Epic Love (Triangle)

Chapter 19

Let's dissect Peter's last words one by one.

But I had done that many times already, and I knew I was merely being self-delusional in thinking Peter felt the same way, for how could he, when it has been ten days, twelve hours since then? He was no show, having gone off on heaven knows where, without so much as a call or a text or a message on my yahoo. I was literally puzzled and confused as to what happened to him, and I couldn't come up a suitable explanation for myself on his absence.

Then Lily arrived from Paris five days after that, and she seemed to know where Peter had gone, for she whisked herself away just the same, after insisting to me that I use the clothes she brought from a bazaar near the Seine.

And Lily was also no call/text/message after that.

Here I was back again in the endless corridors of this forsaken campus, walking slower and more confused like my first time a sem ago. My classes had just ended, what with all the 'musta-han's and the plans of gimmicks first week of classes were sure to evoke. And just to confirm I really was a zombie, I had agreed to Marcus' insistence of a shopping spree.

Where the hell are Peter and Lily?

I wanted to cry now, as I neared Marcus' car, for I knew it was my entire fault my life came to a dead-end like this. I missed them so much. And the memory of Peter's kiss was sadly intermingled with guilt and my missing Lily that I often caught myself on the brink of tears. And as always, my mind would cry out the rhetorical question: why had I allowed my mind to run away with my tongue?

"You're thinking again," Marcus commented as I neared his car, and he was leaning on the compartment, looking at me with concern. Dear old Marcus. Reliable to a fault. At least the guy had taken my offer of friendship after I told him I couldn't forge any other relationship with him. At least I had one friend left.

"I have asked in the faculty and they said Peter was due back next week, having been delayed by a family business or other, I'm not sure. And Lily had tendered her resignation just this morning. Via fax."

"What?" My surprise was real. I had not expected this.

"It's true, Shan. She resigned."

If I were facing a mirror that minute I would've closed my mouth in an instant. But I could only gape at Marcus, who looked so sure at this latest information he got from hell knew whom. Thoughts, disgruntled and disjointed, flooded my brain until I was sure I was drowning in confusion. I couldn't bring myself to believe it, but Marcus' eyes dared me to.

"But why?" Had I anything to do with that? I hoped not. I couldn't imagine Lily doing this unexpectedly.

"The rumors are saying she had ditched Sir Gabi over an Italian businessman."

Gross. Yuck. Puke. Vomit.

But I did none of those things. I merely stared at Marcus, and then giggled, then my giggles turned into nervous laughter. How sorely formulaic this was! That Lily would whisk herself away and unwittingly allow me to have my wicked way with Peter at last, if the man would just show up. Still, I couldn't believe the turn of events, it had all the ingredients of a bad soap opera.

So a bad soap opera does exist in real life huh?

"Shanni, you're scaring me," Marcus intercepted my laughter. "Why are you crying?"

I was? "I am?" I asked aloud.

Marcus nodded. "And laughing at the same time, too." Sympathy glowed in his eyes. He reached out and wiped my cheeks with his hand. My self-pity increased a hundredfold.

"I feel so bad," I wailed. I leaned on the car next to him, unable to stop my remorse. What was happening? I had literally wished Lily vanishing, hadn't I? But at the expense of Peter's feelings...

He must be hurting so much right now he couldn't bring himself to school.

Poor Peter.

"Don't be such a wimp, it'll be fine."

"They're angry with me. Maybe Lily knew I've been kissing Peter--"

Yap. Marcus knew that part already. "--and so instead of patching things up they quarreled and Lily wouldn't march back to that Italian's arms if Peter was being good while she was away and-"

"I don't think so," Marcus muttered, his eyes directed on the pouch of my bag.

My cell phone was there, silently ringing.

Lily.

My hands shook as I pulled the thing and held it against my ear.

"L-Lily, I-"

***

An hour later I was still crying. Iba na ang madrama.

But I hadn't expected to be so relieved by Lily's call. The girl was marvelous. Said she was sorry she cavorted with her Italian behind Peter's back, and she even hinted that she knew Peter was falling for me and so she had to be the first to break off the relationship so her ego wouldn't bruise. But no, Lily was not angry with me if I would promise to wear the tops she brought from Paris. And yes, she, Lily, was annoyed at first seeing Peter getting 'more addicted with you by the minute' (referring to me) but reasoned out it must be her pride hurting, not her heart. And will I please stop crying because we're still friends, por favor?

I replied to all that with sobs.

Lily's parting words were, "I know you think I'm crazy letting him go but Shan, I know Gabi is a great guy but we just want different things, those things you seem to like instinctively. And Gabi knew it."

What things? What things?

Hallelujah to the forces of the universe!

The trees seem greener, the flowers livelier, the people prettier and Marcus seemed to have grown a halo round his head, for all the change brought to me by that one swift call.

"Happy na agad?" Marcus was amused at the glow of happiness in my face, long after the call was ended, and I was both teary-eyed and smiling, and in a fit of exhilaration I jumped on Marcus and Marcus hugged me in response, laughing.

That one act of joy seen by Peter, no less.

I stiffened, pushed Marcus as far from me as possible, but Peter had already turned away, walking the opposite direction, looking as livid as I had never seen him, that I had to run to him and call out his name.

Was he jealous? Please, let him be jealous...

Damn. Desperate girls will cling to anything!

But Peter kept on walking, and I was hard put gaining up on him until exasperatedly I called, "Peter ano ba? You can't walk away from me forever!"

He whirled around, his brows furrowed. "Why not?"

"Because... because..." I faltered at that, my cheeks reddening at his scrutiny. My neck ached again like it always did at having to look up at him. Now I really couldn't say why. I had hoped Lily's words are true. What if they're not?

"Say something Shanni! I have a class in five minutes!" Peter was annoyed. He was almost angry. He was even shouting. And he'd never, never done that to me.

"They... they said you wouldn't be back until next week."

"I arrived just this morning," was the flat reply.

I nodded. He looked at me, face expressionless, and then with "If there's nothing more I'm afraid I'm late for class" he was away before I could utter another word.

Like the last semester, I could go on staring at him forever. No dice.