Rhythm by Ena Read Free Book Online Page A

which marked our teenage years, I woke up
excitedly. I dressed nicely and went to meet Ben in our meeting
place where we will seal our love. One hour later, but still there
is no Ben to be found. I decided, then, to go to his room through
our secret passage. That was when I had the biggest shock of my
life.
    Ben was in his bed, naked, with a girl on top of
him—whom I know well. She’s our neighbor, his first love, who broke
his heart. What in the world were they doing? What in the world was
I thinking? Love? I wanted to vomit.
    I tried to control my sobs, but I couldn’t. He heard
me.
    “ Rhy?” Ben learned that they were not alone
anymore. “Please let me explain.” His voice was hoarse, and his
face was masked with worry, but I didn’t wait for him to explain
anymore. I run. Run. Run. I run to face the truth: I am better off
alone. That way, I wouldn’t get hurt. Why did it have to be like
that? He was the only one I can turn to. He was my best friend. He
was my first love. What Ben and I have ended even before it
started.
    Days passed and I didn’t give Ben a chance to
explain. What would that scene explains? There are lots, but not a
single thing about his love for me. He didn’t love me because if he
did, why would he do that? No. I promised myself that I wouldn’t
think about him anymore. I got it. I was alone, and I would be
alone for the rest of my life. I couldn’t trust anyone. People
would only leave me. People would only hurt me, but I wouldn’t
allow that. Not anymore.
    I don’t realize that I am teary-eyed until
Lola gives me a tissue.
    “Hey, are you okay?”
    “No. Shall we go?”
    “I’m almost done. Are you?”
    “Yes.”
    After we pay, we leave.
    I am disoriented not to notice right away
that I pass by Grant’s pick up truck, until I smack right into his
chest.
    “I’m sorry,” he says, unaware of whom he
bumped into. “Rhy?”
    I avoid his eyes, doing my best to hide that
my once lively gray eyes turned to dull.
    “Are you okay?”
    When I don’t respond, he asks, “Lola?”
    “We saw some—”
    “No one. We saw no one. I’m okay, Grant.
We’re headed home.”
    “I’ll take you two home.”
    “We’ll just ride a cab.”
    “No. Ride with me, Rhy. Please,” he says with
a perturbed look.
    “Okay.”
    Our ride home is uneventful, and the silence
is deafening.
    “I’ll listen,” Grant mutters when we arrive
at my dorm.
    I’m surprised to hear that I say, “Okay.”
That means I have to relive the moment .
    Lola understands the weight of my
conversation with Grant, so she asks Cale to accompany her.
    When we’re alone, Grant waits for me to start
the conversation.
    “I . . . don’t know where to start.”
    “Start from the beginning.”
    I tell him everything about Ben, everything
about his first love. After I finish my story, I can’t believe that
I am sobbing. I thought I’ve moved on. I thought it doesn’t hurt
this much anymore. I’m totally wrong. I get lost in the memory word
after word, scene after scene.
    “He’s another reason why you think people
will leave you, isn’t he?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’m sorry to be upfront with you, Rhy, but
you don’t realize that he didn’t leave you. You didn’t give him a
chance to explain.”
    “Do you think with what I have seen there’s
an acceptable explanation?”
    “I didn’t tell you that , but he didn’t
leave you. Well, maybe he left because he gave you the time and
space you needed at the moment. Maybe he wasn’t able to get a
chance to talk with you anymore, so he just left you.”
    “I don’t get it. You’re on his side.”
    “I am on no one’s side. I’m just telling you
what I think.”
    “You think that I should’ve listened to him
explain?”
    He nods.
    “And you think he only left me because he
wants to give me time and space?”
    He nods again.
    “And you think that I should get it?”
    “I think that when you see Ben again, you
should talk with him—to clear things.”
    “It