One More Chance

"What happened? Why did he leave just that after answering my question? Did I say something wrong?" Martha asked confused. She seemed to get sober after Luke had left. "No, you didn't say anything wrong," Dana answered for her.

"Then why did he leave?"

"Well, he was just jealous after seeing Sam talking to Martin a while ago," Dana again, added with a shrug.

"Oh, jeez! Sam!" Martha turned to me.

"What?"

"What are you waiting for? Run after him and get your boyfriend back!"

"O- Oh... y- yeah... why am I still here?" I asked more to myself, but since they all heard it, they just gave me a humorous laugh.

"Go, girl!"

I didn't wait for any second and ran towards the exit. I immediately looked for him outside the club and I thanked God in silence when I saw him in the parking lot.

He was against his car when I reached him with his hands in his pockets and looking blankly on the ground.

"Luke," I called him as soon as I stopped right in front of him. "I thought you were gone and left me already," I said with a deep sigh. It was only then that he looked at me. "Why made you think that I would leave you?"

"Because you were mad at me?" I ended my reply with a question mark as I wasn't sure of what I said.

He remained silent for a few seconds before taking a deep breath.

"I'm not mad at you." He said slowly as she shook his head.

"Then why did you leave? If you're not mad at me then why didn't you talk to me inside earlier?"

"I'm not mad at you, Sam, I'm just upset about what I saw!"

And that made me shut my mouth for a moment.

"Martin was just there because Toni invited him. They met at the counter when he was about to buy our drinks and get lemon slices and it happened that Martin was there and waiting for someone."

But instead of noticing what I said, he just ignored them.

"I missed you. I really missed you." He started as he stared at me. His eyes held different emotions, but sadness was the only thing I could read. "I had to lie and told you I couldn't come with you because I wanted to surprise you. God, you don't know how much I wanted to see and hug you earlier, but when I saw that man with you, talking and sitting next to you, I couldn't understand--- I couldn't explain what I felt. I was upset, mad--- jealous all at the same time. I wanted to surprise you but it was me who was surprised." "Luke..." I took a deep breath as I held his hands. I even bit my lower lip out of frustration as I don't know how to comfort him and ease the distress he was feeling at that moment.

"It's the same feeling I got when I saw you with David two years ago. I was so mad at myself for letting you go but at that time I couldn't do anything. You were happy with him and all I can do was wish you happiness. And now with Martin, seeing you happy talking to him made me feel that same guilt and pain again and I wonder if this is also what you felt when you saw me with Cherry before."

"Luke, why are we discussing the past again?" I cupped his face and made him look at me.

"I'm sorry---" he started again but I immediately shut him up.

"Shhh... let's stop picking the scabs," he didn't say anything. He just stared at me with the same expression. "I'm sorry if you're feeling that way again but believe me, Martin and I are just friends, nothing more, nothing less. The only feeling I have for him is nothing more than friendship and nothing else!" I ended with a shrug.

"I know, but his is different,"

"How do you say it's different?"

"His is different because he likes you. He likes you, Sam."

"And how do you say he likes me when you don't know him at all?"

"Because I'm a man, Samantha and I know--- I can feel whether a man like me has a thing for my girlfriend and I know he has, he likes you!"

"Okay, fine, let's just say you are right, he likes me, but do I like him? I'm not even giving him any motive--- reasons for him to approach me. It was just a pure coincidence that he was also there inside earlier. Don't you trust me?"

"I do, I trust you! I love you and I trust you!" He then took my hand and pulled me closer to him. "It's just him I don't trust,"

"Then you should have told me the truth when I asked you on the phone this afternoon so that I no longer went with Dana," I said pouting in front of him.

"I'm sorry," he then pulled me into a hug. "I just wanted to surprise you, but you're right, I should have told you the truth earlier." I felt his lips on top of my head and I no longer hold myself and hugged him back. I even put my face in the crook of his neck as my habit every time I hug him.

I also wanted to hug him earlier if it weren't for the jealousy that came in between us.

"W-Wait! You're drunk, woman!" He held me by the shoulders, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Of course, not! I just had a few shots--- Whoa! What are you doing?" I blinked as he suddenly drew his face closer and started smelling my breath.

"Are you sure you only had a few drinks?"

"Yeah, if you want, we can go back to the club and ask Dana for the truth!" I was about to turn my heels back but he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. "No, no, no! It's fine! I don't want you to go back there!"

"Hmm... Well," I smiled. "Actually, you really don't have to feel jealous of Martin. Do you want to know why and what we were talking about before you came in?"

"No, I don't want to hear about it and anything about him---"novelbin

"He told me he's getting married two months from now." "Huh? What?"

"He said he's getting married," I repeated, with a smile.

"H-He's getting married?"

I raised an eyebrow as he held my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes with a confused tone.

"Yes, he's engaged already and he was actually waiting for his brother at the counter when Toni met him earlier. And since we all have become friends, he invited him to join our group while waiting for his brother. He's going to tell his older brother the big news... first, he's getting married, and second is that he's going to be a father." I know my voice came excitedly not just because of the good news but because I saw how surprised he was after hearing those things. "Ohh... U Uhm..."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. The man wearing dashingly handsome business attire stuttered in front of me.

"So yeah, you no longer have to feel jealous of him, sweetheart," I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally saw the smile curled up across his lips.

"Hmhm..." He nodded, still smiling. "I love you," the last words he said before pulling me again into a tight hug and then kissing me on the lips... hungrily yet passionately at the same time.

I closed my eyes and encircled my arms around his neck asking for support as my knees trembled due to the emotions and sparks I felt through his kisses. He held me by the waist while his other hand was on the back of my head to keep my angle steady so he could kiss me deeply. Back then, I always dreamed this day would come and I was content just by imagining it in my head, but I didn't expect I would be more pleased now that it already happened.

I love him. I love him so much.

"I love you too," I mumbled softly between our kisses and it didn't take a second for him to stop. He looked at me in shock as if he had just seen a ghost. His mouth was wide open and his eyes were blinking fast.

"D - Did you just say I love you too?"

I didn't reply at first, instead, I just smiled at him.

"Sweetheart, did I hear it right? Did you just I love you back?"

"Yup, I said I love you too," I grinned as I shrugged.

"Oh... my!" He exclaimed, laughing in front of me. "Say it again, sweetheart!"

"What?" I pretended to be confused. I bit my inner cheeks to suppress my laughter.

"Say it again, please, I didn't hear it clear earlier."

"I love you too, Mr. Williams---"

And that's it, I didn't get the chance to continue the next words as he scooped me and twirled me around like he had just proposed to me and I said yes.

"Oh, God, sweetheart! Thank God, thank you!"

"What are you doing? Luke, put me down!" I told him, but of course, I couldn't contain my happiness.