Came Too Late...

"colin!" Mr. Tan said as he walked into Colin's office without knocking.
"yes dad?"
"what is it with you? you misplaced the two zero's here! you know what a loss we could make if this hadn't gone through checking?!" Mr. tan said, throwing him the proposal. Colin browsed through and reaslied his mistake.
"i'm sorry dad... I'll fix this..." colin said, trying to find the file in his computer.
"no need! i have gotten someone else to do it! what is wrong with you these few days? you have been missing major appointments, screwing up proposals and coming in to work late everyday! what is wrong?" Mr. Tan asked, sounding very concerned.
"it's nothing dad," colin said, trying to conceal his hurt.
"is it shayna?" Mr. Tan asked. colin shied away.
"what happened? this is the first time i see my son looking so defeated by relationship problems."
"she's leaving for London with her new boyfriend."
"you didn't tell her you loved her?"
"yes but she is right. she said i always made her cry. i know when it comes to women i can be indecisive but shayna's different. she makes me feel... different."
"son, sometimes you have to understand that you can keep sitting down here and say that you love her but without concerete actions, you will get nothing. maybe shayna is looking for something more in a relationship than just the typical 'i love you' and money. maybe she needs something like security, faith, trust and genuine concern about her welfare."
"i don't know dad. why are you telling me this when she is going to leave tomorrow?!" colin groaned as he placed his head on the table, looking very much defeated.
"i'm sure you would know what to do with your own life. whatever you decide on, just know that your father is always here."

as Mr. Tan left the office, colin looked at his mistake in the proposal again. why was he so bothered about a girl when she doesn't even care a damn about him and goes gallavanting with another guy? he couldn't understand why he was so hurt and she could be happily packing for her schloarship to london with her new boyfriend. the thought of it irked colin.

***

"are you almost packed?" timothy asked shayna as he brought her a drink.
"yeah i guess. does this look alright?" shayna asked, inspecting her three bags full of belongings.
"this is three times the things i'm bringing, dear." timothy laughed.
"but of course. you're a guy. you don't need these much clothes."
"but i'm a pretty guy," timothy joked, holding up one of shayna's dresses against his body, "if i ever need extra clothings i can always wear yours." shayna laughed and took the dress away from him. he quickly grabbed her and hugged her tight. she always felt safe with timothy because he always took care of her.
"need any help?" timothy asked, still holding onto her.
"hmm... not really. i'm almost done here anyway. you just go help my parents prepare dinner," she said.
"that's a good idea. love you." timothy kissed her on the lips and left her alone. shayna heaved a sigh and lay back on her bed. she checked her phone once again to be sure no one called her. she wondered if colin read her letter, most probably not.

"colin where are you? you said you love me," shayna whispered to herself before closing her eyes to rest.

***

later that night, colin was alone in his house. megan hadn't disturb him since she left for a reconciliation cruise with Zoe. maybe she found someone better. someone who loved her more than colin. maybe that was why all his ex-girlfriends are attached while he is still sorely single. he checked the clock. it was nearly three in the morning but he wasn't tired at all. he would be late for work again as usual but colin didn't care. he made enough mistakes at work already because he was worrying about her.

colin played his favourite music faintly at the background and turned on his table lamp. then the letter came back to haunt him. he tried to ignore it for the past few days. but she was going to leave tomorrow and this letter would then prove to be no use. colin picked it up and tore the envelope open. there it was... the letter shayna written for him.

dear colin,

i don't know if this letter would ever get to you but i am writing this because i wanted you to know how i feel about you and everything that has happened around us.

the first time i met you we had a very bad brush off and it was funny how everything turned around because of your lovely brother colby. my perception of this rich snobbish kid soon melted away to see someone who cared for his younger brother more than he cared for himself. you showed me what a love you had for him in your heart and i felt that you would always love with that same measure of love to me.

but you always do make me cry. firstly because you said you loved me when you have a girlfriend sitting at home waiting for you and you never truly left her until just recently. you said you loved me but i don't know how much because all i was then was the rebound girl. i don't want to be that and we said we could be friends. but we were more than that, i know but i found someone who truly cared more than you did.

the reason i chose timothy was because he showed me what love really was: being there faithfully for the one girl you always loved and showing her why you loved her. yes, he might have entered my world again at a wrong time but he never ceased to stop caring. i did reject him a few time but he always stood by me whenever i was crying for you.

now i am crying for you and you're not here but he is just a few meters away in the living room. if he would see me now, he would always be here. but you wouldn't.

i'll be leaving for london. will you be there to see my last cry for you?

shayna.

***

colin jumped into his car and sped off towards the airport. it was nearly six in the morning and shayna's flight was at seven thirty, according to alyssa and tyler. they had been trying to get him on his phone but he always put the calls on his answering machine. after he read the letter, the emotions started to flood him again. he had to tell shayna that he loved her, for real and he would do anything to change for her, as long as she said she would be his...

he sped up till the expressway when he got stuck in the morning jam.
"fuck! hurry up!" he cursed, slamming his fists on the steering wheel. he checked his watch again. six fifteen.
"fuck!" he said, pressing his horn again and again. he tried to call her phone but it was disconnected.
"shayan please don't go yet," he said under his breath, hoping she would hear him.

***

"have a safe flight," alyssa said, hugging her best friend.
"i will. don't worry."
"you take care of her now, you understand?" Mr. Fong said, clapping Timothy on the back.
"i will Mr. Fong. i love her," he said, smiling at Shayna.

"did you tell colin about you and timothy?" alyssa whispered to shayna.
"i did. but he never called me and he's not here to send me off too," shayna said dejectedly, "i doubt he even cares now."
"we tried to call him last night but he placed us on answering machines. i'm sorry shayna. maybe this would be better for you. at leat you have someone who truly cares for you even though colin might be my best buddy," tyler comforted her. shayna shrugged and hugged her best friend again.
"here is timothy's address. i would be staying with his family. write to me about my parents and everything that is happening with both of you. when i get my phone in london, i will write to you about it ok?" shayna said, passing alyssa an envelope.

"time to leave dear," timothy called out. shayna acknowledged and went to hug her parents once more.
"bye mom," she said, tearing as she hugged her mother. she knew she would miss her cooking and her unfailing attention.
"bye darling. i love you," Mrs. Fong said through her tears, "take care of yourself and come back soon."
"i will mom. bye papa," shayna said, hugging her father. the man who has always been there for her and gave her the best advice in life.
"by precious. don't worry about us. we can take care of ourselves. write back often and call us too," Mr. Fong said, trying his best not to cry. shayna was already crying buckets.

as shayna walked in the departure hall, she checked around to see if colin ever made it to the airport. he didn't. she wiped her tears and turned to timothy, who was smiling at her. he was there and he was all she needed now.

***

colin ran and ran to find the departure hall. he checked his watch. five minutes to departure. the last call was made and he panicked. then he saw the departure hall a few meters from where he was. he ran towards it while alyssa, tyler and shayna's parents were walking towards him.

"where's shayna? where's she?" colin asked, shaking tyler in the midst of his crying. tyler pushed him away.
"she's gone alright! to think i thought you cared about her. you never did. you liar!" alyssa shouted at colin, slapping him on the face, "she's happy now! stop harassing her!"
shayna's parents shook their head at colin before walking away. alyssa and tyler have never been so unhappy and angry with him before.

he walked to the viewing gallery and watched as shayna's plane took off. he couldn't stop crying.
"i love you shayna. i'm sorry i came too late," colin said, banging his fists on the window sills.