I woke up to a light tapping at my door. It's already morning, my eyes feel so heavy due to the intensed crying I did last night. And yet, I still don't feel any better. "Tessy, are you awake?" my mother asked.Her soothing tone—an unnatural one for her—made me feel even worse. "Yeah. Come in," I said. I felt a wave of morning sickness.She opened the door, crossed my room, and sat on the foot of my bed. "Sweetie. Don't be so upset," she said, patting my legs through the covers."I can't help it. I know you hate him.""I like Jon," she said unconvincingly."No, you don't. After last night? He barely said anything—except to announce that he plans to leave me someday."She gave me a puzzled look. "Leave you?""The 'second wife' joke," I said, adjusting my pillow."Well, you don't have plans to marry *that boy* anyway, do you?" She whispered.I shrugged. "Maybe," I whimpered. The way she said *that boy* told the full story. My mother looked anxious. "Jon is probably just your rebound

I woke this morning with one question in my mind—How on earth can I be completely alone? I decided to phone Max, phoning Max is doing the unthinkable and it is a pathetic and desperate move, but there is no need to deny it, I am pathetic and desperate. "Hi, Max," I said as he answered his work line at Giovanni Rojas.I heard what sounded like a cough or a laugh, then silence."It's Tessy," I said."I know who it is.""How are you?" I asked, keeping my voice steady."I'm fine. You?" He asked."I'm. . . okay," I said. "I was just wondering. . .can you talk? Is this an okay time?""Um. . .Well, I actually have to run—""Okay, how about later? Can you meet me after work?""I don't think so," he answered quickly."Please. I really need to talk to you about something," I said.As I said those words, I realized that Max no longer cares about my needs. "I don't think so," he said again. "Why not?""I just don't think it's a good idea.""Because of Sandra?""Tessy," he said, annoyed. "What

In my entire life time—throughout high school, college, and my twenties—I have never been dissed by a guy. Not dumped. Not stood up. But here I am—a two time loser all in a week's time. I am completely alone, with not even a prospect in sight.Painful enough, I also don't have Sandra, my steadfast source of comfort when other things, unrelated to romance, had unraveled in my life. Nor do I have my own mother—whom I don't want to call, just to hear some variations of "I told you so." And here's Vanessa, who came to my apartment this afternoon. She came after I had called in sick to work for three straight days. I'm even surprised that it took her so long to rush to my aid, maybe she has no clue of the depth of my despair. "What has gotten into you?" Vanessa asked, glancing around my messier-than-usual apartment. "I've been so worried about you. Why haven't you returned any of my calls?""Jon dumped me," I said mournfully. She raised the blinds in my living room. "Jon broke up with y

A week has passed and I have not heard from Vanessa about her plans on moving in with me. I have called her so many times which she either avoided or ignored. I would have appreciated it if she tells me point blank that she won't be moving in with me rather than the way she ignores me like I was the child she promised ice cream on her way to work and failed to return home with it.I decided to use a payphone, she's probably ignoring my calls because she knows my number. I put a coin into the coin slot and rattled in her office number. "Hello. Vanessa Garrett speaking." I heard her cute little-girl's voice she likes to fake. She always claims that it is the most professional way of speaking over the phone with clients. "It's Tessy," I said. "Oh. . . Tessy. . . hi. How are you?" She asked, sounding a little bit shocked. Perhaps, she wasn't expecting a call from me or something."I'm okay. You ?" "Oh my goodness! I've been swamped in work lately." I know she's lying even though I'v

It's been a week since I called Andrew in London. I even left him two phone messages and a well-crafted, slightly desperate e-mail. The truth is Andrew favours Sandra than I. It's actually quite understandable if he is "team Sandra" and they both can now join forces to deal with me. But right now, my back is up against the wall and I'm taking a new strategy:- *'be your enemy's friend's friend.'* If I am to come out victorious in all of this, then I have to look for solutions in odd places, thanks to Dixie's fast thinking. I have known Andrew since fourth grade, when he moved to our town in the middle of the school year. There was always a flurry of intrigue when a new kid arrived, with everyone excited at the thought of fresh blood. And doing recess on the day of his arrival, Andrew sat alone on the curb near the monkey bars, writing in the dirt with a twig. Everyone was too shy to speak to him, but I summoned Sandra and Dixie and the three of us approached him. I introduced Sandra a