CHAPTER 18: Jealousy Thoughts

CLAIRE’s P.O.V.

Although I already knew he’s coming, I’m still shocked when I saw his face again. After all these years. I finally meet the man whom I entrusted my best friend’s heart, but ended up liking me. The reason why everything about me and Kate faded away. The reason behind why my previous friend loathed me the most.

“Are you alright?” Darren asked, looking worried at me.

“Y-yeah.”

“Are you sure? You look stunned. I could take you home if you wanted.”

“No, no. I’m fine. As if I’m still affected by the past. Don’t worry, Darren. I can handle this. And besides, Kate is here. I highly doubt that Gabriel could even talk to me.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I am not!” I answered too quickly.

Darren averted his gaze towards the stage. I saw him sent death raging glares towards Gabriel’s current position. If only stares can kill, Gabriel will probably be dead by now.

“Yes you do.”

My brows furrowed because of that statement. Why does he always include Gabriel in our conversation? Does he honestly think that I want to talk to the guy who ruined almost everything about me and my best friend?

“Stop being immature, Darren.

He just shook his head before telling something to Elijah. I feel like I’m being left out by the two of them talking to each other. And so, I decided to get some drinks and find some of my old acquaintances way back in high school.

I took one glass of strawberry punch from the buffet. I take a sip into it before raising my gaze again to the crowd to look for some of my classmates. But instead of seeing one of them, I saw my old best friend, Kate, looking at me with a bored expression plastered on her face.

“Kate...”

“So, have you already talked to Gab?” she asked, raising one of her brows.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh come on, Claire. I know you. As if you weren’t planning to see him tonight.”

“I’m really not looking forward for that, Kate.”

“Really? Of course you would deny it, because you are with your husband, right?”

“I don’t have time for this. I need to go.”

I tried to passed her by but I couldn’t, because she suddenly grabbed my arm, not allowing me to escape from her nonsense rants.

“I’m still talking to you, bitch.”

“Please get your hands off of me. It’s to tight.”

After she heard my complain, she still act like she didn’t care. In fact, she squeezed my arms even tighter this time, making me wince in pain.

“Stop it!”

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do, Claire!” she shouted at my face.

“What’s going on here?”

We are both shocked when we heard that familiar voice. A voice from a long time ago. And the owner of that voice was no other than the man who ruined our friendship.

“Gab...” Kate finally let go of my arm.

“Hi, Kate.”

“I can’t believe it. After all these years, you still have a guts to talk to me like that,” Kate said unbelievably.

“Come on. That was a long time ago. Don’t you think that maybe it’s time for all of us to move on?”

“I’ll never forget what you two have done to me.”

“Claire didn’t do anything. So please don’t blame her. It was all my fault.”

Kate shook her head before looking at me from my head to toe.

“You are unbelievable.”

She walked out of our sight, leaving us both shocked and dumbfounded. Gabriel sighed, maybe thinking the same thing as I am. How can we start a normal conversation after all that drama that happened earlier?

“Hey, Claire...” Finally, he started talking to me.

“Gab.”

“It’s nice to see you.”

“Me too, but I need to go.” I tried to excuse myself but to no avail.

I’m worried that Kate might tell something to Darren. I don’t want to cause a chaos here, in a public place.

“Too soon? Don’t you want to catch up with me first?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, Gab. I need to see my–”

“Your husband,” he finished my sentence.

“How did you know?” I curiously asked.

“Of course I knew it. Darren Herrera is one of the most successful businessman on our country. Everyone is waiting for his next move. Don’t you think it is too insane for people like me to not know your civil status?”

“Claire!” a voice shouted from behind.

I turned my gaze on the angry man and there, I saw my husband glaring at us. Behind him is Kate smirking towards me.

“D-Darren...” I murmured nervously.

“Why are you talking to this man?!”

“Wow, such a possessive husband,” Gabriel stated.

“We’re just...” I couldn’t find any words to tell him.

“Dude, we were just catching up before you came.”

“Don’t give me an endearment. We are not close and we will never be. And you...” Darren look at my direction. “We’re going home, wife.”

“But we’ve just arrived!” I complained.

He didn’t mind the words I’ve just said before pulling my arms away from Gabriel. He just watched us from afar, shaking his head as he saw how my husband treated me.

“Wait! Bro! Where are you going? The party was just starting,” Elijah stopped us midway from the exit hall.

“Get out of the way if you don’t want to be dragged onto this, Elij,” Darren seriously said before he continued pulling me away.

“Stop!” I tried to remove his hands into my arms but it was too tight.

We are out of the venue and there's no other people around when we finally came to stop. But he still didn’t let go of my arm.

“Why are you talking to him, Claire?!”

The space between his eyebrows is nearly gone because of his face’s mad expression.

“We’re not doing anything wrong!”

“I already told you not to talk to that guy. But you still did it! You didn’t listen to me!”

I felt his grip got tightened. My eyes started to be blurry because of the tears forming at the corners of it. I couldn’t make sure what’s hurting me more, his tight grip to my arm, or the fact that he didn’t want to believe every single word that I said. He didn’t trust me.

“Please let go of me, Darren.”

“I will not!”

“Let my arm go!” I fired back loud enough for him to heard.

I felt his grip loosen up a bit, but still, he didn’t let go of me.

“It h-hurts...”

I look up at him, only to see a worried and guilty face. Finally, he let go of my arm and look me straight into my eyes like he is apologizing for what just happened. My tears started to stream down to my cheeks.

“I don’t expect you to believe in me, Darren. All I’m asking was your trust. You should have let me explain first...”

“Fuck!” He kicked the side of his car.

I couldn’t help but to sob seeing him like this. But I still wanted to defend myself. I didn’t do anything wrong earlier yet here we are, fighting over just for a nonsense issue.

“Claire... I’m sorry.”

He tried to reached me but I avoided his hands. I could see my bruised arm because of his tight grip earlier. I wiped my tears away before he could take another step closer towards me.

“I’m really sorry, Claire... I didn’t mean to hurt you like this.”

“I want to go home,” I stated with a blank expression on my face.

He sighed before nodding at me, still apologetic.

“Then I’ll take you home.”

“No,” I answered too quickly.

“What do you mean?”

“I can take care of myself.”

“But... Please. Let me take you home.”

I shook my head several times before I started to walk towards the opposite direction. He followed me and tried to touch my hand, but I didn’t let him.

“Stop!” I raised my palms in front of his face motioning him to stop whatever it is that he wanted to do. “Just... Leave me alone, Darren. Give me some space to think.”

His shoulder dropped as he heard those words. He sighed, looking down on the ground with his depressed look.

“Fine... I’ll let you go this time because I know that I hurt you. But as soon as you forgive me, I’ll make you feel how to be loved unconditionally. That’s a promise, Claire...”