Shortcut

"I'm tired," she said. "I can't do this anymore."

He kept silent, secretly hoped that it was only one of her rants. He had got used of those.

She looked at him, waiting for his respond. Her wide, brown eyes  were glassy.

"I'm talking to you, are you even listening?" Her voice became shrill at the end of the sentence.

"I'm tired of waiting. Of being alone in a relationship. God, I don't even know whether that makes sense," she put her hand on her forehead, then ran through her long lush hair, and faced down. She kept silent.

"Well, what are you proposing for us to do?" he finally replied. His voice was calm and soothing.

"I don't know," she said weakly, after another moment of silence.

"Do you want a break up?"

"I don't know."

"That would be the easiest solution for this problem, don't you think? The shortcut," he replied and smile. That right-lips-are-higher-than-the-left-ones kind of smile.

"So you want it?" she replied, a little bit defensively.

He sighed. And smile again, this time was wider.

"But I never said that," he smiled even wider, as if wanted to beat the sunshine that shone brightly through his window.

She kept silent.

"The way I see them, most shortcuts are not worth taking, really. Shortcut promises for instant happiness, but you know what easy-come-easy-go means. So, to answer your question, no I don't want a break up."

She still kept silent, although her eyes gleamed of curiosity.

"They said life is a journey. Well, I believe that one. But when you take a shortcut for your problem in life, you should know that you are actually missing the fight. The view along the way. The truths. The lessons. The best things in life. The sacrifices. Just like how you miss your sleep and how there is a chance that I would be late for my morning class right now."

She smiled slightly.

"I apologies that I can't give you any significant solution right now and that I would need you to wait some more, if you're willing. But I promise you I am doing my best here, so I could get home as soon as possible. I know this relationship is hard, but there are no relationships that don't need any struggle anyway. Well, the bottom line is, before I run for the campus bus, is it okay if you wait some more? Is it okay if we don't take the shortcut?"

There was another silence, but finally she nodded.

"Well, have a good day at class, then," she said as she rubbed her eyes and yawn.

"Thank you. Good night, you. Sleep tight."

Then he grabbed his bag and shut the laptop.