A Love Story

She’s sitting by the window, looking at the clear blue sky. She could see a bird, or was it two? They were flying above the buildings, under a mass of white clouds. They do look like cotton candies. The clouds.

Yes, the weather is fine; perfect even. But her mind is somewhere else, somewhere far far away. Her thoughts are in the distant past, say around 2010?

Let’s call her Annie. Don’t be confused. The author just can’t think of a more apt name and too lazy to search for one.

She’s a fresh graduate. She earned her degree in foreign language. Growing up, she’s shy and anti-social. But in college, she met her friends who are the total opposite of her. They are bubbly, loud and spontaneous. She doesn’t like spontaneity, but she is a good sport. But her worse trait? She doesn’t know how to say No. And even after earning her degree, she couldn’t unlearn that habit. And that’s when trouble started.

“Annie, could you do this?” “Sure”

“Annie, please do this next.” “No problem”

“Annie, don’t do that!” “Uhm, okay”.

So not only that she can’t say No. She also doesn’t know how to assert herself. When she’s told not to do something, then she won’t. She’s like a living doll, a puppet with no bones. Until one day.

He’s a newbie. Tall and lean and with head full of fluffy hair. He’s a bit too tan than she preferred but for some reasons, it just made him more attractive. But she’s not in the least bit interested at first. She’s the most cocky man she’d ever met to tell the truth.

She’s the assigned supervisor on that day. She’s always on the night shift. There’s a new guy, they said and she needs to assist him. When he arrived, he took the seat next to her without any questions.

“Good evening!” “Good evening.” Yep, that’s the exact exchange they made.

Around midnight, when everyone was supposed to take a break, he stood up first. “Miss, may I go out? “he said.

She was perplexed, and a bit irritated. He doesn’t need to ask permission to go. They aren’t kids who needs permission to go pee. But she answered ,”Yeah, sure.” because she never says No.

But he wasn’t finished apparently. “With you?” he said with that cocky side smile.

She was taken aback and couldn’t react. Did he just use a pick up line? That’s disgusting. But if she were disgusted, they others were cheering. Everyone was still in the room and heard his flirtatious remark. She blushed.

A year later, they celebrated their first year as a couple. A year of pure sweetness and togetherness; of love. And the best thing he taught her? Learn how to say No.

Then one day,

She saw him, standing at the same spot where he always waits for her. His shoulders are as broad as before, or is it broader? She can’t really tell. His hair messy as usual. But somehow, something’s different today. Those looks in his eyes. Are they more somber? Is that sadness she can see? Maybe he’s just tired.

She approached him as slowly as she could. The springs in her steps aren’t present today. She’s tired. And looks like he is, too. He smiled – but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Maybe he’s under the weather. He reached for her bag.

She smiled at him and started to walk but then he called her. “Annie, let’s take a taxi from here.” His voice lacks the energy that she’s used to hearing. Maybe he’s really a bit sick.

They reached her apartment in no time. Traffic wasn’t so bad. She inserted the key. ‘Click!’ They’re home.

She went inside but he stopped by the door. “Your bag”, he said.

“Aren’t you coming in?”, she asked.

“I’m going”, he replied.

“Going somewhere else?”

“No, I’m really going”, he replied.

“Where to?”, she prodded.

“Away. Forever.” she was stumped. What does he mean?

“NO”,  she said. Her voice was shaking. She finally said the unfamiliar word.

He shook his head, looked at her with those somber eyes and walked away. He didn’t  look back.

Without even saying goodbye; no explanations. Just those three words or rather, two – “I’m going.” And that’s how it ended.

She continued to stare at the window with the clear blue sky, wondering what went wrong. Ten years. Ten years without him, only with the little girl he never knew existed.