CHAPTER 3 - BLESSING BEYOND PAIN

 (1 week Later)  

EXPECT the unexpected, as everyone always says, and in my case, that's exactly what’s happening right now. I don’t know if I have to be happy or mad about it, but whatever my reaction could be, I can’t do anything about this. My situation right now won’t change.

It’s already been a week since I slept with someone whom I thought was my boyfriend, but I couldn’t move on yet. In that one week, Jonas cut off his communication with me. I tried to call him multiple times; I even had to go to his workplace just to reach him, but to no avail. No Jonas has faced me since then. 

I couldn’t even go to work due to the embarrassment that I’ve felt. I felt like I was going to be depressed. Every time that I remember that day when I went out of the hotel not in joy but in embarrassment, I’m still hoping that it could be erased from my mind... hoping that it didn’t happen. 

Jonas’ malicious and judgmental eye has never left my memory since then. The moment I left the room back then, I saw him still firmly standing outside. Not the rude man that I saw inside the room, but Jonas himself. He was shocked when he saw me outside, but the shock never lasted when he noticed how messed up I looked. He even heard the man’s voice inside the room where I came from. In that moment, his eyebrows arched and he looked at me as if he were asking, ‘What the hell is happening?’

I was shocked. This is the Jonas that I know, not the arrogant man inside the room. 

"Jo-Jonas…" I trailed off, stuttering, while pressing my lips together to prevent myself from crying. I gulped a few times while looking at him in confusion and embarrassment. 

I was about to approach him, but he stepped backward while looking at me. He scanned my body from head to toe, as if he’s looking at me the same way the rude man inside thought of me. I was shocked by his reaction.

"I know y-you’re confused, but i-it’s not what you think it is," my voice almost gave up. " Let me explain, Jo-Jonas..."

A drop of tears escaped my eyes. My tears brought me back to the present when I remorse what had happened back then. I stopped reminiscing about what had happened and just looked at the pictures that Jonas had forwarded to me earlier. I don’t know where or when those malicious pictures came from, but all I know is that they're already spreading like madness online. Allaine has comforted me since the first day, as soon as she knew what happened, until now that these pictures are scattered on social media sites. 

That is why I’m not even confused about why there are always judgmental eyes lurking around me; even my neighbors thought of me as their daily hot topic. What’s making me saddest is that of all people, Jonas is the only one next to Allain who knows me best. Jonas knew that I was not like the one in the photos. But why does it seem like it’s easy for him to judge and leave me?

"I can’t stand knowing that my girlfriend is associated with a scandal…"

"It simply shows that I still don’t know you yet…"

"Let’s stop this relationship. I’m breaking up with you, Kaye…"

Those are his lines that kept playing in my mind on repeat. I don’t know where those pictures came from, but the worst part is that only my face was seen, not the face of the rude man who exactly looked like Jonas. Someone must have posted our pictures on social media with malicious intent. Obviously, the whole world made fun of me. I would have survived this shame if the person I loved the most was beside me, but I guess I was wrong all along, and it fucking hurts!

****** 

-One-Month Later-

I WAS just blankly staring at the mirror here in the bathroom of my small room that I’m renting with Allaine, holding the only thing that would definitely change my life. I was shaking mad in anger and disappointment at myself while looking at this. I can’t stop thinking that the night I thought would make me happy just resulted in a terrible mistake that could bring my life into distress. 

"If only you were not a fucking fool, Kaye!" I shouted to myself as I threw the pregnancy test in the trash can. 

I ran my hand over my face multiple times, becoming so frustrated to the point that I even pulled out my hair. After that, I helplessly leaned on the wall of this small bathroom. I silently cursed myself because of my foolishness. While leaning on the wall, I felt my knees get weaker, as if they were about to give up by themselves, until I sat down on the dirty floor. The tears rushed down my cheeks, but I felt nothing. 

"W-What did I do wrong that made me deserve a p-problem like this?" I asked myself while crying so loudly. I bowed my head down to wipe the tears that were rushing down my face. It took me minutes of crying myself out until Allaine called through the phone, to which I answered right away. 

[“Hey, any update? How’s the result?”] she asked. 

I sighed heavily and persuaded myself to stop crying once more. My lips were pressed before I prepared to speak.

“P-Positive,” Those are the only words that left my mouth to answer Allaine. My voice almost cracked and I’m about to cry again.  

We both went silent, except for Allaine’s heavy breathing, which I heard multiple times over the phone. I finally stood up straight and blankly looked at myself in the mirror. I kept on trying not to break down again, feeling the pain as my chest felt like it was about to explode. 

I don’t deserve this but why is this happening to me?

I instinctively covered my mouth when I felt like my voice was about to crack, but Allaine must have heard and noticed it. 

[“Don’t worry, we can surpass this problem, Beks. We’ll take care of this.”]

“I’m afraid, Beks. What if I can’t do this? What if they’re right that I’m a fool and can’t reach anything in life just because of what happened to me?!” I reasoned out while crying, even though I’m breathing heavily. 

My tears started to rush down my cheeks while holding my cell phone very tight. 

[“Don’t say that, Beks, I know that you can do it! You’re tough, you know that!” ]

“Be-Beks, it just hurts! Why does it have to happen to me? Why of all people, it’s me?”

[“Beks… alright, just cry it all out, I’m always here for you,”} Allaine reminded me softly. 

I took a breath and used my palm to wipe my nose. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't even get my tears to stop flowing down. But the heaviness in my chest that I was experiencing before has already subsided. 

“Beks, thank you for being here despite all this.”

[“It’s fine, Beks. I’m your friend, and I’m always here for you to lean on, whatever that problem might be.”]

I was about to answer her, but she spoke again. 

[“Anyway, be ready to pack our things there, alright? Wait for me, I’m going home now.” ]

“Wait, what? Why do we have to pack?” 

[J-Just pack it, I’ll explain later as soon as I came. I’ll end this call now, Beks. Trust me everything will be alright.”]

Allaine immediately cut the call, as I saw myself stopping from crying. I was just wondering, "Why do I have to pack our things?" What’s this connection to what we’re talking about now, or to my situation right now? But whatever that is, I know that Allaine has been planning for the better, and I trust her. Lately, I also noticed that she was deep in thought, but I was shy to ask her why because she'd already been worrying about me and my situation.

In fact, it was she who persuaded me to buy a pregnancy test when she noticed me being pale and sometimes throwing up in the bathroom every morning. Even though I opposed the idea because I didn’t want to entertain the possibility, I still did it. At first, I couldn’t accept the fact that I had to bear a child from someone I didn’t know, so I didn’t wanna take the test, but I did it anyway. Besides, Allaine won’t stop pushing me for it if I don’t buy and take it. 

******

As soon as I finished packing our things up, someone knocked at our door unexpectedly. I lazily stood up from sitting on the bed and went to the door.

"Who’s there?" I asked before I opened the door. This person didn’t answer, so I just opened it up a little and peaked outside. 

Only my head was peeking behind the door, and I was dumbfounded when I saw a man in a black suit. I slowly moved my head up to see who this was.

"Who are you?" I curiously asked. 

This man met my eye and smiled. He was an old man, maybe in his mid-50s, wearing an aviator that was also black.

"Good afternoon, Miss Kaye. I’m Richard, and I’m sorry for the interruption. "However, I'm here at Miss A's request."

"W-What? Who’s this Miss A, and why do I have to come with her? I don’t even know you." 

I was so confused and wondered what he was talking about; plus, I don’t even know who Miss A is. Though, instead of answering me, he just went closer to my door and slowly pushed it wide open. He went inside, so I panicked and feared what might happen, especially when he went straight to the bags that I had packed earlier. 

"Hey, w-what are you doing?!" 

"I’m sorry, but according to what I’ve been told by Miss A, I have to get these luggages in the car so we could now move out. That’s the order that I received, Miss Kaye." 

"With all due respect, b-but this is not—!" I suddenly stopped talking when I received a phone call from Allaine. 

"Beks–!"

["Beks, I know that you’re as confused as I am right now, but you have to trust me and go with Richard... I’ll wait for you two to get here so I could explain it all to you."]

I was about to answer, but the line was already cut. I heaved a sigh and looked at my phone.

I can’t understand you now, Allaine.

Despite being confused and in a hurry, I saw Richard carrying our bags on his buffed arms. He saw me looking at him, so he smiled as he walked past me. Before he could even reach the door, he glanced at me and said, "I’ll wait for you outside, Miss Kaye. We have to go," he said and walked outside.

I nodded to agree. Besides, I don’t even have a choice, and I trust Allaine. 

*****

I must have fallen asleep during the ride, and I have no idea what time it is now. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw that we were driving into a huge metal gate. I instinctively sat down properly and glanced at Richard, who was silently driving the car. When we drove inside and parked the car, my nervousness started to get the best of me, and I didn’t know why.

The car stopped here in this mansion-like house. Richard shut the engine off, removed his seatbelt, and went outside to open the door for me. As soon as he opened the door, I got his hand and jumped out of the car while being in awe because of this grand mansion in front of us.

I roamed my eyes around and wondered at the beauty of this place. Fresh air, no pollution, and various tall trees, which obviously tells me that we’re far away from the city, My train of thoughts was cut off when Richard spoke again.

"You can now enter the mansion, Miss Kaye. Miss A has been waiting for you. I’ll take care of your belongings, so don’t worry." He said that and bowed in front of me, then went to the back of our car to get our luggage. 

Just like what he told me, I started to walk in front of the huge doorway of this mansion. As I stepped in front of it, I breathed heavily before I reached the door. However, before I could even open it, the door opened wide as my friend, Allaine, came out of it.

"Beks!" She happily welcomed me and hugged me tightly.

I was a little bit shocked by her welcome, but I hugged her anyway despite being puzzled. My nervousness subsided due to Allaine’s hug. I thanked God that Allaine’s here, my best friend, who’s supporting me through all the hardships that I’m going through right now. 

"Miss A, do I have to bring this straight to Miss Kaye’s room?" says Richard, but I was even more shocked by what I have heard.

Miss A and Allaine are the same?