Ariadne

Gia wanted this watch for quite some time now, she really loves it. Determined to own it, she decided to cut our movie dates, dinners and even simple hangouts (for she’ll never let me pay for everything). She’s counting future paychecks, calculating how long will it take for her to save up for the precious watch. I, being the persistent courter, came up with an evil plan (well not that evil, but it involves me being mean at some point). It can be simple as buying the watch, then gift wrap it and hand it over to her, but where’s the fun in that?

I have to buy the watch without her knowing. She doesn’t even have to know that I’ll go to the mall, she must be 100% clueless about this. This is the hard part because for more than a month now, we see each other almost every day; we know where the other is 24/7. Then I had a wicked idea, I lied. To make it more sinister, I lied to make her anxious, when she asked me where I was and that she wants to see me just before I go home from work, I told her I can’t for I had to go someplace else, that I had to meet up with this girl named “Arya”. She was dismayed, I can feel her disappointment, and it made me feel uneasy, guilty. I can’t stand the fact that I can’t tell her the reason for all this for it will spoil the surprise, and then everything will be for naught. “Everything will be alright soon” I tell myself. So I went to the mall and bought the watch, then on the way home, I gave in, I had to see her, plus knowing the fact that I disappointed her just made me more worried. I stopped by at her place; we talked for a while, her being clueless that her watch is sitting cozily inside my backpack. She asked me who Arya is, I can hear the anxiety on her voice, and I told her more lies. She can’t know that Arya is in fact the name of the watch. (yes, I name stuff)

August 11^th, the day has come. She leaves home early in the morning for her morning shift. That gives me time to leave the gift at her house and have her cousin, Camille, put it on her bed just before she arrives later. Everything seems normal. We go to work, after that we went to my cousin’s place to hang out, in which hang out means afternoon nap, tiring day at work I guess. Then before I take her home, I have to make sure that we’ll go to the mall. The main reason why I had to bring her to the mall is to check up on the watch, which we usually do, checking if the watch is still there. So I made up an excuse, I told her that I wanted to try this milk tea, she bought the trap, and then off we go to the mall. While driving to the mall, she noticed me texting all the time, which I don’t normally do when I’m with her, it annoyed her. Perfect, the more disappointed she is now, the happier she’ll be later. Up until to the mall, I was still busy fiddling with my phone, she’s clueless that I’m actually texting Camille, telling her to prepare the surprise. Again, I can sense her disappointment of my divided attention, but she’s not disappointed enough. And now, the climax of my great deception! I led her to the store, as we enter, she quickly scans the shelves, looking for her beloved watch. It was gone. Somebody must have bought the last piece! Now we all know who that somebody is… the drive home was a sad journey. She instantly saddens every time she remembers her watch. I was having a hard time concealing my laughter and amusement, she notices me, but she only thinks I’m just being a child laughing at her for losing the watch. She has no idea of what I’m really laughing about! There was a slight flaw on my plan, Camille was not at their house at that time, and she won’t be there when we arrive! Thankfully, she asked Gia’s dad in her stead to take the gift from her cabinet to Gia’s bed. What the heck, I don’t even care if her dad sees my cheesiest note attached to the gift as long as everything will go according to plan. And there we were, in front of their house. We bid farewell as she got out of the car. I watched as she disappears as she closed the door. I waited a bit before I turn off the engine, she doesn’t know I was still there. I waited… and then I heard screaming. Mission accomplished. Then I texted her to come out and give me a hug.