The Last Bachelor Standing

Chapter 8

Short update!

Chapter 8
Change Everything

If I tell any of my Med batchmates that I broke up with Aidan, I am pretty sure they will tell me I shouldn’t have done it. If you are preparing for the board exam, there are only two things you shouldn’t do: (1) study the day before the exam and (2) break-up with your boyfriend.

It was a rule to let the issue pass until you finish the boards. When things between you and your boyfriend are falling apart, you have to compartmentalize it and pretend everything’s okay… until the end of the board exam.

Well, may excuse naman ako. Technically, I am not yet done with my internship. Hindi ako saklaw ng rule na iyon dahil hindi pa naman ako board reviewee. I am allowed to break-up with my cheating boyfriend. And honestly, it’s just bullshit. Pretending it’s okay regardless of what’s the issue… why would you put yourself through that?

But I wouldn’t deny the break-up has affected me. Aidan was my best friend in med school. We had more than just a romantic relationship… he was my best friend. Even though he was no longer in med school in the last half of our relationship, he played a huge part in how I was able to get through it. But he cheated on me. Paano ko matatanggap ‘yon? That he could do that? That he did that to me?

The days became weeks and then months… I was finished with my internship.

The last time I saw Aidan was in Recettes Secretes when Evo made him leave. It’s been two months and sometimes I feel like it was just like those days when I was so busy with med school, we rarely meet. But then I wake up from that sham and realize he’s out of my life for good.

Pero huminto ‘yung mundo ko nang makita ko si Aidan na nag-aantay sa’kin sa lobby ng ospital.

“Naks! May pa-flowers…” sabi ni Trish sa tabi ko.

That’s when I realized it— I never told anyone Aidan and I are over. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Is it because I can't accept it’s over? Or because I know they’ll ask me what went wrong and I don’t think I’ll ever have the guts to tell a single soul that Aidan cheated on me?

My lips formed a thin line as Aidan’s eyes met mine.

“I won’t waste something so precious for a game like yours, Evo.”

I had so much faith in our relationship that it never crossed my mind that he could do that to me. Kaya nga ang lakas ng loob kong sabihin ‘yon kay Evo. I felt very insulted when Evo thought there’s a chance I’d play with him. Tanga ba ako? Why would I waste something so real, something so precious for a manwhore like him?

In end, nalaman kong tanga nga ako. Sa ibang pagkakataon nga lang.

“I’m off!” sabi ni Trish. “Congrats to us! But for now, I’ll let you two celebrate…”

Tumango lang ako kay Trish. I just stood to the spot where she left me. And when she was out of sight, I walked the direction away from Aidan.

I flinched when I felt a hand grab my arm because I knew it was him.

“Yumi,” he said, panting. Napapikit ako. That voice.

Hindi ko siya hinarap. So he walked in front of me, “Yumi, mag-usap tayo please.”

“Wala naman tayong dapat pag-usapan na, Aidan,” I said calmly. Pagod na akong magalit. Pagod na akong manghinayang. It happened. Wala na kaming magagawa ro’n.

“Kahit 15 minutes lang…”

I didn’t say anything.

“Kahit 10 minutes lang. Kahit saglit lang…”.