Truth Untold

5

"It takes two to tango" I argued,

"Yes, but that's only because you have enjoyed dancing in the rain, all on your own, long before two. You never needed tango. You composed your own beat of the rain and dance for yourself. Tango is nice, but you never needed an assurance of two." He retorted.

True, I was never in need another half of me, not even on the dance floor. I was never a half. I was whole, long before Efrain came into my life. I remained a whole now that he's here.

"Can we make a quick stop at CVS? I needed to buy some face masks to last for another month in Boston next week. I heard they're the worst when it comes to summer." I asked Efrain when we were driving in the downtown of Upper East side. He nodded slightly and pressed on the pedal a bit harder, speeding up as we made a stop at the nearest CVS.

I grabbed the smallest shopping cart since I knew I wouldn't be buying too many things, a few packs of sheet masks were all I needed. Efrain consistently tailed behind me, picking up a couple of products he knew nothing of. Mumbling some questions that weren't relatable such as, why would women need so many products on their face? I saw you with no makeup all the time and I saw you buying this shit, I don't get it. You look just as beautiful with or without. I just chuckled softly, "It's not mandatory, trust me. I just love to have this night routine of skincare and mourning routine of makeup. It makes me feel like I put up enough efforts to be who I am." I told him as I picked up various packs of mask sheets.

He rolled his eyes, "There, there, do you even know what you're saying? You are so much more than just enough for me but if it makes you feel that happy to have such ridiculously time-wasting routine then be it. Remind me again if you've felt like you're not enough for the lack of makeup though, because trust me, you're way more than enough." He answered, a hand involuntarily circled around my waist. "Can we get going like right now? You said and quoting your words earlier, a quick stop, Love."

I smiled, mumbling a quiet fine as we finished the payment at the checkout counter. He snatched the brown shopping bag, a sweet little gesture he always seemed to do. For some reasons I never knew why, he seemed to have this gentleman attitude with anything I carried with my hand—other than my tote bag. "Hey, I can bring that myself!" I argued, meaning to steal it back from him but he held it higher than my reach and my efforts just went in vain.

"Did I ever say you aren't able to bring this yourself? You obviously can."

"Then, why do you always bring me my stuffs? I am capable of doing so myself?"

"Because I want to do it for you, it's as simple as that." He answered, eyeing me confusedly. "If you start to talk shit about feminism and whatnot, I'm so gonna drop you here to take a bus on your own. You know well enough I was never meant to degrade feminism." He deadpanned.

Knowing how ridiculous it was for him to talk about feminism—just because he was more than aware that women should be as valued as any other human being—I laughed at his words. Putting my hands up in the air, "Right, I wasn't gonna say anything about it. Seriously though, what's with all this bring-my-stuffs?"

"So I can do this," I felt his left hand held my right one.

"I still have my other one even I bring my own groceries?"

He closed his eyes briefly, exhaling heavily—he hates arguing with me, for the lack of verbal competency compared with mine. "Fine, I just wanted to bring your stuffs because it makes me feel like I'm at least doing something for you. You never needed me—you wanted me, that am right—but you never needed me. You are doing fine yourself, that's why I wanted to." He snapped.

That silenced me. "Who says I never needed you? I need you, Efrain. Maybe not all the time but there is times I feel like I'm not myself and you are always the one to make me feel good about myself."

"You're wrong again. You never needed me. You have lived life on your own and how did you do it? You're doing extremely well. That fact alone proves that you actually can do so much without me, but you want me. That's kind of two very different things."

"Doesn't it take two to tango?" I tried arguing,

He snorted for the lame argument, "You know there is less than 30% of population in the world who enjoys ballroom, moreover tango, right? But, alright, it takes two to tango and it's only because you have enjoyed dancing in the rain, all on your own, long before two. You never needed tango. You composed your own beat of the rain and dance for yourself. Tango is nice, but you never needed an assurance of two." He retorted.

Isn't it funny? One minute we were just shopping for things I don't exactly need—I want to feel good about myself, that's why I bought those skincare stuffs. I was never really in need sheet masks to look good but I love it, I just want to. The next thing I knew Efrain Harris just gave me a long lecture of the huge difference between need and want. That brings me to a conclusion: It's true; I was never in need another half of me, not even on the dance floor or in life. I was never a half. I was whole, long before Efrain came into my life. I remained a whole now that he's here. Anyway, that didn't the slightest lessen the way I want him. If there was, I just want him more than any of I ever had, knowing how much he valued his woman.