Diary of Fragile Heart (Spin of Loving You Too Long)

“The guy at the bookstore. Why can you smile at him like that? Even without your smile, he’s already interested in you. But you captivate him with your beautiful smile.” Gladwin expressed it with a hint of annoyance he didn’t try to hide.

Gladwin was jealous? Of a stranger who introduced himself? Flavia didn’t even share her phone number. But Gladwin reacted this way?

“And that number eighteen.” He continued. Flavia furrowed her brow even more.

“Eighteen?”

“Yeah. The skinny guy and his chubby friend.” Her uncle reminded Flavia of the two men who greeted her in the restaurant, who happened to be her former schoolmates having lunch in the same place they did earlier. But why the number eighteen? Flavia wondered silently.

“In my eyes, they look like the numbers one and eight,” Gladwin replied, causing Flavia to bite her lip to hold back laughter. Her uncle had returned to his sarcastic and mischievous self. Just the same old Gladwin that Flavia had known. Flavia’s friend did indeed have one with a slim build, while the other had a fuller figure but was slightly shorter than the slender one.

“How could you shake hands with them in front of me, giving him your phone number without asking for my permission? You even seemed to forget my presence there. Do you like him? Charmed by his baby face and round glasses? Is it because he looks like Daniel Radcliffe, your and Abigail’s beloved Harry Potter?” he asked with a fiery tone.

From numbers one and eight to Daniel Radcliffe, a fantastic leap of comparisons. Flavia held back her smile again.

“He’s my high school friend, Uncle,” Flavia answered honestly.

“I know. He can’t be your boyfriend. But still, I don’t like it. If he sends you a message or even calls you and invites you out, that means I have one more competitor. I haven’t been able to get rid of Eijaz, and now there’s this fake Potter,” he continued with an animated tone.

“Uncle, his name is Brian,” Flavia corrected. Gladwin, instead, glared at her angrily. “And he’s already married,” Flavia added, with a teasing smile on her face.

Gladwin’s eyes widened instantly. “H-he’s already married?” Gladwin stammered, uncertain about Flavia’s words. Flavia nodded.

“We were high school friends, and his wife is Abigail’s friend. He got married when I was in my sixth semester of college,” she honestly explained.

Gladwin shrugged, a gesture Flavia knew meant he was feeling awkward after venting his unclear frustration. “Fine. At least my competition has decreased by one. But still, there’s this number eight who didn’t blink when he saw you,” he continued sulking.

Flavia walked closer to her uncle. “Uncle…” she called softly. “So, you’ve been angry with me all this time because of them?” A somewhat foolish question. Flavia was aware that the cause of her uncle’s strange behavior was those two men. She asked more to reassure herself that what she thought was correct.

“I’m not angry, Flavia Quirino. Em-pha-size that. I’m jealous. You know? Jeal-Ous!” Gladwin replied, emphasizing each syllable.

“But Uncle shouldn’t be jealous. It’s not reasonable,” Flavia responded. Gladwin was stunned to hear that.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“Yes. You’re right,” Gladwin continued his almost finished task. “Not because of jealousy. But because of its unreasonableness. I have no right to be jealous because you’re not mine to be jealous of. Who am I? Just an old bachelor begging for love from his own niece,” he replied again, with a pitiful tone.

“Uncle…”

“Yes. Yes. Yes. I know. You prefer Eijaz, handsome and younger than me. It’s okay, I’m aware of myself. I won’t force you to accept my love. I won’t burden you anymore,” Gladwin closed the refrigerator and turned around. Flavia was still frozen in her place. Her slender fingers gripped the strap of her shoulder bag, turning pale. “You don’t have to look at me with pity, Via. I’m self-aware. I won’t openly express my feelings for you anymore. I don’t want to burden you.”

Instead of answering, Flavia shed a tear, surprising Gladwin.

“Why? Did he say something wrong? Did he hurt the girl?”

“Vi-Via. What’s wrong with you?” Gladwin approached and hugged his niece with concern. Embracing her small shoulders, he gently rubbed her back. Flavia held onto the edges of Gladwin’s shirt, squeezing them while sobbing softly.

“Why? Why did Uncle do this to me?” asked the girl in his embrace.

Gladwin tried to pull away from Flavia, attempting to see her face. However, Flavia hugged him tightly and buried her face in Gladwin’s chest.

“Why is Uncle being mean to me?” she sobbed softly. “I’ve tried to forget Uncle. Stay away from Uncle. Uncle said he didn’t want a relationship with kids like me. But why has Uncle changed now?

“Why is Uncle being mean?” The girl’s consecutive questions, accompanied by her trembling sobs, left Gladwin speechless. In response, he hugged Flavia tightly, resting his chin on top of her head.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know I’ve been selfish. I know I’ve been cruel to you. But I’ve given up. I’m tired.”

“I can’t pretend anymore that I don’t have any feelings for you. I can’t hold back the jealousy anymore.

“I love you. Not just now, but since a long time ago,” he said, causing Flavia to freeze. Flavia released her embrace, moving back so she could see Gladwin more clearly. “Forgive me if my words back then hurt you. But honestly, I didn’t want you to misinterpret your feelings towards me.

“Admiration and love have a thin line between them. And I wanted you to realize first what I mean to you in your heart. But I was wrong. I should have just accepted the feelings we both had.”

“I’ve fallen in love. I feel like a criminal for loving someone like you.”

“But Mom and Dad also had a significant age gap. Even more than us.”

“Yes, I know. But they were adults back then. While you? You’re just coming of age. I don’t want to tie you down while your friends are still out there, free. I don’t want you to regret someday for choosing wrong and not being able to enjoy your youth as you should.

“I’m afraid you’ll leave me someday because you realize what you feel for me is just admiration, not love. Negative thoughts, indeed. But I can’t dismiss all those thoughts.”

“But I’m not like that.”

“Yes, I know. I realize it. I realize your determination. And I apologize for that. For underestimating your feelings.” Gladwin embraced Flavia again, holding her petite body tightly. “I hope your relationship with Eijaz isn’t serious.

“Even though I love you, I don’t want to snatch you away from another man. I want you to come to me willingly. Accept all my feelings,” he whispered. His confidence disappeared when Eijaz’s name surfaced.

“I…” Flavia nervously squeezed Gladwin’s clothing. “I don’t have anything going on with Eijaz,” she said softly against Gladwin’s chest.

“But you’re arranged to be married. And you seem very… compatible,” Gladwin said reluctantly.

Flavia pulled her face away from Gladwin. “Is Uncle jealous?” she asked with a mischievous smile. Gladwin turned his face away, a blush spreading across his face and ears.

Flavia shook her head. “I am indeed arranged with Eijaz, but there’s nothing between us. We’re good friends, that’s all. Eijaz is a good friend who has always been there for me when I needed him. But that’s it, nothing more.”

“So, you don’t have any feelings for him?” Gladwin asked again, curious. Flavia shook her head wearily. “Then, for the past five years, was I right in suspecting that you’ve been trying to avoid me?” Gladwin inquired again, wanting to know the truth.

Flavia lifted her head again, silently gazing at the man and choosing not to provide any answer. “So, it’s true? My suspicion all this time is correct,” Gladwin answered his own question. “But why?” Gladwin pleaded.

“I’m scared.”

“Scared? Scared of what?”

“I’m afraid my feelings will waver again if I see Uncle.”

“But why? Do you hate me that much?”

Flavia shook her head quickly. “N-no, it’s not like that. I just…” The sound of a password being pressed and the door opening diverted their attention to an intruder.

“Oops… are you two having a drama scene here?” Abigail looked at Flavia and Gladwin with a mischievous smile. Aware of their current embrace, Flavia tried to distance herself from Gladwin, but he maintained his hold on her waist.

“Sorry, we’re not having a drama here. But from now on, Flavia and I are officially dating.” The announcement suddenly made Flavia and Abigail both stare at the only man in the room with wide-eyed astonishment.