Chapter 46

Celine Claire Presley

_____

"I love you," I whispered, my voice barely a murmur as I gazed at her serene face. Her breathing was steady, her lashes resting softly against her cheeks. She was still asleep, unaware of the world around her-and of me. I knew she had a class to get to, responsibilities waiting to pull her away, but I couldn't bring myself to wake her. Not yet.

I wanted to hold on to this moment, to keep it alive for as long as possible. It had been too long since I'd last held her like this, too long since I'd felt the comfort of her presence beside me. The emptiness she left when she was gone had been unbearable, and I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen again.

I gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, my fingertips barely brushing against her skin, afraid to wake her. How could I let the world take her from me, even for a moment? Today, I just wanted her to be mine-completely, entirely. No interruptions, no ticking clocks. Just us.

I missed her in ways I didn't think were possible, and having her here now felt like healing a wound I thought would never close. She was my solace, my reason. And I would do anything to keep her close.

Unti-unti siyang gumalaw, ang bawat kilos niya ay banayad, tahimik, ngunit sapat upang agawin ang buong atensyon ko. Halos hindi ko maalis ang tingin ko sa kanya habang dahan-dahan niyang iminulat ang kanyang mga mata.

Ang tila antok nyang mga mata ay unti-unting naglaho, hanggang sa magtagpo ang aming mga tingin. Para bang huminto ang oras sa sandaling iyon. Ang maaliwalas niyang mga mata, kahit magulo pa mula sa pagkakatulog

Hindi ko alam kung napansin niya kung gaano kabilis tumibok ang puso ko sa sandaling iyon, pero sigurado akong naramdaman ko ang pag-init ng pisngi ko. Hindi ko rin mapigilan ang ngiti na dahan-dahang gumuhit sa labi ko. Sa kanyang tingin pa lang, alam kong hulog na hulog nanaman ako sakanya. Narito siya sa akin. At wala na akong mahihiling pa.

Can this day last longer? Sana lagi siyang nandito sa tabi ko tuwing gigising siya at tuwing matutulog siya

"Good Morning!" I energetically said and hugged her, hindi rin naman siya umangal but she didn't respond either I guess kailangan kong masanay na ganto siya.

I want to kiss her.

Kumalas na ako sa pagkakayakap ko sakanya kaya agad siyang tumayo at pumunta sa Bathroom. Hindi naman nagtagal ay agad siyang lumabas kaya inaya ko na siyang mag breakfast.

After we ate breakfast. I pulled her papuntang kwarto ko. Buti nga at hindi na siya nagrereklamo at hinahayaan lang ako

Agad akong pumasok sa bathroom.

After I take a bath agad rin akong lumabas. Naabutan ko naman siyang may kausap sa phone

"But Ma"

Kausap niya pala si Allisha.

"Gosh. Can't believe you Ma! Are you possessed by something?! Have you forgotten everything!" naiiling nitong turan, siguro nakakunot ang kilay nito.

Ano kayang pinag uusapan ng mag ina at parang nagtatalo sila?

"Do I have a choice? Masyado kang mapilit" at binaba niya na ang phone niya at tumingin saakin

I smiled at her pero nakatanggap lang ako sakanya ng poker face, seriously? what's wrong with her kahapon pa siya ganyan!

Nalinis ako on how she treat me!

Pero what do I expect....I hurt her.....before.

"W-where are y-you g-going?" Nauutal kong tanong ng makitang papunta ito sa pinto

"Outside" maiksi nitong sagot at lumabas na

I can't let her go!

Agad akong sumunod sakanya.

"No! Alethea! You can't go!" I pulled her dahilan para kunot noong siyang tumingin saakin

"Ha? Pinagsasabe mo?" I look at her in disbelief

Seriously? Si Alethea ba talaga to? Kelan pa siya natutong magtanong ng ganyan?

Onti onti niyang hinigit ang kamay niya at pumuntang pinto. Lumabas siya kaya agad akong sumunod.

She walked toward the car parked outside. Confusion flickered in my chest, but I followed her anyway. A part of me was wary-what if she got in and left? What if she decided to run away and leave me here, wondering? No. That wasn't going to happen. Not on my watch.

As I stood there, holding my breath, the car door opened, and a man stepped out. My jaw tensed as he approached her, handing over a couple of paper bags. My stomach tightened, but she simply smiled and accepted them, her voice soft as she thanked him-just pure gratitude.

She's so different from the Alethea that I know.

Then, she turned to me. Her eyes met mine briefly before she started walking back toward the house, the bags swinging gently in her hands. I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, a sense of relief washing over me. She wasn't leaving.

I couldn't help but let a small, mental smile creep in. She wasn't running away, and for now, that was enough.

___

"Don't you have a class?" she asked na ngayon ay kakalabas lang galing bathroom

My scent smells good, lalo na pag siya ang gumagamit.

"No. Your Mom let me" I approach her, kaya nagtataka itong tumingin saakin

Ang cute

"Wait, are you going to your class?" tanong ko dito

"No. Mama and Mom won't let me because of you" hindi ko masyadong narinig ang sinabe niya sa dulo but I don't mind ang importante ay sigurado akong makakasama ko siya

"Really?!" I excitingly said. I wanted to have this day with her.

It already started with her and I want this day to end with her.

Agad akong lumapit sa drawer at agad kong kinuha ang susi at lumapit kay Alethea na ngayon ay nagtataka nanaman.

New emotion unlock: confusion

"Let's go" at hinatak ko na siya palabas

__

"Where are we going?" tanong niya

I saw her on my peripheral vision that she's looking at me, hindi ko naman mapigilang ngumiti

"One of your mom's resort" yeah right, suportado ako ni Ryleigh sa lahat even though I caused her daughter so much pain but still she trusted Alethea to me cause as she said saakin lang sasaya ulit si Alethea.

"She'll only find happiness with you," Ryleigh had said, her voice steady, filled with a conviction I didn't feel I'd earned

I will always remember that.

Siguro iniisip niya pa rin ngayon na may fiance ako, when the truth is I already don't have but if she's willing to be one. Why not?

Kung hindi siguro dahil kay Allisha and Ryleigh I'm still bound to that damn guy.

Well sila ang rason kung bakit malaya na ako ngayon, malayang gawin ang lahat ng gusto ko kasama ang taong mahal ko-na sana mahal pa rin ako.

I'm waiting.....like what Allisha says to me.

Wait for her.

Hindi lang si Lohan ang nawala sa daan ko maging si Dad. I thought Ryleigh and Ryan would completely let him but they didn't, hinintay lang pala nila si Alethea na maging okay para gawin ang balak nila. They jailed him and they won. It happened so fast, wala pang isang linggo nasarado nila ang kaso-Alethea's family was indeed powerful to the point that no one dares to oppose them.

Hindi lang si Dad nakulong kundi nawala rin lahat ng pinaghirapan niya. Pinabagsak ng tuluyan ni Ryleigh at Ryan ang kumpanya ni Dad na matagal na rin palang naghihirap. Yes part of was affected but he deserves it.

He make me suffered from regret-regret of choosing him instead of the love of my life.

While si Lohan namam ay kusang lumayo. I don't know what did Allisha do to him at parang takot na takot na lumapit saakin ang isang yon. Well, deserve.

"We're here!" I happily said to her na ngayon nakatingin nanaman saakin ng walang kaemo-emosyon.

What's happening to her? Sabi naman ni Ryleigh at Allisha ay mas okay siya ngayon compared sa dati.

Agad akong bumaba para pagbuksan sana siya ng pinto kaso nauna pa siyang bumaba saakin.

I let a sigh

Onting pasensya lang. Makukuha rin kita Alethea.

Nilibot niya ang tingin niya habang ako naman ay tinitignan lang siya. I don't care about the place cause I already know that it's beautiful.

"Your first time here?" I asked pero tinignan niya lang ako saglit at naglakad na kaya sinundan ko siya

Bakit ganon kasama ko siya pero parang hindi. I feel like there's a gap between us.

"Yes, it's my first time here. I didn't even know my mother had a resort," she said, her voice soft but carrying a bitterness. She paused, as if the memory alone was too heavy to bear, and let out a deep sigh. "Probably because when I was in this country, barely a year at that time, all I had were misfortunes," she added, her laugh sharp and empty, devoid of any real humor.

Her words struck me harder than I expected. A wave of guilt settled in my chest, twisting uncomfortably. I wanted to say something-anything-to lighten the mood, but the tightness in my throat wouldn't let me.

I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes, not when I felt the weight of my own silence, my own role in the struggles she faced. So, I kept my eyes ahead as we walked to our room.

Yes, I had arranged for us to share one room, but now, as I unlocked the door and stepped inside, the idea felt heavier with doubt. Was this a mistake? Guilt ate away at me, sharp and relentless.

She followed me in, her footsteps soft yet somehow echoing in the quiet. I stole a glance at her, and the look in her eyes was hard to identify-calm, but with a storm hidden just beneath the surface.

For a moment, I wanted to reach out, to say something that might ease the tension, but my guilt silenced me. The air between us felt thick with everything unsaid, every emotion we both refused to name. And as the door closed behind us, I couldn't help but wonder if I would regret this decision-sharing this space, this closeness-with someone whose pain I felt but couldn't begin to heal.

"L-lets eat first then you can do all y-you want to do"

She's making me weak.

"K"

Tipid niya naman mag salita.

Magkano ba ang word niya?

Tahimik lang kaminh kumakain dahil mukang wala namang balak mag salita tong isang to. I miss the old her.

Natapos naman kami agad ng walang nagsasalita.

"Where are you going?" tanong ko rito dahil mukang balak niya pa akong iwan

"Room"

Sinundan ko nalang siya. I thought she would love to roam around but I guess ayaw niya

Paradiso Vista

"Uhmm I'll just go outside." halatang ayaw niya pa ha. Medyo naiilang siya. Gosh pakibalik ang dating Alethea ko

I just nodded at her. I'll let her be muna siguro naman hindi siya mambabae no?

Nakalabas na siya and now I'm alone. I just lay down on the bed. I opened my phone at agad na bumungad saakin ang chat ni Ryleigh.

Ryleigh

:So? What's the news? Nagsasalita na ba sayo?

If you just only knew:

Parang napipilitan lang din siyang kausapin ako:

:

Yeah I know

The hell? So napipilitan nga talaga siya?

I suddenly felt a hint of sadness. Parang gusto kong umiyak dahil namumuo na ang luha sa mga mata ko.

:Just kidding. I know that she's going to be happy with you

:BTW lumabas kana diyan at sundan siya. Nandon siya sa sea shore nakaupo sa may swing kausap yung blockmates niya dati

: Come on Celine get up there baka magkamabutihan yung dalawa!

: Gosh na-stress ako sainyo. Alam mo ba yon?

: she's smiling to that girl. I thought that my daughter was masungit pero paanong naka close niya yan?

Agad akong napabangon dahil sa mga text niya. Akala ko hindi siya mambabae?

Pero teka bakit ba alam nito kung asan siya?

: do you know about this? Wait I'll ask Rayla about the background of this!

Hindi naman obvious na super strict niya no?

: Well, I guess she's the only person na may lakas ng loob noon na kausapin ang anak ko kahit hindi ito sumasagot.

: Rayla said na kahit noon pa ay lagi daw nitong kinakausap si Ali but my daughter didn't even pay attention to her. BTW her name was Ara.

She's crazy.

:Stop staring at your phone and tap the elevator already! Ayokong makatuluyan ng anak ko yung babaeng yon! and yes I have a cctv surveillance all over the Paradiso Vista.

Mas over pa siyang mareact kesa sakin. Humanda talaga sakin si Alethea. Text siya ng text malamang.

I saw them.

Ryleigh was right—she's laughing, her voice ringing like music as she spoke to her. Her eyes sparkled, her smile wide and effortless—genuine. My chest tightened, an almost physical ache spreading as I watched from a distance. How? How could she make her laugh like that? What was it about her that drew out that side of Alethea, the side I so desperately wanted to see?

I swallowed hard, my throat compressing as I tried to look away, but my gaze was glued to them, to her. That pang in my heart grew sharper, heavier, as the realization sank in deeper. She could laugh so freely with others, smile so beautifully for someone else—but with me? Every interaction felt so distant, restrained. She spoke to me like she was conserving words, like every syllable was a burden.

Ang sakit. Nakakabingi ang ingay ng tawanan nila, parang sinisigaw sa mukha ko ang lahat ng kulang sa akin. Ano bang mali? Bakit pag ako, parang laging may pader? Bakit siya, kaya niyang burahin ang lungkot sa mga mata ni Alethea ng ganoon lang, samantalang ako.....maybe Allisha was wrong

Maybe I wasn't the one that could make Alethea happy.

"Pero bakit ka nga kasi bigla nalang umalis?"

"It's not important Ara. Ang mahalaga bumalik ako"

Not important.

Because of me. She left because I hurt her—I was so insensitive and selfish.

"Sus, di mo kaya ako pinapansin dati"

"I don't talk to people, before"

"Halata nga. Lagi ka ring nag di-disappear dati"

"So bumalik na rin ba yung mga tropa mo?"

"Yup, you know that the will always follow me"

"So sila ang kasama mo dito?"

"Hmmm hindi"

"Eh sino?"

"Hulaan mo"

"OMG! Ikaw ba yan? Isang Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Lopez na kilala bilang masungit, snob, serious ay nag jo-joke? Should I laugh?"

"Sira!"

I don't know kung ilang minuto na akong ditong nakatayo habang pinagmamasdan silang nag uusap. Masakit.

Pero anong magagawa ko?

"Oi tara na mag su-sunset na!" I heard that Ara girl said to my Alethea

"Wait! May hahanapin lang ako" my Alethea said at onti onti itong humarap sa kinaroroonan ko, shock was written on her face na agad ring nawala

Nagulat ba siya na nahuli ko siya?

"Si- oh di ba si Miss Presley yan?"

"Uh yeah."

"Hi po Miss Presley!" this Ara girl said at lumapit saakin habang hila hila si Alethea

At yung isa naman ay nagpahila!

Tsk.

"Aren't you going to watch the sunset?"

"Ayy oo nga! Halika na! Rhainne"

"W-wait"

Then they stop pareho na silang nakatingin saakin.

"Uhm Miss would you mind if I j-join her?"

Wow. Great. Hindi niya man lang ako inaya.

"Hoy bat nag papaalam ka kay Miss Presley" I heard that Ara girl said, kahit pabulong lang ito. I raised my eyebrows at her. Nakakainis tong babaeng to.

"Yeah sure. Enjoy" I bitterly said at tumalikod na. I can't bare it anymore. Onti onting tumulo ang luhang kanina ko pa pinipigil. Damn this tears, hindi marunong makisama.

Hindi pa man ako nakakalayo ay may biglang humigit saakin kaya napaharap ako dito.....it was Alethea, agad kong iniwas ang muka ko. Mamaya makita niyang umiiyak ako.

"Let's watch the sunset" she said at hinawakan ako sa kamay at onti onti namang sumunod ang katawan ko sakanya......ang kaninang malungkot na puso ko ay onti onting sumaya.

Yung puso kong kanina lang ay kalmadong nasasaktan ngayon ay tumatalon sa tuwa. It's beating so fast, again with her simple action nagagawa niyang pabilisin ito.

"I love you to the sunset and back" I whispered