PS I'm (not) Over You

"We know it's normal for them," Ginny said.     

"Right. They would rather bite their tongue instead of admitting they're wrong," Erica mumbled while taking a slice of lemon from the platter.     

"I don't feed men's ego. I ruin them," Ririna said casually while her husband in the other room was smirking at her words, clearly amused.     

"Okay, next. Let see what I got." Erica said while unrolling the paper.     

"Unfaithful men have lower IQ."     

"I agree," Sara quickly said remembering his ex-boyfriend. "He's stupid unlike my Rion who's so handsome and so smart," she added while cupping both of her cheeks and squealed like a fangirl that she was.     

Rion, in the other room, almost spit out his drink when he heard Sara's words. He coughed awkwardly and fought the blush starting to show up on his face.     

"Heh, at least you found someone worthy now, but seriously, can the two of you slow down? You're always together. Please don't tell me you are cohabiting with Rion Stahl now." Ginny pleaded.     

"No. We aren't. We decided to take it slow, sis." Sara blushed.     

"Who's next?" Aya asked.     

"I think that's me." Ginny took the jar from Erica and picked up another paper roll.     

"Go to war or do a bikini wax?" She read before laughing their asses off.     

"No. I don't believe any of them will dare to try the bikini wax. I swear." Aya chuckled.     

The men in the other room cringed. They would rather go in an assassination mission than do a bikini wax.     

"Let's change the game. I'm getting bored at this," Aya said. "Let's play 'Have you ever' instead."     

"Great. Now let's see who's gonna ask first." Ririna spun an empty bottle until it stopped at Ginny.     

"Yes!" Ginny pumped up her fist in the air. It has been too long since she had a good time with her friends, and she's really excited to have some fun tonight.     

"Alright. Have you ever doubted that you aren't a heterosexual?" she asked.     

Evan and Louie, on the other side, were busy whispering to each other.     

Ririna, "Nope."     

Aya, "Yes…"     

Erica, "Yes."     

Sara, "Yes!"     

Eli was relieved that he didn't have to worry about getting another rival for Ririna. She wasn't interested in girls. What surprised him was the answer to the other girls. Rion didn't seem surprised by Sara's answer though.     

'Figures,' he thought.     

Ginny spun the bottle and stopped at Erica.     

"Have you ever drunk dialed someone and completely embarrassed yourself?"     

Aya, "No."     

Sara, "No."     

"Yes!" Ginny laughed. "I drunk-dialed Evan even before we started dating."     

Ririna, "Yes."     

All the girls turned their heads to her, not expecting her answer.     

"Really? Why didn't I know about it?" Ginny asked.     

"Remember my seventeenth birthday?" Ririna started. All of them nodded. "I was so drunk I dialed Eli's number and asked him if rhinos are old fat unicorns," she confessed.     

All of them laughed including Evan and Louie on the other side. They had a hard time keeping their laughter down. Eli remembered what Ririna did before. He was actually surprised when she asked him that question, and he had no idea what to say. She started wailing on the other line about how she wanted to become a unicorn so she can stab fucktards with her head and still be fabulous.     

"Shit. You told him our old shit jokes about unicorns?" Erica laughed and bumped Ririna's shoulder who was sitting beside her. Her long tresses lightly tickled Ririna's skin when it rubbed against her bare arm.     

"I was drunk, and I was so embarrassed the next day I couldn't face him or look at him without remembering what I said," Ririna explained.     

"Ohh… I remember those days when we made jokes about everything." Aya hummed, her face brightening up and like she remembered something.     

"Yes, like how Erica said 'the universe is made out of protons, neutrons, electrons, and morons' to our physics teacher during high school," said Ginny.     

"Yeah, and she got detention because of that." Aya laughed with Ginny.     

"I miss those old days." Aya started. She was twirling her drink in her glass.     

She was remembering those times: whenever Ririna didn't have many missions to complete, they would spend most of their days outside, playing games and music until sunset. So many things have changed now; all of them were either married or had children.     

In their group, she was the only one who didn't come from a wealthy family. She was practically the only commoner. She had met Ginny and Ririna first when they were trying to outrun one of the student councilors. She smiled at the memory. Ever since she met those two, they never let her down.     

When her mother died, Ginny and Ririna were the ones who helped her settle her bills and arrange the funeral for her mother. She already was indebted to them. They never asked her to pay whatever they spent for her, and she felt shame for depending on their assistance.     

She worked hard. She tried her best to improve her life since she lost her mother. Taking several part-time jobs and shifts while still attending school at night. Aya didn't want people to look down on her and compare her to her friends.     

Six months after Ririna left the country, she fell in love and got pregnant. She met Jiro's father at one of the part-time jobs she had. They got married after Jiro was born. Aya thought her life was on the right track.     

Everything changed after her two years of marriage. Her nightmare started. Her husband became abusive and started cheating behind her back. She thought she was Cinderella who found her prince in her husband, but she was wrong. There was no fairy tale in real life.     

Not all men are Prince Charming. Even if someone found one, was she sure that she was his Cinderella?     

Aya sniffed. She tried not to cry remembering their old days. If only she could rewrite her life and choose to still meet Ginny and Ririna in her younger years… but then, she wouldn't have Jiro if she didn't meet his father.     

She would give up everything just to make sure Jiro was happy. He was the best thing that happened to her life, and she didn't regret not-choosing to abort him when she was pregnant with him.     

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked worriedly.     

"Yeah. Just the drink is starting to get on my head and making me emotional," Aya replied.     

"I heard from Ririna what happened. Why did you resign from your last job? Are you getting tired, or did someone try to harass you again?" Erica asked.     

"I'm fine. I just want to find a job that can sustain Jiro's needs. You know well that my in-laws don't want me so they won't help or send child support for him." Aya wiped her tears and leaned her head on Ririna's shoulder.     

Aya thought she couldn't be a burden for them anymore. She wanted to prove something for herself and everyone. She wondered why she even bothered to change. Was it because there was a certain man who always made her feel inferior recently?