?MAY
I??
(R0m-nce is a Meal)
By Sommy Pearl F.
Chapter 83&84.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
May broke the hu-g and looked at Ryder’s face.
“You know who I am, right?”
Ryder chuckled and nodded.
“Aren’t you May,, my co worker?”
“No, stop being so annoying” She chuckled and hit his che-st.
Ryder laughed and ru-bbed the affected pa-rt.
“I knew about us being childhood sweethearts. I would call you May then,, and you would call me hu-gger. Such a name. Can’t believe we never changed it”
May blinked.
“Why didn’t you tell me you recognized me?” She murmured.
He scanned his eyes on her face before replying;
“Sorry for not telling you… But we finally got to meet again, May”
May looked down.
“Follow me, I wanna talk to you”
Ryder nodded and watched her turn before following her.
They walked past Sandra, West, Percy and Carlos who were busily talking. Sandra seemed to be explaining things to Percy and Carlos while they listened attentively.
On the other hand, Marcus and Sasha were discussing. They seemed to be making up.
May took Ryder to her room. She sat on her bed and looked at Ryder who was just standing, looking around nervously.
“Sit” She muttered, tapping her bed.
Ryder slowly walked to her bed and sat down. May had her legs folded and so did Ryder. They looked at each other tenderly.
“Ryder…” She called, softly.
“Hmm?” He hummed.
May smiled, sadly and took her hand to his. She fondled hers with his palm before holding it ti-ghtly.
Ryder looked at her face, then to their holding hand before looking back at her sad face, despite having that smile on her face.
“Thank you, Ryder” She murmured.
“Huh?”
“You really loved me, waited for me and didn’t break your childhood sweetheart’s promise,, I’m thankful” She muttered, with her eyes we-t with tears.
He looked at speechless, wondering what was going on with her and where she was headed.
“But I’m sorry, either way” She sobbed quietly and the tear ran down her eyes in a mighty rush.
“I couldn’t wait… I couldn’t love you back. I broke my own promise” She said, crying audibly while looking down.
Her tears are already dampening the duvet while Ryder can’t help but stare.
“To be honest, I totally forgot about you. But now, you’re here with me,, I feel sorry. It’s just now, I realize I missed you and I love you….
Ryder looked at her, like he was dumb.
“…as a friend, and a past love and nothing else. I’m sorry… I’m really sorry. Forgive me, Ryder” She said, crying the more.
Ryder felt tears run down his eyes. He quickly looked down at the duvet, and sli-pped his hand off. He stood up and pocketed his hands.
“Is it because of him?” He asked.
May looked at him, with her teary eyes and wiped it away with the back of her palm.
“Raymond?,, Yes. I love him so much”
Ryder looked down and felt more tears leaving.
“Why not me? Why…why make me pathetic? Why…
“I’m so…rry” She stuttered.
“Do you know I was once a scammer? Yes, I scammed lot of people and never gave a slight Fu-ck about how loud and bitter they were gonna cry and how sad they were gonna feel. Yes,, that Fu-cking shirt you to-re when we first met wasn’t 120 million dollars! I wanted to just fraud you”
May stared de-eply at him.
“But I changed when you cried… when you cried your eyes out cause you got scammed and that was when I vowed never to fraud anyone ever again”
“Ryder,, I…
“You…you… changed me. You made my life style swerve for the better. Many tried but failed. Percy tried, My mother tried, even my father tried… Yet, nothing worked”
May inhaled de-eply.
“I’m leaving Korea very soon”
“What?”
“Don’t tell Raymond because I can’t bear to see him in pains. I really love him and I don’t know how he might feel when I leave for Italy,, and stay for 6 years there…”
“Why are you telling me this?” He asked, dryily
“You’re close to me. I ought to tell you. I don’t want you to look for me”
“How am I different from Raymond? Do you know how I’m gonna feel too? I do… love you”
“You can hold it but Raymond can’t,, I know him…”
“I’m not talking about him right now! I’m talking about me! Why cant you just love me? I love you, May” He said, crying like a child.
“I don’t…I’m sorry. I don’t love you. I just take you as a friend. The person my heart beats for is Raymond, and that’s all”
As he wanted to say another word again, His phone started ringing. He wiped his tears, sniffed ha-rd a muttered an excuse me.
He took out his phone. After seeing Uncle Mario, he picked the call. Mario is Ryder’s father younger brother.
? Uncle?
? Ryder? How’re you doing, buddy?
? Hmm,, cool… cool, I guess.
? Well, well… I called to ask if you were ready to sign the papers.
? Papers? What papers?
? Huh? Percy told me she told you, or didn’t she?
? Explain everything to me, Uncle cause I don’t un-derstand.
Mario breathed de-eply.
? Actually, Ryder. Your dad died from cancer…
? What!!
? Yes, he had been actually suffering from it since. He hated the fact you were unserious,, so, he se-nt you out. He waited for you to come back home and beg for forgiveness just like the prodigal son did. He thought would change you, significantly..
Ryder was already crying. Even though, he hated his father, and his father hated him, Ryder knew his father still had that pinch of fatherly love in him.
? Ryder? Ryder? You there.
?…. Yeah… Yeah… I am. Please, continue.
? He actually wanted you to change so that you would be a good and ha-rdworking CEO,, rather than a spender and an unserious one.
But, Days later, he died. I guess Percy never told you after all.
Ryder didn’t reply anymore, Rather,, he hung the call and stared at May whose palm was now on her mouth, covering it dramatically.
Shockness wouldn’t allow her be. Watching tears fall down Ryder’s eyes made her eyes also let down tears.
“Ryder, I’m sorry for your-
Before she could complete her statement, Ryder busted out from the room and ran out.
May also ran out, trying to catch up with him. She went down and saw all of them downstairs now up, on their feet.
“What’s up with Ryder? He just ran out in tears” Sandra said.
Percy looked on before throwing her eyes to May.
“What did you two talk about?” She asked.
“He had a phone call” May answered, quietly.
“About what?” Percy asked, walking close to her.
May broke down in tears.
“About his father. Why didn’t you let him know?”
“Oh my…” Percy gasped.
“Wait? You never told anyone?” Sandra asked.
“Yes,, I purposely hid it from him. I didn’t want him to know cause I thought he might do something crazy. Trust me, even though,, they are like cat and rat in the house, they still have that father and child’s love” Percy said.
“Let’s follow him… instead of talking! He might do something crazy!!” May hollered.
****
Raymond couldn’t stop thinking of May. He did wished he could get her out of his head cause he knew fate was against their love.
She broke up with him. He even had to leave her to go to Italy in order to round up his cooking skills and sign deals there to open franchises over the world. And to do all that, he had to stay there for good 8 years!
Still, he missed her so much,, badly. Every now and then, he had tears building at the corner of his eyes.
He would sniff and take them off the corners, stylishly.
Now, he was at the pharmacy, alongside the busy road side. He wanted to get sleeping pills since he had been suffering from severe amnesia. He was always thinking, and crying every night long with no sleep.
After buying the prescribed drugs, he went out. He held his drug bag ti-ght and looked down, the road.
From afar, he saw Ryder riding his motorcycle like a luna.tic. He has this unique motorcycle which was easily recognizable.
“Geez! Thats obviously Ryder! What’s he trying to do, by the way? Get himself killed?!” Raymond thought.
His eyes caught Ryder almost riding to the other side, and also, a jeep was running in, that same side.
“Sh*t, Ryder!” Raymond yelled and ran fast to where Ryder was headed. He quickly pushed Ryder off the motorcycle and he crashed mightily on the ha-rd ground. He had his helmet on, fortunately.
But it was too late for Raymond, the jeep dived into him. He somersaulted on the air, before landing on the ha-rd ground.
His whole body trembled and he felt his head crack open. He couldn’t even open his mouth to mo-anin pain. His eyes were getting blurry and dizzy. He was very weak already.
His eyes slowly scanned everywhere. Everyone was already coming close to him. They were talking;
? If this good Samaritan didn’t push him, His power bike would have collided with the jeep and there would have been a fire!
? What an ugly scene! I can’t even watch!
? This is a hu-ge accident! I mean,, look at this pool of blood! Whoaa
Some were taking videos and some concerned ones called 911.
He could feel his blood pouring out from his head. He was hurting really bad. He whimpered lowly,, flapping his lashes up and down.
His eyes looked up and he saw May rush to him… She was on her knees, shaking his body and calling his nane loudly with tears rushing out of her eyes.
“I’m sorry” He whispered, slowly as his hand stretched forward to wipe her tears.
TBC