Silver Lining

Chapter 24 - 7 years ago (7) Heart Broken

Clara's POV

"This is crazy! Back off you jerk!" Dorris pushed Jake aside as she berated him.

"Oh well, I guess the game is over," Jake spat on the floor and walked away from us to his car.

"Something is amiss, why is he doing this to me?" I asked Dorris.

"Never mind about him, let's get back in and wait for Rico to pick you up," Dorris replied.

It has been half an hour past the time that Rico promised to pick me up at, but there was still no sign of him. I tried calling his mobile phone several times but there wasn't any response. I looked out of the window worriedly while trying to trace signs of him.

"Dorris, I'm worried that something might have happened to Rico."

Dorris comforted me in her shoulders and said, "Don't worry, let's head on to the prom venue first, perhaps he's already there."

I grabbed my purse and hopped into Dorris's car as we made our way to the prom site.

When we reached the prom site, I combed the site hurriedly for the presence of Rico. After a few minutes, I found him on the dance floor with Veronica.

"Hey Rico, I thought you were picking me up from my house?" I let out an awkward smile when I walked up to him.

Rico snickered and said, "Oh no, I was just pulling your leg about the whole prom date thing, didn't thought you would take it seriously, though."

"What?" I felt a burning sensation across my eyes and tears were welling up as I could not believe my ears. My heart was torn apart when I heard from him. How could I be so wrong about him? I thought he was different from the rest, but he wasn't...

Veronica leant in and laid her head and hands on his chest as she said, "Oh Clara! I thought you said you had a prom date, where is he?"

I held back my tears and concealed the hurt I received from Rico, "You guys have fun, I'm not feeling well, I'm going to go home now." I turned around and shoved my way through the crowd. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore when I exited from the prom site. Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream and I started to tear uncontrollably as I sat on the stairway.

"Clara? What happened?" Dorris came from behind me and sat next to me.

"How could... I...be so stupid...to think that I have a chance with him..." I said while wiping my snort.

"What do you mean? Did you managed to find Rico?" Dorris asked with a worrisome look that swept across her face.

"Yea, I did, but he said asking me out as his prom date was just a prank that he pulled on me. I'm so stupid to have believed him..." I started slapping my palm on my forehead to punish myself for my own stupidity and naivety.

Dorris stopped me from doing that by grabbing my arms and she comforted me by lending me her shoulder, "I'm sorry..."

Ever since that night, I've not heard a word from him. He left for Harvard University in Boston under a scholarship, while I headed on to San Francisco for Stanford University. Dorris got a place in Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in Cambridge. We all parted ways from each other after high school. It was four bitter years away from home and being alone.

Rico's POV

I made my way to the drinks corner and started gulping down drinks to cool my angsty soul after tasting betrayal.

"Hey Rico, let's dance together!" Veronica grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the dance floor though I wasn't in the mood for anything.

Then a familiar figure walked up to me, she was someone I wanted to avoid from now on - Clara.

"Hey Rico, I thought you were picking me up from my house?" I could sense the awkwardness from her as she said it. I couldn't believe how she could put on a pretence so well even up till this stage.

A vengeance feel overcame me and I lied to her that I was just kidding about the prom date so that she could have a taste of what betrayal feels like.

I saw her eyes welling up with tears after I uttered the lie that I came up with. My heart was throbbing with an ache to see that I've hurt her, I still feel for her, but then again, she deserved it. I looked away after she left to mask my pain.

After that night, I've never heard from her. However, somewhere deep in my heart still wished that all these weren't for real and it was carried in me for many years down the road. It felt as though my heart was left hanging on a thread from an unfinished business.

Dorris's POV

I couldn't believe what I heard from Clara that Rico was just playing with her feelings all this while. I really had faith in Rico and sincerely believed that he was into her. But the face of distraught that swept across her face diminished the faith I had in Rico. I didn't know what to say to her to mend her broken heart, i was equally lost for words as well. Something just felt amiss...