Please Break My Heart

Chapter 12

It was probably because Lake loved dogs. Maybe that was why dogs—particularly the female ones—were so attracted to him.

For some reason, Lake decided to upload one photo of them—the one when they were giving one dog a bath—on social media. It was one of the many pictures Anthony had sent the two of them. Of course, the picture caused quite an uproar. Several varsities made comments, congratulating the two.

And Ayanna was just so, so embarrassed. Lake did not have to announce to everyone that they were still a couple. But apparently, he thought he had to.

Not to mention, the fact that their picture was once again leaked to the outside world and his fans were coming after her.

Monday was worse. Like usual, Lake fetched her from her dormitory and gave her a ride to the University. He even sent her to her classroom and that earned the two of them stares from everyone else. It did not take Ayanna long to figure out why everyone was overreacting. It was, of course, the record-breaking thirteen days of relationship. Nine days was his longest, now it had been dethroned.

Ayanna so wanted to hide her face in her hands but she knew that would make her look ridiculous.

“I can’t send you home again today but call me if something is up,” Lake told Ayanna. He told her that every single time but for some reason, everyone seemed to be listening closely.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ayanna muttered. “See you when I see you I guess.” She shooed him away, turning her heels to enter the classroom. She huffed, sitting on her usual seat.

The stares were annoying the hell out of her. She heaved a sigh, her head was aching so badly. She just wanted to go home and sleep. But of course, a headache did not seem a good enough reason to skip class in college. Nothing was a good enough reason to skip class in college—you could be dying or something but that still would not be enough. At least that was how Ayanna think when most college student would skip class for the littlest reason.

Ayanna was pulled away from her thoughts when the chair beside her was pulled and someone sat on it. To her surprise, it was the smiling Maxim.

“Hello, Ayanna!” he cheerfully greeted her.

Why is he so cheerful? Ayanna thought begrudgingly. Nevertheless, she gave him a forced smile and greeted him. “Hey,” she murmured.

“Are you okay? You look pale,” Maxim commented.

“I’m fine… just a little tired,” Ayanna told him.

“Lake probably shouldn’t have brought you out yesterday. Now, you’re all tired for class.” Ayanna could not understand why Maxim sounded so angry but he just did. It made Ayanna frown.

“It isn’t Lake’s fault. He gave me a choice and I agreed. Plus, I doubt that it’s the reason for my headache. It must be the gossips taking their toll on me,” Ayanna explained. “By the way, have you finished any of your poem yet? I have written some but I am not confident in any of them.”

“I have written some as well but I’m not quite done. How about on Wednesday? What time is your vacant?” Maxim asked.

“I have a vacant at 11:30pm,” Ayanna answered. “I hope you’re free at that time?”

“I am so I guess we’ll have lunch together?” Maxim suggested.

Ayanna smiled and nodded her head. “Yes, let’s have lunch together.”

The female did not notice the happy glint in Maxim’s eyes as she focused her eyes in front when the professor came.

*****

To the hell with menstrual periods. It was one of the worst days for females like Ayanna.

When she ran to the toilet the moment she got a free time. And what she saw made her want to cry. She just had her period and it stained even her pants. She had menstrual pads in her bag but her problem would be the stain in her jeans.

It might be the hormones but all she wanted was to cry. She wondered how many people had seen her jeans being soaked with red blood—okay, soak was an exaggeration but it was practically the same. She took her phone out and tried to call Lilia. Her best friend would know what to do.

But Lilia was not answering.

“She’s probably in class.” Ayanna wanted to cry even more. She just had to swallow her pride and confidently walk around with her stained jeans. But that did not sound tempting at all. If anything, it sounded like something she wouldn’t do.

Deciding to test her luck, she decided to call her second—and last—resort, Lake Dylan. After just two rings, he immediately answered the phone.

“Hello?” he said from the other line.

“Why did you answer the call? Don’t you have class?” Ayanna found herself asking instead of just telling him what she needed. She knew she sounded rude and she thought she deserved to get her head hit by a hammer. She was the one who wanted to ask for a favor.

Luckily, Lake found it amusing so he chuckled. “My professor just messaged the class representative that he won’t be coming. So, it’s free cut. I’m actually on my way to meet you. What’s up?”

Ayanna hesitated. She was embarrassed all of a sudden. She did not know how to tell the male about her problem. But she knew nothing would come out with just hiding inside the toilet cubicle. She had to tell him about it. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak while Lake waited patiently for her to speak.

In a very tiny voice, she spoke, “I have a stain on my jeans. I don’t know what to do. It’s so obvious I wanna cry.”

There was a pause from the other line. “Do you have menstrual pads?” the boy asked casually in a soft voice as if he knew how to deal with it that Ayanna wondered if it happened to him all the time with his exes.

If it did, Ayanna would feel better that she was not the only one who had such an “accident”.

“I have menstrual pads,” Ayanna whispered. “But my jeans… I have nothing to cover it with.”

“All right, I got you. Where are you? I’ll just grab my jacket from my car and go get you.”

“I’m in my college’s building. At the first floor toilet. Tell me when you get here.”

“Be there ASAP.”

For a moment, Ayanna was grateful that of all people, she was on a relationship with Lake.

*****

Lake, for some reason, found time to be standing outside Ayanna’s classroom at five-thirty. He seemed to be waiting for her because his eyes twinkled when she finally came out of the classroom.

“I thought you have training.” Ayanna raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. His jacket was tight around her waist which she was grateful about but that did not mean she would be less stoic.

The male shrugged. “I asked my coach if I could be late for about an hour. I thought you’ll have a hard time riding a jeepney in that condition.” He was referring to her menstruation without saying it directly. “My sister used to complain about it all the time. So, let’s go?”

Ayanna gave the male a thankful smile. “Thank you, really.” And the two of them started to walk. “I guess having tons of ex-girlfriends trained you to be the perfect gentleman, huh?” she teased him as they walked.

To her surprise, Lake shook his head. “I don’t think any of my exes ever told me they have the, you know,” he defended himself, once again refusing to say “menstruation” in public. “It’s just that my older sister complains about it a lot and makes me buy her pads.”

The female laughed at that. In her mind, she could imagine a struggling Lake in a convenient store. He was trying to choose the best brand of menstrual pads. She giggled at the thought, earning a confused look from Lake. “Remind me to ask you to buy one for me too.”

“Will not do.” Lake frowned which earned even more laughter from Ayanna. That made Lake laugh too. Before they knew it, they were laughing with one another. This earned them more envious and fascinated looks from the other students but neither of them noticed anything.

All Ayanna could think of was how lucky she was with Lake—minus the player part. How she wished she could get to know him more and hang out with him more.