– 9 DAYS AGO –

“Honey, are you alright? You looked pale.” Zach worriedly asked in front of the dining table.

“I’m alright; it’s just lack of sleep.” She emptily smiled.

Even if she said so, Zach cannot help but be worried. He slightly leaned forward and placed his hand on her forehead.

“You don’t have a fever though. Are you really sure you’re alright?”

She widely smiled as she looked at him. “I’m really alright, thanks for worrying.”

Just like yesterday, her smile instantly faded after her husband left for work. On the other hand, Zach who barely left the apartment complex was stopped by an oddly familiar girl.

“Zach, finally I found you!” She hugged him unexpectedly. Her embrace was tight, enough for him not to instantly let loose. “Thank goodness you are alive! I’ve been searching for you all this time!” Relief and gratitude was imbued in her every word.

Zach struggled and finally escaped from her. “What are you doing?! Just who are you?” He flung her aside.

“Zach, it’s me, Samantha!” The mysterious woman desperately clutched onto his arms. “Don’t you remember me?! Zach! We loved each other!” Her clutches tightened.

Zach was totally dumbfounded. He does not have the faintest idea whom she was and what she was talking about. He just struggled to let loose as he exclaimed, “Miss, please stop! I’m already married and I don’t know you. You’re wasting my time!”

The woman snapped out. She slowly released him from her grabbing as, “You’re married? To whom? To that obnoxious Roanne?” she exasperated.

Hearing his wife’s name being randomly mentioned, Zach felt an urge to ask her a question. “How did you know my wife’s name?” He seriously asked. “Just who in the world are you?”

That woman, Samantha, fixed her messy state as she calmed down. “I’m sorry that I startled you, Zach. It is not my intention, I swear. I’m just relieved that you are alive.”

Zach grabbed her by the shoulder. His look at her felt almost like a glare. He was so serious to a point where he badly wanted his question to be answered. “I said, who, are, you.”

“I won’t answer you for now; instead, I’ll give you this.” Samantha handed a piece of paper.

“What’s this?”

“On top is my instagram account. If you badly wanted an answer, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. If you wished to know more, then below is the address for the annual class reunion.” She readied herself to leave. “I only came here trying to find whether the information I got is true. I never, ever expected I’d see you like this.”

She held his face for a moment. Before she totally left, “Ah, be careful with that bitch, Roanne. She’s fake,” she said.

Left in that spot was Zach. He tightly held that piece of paper as he headed to work. All day, what Samantha told her kept bugging his mind. He just stared at that piece of paper for a very long time. He did not bother going to that specified account as he was scared, scared that the wife he madly love turned out to be what Samantha just said. He just set that paper aside and set off from work.

That night, they were getting ready to sleep. They were already in bed yet they can’t sleep a wink.

Zach came near her and hugged her from behind. “Honey, can you tell me again the first time we met?” He softly whispered beneath her ears.

“Why you suddenly asked?” Roanne faced his direction. She reciprocated him with a warm embrace as she mumbled.

“It’s just fascinating …” Those words may sound sweet to Roanne but in fact, those were just empty words. Zach was deep in his thoughts and kept pondering everything that happened that morning. About Samantha, and about what she had said.

“We met when we were sophomore in college …”

***

[ I was a lonely geek that time. I am so unlike you who were extremely famous especially among your friends. Every girl desired to be with you, so does I. During one of our classes, you arrived late and unknowingly sat beside me. ]

“Hello! I am Zach. What’s yours?” Right after he sat down, he extended his arm asking for a handshake.

The timid, nerdy Roanne that time, acted extremely shy as she accepted his warm gesture. “I’m Roanne. Nice to meet you.” She can’t hide her blushing cheeks after they held hands.

[ I was love-struck at that time. Despite me being extremely shy, you still tried talking to me. You were so, so cool back then. After that incident, we unexpectedly became close. We hanged out almost every day as we worked on our project day and night. That probably was the reason why our feelings deepened for each other. ]

One day, in a nearby café, Roanne beautified herself after receiving an invitation from Zach. She wore makeup for the first time. She wore a red heel she never even tried. She also tried wearing contacts despite her uncomfortability in using it. Excitement and delight was seen in her face as she patiently waited for him inside.

[ That’s when one day, you decided to confess your feelings to me. ]

Zach arrived and casually sat beside her. They were too awkward and tense. No one dared to utter a word.

“Uhmm, Roanne? Mind if I ask you something troubling?” Zach initiated the first move.

With a smile, Roanne relaxed herself as she lent him an ear. “What is it?”

Acting innocently shy, “What type of men do you like?” Zach asked.

“Eh?” Roanne froze in her spot. “I also don’t know … Who knows? Maybe you?” She stuttered.

Zach intently looked in her direction. “Then … do you think I can be your girlfriend?”

***

“That’s all.”

Zach dumbfoundingly looked at her. “Is that all?”

Roanne nodded with a grin. “Mmm, that’s all. Nothing special right?”

Their conversation was normal at first. Not until Zach hesitatingly mentioned something that immediately spoiled the mood. “Do you know a woman named Samantha?”

Roanne’s grin gradually vanished. Hearing that name from his mouth, she unintentionally twitched in surprise. She can’t hide her sudden anxiousness. It was being showed in her face as she escaped from his arms. She rose in bed and looked directly at him as she asked, “Do you remember something?”

She was holding her breath as she tensely waited for his answer. Her serious gaze can almost bore a hole in his face.

“No, I still can’t.”

She quietly sighed in relief. “That’s good then.” She faced him with her back and stood up. “I’m a bit thirsty.” She walked out of their bedroom.

Before she totally left, “But, how did you know Samantha?” she briefly stopped in front of the door and asked. “I never mention a thing about her before.”

“I met her earlier this morning.” He frankly answered.

“What did she say?” She was facing her with her back yet her sudden coldness was so obvious, based on the tone of her voice.

“Nothing. She just invited me to the class reunion.”

“I see.” She left nonchalantly.

Zach could not see her face; however, he can feel the chilliness from her words. It was too indifferent that even he found it super weird. It was his first time seeing his wife acting like that. She briefly became a stranger to him. Roanne, on the other hand, immediately went to the kitchen fridge. Upon opening the fridge, her furious expression slowly revealed itself along with the fridge light.

“That fucking bitch …” She enraged as she furiously threw the glass cup she was holding. “So it’s you?”

Hearing a loud crash, Zach immediately ran towards where his wife was. “What’s that loud noise? Honey, are you alright?” He worriedly shouted.

Roanne slowly looked at him with a peculiar smile. “Sorry, I accidentally dropped the glass.” She giggled at her petty mistake.

However, Zach was uncertain about her anymore. He swiftly took a glance on the debris and it was so obvious that it was not an accident.

“I see. So it’s just an accident.” He brushed a smile.