Torment Of Being Apart

colin bang open the door as megan walked closely behind. he couldn't believe it. megan just convieniently showed herself at the dinner that was almost perfect for shayna and ruined the whole damn thing. after all that arguement, colin realised shayna left during the times when he wasn't watching to avoid embarrassment. his mind was in a whirl. he knew he was also not really correct because he was almost getting himself into another relationship when he knew he had megan already. what was he gonna do?

"won't you talk to me?" megan asked finally and stopped colin's trail of thoughts.
"what do you want me to say?" he replied bluntly.
"you were trying to cheat on me colin. you know i love you but why must you do such a thing to me?"
"i wasn't trying to cheta on you. i was just trying to thank shayna for taking care of colby with a nice dinner. is that SO wrong?"
"but.... it all seems so romantic. so unlike a thank you dinner..." megan whined a little, trying to sound victimised.
"megan. please. you don't trust me do you?"
"i don't know i if can now. you know ever since shayna came along... somehow things changed between us..."
colin's heart wrenched at the sound of shayna's name.
"meg. please. we're all adults. jealousy is so childish."
"i know but i just can't help getting angry at the fact that your time with me has been taken away by someone else. i love you colin. i really do."
"if you love me, please give me my space to make friends. stop restricting me!" colin finally shouted and headed into his study before slamming the door.

finally there was peace and quiet. colin slumped himself on his nice chair and heaved a sigh of relief. he was glad to be away from meg for a while. if he stayed in the living room a little longer, he would have probably broken up with her, again. he lay down on his desk and tried his best to cool down. he was really in a fix this time. he knows his heart had been so confused since the day he realised such beauty in shayna. somehow this girl has an extra zest in her that makes his heart just go for her. he didn't think that he would find such a girl like her that would make his soul and mind go crazy around her. everything and anything about shayna was just heaven to him.

colin closed his eyes and smiled to himself. he remembered the first time he saw shayna at the interview. she was just full of independence and zing. no matter how you try to make her into the typical girl on the street, you can't. shayna just stands out with her smile and personality. with each thought about shayna, the more colin felt bliss and peaceful. but somehow he knew that he had broken shayna's liking for him once too many times. everytime he tries to get close, something wrong happens. and he knows that he's got a big problem in his hands. megan.

"how now brown cow?" he muttered to himself before he buried his head in his arms to sleep.

***

'morning." shayna said as she walked out of her room. it was another day and she knew what was on today.... hands on sessions at the hospitals with the children.
'are you feeling better now?" her father asked over the table as her mother served her juice.
"yeah i am. after a good night's rest. you know how it is with me and sleep."
"yes. you can be just the pig." her mother chirped in, giving her a light peck on the forehead.
'wow. thanks mom." shayna said, rolling her eyes. "anyway. today i'm having hands-on sessions with Miss Soong today. she's hosting some music session at the hospital today."
'that's good. it's gives you the experience. i'm sure you'd enjoy yourself today." her father said.
suddenly, shayna's phone started to ring. she noticed it was colby.

"hey colby!" she said, trying her best to sound as though nothing bad happened last night.
"hi shayna jie! I'm bored at home so i called to ask what happened yesterday between you and kor."
shayna kept silent for a while and thought if she should tell him the truth.
"everything was wonderful colby. don't worry. i enjoyed myself yesterday." her father's ears perked up and shayna mouthed the word colby. and her father nodded his head, understanding the situation.
'that's good. i think my kor likes you a lot." colby replied.
"whydo you say that?" shayna asked.
"well, kor doesn't really always bring girls to the club. when he does means it's something. i know my kor. he tells me things."
"oh. really? so what did he tell you?"
'kor always asks me about you when i talk to you on the phone and he says you are a wonderful person. but i know that already." colby said in his uttermost innocence.
"then thank your brother for me. it's very sweet of him." shayna replied. she noticed her father scrunch his nose a little.
"alright. when are we playing soccer again? i can't wait to see you."
"i'm sorry colby. i'd be busy with work these few days. maybe next week ok? take care of yourself. don't exert too much while you're at school."
"i know shayna jie. see you."

after shayna hung up the phone. she had to address her father's inquisitiveness.
"you know colby. i cannot make him upset."
"i know precious. but don't you think colby deserves to know the truth?"
"when the time is right papa. thanks for your reminder. i'm off to work now. bye."
"just remember your old man is still a good advisor." he reminded her before giving her a goodbye kiss."
"yes yes. bye mom. bye papa."

***

work has never seem this tormenting. colin woke up very early in the morning so as to avoid any conversation with megan. he had to get back into his own world and feel good about himself again. work brings him the confidence he needs and that was what he intended to do. everyone at work looked up to him and not to mention he had the most beautiful secretary in the whole company. every single man under him gossips about his secretary but how can colin think of any other women when he is so borred down with shayna.

"stop thinking about her, stupid." he reminded himself. this was the 54th reminder since he stepped into the office. he loosened the maroon tie on his collar and took off his jacket. he needed to get down to work and fast, so that he could forget everything.as he opened a file containing all his reports that he has to review, he glanced at a photo frame on his table. megan must have placed it there when she came to visit him at the office secretly to show her love for him. it was a picture of them at a dinner and dance where she was wearing the red silk dress with her hair all done up, not a strand out of place, her make up was perfect, just the right tone and colour for that night. well, she was just shining beauty. in that picture, megan looked happy and secure wrapped in colin's suited strong arms. colin could just feel megan snuggling up upon his strong chest. to think now they are in the state of cold war.

but then, that image of the dinner and dance with megan gave way to the thoughts of shayna and him having fun at the club and just being themselves.... without much of a care about their careers, their families, their status. they were just too carefree and just enjoyed each other's company. sure, colin loved the wealth, status and prestige he gets because of his family business but shayna reminded him that sometimes it's good to get away from all these and just be yourself. that was what romance was about; 2 people just human, getting to know each other as themselves without the extra 'baggage'.

'YO!' came a loud call and a swinging door. colin woke up from his thoughts. it was tyler. colin rolled his eyes.
'you don't seem too happy to see me.'
'i'm not really in the mood now ty.'
'oh really? what seems to be troubling the rich kid?' tyler asked but before colin could reply he continued ' wait lemme guess.... women problems? is it with this shayna girl?'
'she's NOT just a girl ty...'
'whatever man. you have problems. so you're thinking about another girl behind megan's back'
'thanks for putting it so bluntly' colin groaned. 'alright. what do you want from me tyler?'
tyler grinned and flashed out two tickets to an exclusive disco.
'woah. where the heck did you get them?' colin asked, grabbing them to take a closer look if they were genuine.
'trade secret. come on. tonight's the BIG night. there would be many pretty single girls there and i wanna be part of the action!' tyler said as he thrust his pelvic forward.

'i don't know ty.... i'm not sure if i'm gamed for this one....' colin hesistated.
'oh please. the king of flirt back in college not gamed for this?! are you crazy?'
'that was in the past. i'm not as flirt as i was then... you bring someone else...'
'no. i insist you come. if not, we're through.' tyler said, sounding serious.
'you're kidding me.'
'no i'm not. i've been your friends for umteen years and this is how you repay me? just once... please?' tyler begged.
after some consideration, colin finally decided. he thought he could be self-controlled enough.
'great! you're a bud!' tyler said, slapping colin on the shoulder.