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Cristina can’t sleep and as much as she tries she can’t stop thinking about Paul’s insinuations.

Lying on her bed she keeps staring at the ceiling and the thoughts keep coming.

Why does he suddenly have a problem with Patricia? We’ve always been friends and he never questioned it…

Is there something wrong? Is it possible that she knows something and hasn’t told me? Cristina ponders.

If it has something to do with Paul, is it possible that he is so shameless to the point of saying that she isn’t a faithful friend? Of course not!

“I have to sleep! I must wake up early tomorrow!” She turns on her side and falls asleep.

******* ******* ******* ******* ******* *******

“So Paty, have you decided what to do about Cristina’s case? Did you tell her?” Priscila asks her sister.

“I still haven’t decided what to do, I’m not sure if I will tell her. She likes him so much and will suffer a lot Pri, I’m not sure if I should.” Patricia answers.

“I don’t think that you will have the courage to tell her. It’s already been over a week and you haven’t, maybe its better if you just forget about the whole thing.”

“It’s not that easy Pri, I found out that it wasn’t the first time that he did that.”

“What? Tell me everything Patricia!” Priscila asks curiously.

“Do you know Carlos?”

“Yes I know him, he’s Paul’s best friend.”

“Well, he told his girlfriend who then told me that Paul has gone out with lots of girls but he says he really loves Cristina! Can you believe that?” Patricia said with disbelief written all over her face.

“Oh my, I’m in shock Paty!”

“Apparently Paul has this idea that Cristina is the person he wants to marry, the one he loves and the others are just for fun.”

“It’s unbelievable but many guys have that idea of “woman to marry” and “woman to use.” It’s a reality.” Priscila adds with a sad sigh.

“That’s revolting but at the same time they have it easy because many girls give themselves to them on the first date!” Patricia comments with revolt.

“It’s true, some girls let themselves be used.”

At that very moment Patricia’s cellphone begins to ring and before answering she looks at her sister apprehensively as if telling her who is calling…

“Hi Cris, how are you?”

“Hi Paty, I wanted to ask you something” Cris says with a sad tone in her voice.

“Ok, ask me.” Paticia says with her heart racing.

“Look, I don’t know where to start. Maybe it’s nothing but I have my suspicions… A few days ago Paul made a strange comment. He wants me to distance myself from you. I have no idea why! Do you have a secret that you aren’t telling me? “ Cristina asks her best friend.

“Secret? What do you mean?” Surprised by her friend’s question, Patricia launches another one without knowing how to respond…

“Paty, Paul insinuated that you are not a faithful friend and I am very distrustful of that. I can’t understand his reasoning. I thought that maybe you might know something that you aren’t telling me…”

At that moment Patricia feels like she’s pushed against a wall but despite of all the anger she feels against Paul, she thinks about how much her friend will suffer if she knows the truth.

“Cris, you know I tell you everything.” Patrica says with little courage.

“Okay, I trust you my friend. I need to go now; we’ll talk more later. Kisses!”

“Ok, kisses” She hangs up and looks at her sister.

“Priscila, you aren’t going to believe what I’m going to tell you…” Patricia tells her sister about Paulo’s foul play.

“I didn’t have the courage to tell her but now I am sure that it’s the right thing to do! How can I be part of this! He has no character at all!” Patricia tells her sister.

“I’m going to call her right now!” She says reaching for the phone.

“Hi Cris, It’s me. Listen, please forgive me for not telling you before but the truth is that I saw Paul kissing another girl. That’s why he’s playing this dirty little game!” Patricia tells her friend in one breath, as if she would lose her courage if she extended it.

“Cris? Cristina? Please say something!”

“Say what?” answers Cristina and through her voice Patricia can tell that she’s crying.

“My friend, don’t cry! I didn’t say anything before because I didn’t want this to happen!” Patricia says with sadness in her voice.

“I expected a lot more from you Paty. I’ve been playing dumb and if it weren’t for Paul’s insinuations I think you would have never told me anything… that hurts me much more…”

“Cris, you need to understand that it’s a difficult situation. I feared making you suffer, of you not believing me, loosing you friendship, in short, it’s was a difficult situation!”

“Paty, a friendship isn’t only flowers and happy moments. In a sincere friendship it is necessary to have devotion of one towards the other. Through this zeal you should have analyzed what would have been less painful… First of all, I wanted to know the truth from you and not through others. Secondly, always tell the truth because surely sooner or later it was going to come to light and knowing it as soon as possible would have spared me from feeling so used and so dumb to my own eye and those around me that also know the truth.” Cristina explained sadly.

“Forgive me Cris, you are right. I should have told you sooner but I was afraid of your reaction. What are you going to do now that you know the truth?”

“I’m going to end it.” says Cristina.

“Think it through Cris, you love him so much, you have been dating for so many years, if you make a rash decisión then you will break up, change your mind and get back together and I am going to be the bad one in the story!” says Patricia.

"Paty, I expected more from you tan a comment like that! I have self-love and a “love” that makes me stay with someone lacking of character, that lies like he did, doesn’t exist. I need to be rational and leave my feelings aside. I know it’s going to hurt but it’s like the saying… “What burns cures and what’s tight secures!”

Cristina was true to her words and ended the relationship with Paulo who tried everything to get back together and recuperate Cristina’s love.

Many months later Paul was still trying to resume the relationship. Many friends in common would speculate how long Cristina would resist Paul’s romantic advances as he sent flowers, chocolates and gifts.

Nobody won the bet since they did not believe that Cristina would never return Paul.

Epilogue

Five years later…

The two friends were sitting next to the pool in Cristina’s new house taking advantage of the hot summer sun...

“Cris, I am so happy for you. It’s great to see that Eduardo and you were made for each other! To think that you wasted so much time with Paul, remember him?” Patricia asks her best friend of many years.

“How can I forget? It was hard to forgive him and leave my feelings aside but it was worth it! I’m happily married and I love Eduardo a lot.”

“You guys complement each other! But till this day I don’t understand how you managed to resist Paul’s appeals. I’ve never seen anyone insist so much, I think that deep down he really did love you….” Patricia comments.

“Look, it wasn’t easy but what made me be even more sure of my decision was when I found out that people, even my parents thought that I wouldn’t resist and get back together with him. I think that from that point on it became a matter of honor! I needed to love myself more than him… Today I feel more than happy with the decision made!”

“All of that was a lesson for me as well! There are times that we need to set emotions aside and act with our head. It’s not easy but your example shows me that it’s worth it. Especially after I found out that Paul got married and always cheats on his wife. Look at what you freed yourself from!” Patricia states.

“Poor guy, surely he isn’t happy and his wife isn’t either. Avoid commenting that with others and let’s pray for them.” Cristina responded with a sad tone in her voice.

“You are right my friend, I shouldn’t have commented it with you. Perhaps in my subconscious I imagined that it would bring you some comfort…”

“Not at all Paty, I feel sad for them.” Cristina answered pensively.

“Hey, let’s change the subject?! I heard that tomorrow the two love birds are going on vacation!!”

“It’s true; we are going to take advantage of the summer.” Cristina answers thinking about how she was going to have to pack her bags later.

“Ohhh how lovely… holidays with my love….”

The End