It’s was a terrible week for me. My ex boyfriend Martin broken up with me after of two years of dating together. According to him, he broke up with me because he found someone he really loves. I almost cried when he told me that but I keep my tears hid and pretend I was not hurting. I ask him if he was serious about it and he said, he was so sure. I let him go that very moment and I sit firmly in my desk looking at my dead computer monitor and pretending I was okay. I called my best friend in the company Melissa about it but when I suppose to start to say a word, she interrupt me.

“ have you heard the news, Tine”? She interrupt

“ what news”? I ask her immediately

“ the president has a big announcement and everyone is invited in the event now”. She said. “ where are you”? “Let’s go in the event together.” She continue.

“ I was in my office and I think after 10 minutes I’m ready to go. Wait me on conference room”. I suggest

After 10 minutes I saw Melissa outside of conference room and we went to anniversary hall at 35th floor of the company. We sit together in the middle and everyone are all excited about the big announcement. I almost forget about my heart being broken earlier but I still keep on thinking all the possibilities why he left me when suddenly Melissa interrupt me again.

“ Do you have any idea about the big announcement”? “ someone said it’s about the president’s daughter”? She said.

“ What about her”? Is she gonna be our newest president? I ask.

“ I don’t know, maybe yes, maybe no”. She said

“ by the way Lis, I have something to tell you. Later after this can we talk”? I said sadly.

“ Yes okay. About what”?

“ It’s about Martin and I”. I said without looking in her eyes

“ well, are you guys getting married”? She ask hesitantly

“ No. Were not. It’s not about it”. I reply

“ okay, but where is he”? He was suppose to be here, right”? She continue asking

“ I don’t know. Maybe he go somewhere”. I said with a lower voice

After a half an hour of waiting, the president came together with some company executives, their wives and family members. And suddenly the president started to announce the big revelation, Melissa and I, saw Martin walking straight to the president.

“ Okay, everyone. I know you are all waiting for the big announcement and I am here in front of you with my family and friends. Today, I want to tell to everyone that my daughter Lucy and her boyfriend Martin are getting married”.

Everyone is clapping and celebrating except Melissa and I. And everyone has a toast of champagne. And they all shouted “ for the new couple”. Melissa meets my tears falling from grieving and she hug me so tight and for that very moment I knew I was hurting but someone stands with me. We walk outside and she comfort me. She get me water and a tissue paper and she suddenly ask me.

“ So, it’s that what you want to talk about”? She ask me.” How long do you know about Martin and Lucy”? “ he just tell me this morning. He broke up with me because he said that he found someone”. I said

“ oh! Really. He just tell you this morning and now they’re engage”. She said with anger. “ wow, what a jerk”. “ I think everyone here knows that you and Martin are in relationships, right”? “ But why they celebrating with them”? She continue. “ so, what’s your plan now”?

“ I don’t know, I can’t think right now”. “ I just want to end this day. I felt so tired”. I said

“ I know, Tine. But you have two options. Run away or stay”. “ if you runaway, you let them win but if you stay, you let yourself win”. “ which one do you pick”? She said strongly.

I went to my apartment early and I lay down on my bed when suddenly the flash back of Martin’s memory appear in my head. He was a man of my dreams. We’re friends together before we start dating. We met in the company, he was just a newly hired marketing manager that time and we always together because of the projects. After the work everyday we take our dinner together and in weekend we had a date in our favorite restaurant near the company and sometimes we had a movie date. I also introduced Martin to my parents, it was my 32nd birthday and I celebrated it in our house with my family and friends and with Martin also. It was my happiest birthday and I thought it will be every year. And I start to cry so loud, I let all my tears went down. I cried again and again and again and again until my tears can’t see no more. I cried not just because I was hurting, I cried because I want to cry that night and I know crying is the only thing I can do that night.

The next morning I went early in my office without taking my breakfast I continue working. The announcement last day was the hot topic of everyone in the office, wherever I go they had to say something about it. I keep working until my hands get numb from pressing my pen. I keep working because I don’t want to think about the last day. It’s done and I cried it all last night. All the pain that I’ve been through is gone and I want to make a new life but when I was about to let go of my sorrow, I saw Martin and Lucy attending the general meeting with some employee including Melissa and me. They went together, holding hands together and I was sited with Melissa and she kicked my feet and pointed her angry eyes to the two of them. I saw them but I turn my eyes on the proposal of the next project.

After a couple of days of working hard, I decided to spend my weekend with my parents. I called my mom that day to tell that I was going to spend the weekend with them. My mom was very happy and she told me that she was going to cook my favorite foods Mac and cheese with chicken breast. Friday after my work I bid goodbye to my best friend Melissa and I drive my car on my way home. It’s been a long months since my last visit with my parents. I never noticed how busy I am this last few months that I haven’t visit my parents so often. I feel great that moment that I finally got home. After a long drive I was arrive at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. My mom was the first to welcome me with her deep hug and my dad never let me talk, he just hug me for a long time. We spend the dinner together and I was so busy listening to all their stories about everything while eating my favorite foods. My mom’s delicious way of cooking never get old even her. She was so beautiful and elegant at her age. I wonder what’s her secret. I was in the middle of washing the dishes when my mom suddenly ask me a question. A question I never know how to answer.

“ where’s Martin”? She ask.

And I look into my mom’s eyes and I realize they need to know.

“ We broke up”. I said sadly

“ oh, my dear. Since when”?

“ahmmmmm. A couple of weeks ago”. I said with a lie

“ are you okay”. Mom ask

“ of course mom, it’s been a long time. I move on already”. I said with a freaky smile

“ Why the two of you broke up”? Dad ask me in a heavy voice

“ well, we have a lot of differences. He wants something but I hate something”. I said confidently

I know I lied something to my parents but I don’t want them to feel the same pain that I felt. And I think it’s better if they didn’t know the whole story. My mom hugged me again that night and I was really happy because I have a parents like them. They make me stronger every time I was down. I sleep that night in my room. I saw my picture together with my parents when I graduated high school. I was the only child of my parents and they named me after my uncle died weeks before I was born. My uncle was a very good man, he never had his own family because he was attached to his duty. He lived next to our house but he never stayed there for a long time because he was a US Marine. Every year he was sent to different places to defend the sovereignty of the country. It was a rainy day when my mom received a message that my uncle died protecting his own troops. He let himself explode from his own grenade to protect other Marines. He was named hero of the war that year. And my mom named me after him to honor his legacy. Justin Weyman “ once a marine always a marine”. And I fall asleep right away that night.