Pretending.
"When we act as if something is real, and is the case when actually is not. Pretending may be also considered as lying and it is an act of fooling someone, or even ourselves, especially, when we act as happy when clearly, we are sad."
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Eight years ago...
JIMHUESH had just gone back home from school--earlier than it should be--when he accidentally heard his parents fighting. Their voices were too loud that even if the door of their room was closed, he could still hear them. Jimhuesh wondered why they were fighting as it was the first time it happened, and it seemed to be more serious than just a simple lovers' quarrel.
Jimhuesh leaned and put his ear closer to the door to hear them better. "We've already talked about this before, Ronaldo! We will stay as one perfect and happy family, we do not need this drama and that is final!"
"But, this ain't real! Aren't you tired of pretending? We don't even love each other!"
Jimhuesh was starting to feel weird. It was a feeling that was unfamiliar to him. He was confused and didn't want to believe what he was hearing.
"What's wrong in pretending when I can make my son happy? As long as Jim is happy, I can be a liar for the rest of my life! You don't have the right to oppose me because you owe me of everything!"
"What are they saying? What is my mom saying?" Jimhuesh mumbled to himself as his heart tightened, breathing hardened, eyes darkened, and his fists turned into balls. That was the day when the love he had for his parents began to turn into hatred.
He decided to not confront his parents and just went straight to his room. The last thing he heard was his father saying, "but Jimhuesh deserves to know the truth!" and his mother replied to him, "that's a decision that I'd be the one to make, not you."
As the day ended and a new day started, Jimhuesh pretended he didn't hear anything. He acted as if nothing had changed, as if he didn't learn something about his parent's real relationship. He thought that if they wanted to pretend, then he would do the same. If they wanted to continue their fake loving relationship, then he would continue faking that he didn't hate them. In the end, he would have the final laugh. It would be him fooling them and not the other way around.
Jimhuesh waited for his parents to tell him the truth, but two years had already passed, and he waited for nothing. He was asking himself why he was even hoping for it when his mother clearly said that she would lie for the rest of her life as long as her son was happy, and now that he was already sixteen years old, his mother, Jennifer, asked him to consider her friend's daughter, Kassandra, as a romantic interest in the future rather than just a friend. Jimhuesh agreed, he still had the act of a loving child, who would be willing to make his mother happy. But this time, he had another plan.
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"I'm surprised you agreed to this, Sandy."
Kassandra sipped her strawberry milkshake before she answered, "well, I was curious as to why you've agreed. I'm here to know why."
"I want you to do me a favor," Jimhuesh said sternly.
Kassandra crossed her leg as she giggled. "Ooh, this is interesting. I wonder what is this favor that you even came to this length of considering dating me just to have me do you a favor, which I believe I want to know what will I gain if I agree."
Jimhuesh smirked. "That's fair. What do you want?"
"I want you to bring me to Paris."
Jimhuesh knew it was her dream to become a model and he was willing to make it happen by agreeing to it. "Sure. I'll take you to Paris once the school year ends. Is that all that you want?"
She smiled widely. "That's all I want. I have sent my modeling portfolio to a few model castings in Paris and I got a response from all of them. Can you imagine how ecstatic I am when I opened my email? Finally, my dream is within my reach!" Kassandra's face then, suddenly, fell into sadness. "But, my mom doesn't know it, and she doesn't have to know it, since dad already gave me the go signal. So, make sure you won't tell a thing to your mom because I'm certain she'll tell mom, and then everything would be ruined and game over."
He smiled. "I don't have a loud mouth, you don't have to worry. So, it's a deal. My favor is perfect for what you want. Be my girlfriend."
She laughed. "Are you finally falling for my charm? But you know you're not my type, right?"
Jimhuesh made a face. "You know you aren't my type, either. Don't jump to conclusions, I just want us to pretend that we are deeply in love with each other after a month of fake dating."
"Huh? Are you joking? That is so gross! What... Why--"
"No, questions. Are you in or not? It's your dream at stake here, you wouldn't wanna miss this chance. So, what would be your answer?"
"Fine...babe," she said, and both of them cringed and then laughed. "We gotta have to work on how to act natural, or else, no one would believe that we are deeply in love with each other."
After a month of fake dating, Jimhuesh and Kassandra finally announced the news to their parents. They were extremely happy when they told them they were officially together. Their fake relationship lasted two years and became engaged at 18. Their parents were starting to ask them about plans for marriage, and that was when Jimhuesh's plan came to fruition. It was the time he would tell his parents that he and Kassandra broke up and were never in a real relationship.
"What are you talking about, Jim? What do you mean fake?" Jennifer asked in a calm voice.
"I mean, fake. We had a fake relationship just like how fake our family is," Jimhuesh snorted.
She placed her hands on his arms. "No, why would you think our family is fake?"
He scoffed. "Mom, can you stop pretending? Drop the act. We are all fake. You were never in love with dad, the same as how dad was never in love with you."
She moved her hands to cup his face. She was shaking her head as her eyes started to water. "How..."
Jimhuesh gently pulled away and stepped backward. "Four years ago... I heard you and dad fighting. You were never in love with each other. Do you know what I felt when I found out that the perfect family that I know was just a lie? It felt like my whole existence was also a lie!"
"No, baby." Jennifer tried to console her son who was now weeping, but Jimhuesh wouldn't let her and was just shoving away her hands. She instead covered her mouth as she cried, "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have heard that. It must've been so hard for you. Why didn't you tell me? You acted like everything was fine. I couldn't imagine how...how you managed to keep it in yourself that long. Four years? I'm so sorry, son."
"Why didn't you tell me the truth? Dad wanted to, but why you..."
"You are my everything, Jim. You were happy and I want it to remain that way. I didn't want you to be sad. I'm so sorry for not telling you the truth, but if I would be given another chance, I would still do the same thing. I won't take away your happiness. That's how much I love you. I would lie forever if that lie would make you happy."
He huffed, almost couldn't believe his mother wasn't even regretting it a bit. "You love me? I doubt that. What if you and dad were just pretending that you love me? You made me believe that you were deeply in love with each other when you truly were not, so, I wouldn't be surprised if you tell me now that we were just playing house and that the love you have shown for me was also a lie. Tell me about what kind of family we are. I don't understand why you married dad and had me when you don't even love each other. I wonder what love means. Is it even real? I also doubt, it is."
"Jim, love is real. Love is when you only wish for the person to be happy. I want you to be happy because I love you. Ronaldo loves you. Even if he isn't your biological father, he genuinely loves you. Please don't doubt our love for you because it's making me so sad."
Jimhuesh's brows furrowed drastically. "What? Dad is not my real dad?"
There was a long pause before she responded. "Yes... When you were a kid, you would always ask me about your father...but I couldn't tell you that he's already long gone. I didn't want you to be sad. I want you to have a complete family. That was when I met Ronaldo...when I was in Dubai... I thought it would be a good idea to have someone act as my husband. So, I decided to marry him and introduce him to you as your father who had just come back from overseas."
Confusion and hatred were Jimhuesh's feelings at that moment, but he played it cool and just bitterly accepted everything. There was nothing he could do since it already happened. Blaming himself or his mother wouldn't change the fact that they lied to him.
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"That's why I hate liars. They think it's okay to lie."
"Thank you for telling me even though we're not as far as strangers," Senthie responded with a warm smile. "I never thought you'd tell me something too personal."
He chuckled. "I wonder why I did it. But something's telling me that you can be trusted. As I told you earlier, you remind me of Rychie."
Senthie rolled her eyes and then giggled. "How did you two become best friends?"
Jimhuesh told her that they knew each other since they were children and that Rychie was like a big brother to him. Senthie seemed surprised when he mentioned that Rychie was four years older than him.
"You mean you're just 22? she asked, surprised.
"You guessed it right."
She laughed, shaking her head. "You're so young! You're even younger than me! I didn't expect that the VP of GMC is only 22 years old!"
He shrugged. "Well, I guess that's how competent I am."
Senthie just smiled at him. There was silence after a moment until she asked, "can I ask you something personal again?"
Jimhuesh contemplated at first, but then he nodded at her. He was nervous. He wouldn't usually open up to someone except for Rychie, but for some reason, he was willing to let Senthie in.
She stared right into his eyes as if she was looking into his soul and said, "do you still carry the pain? I mean, have you forgiven your parents?"
Jimhuesh couldn't answer right away. He didn't know what to say. Fortunately, Senthie seemed to notice it and redirected the subject to herself, instead.
"My father is a liar, too." She smiled widely, but Jimhuesh could discern it was a sad one by how her smile didn't reach her eyes. "He bro--"
She was cut off by the ringtone of her phone. "Sorry, it's my alarm." She took her phone out of her purse and looked at the screen as she turned off the sound. "Oh! Look at the time! It's already 10! I better go."
Jimhuesh narrowed his eyes. "What's the alarm for?"
"I have my own curfew." She laughed. "Can I go now?"
He chuckled. "I understand. I shall escort you to your studio." As they began to walk, he added, "and by the way, my mom will visit you tomorrow to discuss her gown's design."
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Hello, Noomiells!
Thank you for reading this chapter. Hope you liked it. :D
Do you hate liars? If so, what made you hate them?
I wonder how it feels to be engaged at 18. Do you guys have any idea? XD
What can you say about Jim's mother? Do you think what she did is okay?
How about Jimhuesh getting back at his parents?
Do you have a curfew for yourself?
I would like to know your opinion. Please, let me know! :D