Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 27

Mira woke up at four. She sat at the edge of the bed and stared blankly at the wall. It’s been three days. She asked Andrei to have her contract terminated, and she doesn’t know how powerful their family are, but he did. She paced around the room, to the living room and kitchen until it’s six in the morning. She turned her phone on and stared at it beeping for a while.

From Archi:

-I know I messed up. Please let’s talk about this.

-I’ve only thought about myself and looking back, I see how selfish I was. Please give me another chance.

-I miss you. Please let’s work this out

And a whole lot of sorrys and where are you.

From Aro:

-Hi Mira. Mom told me about what happened. If it’s possible, I would really appreciate if you will find a time to talk to me. Whenever you’re free

-or ready

She felt like all her tears have dried up already. And now she felt like she’s reverting to her old self, not feeling anything. But there’s something different this time, at least before, she can move normally. It’s been three days since she went to Aro’s house and had a talk with Dolores and since then, she doesn’t want to go out. If Andrei doesn’t have food delivered in his apartment, there will be times she won’t eat at all. She’s even forcing herself to take a bath. She heard the door open and went there to look. It’s the three again.

“We brought you food” Yuan raised the paper he’s holding. Based on the smell, it must be pan de sal.

She looked at TJ, he’s holding four cups of coffee. Andrei went to the kitchen and took a large bowl and peanut butter. He took the paper bag to Yuan and put the bread there. They all followed him to the center table.

“How have you been?” Andrei asked.

“You look terrible” TJ told her.

She scratched the back of her head. “At this rate, I should be calling you all Dad” she joked. They all just looked at each other and started drinking their coffee. She went and drink hers too. Now she can feel her hunger. Andrei took one and put peanut butter in it and handed it to her. She took it, tears are about to fall again.

“Can I use your CR?” TJ asked.

“There’s one beside the kitchen” Andrei told him.

“Why are you visiting me this early? Are scared I might hang myself?” she asked them.

Yuan and Andrei gave each other looks. “It’s TJ who’s pestering me to always come visit you. I thought you might want your space, but now that you mention it, you’re not thinking about it. Are you?” Yuan asked.

“I’m not. Don’t worry” she answered. “Why’s TJ pestering you?” she asked.

“I know, I ask him that too” Yuan answered.

“What are your plans now?” Andrei asked. “It’s not healthy to just stay inside. You have to move yourself, Mira. Exercise or—”

“Exercise” she laughed dryly.

“Listen, you can stay here for as long as you want. But please, you have to get over this. I know you can do it” Andrei continued.

“How do you know?” she asked.

“You’ve been doing it even before meeting Archi, right?” Andrei trying to convince her.

“I don’t want to get back to that life anymore” she complained.

“You won’t. This time, it will be different. This time, you’ll have us. We got you” Andrei assuring her.

The tears she’s been holding before eating the bread just went and fell down her eyes. “Okay” she answered.

TJ then came back from the bathroom, his shirt wet. “It won’t come off” he complained.

Ah, that’s why, she thought. There’s a brown circle in his shirt, probably spilled coffee. Andrei went to the room Mira’s staying and came out holding a shirt.

“Use this” Andrei told him.

“Whose shirt is that?” she asked.

“My brother’s. He left his clothes when he stayed here” Andrei told her.

TJ took off his clothes and wore the shirt Andrei gave him. The shirt smells nice.

“Have you ever watched Inuyasha?” she asked them. TJ and Andrei nodded. Yuan just stared at her. “Honestly, what kind of childhood did you have?”

“My grandpa doesn’t want me spending all my time in front of the TV so I played all sorts, Patintero, Tumbang Preso, and oh! I had my first road trip when I was just nine. We rode our bikes to farthest part of the river” he proudly shared. Surprisingly, all three of them made an ‘ooh’ sound in amazement.

“What about Inuyasha?” TJ asked. “It aired when I was still in grade three” TJ said reminiscing.

“Yeah, I go straight home every afternoon to watch it” Andrei said smiling. “Oh, yeah, what about it” he suddenly asked Mira.

She’s smiling watching them remember their childhoods. “You know how Inuyasha really loved his first love?” she started. “To the point where he’ll use his one wish to the shikon jewel to be human” she continued.

“Didn’t he end up with Kagome?” TJ asked.

“He did” she answered. “He ended up with Kagome only because Kikyo died” she continued. They all fell silent.

“It’s an anime” TJ told her.

“Oh, you got it right” she said surprised. “Oh, sorry. Archi always call it cartoons. I get irritated sometimes” she smiled. It made also TJ smile.

“Please don’t tell me you’re making your life decisions based on anime” Andrei told her.

“I’m not. But TJ is right, there’s some things a third person can see that the people in their situation can’t. Watching it, I can straightly say that Kagome is the second choice. Always been. And she settled for it” she explained to Andrei.

“And you won’t settle for it?” Andrei asked, she nodded.

“You can’t break up with him like that, you have history” Yuan commented.

“Well, they also have history—”

TJ sighed a little loud. “But they are not real, you are” TJ said and she stared at him blankly. He sighed, “I will never raise my daughter like this” he shook his head.

“You don’t have to rush yourself, think how you want to handle this. But when you do, try to think what you want to do with your life now” Andrei said when she didn’t say anything to TJ.

“By the way, would it affect my future employments now that you have my contract terminated?” he asked Andrei.

“You don’t have to worry about that. We told your company we’ll pirate you, so if anything, they’ll want your skills more” he explained.

“You’ve all been helping me” she whispered.

“I told you my brother’s back. He’s giving me time to figure myself out, don’t worry I have plenty of time” Andrei assured her.

“I’ll talk to Aro first” she decided.

“You’ll have to fix yourself. Aro’s pretty, you can’t face him looking like that” TJ joked.

“Ah, that reminds me, when they first met, Inuyasha told Kagome that Kikyo is more beautiful and smarter than her. Ugh! That bastard!” she gritted her teeth.

“Boy, I really need to keep up with you three” Yuan trying to join them.

She started typing.

To Aro:

We can meet today, 3pm

She gave the address of the coffeeshop in front of the building. She doesn’t want another scenario like the last time she went to their house. She took a cab and can’t even give a proper direction due to her uncontrollable crying. The driver even seemed to pity her, he was declining her payment. Her phone beeped and saw Aro confirmed their meeting.

After they finish their coffee and the nagging, she was walking the three of them off. Andrei’s reminding her about the food. “Don’t get tired of me yet” she told them.

Andrei hugged her, “never” he replied. Yuan hugged the two of them.

TJ opened the door and looked at them who just finished all the hugging. “Update us” he told Mira. Mira walked to TJ and hugged him tight. He seemed not used to anyone doing this he suddenly froze. When he got himself back, he just put his hand a bit on her back and then slightly pushed her. She smiled.

She went to the bedroom and looked at herself in the mirror. TJ’s right. Aro’s pretty, she needs to at least look presentable when they meet. She took a bath. A long bath. She started her skincare routine again, after more than a week of skipping. She looked at her clothes and the dresses Andrei gave her. She sighed. What shoes will she pair in those dresses? She left all her shoes in the apartment. She took the long, gray, rib knit dress and a black, open cardigan. It’s 2:30 in the afternoon. She looked at herself in the mirror, now she’s at least presentable. She took a mirror selfie and send it to their group chat.

Presentable? She sent.

Looking great, mom! Yuan love reacted her photo.

Andrei also love reacted her photo while TJ just sent a thumbs up

Always the salty one, she thought. She wore a pink, flat slippers, took her purse and her phone and headed out. She arrived at the coffee shop at 2:46 and looked around for a place to sit. She saw Aro already sitting at the edge corner of the shop near the window. He talked to one of the crew, the crew nodded and went to the counter. She walked to the corner Aro’s sitting, he stood up and pulled a chair for her. “Thank you” she told him. She looked at him, he’s wearing a moss green polo shirt, his hair combed over, he’s wearing a green, leathered gold watch. Why are some men unnecessarily beautiful? She asked herself.

“Thank you for meeting me Mira” he started. The crew came back with one hot caramel macchiato, hot matcha tea and two slices of cake.

They ate the cake in silence. “Why do you want to meet me?” she asked as soon as she finished her cake.

“I know you and Alpha are having a rough time, and I think most of it is beacause of me. I just want to explain some things” he softly said. Mira nodded. “What mom told you, the kiss. Mira, believe me, it’s just a goodbye kiss. Nothing more. He even gave back the ring we’re supposed to—” he stopped. “We didn’t meet or talked about anything after that. We’re done” he continued.

“Do you think he doesn’t love you anymore?” she asked. “I mean, the same way he loved you when you were still together” she explained. Aro didn’t answer. They both know the answer to her question. “It’s very unfortunate, isn’t it? How being done isn’t the same way as not loving each other anymore” she told him. She opened her purse and took her keypad phone. “This is the reason Archi and I met. It’s because of you. I got the old number you used to have, and he’s been texting it the whole time you were gone. If it’s not for you, I wouldn’t meet him” she smiled. She opened one of the messages and gave the keypad phone Aro. “That ring you were telling me, I saw it. Even the note you wrote asking him to marry you, I also saw it. And that’s his answer” she said giving him the phone. “He would’ve said yes” she whispered.

Aro didn’t speak for a while. “Alpha really do love you, Mira” was all he said.

“I know” she answered with a sad smile. “In his heart, I know he loves me. He just loves you more” she told him. She stood and head out of the café. The tears fell as soon as Aro’s not on sight. She doesn’t care who else could see it. Just not him. She felt sorry for herself enough, she doesn’t need anyone else feeling it for her.