One

Twenty four

"Damn it!" Althea slammed her fist on the sofa. It has been almost five minutes since Riza left her.

Althea let out some fresh tears, their last coversarion ringing into her ears.

"Riza.. please.." she croaked.

"Althea listen, i am not mad at you. I am hurt yes, but i'm trying to understand.. i'd rather end this relationship than pretend that everything is fine. Because.. Because i want you to love me. Only me. But i know that, that is not possible with Jade around..."

"Riza, please. Let me talk please, i love you.. so much. Please don't do this.. please..." Althea held Riza's hands and kissed them. She hugged Riza but Riza pushed her gently. The rejection hit Althea like a hundred knives pierced in her body. She cried and covered her face while mumbling incoherently.

Riza wiped the tears in her eyes, "Althea.. please don't. I have already made up my mind..." She removed Althea's hands covering her face, touched Althea's chin and lifted it up. "Hey, look, i will still be around... And, and we can still be friends, right? Right, Althea" She gave Althea a smile.

Althea shook her head and cried harder, "No. No...Please.." Althea wept then Riza hugged her.

Riza kissed Althea on the head. "I will not say goodbye, Althea.. So, see you around.."

Althea went to her room and cried herself to sleep.

Ring... Ring... Ring...

Althea jolted up. She tried to remember why she felt miserable then cursed when she remembered that Riza had ended their relationship and left her. Her phone rang again, cursed some more and checked who's calling her. Then she saw Bette's name.

"What?!" She snapped.

"Whoa there, tiger! I have just finished my photo shoot and Anne told me you went home. Are you going back to the hospital tonight?"

"Damn! I forgot.. Shit! Yes, yes i'll be there.."

"Althea, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Sorry.. i just.. ahm, are you on your way now?" Changing the topic.

"No, i have to call my driver because Jade's supposed to pick me up tonight and we'll have dinner afterwards but.."

"I see. How about i pick you up then we can stop somewhere and buy dinner then we'll eat at the hospital?"

"Sounds like a plan!"

Althea picked up Bette and made their way to the hospital bringing food with them.

Jade was sleeping when they came in. The three ate dinner while Anne gave them update on Jade's condition.

"She actually woke up earlier to drink her meds.. and she said she's fine." Anne looked at Althea and said, "She was looking for you.."

Althea choked on the salad she was eating and drank from her water bottle. Bette who was looking at them back and forth, waited for Althea's response. But Althea just smiled at them and continied eating.

An hour later, Bette said she needs to go home and will just return the next morning. Althea told Anne to go home and rest and that she'll stay with Jade for the rest of the night. Anne looked at Bette and Bette nodded in approval.

...................

Althea was on the couch working on her laptop. She saw Jade moved and opened her eyes. She was immediately at Jade's side. "Hey.." Althea smiled and touched Jade's forehead and tucked her hair behind Jade's ear. "How are you feeling?"

Jade smiled, "H-- Hi.. uhm.." Jade moved a little and winced, "I ahh, I'm fine.."

"Careful, careful.. do you need anything? Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Althea asked gently as she continued to stroke Jade's hair.

"Water, please."

Althea reached for the glass of water and put a straw in it. She helped Jade to drink from it.

Meanwhile, a nurse went in to check on Jade's stitches. She bit her lip when she learned that Jade had to have about eleven stitches. After checking, the nurse said she'll be back in two hours for Jade's medicine.

Jade looked at Althea and smiled. She asked if Bette came for a visit and Althea replied that Bette did and that she'll be back tomorrow.

"Why are you here, Althea?" Jade asked asfter a while.

Althea froze and just looked at Jade. "I- I saw you lying on the ground with a knife pierced at your back.. Of course i'll be here." Althea looked away and didn't say anything more.

"Hmmm.. Do you know why i was stabbed?"

"Yes, your girlfriend told me." Althea said bitterly. She added, "Why would you go out with someone who just broke up with her psycho girlfriend.. Tsss!"

Althea looked at Jade when she heard Jade laughing softly. "You better stop laughing. You don't want your stitches to open up, do you?"

"Hem.. Hem.. You thought Emma's my girlfriend.. who told you?" Jade asked her eyes twinkling.

"Wha- you mean Emma's not your girlfriend? I, I thought.." Althea stammered.

"I'm dating her, yes but no, she's not my girlfriend." Jade covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"What's funny? So i thought otherwise, but what's funny? And dating -- you're dating that- that fake blonde?? Since when have you started dating the likes of her?!" Althea said huffing.

"You.. you're funny!"

"Jade..." Althea said warningly.

"Ha ha.. you're nose- ha ha it's getting bigger!" Jade laughed and stopped when she accidentally moved her right arm. She winced in pain and saw Althea looking at her with an i-told-you-so look.

"Kar- cough- ma" Althea said.

"Hmp. But you know, i could not believe Em's ex could do that. Emma was such a nice lady and.." Althea turned her back on Jade and pretended to get her phone from the table.

"Althea.. uhm, aren't you going home, yet?"

Althea looked at Jade, "Nope. I'll stay here till tomorrow morning. I believe your parents will be here tomorrow, too. So, i'll just leave before they will arrive."

"Are you sure it's ok for you to stay here tonight? What about..." Jade bit her fingernail.

"Yep. I'm hundred percent sure." Althea said and sighed.

"Oh okay. By the way, it's okay for you to stay here tomorrow."

"Jade, i don't want to cause you distress. We both know your mother hates me."

"No, Althea. She err, she's okay now. I mean she have accepted me as i am.. finally!" Jade said rolling her eyes. When Althea looked at her with her mouth open, "Well, after that day at your place, i was able to talk to her. At first of course she was shocked to learn that i didn't change.. so i stayed away for like three days. They were asking me to come home but i was adamant. I just had to fight for myself, you know. And so, i only went home when my dad called and passed the phone to my mom who was crying and saying that we'll talk and she will listen. So here i am now, free as a bird.." She spread her arms as if she had wings but immediately regret it. "Ow ow ow!"

Althea leaned over, "Jade..."

"Yes?" Jade said locking eyes with Althea.

"Will you please stop moving too much?!" Althea said and went back to the sofa leaving Jade staring at her idiotically.