Imaginary Boyfriend

A Story by Martezza

This is a story of 'COINCIDENCE', Secrets, and fantasy.

This is not a typical love story. This not even my love story. I just thought about this story in the middle of working, I immediately write this one while the idea is fresh in my mind.

Yna and John were a complete stranger to each other. They don't even know each other personally but they are connected in hearts. John is Yna's boyfriend. She always talks about him with pride and love. "He's the most perfect guy that walked on earth," Yna would tell her friends. Every girl envies Yna because of having a perfect boyfriend. All of Yna's friends had suffered a heartbreak so they all wished to meet another "John".

But Yna and John's relationship is unusual because no one ever sees John yet. Everybody knows him just because of Yna's stories and the flowers John sent to Yna. According to Yna, John is working abroad and they seldom see each other, only during important occasions. But she said that they talked on the phone every day. Waking up in the morning with each other's voice and going to sleep at night with a sweet goodnight wish from each other.

But when Yna is alone, after the long talks with her friends, again about John, she felt sorry for herself. Why not? Everybody envy her yet she pitied herself. John is so perfect because she perfectly created John in her mind. Yes, John exists only in her imagination.John is her "imaginary" boyfriend. At first, she made John to get rid of her suitors. She's so afraid to love and be hurt. Another reason is because she had once a best friend who died because of loving too much. But later on, she enjoy the idea of being envied not pitied in the eyes of her friends and everybody around her. She's contented with her life, with her "boyfriend" John. But not until that day, that she saw John in flesh.

It was a sunny day. After Yna's class, she and her friends decided to go shopping. When they went out of their school, a guy just came to her, kiss her and lead her to his car. To her surprised, she can't talk or even do something. Then the guy told her friends,"Hi..I'm John, Yna's boyfriend. I hope you don't mind, is it okay if I go with you?".All of Yna's friends can't speak because of shock. Then after a few seconds one of her friends burst in laughter then said, "You surprised us Yna..You never told us that John will be here." Yna was about to say something but John said, "Oh, don't worry, she's also surprised like you..I never told her that I'm coming." And he hugged her while saying, "Did you miss me?". Yna just stared at John, she can't say anything, cause John really looks like her imaginary boyfriend. She imagined John like this guy. The face, the nose and the lips.Even the feel of his arms around her.Although she knew that it's wrong to feel that way, she felt that the guy is really John, his boyfriend.

The whole time of shopping, she never confronted the guy, she goes with the flow, they talked like they knew each other for a long time. She didn't even notice how she laughs with his joke and how she easily felt the easiness with his presence.

After their shopping, while she's back in her room. She can't believe herself for the way she reacted on the events. The guy took advantage of her and she just let him! But she can't understand, is it just her dream, she thought. She was so tired and overwhelmed by all the things that happened that day, she told herself that maybe tomorrow, things will be different.

The next day, she woke up with the sound of her ringing phone. When she answered a familiar voice told her, "Hi sleeping beauty..wake up now and I'll pick you up after an hour. I'm in vacation from my work, so I can drive you to school. I love you. Bye!". It's John! "Oh...am I still dreaming?", she asked herself. She can't move for a moment and after a while. She decided to face everything. It's time for her to confront that guy.

But when John came, she can't have a chance to talk. The days passed, John is always there for her. He played the part of her boyfriend and she just let him. She told herself that maybe he's God's gift to her. That it's time for her to accept love. They were always happy. Their relationship is as perfect as what she created in her mind when John was just his "imaginary" boyfriend. It's perfect...almost perfect....if only truths can't hurt that much.

They said that there's no secret that can be kept forever. No matter how good you are in keeping, the time will really come for it's revelation. And John's secret was finally freed when he dropped his wallet while he's buying a hotdog stick while they're in a park. Inside the wallet is John and the face of one of the most important girl in her life that sometimes haunted her in her dreams. The girl that gave her the fear to love and be hurt. Her best friend. The picture showed two smiling faces filled with glow and happiness. It was John... and her best friend hugging him. For a moment she stared at the picture and the wallet, and just like an rushing blood, memories filled her thoughts.

3 years ago.......

"Yna...you should feel what I feel right now, it's so magical. Love..love..love...he's so perfect Yna. And I love him so much!" said her best friend Anne.

" Hmmmm... I envy you Anne. How I wish I can also have a perfect man as you have."she said.

" Yes, you can also find one, my dear. In the right time."Anne said.

The days passed and Anne became so busy with her boyfriend, and every time they had a chance to be together, she's still talking about him. That's the time that Yna decided to create his imaginary boyfriend. She also want to have someone that she can talk to her bestfriend. And she can also get rid of the boys who keeps on nagging her.

"Anne, I have something to tell you. I think I found my man." Yna said with a hint of blush on her cheeks.

"Really? Ohhh..That's very exciting news. So, tell me about him..." said Anne with excitement in her voice.

So that's when John came to life. That's how she started creating John in her mind. Then, everytime Anne and her are togother, they talked and laughed about their boyfriends. But One day, Anne came to her house crying.

"What happened?", she asked Anne.

"I think my boyfriend is seeing another girl." Anne cried.

"What? How did you know?" asked Yna.

"I can feel it Yna..he's treating me coldly." answered Anne, hugged her and cried. " I don't know what to do if I lost him, I think I'll die."

"Hush! Why are you saying that. Just calm down, maybe you're just over reacting." Yna said.

After that incident, Anne changed. She's always quite and just listens to her. Then one day, she asked her.

" Yna, you haven't told me the name of your boyfriend yet.."

"Oh really? Hmm..I'm so sorry, maybe it's because I don't know the name of your boyfriend too..Hahahah!", Yna said attempting to make Anne laugh.

But she failed. Anne just said,

" So, what's your boyfriend's name?"

"Fine, his name is John. How about your boyfriend's name?"

With a mixture of pain, shocked and disbelief, Anne just walked outside and went home. She can't understand her, she just thought that maybe, Anne is in pain because of her boyfriend.

The next day, she just received the news that Anne passed away after she slit her own wrist that night. The news had shaken her. She knew why, love is the reason.

Present...

That was what she thought before, love is the reason. She was staring at the picture and at John's apologetic face, then she said,

"Tell me....."

"Yes Yna, I'm her ex-boy friend......

"Ex? Did you even got a chance to broke up with her?"

"Yes....a month before she died, we already broke up. I never intended to fall in love with another girl....to fall in love with you...."

" Me? You mean......."

"Yes, Yna.....we broke up because I can't lie to her anymore....The first time I saw you, even in the picture, I just felt different. She always talks about you. It's like I knew you more that I knew her. After she died, I saw you at the funeral but I don't have the courage to talk to you because I'm afraid that yo'd think that what happened to her was my fault....

" No...no..no..that's not true. What's your real name?"

"I'm John Yna..I'm really John...

"Oh my God!!The day that she died, that day, I told her that my boyfriend's name is John......Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!I'm the reason of her death......

Yna just cried and cried for she doesn't know what else to do. Her lies and her thoughts killed her own bestfriend!

When she went home, she saw Anne's parents sitting on their couch. Guilt immediately struck her. She wanted to cry again but all she can do is hug them both. After a few minutes of just hugging each other, Anne's mom told her. "Before she died, she wrote a letter for all of us Yna. But your letter has a personal message to us, she wants you to have the letter if you already met John after her burial. But you two never met, it's Anne's last wish so we even hired a private detective to know when the two of you already met. I don't know Anne's reason, but she's our only child so we respect her final wish." said Anne's mom between her silent sobs. The she gave a white envelope to Yna.

Her hands were shaking when she started to open it. She felt numb by the mixture of emotions within her. The letter says,

My dear Yna,

You're my best friend and my sister. And I love you so much. But I love him too. Life is so cruel to let us love one guy. John is worth a fight, but I will never fight you. Who am I against two loving people? You both love each other, and I respect that, though it hurts me so much. I don't want to see you as my rival. I wanted you both to be happy. So I'm sacrificing myself for your happiness. Don't be sad, nor hate and blame yourself Yna. It's not your fault. This is just how life works. Please take care of John. I know that he'll take care of you. Wherever I am right now, by the time you read this, I'm happy. And I'm smiling as I'm looking at the two of you. So please, don't waste my sacrifice, love each other. Please tell John that I never blame him. I don't blame anyone, it's my choice. I'm weak.

Til then my dear.....

Anne.

Yna was shaking while crying after she read Anne's letter. She doesn't know what to do. By the time she finished reading, Anne's parents were not there anymore. She called John and told him about Anne's letter. Then she said, "I'm not yet ready John. Everything that I learned is hurting me. I know that you know that I love you. But after this, I think I need a time to think of everything. I need time and space John."

"I understand you Yna, I've waited for three years to approached you..so I can still wait. I will never get tired of waiting, if it's the only way for you to love me." John said with determination.

"Thank you John. If the wound heals, it means Anne had forgiven me. I know that I can only love truly if I let the wounds heal and the pain melts. If life leads us here, then it would lead us again together. Bye John.", she said.

"It's not yet goodbye Yna. I will see you again, so let's say, 'til we meet again..".....