what a girl wants

WHAT A GIRL WANTS

“Roy, look at this ring! It’s so nice,” Annie excitedly demanding for Roy’s attention who was attentively looking at the rows of toys next door. They were both standing in front of the jewelry shop in the shopping complex.

“Where?? Which one?? Hold on for a second. This Gundam model is killing me haha!” obviously, Roy was busy admiring the toys instead of responding to his girlfriend. Window shopping was one of their weekend activities especially after the church service.

Annie on the other hand was really absorbed into the ring. It was, at least for her, the most beautiful and professionally crafted ring that she had ever seen. The ring itself was made of pure gold and the little hexagonal diamond added to the shine. Written next to the ring was “Splendid for Wedding or Engagement.” It is always hard to understand what a girl really wants.

“Roy, when you say the magic words, will you ever kneel in front of me with this ring in your hand?” Annie asked half jokingly.

“What magic words?” Roy replied, also half jokingly, while his eyes were still focusing on the toys.

“Roy, you’re not being serious.” Annie started to get irritated by her naughty yet caring boyfriend.

“Not now Annie, give me some time to earn some money,” was the short yet honest reply from Roy.

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A year later, Roy went overseas to further his studies while Annie remained at home waiting for any offer from local universities. So for the next 2 years, both were still in love and contacted via phone and letters. Twice a year, Roy will come back to his hometown and Annie will pick him up from the airport. Their parents were also aware of their special relationship and so the ‘tie’, although not an engagement, was respected by both families. The families were so closed to the extent that anybody around their neighborhood knew about their relationship.

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“Hello Roy, how are you and your studies there?”
“Annie, I was about to call you just now… sorry for the trouble…I’m fine here but quite busy as usual…how are you anyway?”
“Oh, really? Am I bothering you right now?”
“As a matter of fact, yes Annie. I need to finish this assignment by today otherwise I’ll have to repeat this paper next semester and I certainly don’t want that to happen to me. Can I tell you something regarding my studies?...Annie? Hello? Annie? Are you there??? Annie???!”
She hung up.
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What Roy didn’t know was that Annie had been seeing another guy while he was away. And the lame excuse? “Roy wasn’t there when I need him.” Once Roy knew about it, he asked for Annie’s explanation but she lied. He knew about it all along but because of his faith on Annie, he forgives her. Roy still gave Annie some rooms to apologize.
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“Hello aunty, can I speak to Annie? I can’t reach her through her hand phone for quite some times. Is she alright?” Roy had to call Annie’s home as Annie had changed her hand phone number.

“Who am I speaking to? Wilson? Lawrence? Raymond? She went out just a few minutes ago.” Her mother replied.

“Haha…aunty, that was funny. You’ve almost got me. It’s me, Roy. Don’t you recognize my voice?”
There was a total silence for about 3seconds.

“Aunty, is everything okay???” Roy was getting nervous.

“Roy,” finally Annie’s mother started to talk.
“Ever since you left her to further your studies, Annie had always been crying alone in her room. As a mother, I want the best for my daughter but at the same time, we don’t want to disturb your studies. We decided to let her choose her own freedom in her own way. She used to relate to me about a ring that you both saw at the shop last time. You did not pay attention to her that time. If only you had that ring and you two got engaged the last 2 years, she wouldn’t be crying in her room almost every night. I would have stopped her from going out with different guys if you two were engaged in the first place. I guess you two are not meant to be together after all. So, please stop seeing or calling her. You might be a distraction to Annie. She’s going to a local university next week. Please be fair with her. Let her go.” Then the mother hung up.

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“Raymond, look at this cute little box! No name on it, let’s find out what’s inside. Hey look, there’s a letter attached to it,” Annie said to her newly-wed husband as they were skimming through the wedding presents.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” Raymond replied as he opened the letter.
“Hmm…shall I read it for you? I think it’s from one of your relatives because the writer addressed you as ‘Little Angel’.”

Raymond’s last line left Annie speechless. Somehow, she’s so familiar with that nick name but where did she ever heard of anybody called her by that name, unless…

“Let me read it myself!” said Annie as she grabbed the letter from her husband.

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Dear Little Angel,
Congratulations! Finally I can see your smiles again, although it was not because of what I did. Anyway, from far I can see that you are happy tonight. Hopefully you will be happy for the rest of your life.
I think it is not too much for me to recall what had actually happened 5 years ago. That night, when I tried to call you and your mother answered, I actually wanted to give you the good news that I had finally managed to gather enough money not just to buy the ring that you wanted, but also some money for our simple engagement day.
While studying, I worked part time to fulfill our dream of living happily together. I am very well aware that your mother really wanted to see us together and therefore I sacrificed my time and energy to struggle with my studies and part time job at the same time. After the engagement, I will work even harder for a grand wedding party. That was the initial plan. I tried to tell you but you hung up, the last time we spoke.
That tearful night, when I called you but you were out there with some other guys, I really wanted to reach you but I couldn’t. I wanted to tell you the good news. The news that could have made you happy and stop you from shedding more tears. I know I wasn’t there when you needed me the most but although I never say ‘I love you’ everyday, I really meant it every single day of my life. Believe me when I say ‘I love you.’
I returned to the jewelry shop with my sister a day after you saw this ring. We bargained with the goldsmith and he agreed to sell it to me, by installment, of course.
I bought this ring 4 years ago. I kept it, hoping for the day when you would come back to me. You ran away and never gave me the chance to clarify things. Things were left unsettled but my faith on you never fails me. I waited for a sign from God.
I guess tonight is the obvious sign for me to give up this dream. I will move on with my life. I felt so much better putting my entire shattered dream into a piece of paper.
I hope you will love this ring as much as you love your husband. It’s yours now, as it has always been.

Yours truly
Roy.

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“What’s wrong Annie? Who is it from?!” Raymond demanded when he realized that Annie looked really terrified with tears flowing from her beautiful eyes.

Annie was startled. She couldn’t say anything but handing over the letter to her husband. Her husband exchanged the box with the letter.

The box accidentally drooped off from her grip and it fell onto the floor. From the box, a ring popped out, rolled and stopped exactly in front of her toes. She picked it up and carefully read the carving alongside in the inner curve of the golden ring. She burst into tears.

It says, “My Little Angel, Roy Luvs U.” -_- ®

-THE END-