air is so intimidating. The cool ambiance doesn’t hide the fact that her killing aura is in the brink of explosion.
Kimball breaks the silence. They started talking like professionals and adults. Mostly they talked about work related, as the senior manager Arabella is automatically under him. And then suddenly they were arguing. The fight ended up Arabella resigning. She knows she can’t work with him. Not because they had history together but because she just can’t. She herself doesn’t know why. All she needed now is to take sometime off. To think, relax and rebuild her composure. Yes, it’s only 3 hours ago after meeting him again, and yet old Arabella is threatening to come out anytime soon. And she can’t afford any of that on her new life. She’s not sure if she can handle her old self.
Kimball denied her resignation. He doesn’t want her to run away from him again. He’s tired of her game. He doesn’t want to play hide-and-seek with her again. He has no idea why he’s doing it but do it anyway. He felt alive even if they were arguing into something they both tried to forget. He accepted the job because of her. At first, all this was for his amusement. But when he saw her face again he wanted more than that. He wanted her. Maybe he likes her. It’s too early to say but he loves to piss her off. He loves that annoyed face of hers. It makes his day. He smiled then continues his work enthusiastically.
Each day, Arabella tried her best to avoid him. She even took the stairs just to dodge his presence. But there were days, which he seems all over the place. And the moment they crossed paths they ended up arguing. People around them were kept in the dark and have no idea what’s going on between them. They never share into a single soul what they have against each other.
Weeks passed by in a whim. They grew tired in pestering each other. One of them must surrender the white flag. Kimball did. They talked like an adult over dinner. They both agreed to start all over again. And the old connection they already had way back from before is inevitable. They enjoyed each others company. They work together late at night. They attend parties together. They became so close that Arabella begin to have doubts on her feelings. She knows how attracted her to him and vice versa. And maybe she likes him so much she doesn’t want to end what they have. She’s the one who suggested the no-strings-attached set up. The sex only and no heart involvement kind of crap.
On the other hand, Kimball felt the same way. Arabella makes him alive and happy. He is into her but doesn’t acknowledge it. Their relationship is too smooth that he’s afraid to break it. Every single day, he’s looking forward to see her smiling face. To hear her weirdest jokes and both laugh about it. Every moment apart with her is nostalgic. He dreamed of waking up every morning with her. He paused the moment he realized the train of his thought and where is it going.
“Oh, God He wants her in his life.” Kimball said to himself with wide eyes.
February 14, Kimball decided to propose to Arabella. He arranged everything. But she never shows up. Next thing he knew, he was talking to Marga, his ex-girlfriend, and ended up to her condo unit to carry out his vengeance. He planned to get even by seducing her and makes her fall in love with him then dumped her as she did to him before but now that they were here he can’t even force himself to kiss her. Whatever on earth is happening to him, he had no idea.
Arabella saw all that and hurriedly leaved that place. Before that, 5 hours ago she learnt that she’s pregnant again. For the second time, to that same man who fathered her beloved son, Nathan, now an 8-year-old sweet kid. She never regrets to have him but doing the same mistake seems a bit too old to be her game or maybe she’s just a plain stupid skunk. Her past pain and misery suddenly mock her. She’s so scared that she called Shin to meet up with her tonight. Forgetting everything including the supposedly date with Kimball.
The next day, Arabella lied about her reason why she hadn’t made on their date. But Kimball doesn’t seem to care. His cold stare makes Arabella assumes the worst.
She decided to break what they had. This time she will not going anywhere but filed an indefinite leave of absence to sort out the next chapter of her life. She decided to face the fate she’d choose to trek without blaming him or anyone. She soon to be a mother again on their 2nd love child and she don’t want her child to call her a coward. She’d been here, exactly the same road she treks 5 years ago and maybe she can get through with it again today.
At the park,
Arabella told everything to her shrink, Shin her best friend from high school. And he is right yet again.
“Truth is always the truth. You can deny it, shade or bend it, it will stay the same. There’s still been right and wrong. For now you were on the wrong side but you can make it right”, he said silently.
She reflects on her situation. Her head was spinning she can’t wrapped what’s he’s saying. She honestly want to tell him she’s trying her best just that it wasn’t good enough to reveal her true feeling towards Kimball. Due to the sudden attack of stress, Arabella felt dizzy and ready to pass out in any moment. Shin caught her and carries her towards the bench.
And that’s the scene Kimball witnessed. He felt furious and outrage. Though he agreed on her no-strings-attached policy he can’t help himself to wonder what could have been when he admits his feelings and confess to her? What if he stopped her when she broke up with him? What if he told her the true story behind his lies? Would she believe him? Would she stay? So many things he wanted to do but he’s too scared to do it. And like a loser he turned his back and took off just like that.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Sometimes, love is not enough to make two people live together.
Regret comes from a long way.
No one knows anyone.
Asking does wonders.
Life is simple were just have a lot of free time to complicate it.
Wanted it doesn’t matter, doing it matters.