“Babe, I love you,” written as plainly in text message from Ryan. There was a few seconds gap before the second one arrived.
“Babe, I’m sorry but your necklace, err, it broke when I was sleeping last night. I’ll try to fix it, OK? I’m sorry.”
At first, Emma was speechless, and then she got mad. As far as she was concerned, that necklace was her only necklace. She wasn’t fond of jewelleries but that particular one was given by mom. One of her few material treasures it became.
***** Two years ago *****
E: What? Is it really surprising that I like you? For goodness sake, give me a break.
R: Well…judging from how well we know each other…yes.
E: Oh, alright, I’ve never talked with you before. I thought you were just, what, clueless.
R: And you didn’t even really like me in the first place. You were just saying it. That’s how you are. What happened between you and…you know.
E: OhMGee! You’re just like the rest of them! You thought I’m with him. You thought I like him. Wrong, wrong, you’re so wrong! What makes you think so?
R: You’re always seen somewhere near him. And you’ve been treating him a lot.
E: Baka! He’s just a friend. Why can’t I treat him? It’s not like I’m buying him a car.
R: …..
E: (Shoving something into his hand) Here, take this.
R: I don’t need a necklace.
E: It’s mine. It’s not for you. I want you to keep it.
R: If it’s yours, why should I keep it?
E: Because I want you to.
R: Why?
E: Because I like you and mom gave me that. I love it, OK? Since I love you too, sort of, I want you to keep it. Look, I can’t pull my heart out and give it to you for keeping, right? I’ll die so it’s useless. That’s the closest thing I have to my heart. It’s been around my neck since I got it.
R: Oh…OK. No problem, I’ll take good care of it. Your ‘heart’…that’s cool.
E: (Thinks: Is it really hard for you to get it in your brain?) Make sure you do. You’ll only return it to me when things aren’t working so well between us.
R: OK, but I doubt that. Things are gonna be just fine, you’ll see.
E: Hmm. OK. Just take good care of it – it’s from Rome. I won’t forgive you if something happened to it.
R: OK, don’t worry.
***** That was two years ago *****
Hesitantly, Emma pressed the number two on her keypad. Ryan was on her speed dial. She hung up before he could answer. After a few minutes, her phone rang. It was Ryan.
“Babe?” He said in his worried, innocent voice. She didn’t reply immediately.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” He asked again.
“You broke my necklace.” This time, there was a reply but she was stern.
“Oh, babe, I can fix it. It’s just a necklace.”
“You really don’t have a clue, do you? You broke it. How does that make me feel?”
“Babe, calm down. It’s just a necklace. I will fix it. Besides, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
There he goes, Emma thought.
“Well, return it to me. I’ll fix it.”
“No way, I’ll fix it.”
“What?”
“I said I’ll fix it.”
“It’s mine so I’ll get it fixed.”
“I’m not giving it to you.”
“And just why is that?”
“Because you said I only have to return it if we’re not…doing well.”
“You said it was just a necklace! You said it just now!”
“Yeah but…”
“You’re getting on my nerves, Ryan. Oh alright. You’ll fix it.”
“Thanks babe. I love you.”
“Yeah, sure you do. Get it fixed.”
“OK.”
Ryan hung up. Emma lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling above her. Her cat was desperately knocking on the window, trying to get it. She couldn’t tell him, Ryan. He wore her necklace for two years, yes, even when he’s asleep and never did the chain break. It wasn’t made to break. Light it may be but it just wasn’t made to break.
And what a coincidence that it did around the time Emma was having a hard time dealing with her feelings for Caine.
That was something she couldn’t tell Ryan.
Either it was that or she’s simply being superstitious.
Time will tell.
At least she hoped so.
