Everything is Wrong

She had a lot of memories to erase. Sam wanted to walk out of Zach’s life, but she kept on getting entangled with his existence. Today, she’s here, outside of his room, asking how he’s been, yet she doesn’t have the right to do that anymore. With Stacy’s words, does she deserve to wipe her existence out of Zach’s mind? 

“I’d agree with you. If I were me, I would despise myself on loving someone like him. Zach’s proven to be a cheater, someone who is unfaithful from their words. He wanted to have a good time to someone else, and it was me. Fortunate enough you know me.” Stacy was such a bitch to say that in front of her. She stood up from the bench, turning to Sam. 

“You know me, Sam. I liked Sean since then. I wanted to confess to him, but I couldn’t do it. I resisted of breaking your relationship with him. I controlled myself, even though I want to avert my attention to someone else.” Sam hesitated to ask it, but this might be the opportunity to do that. Zach must have a reason for her to understand, but her deep hatred etched in her heart. 

But an unfaithful partner will still be unfaithful no matter how many time has changed. 

“A lot of boys wanted to hook up with me, but my eyes stayed on Zach. I keep on wanting him, my desire have grown as I reached the peak. I couldn’t help it anymore when I saw him under that rain…” 

“Under the rain?” Sam butted in. Stacy must have forgotten she was still there. Sam pursed her lips as Stacy crossed her arms over her chest, taking a seat down again, and knew she had to say it. Besides, they’re going to leave. It’s a form of a closure. 

“What really happened to the two of you, Stacy? How did it start?” 

Stacy inhaled large amounts of air before starting. 

… 

A year ago. 

Stacy bowed down her head as she secured a sponsorship for her radio show. She shook the company director’s hand one last time, put on the widest grin she could, and sighed as they walked away. Stacy couldn’t remove the smile in her face. It plastered in her lips through the entire meeting. She knew this would happen. 

As she tucked in the strands of her hair behind her ear, she nodded. “You’re doing great, Stacy.” 

She tapped her shoulder repeatedly. Pivoting her heel around towards her office, Stacy relive the moments earlier. A lot of compliments she received and it made her blush even for a moment. When she’s about to turn in a corner, she heard two people bickering on each other. 

Stacy halted. Interruption is the best distraction, but she can recognize whose voices were there. Stacy slipped in her hands inside her pockets, peeked in, and saw Samantha’s enraged face. Samantha Lee, the drama department biggest producer and a head writer. The man in front of her was Zachary Gonzales, the radio department’s biggest producer for his radio show. He came in first before Stacy does. 

But she’s happy with her achievements for now. She just had to stop dreaming for something bigger. It’s better to keep it slow. Zach yelled, “I’m not even going out for the team dinner today just because of you!” 

“Me?! Am I forcing you to come to dinner with me?! I’m just saying this to you because you booked for it and the restaurant kept on calling me! Why are you so angry with my question? Don’t you want to have dinner with me?” Sam’s voice was kind of low compared to Zach. He must be burned out with a lot of workload. Stacy took turns glancing at the two of them. 

“It’s not like that, Sam!” 

“You kept on booking a table but you couldn’t keep up the promise! Why? You want to have some dinner with your team? Go on, I wouldn’t hesitate to grant you the permission. But if you keep doing like this, ignoring the text from the restaurant, and the manager kept on pestering me, it’s not right, Zach.” Stacy understood Sam’s stance. She blinked, observing what would be Zach’s reaction. Stacy stayed there as the silence ensued to the two of them. 

“I wouldn’t argue with you anymore about the restaurant dinner. Go on, eat with your teammates. I just asked you… and you…” Sam resisted the tears from coming. She ignored Zach, walking past ahead of her, and brushed her shoulders to him. A distant stomp of the heels went down the stairs accompanied by a sniff. 

Sam must have break down the moment Zach lost sight of her. He hissed, closing his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Stacy stayed in her place, and a few moments later, she pretended to close a doorknob as Zach walked down the hallway. She stared at the knob. 

She waited for a few distance to widen the gap between them, and Stacy walked in the same direction as him. It’s Zachary Gonzales, the man who captured her eyes for a long time. Stacy followed him to the stairs, maintaining the distance, not wanting for Zach to look back at him, and ask who she was. 

Stacy retrieved her bag, switched off the lights inside her office, and stayed behind the door. She waited inside, looking at the small mirror propped at the center of the door, checking if Zach went out with some of his teammates. As the hallway filled with crowd noise, Stacy raised her eyebrows.

Zach and his team walked past ahead of her dark office. They didn’t even realize someone was behind the door. For a few moments, as the noise got distant, she went out fast. She hurried, careful not to make any sound, and halted in front of the elevator. 

… 

She was there, at the restaurant where they ate. Even though Stacy was alone and didn’t even drag her best friend, she doesn’t care. Stacy kept a good eye upon what was happening with Zach at their table. He was smiling wide, but his eyes said the otherwise. The argument he had must have affected Sam too much. 

They all chinked their glasses, and Stacy poured hers for the first time. She doesn’t want to get drunk. Zach was the first one to finish the alcohol down the huge mug offered by the restaurant. It made Stacy surprised. Zach slammed it down. Stacy hitched her breath.

She signed to the waiter when Zach turned in her direction. Stacy doesn’t want to get labeled as a stalker. Zach rolled his eyes back onto its sockets as he continued to talk with his teammates. His voice was already wobbly. Stacy ordered another round of beef so that she can stay longer. After an hour, a lot of his teammates were down. Some of them still continued to drink even though the bottles already been drain out. 

Zach grabbed that opportunity to go outside to breathe in the fresh air. Stacy didn’t know what to do. Should she follow Zach outside or not? Stacy hissed, left her food, and grabbed her purse, slinging it around her neck. She hurriedly placed paper bills in front of the cashier, calling out her name. 

“The name’s Stacy. Please prepare the bill. I’ll come back.” Stacy pushed the glass door open, looking around the street. Zach walked away with his hands inside his pockets. Stacy widened her eyes. She’s going to leave his teammates like that? She waited. Until, he stopped. Zach hitched his ringing cell phone out, checking if it is Sam. 

Who else would he frantically retrieve his cell phone with just a simple beep? Of course, it’s Sam. Zach didn’t even answer the call, staring at the screen for the longest time possible. He swiped the reject button, placed it inside his pockets, and turned at the sky. 

Stacy wanted to approach him, but this isn’t her last straw. Zach stood there, foolishly waiting for something, must be going crazy because of the alcohol. But Stacy’s wrong. When she hunkered down for a few moments outside of the restaurant, her legs have gone tired, the rain started pouring. It was little drops at first, but then it became heavy. 

Luckily, Stacy carried around a portable umbrella whenever she’s at work or a hangout. Standing up from the spot, she retrieved it, seeing Zach under the rain. Stacy’s jaw dropped on the floor. Zach closed his eyes, letting himself get drenched. Stacy opened up the umbrella, sheltered herself in. 

“This is too…” Stacy broke the last self-control she had. She walked out of the heavy rain, running towards Zach, and when she reached him, Stacy sheltered him under her umbrella. It was too late before Zach realized someone was covering him already. Stacy sighed, her shoulders shivered. 

Zach turned around, staring at the woman in front of him, and wiped the rain drops in his face. Stacy and Zach met each other’s eyes. A faint of recognition came in his eyes, and when it did, Stacy uttered, “It’s been a long time, Mr. Zachary Gonzales.”