Sweet Summer Serenade (Ephemeral Series #1)

Chapter Two

K A D E N C E

"A-aiden?"

I asked. The man in front of me seems confused with what I had said.

'Namamalik-mata lang ata ako.'

I blinked, not only once, twice— but a couple of times. Kamukha niya talaga. Pero imposibleng si Aiden 'to.

"Miss, are you alright?" He suddenly asked causing me to blink once again.

My heart suddenly ached. He also sounds like him.

"Kadence?" I heard someone called me but instead of answering, I immediately stood up and ran away.

Memories of him suddenly flashed back. From his smile, his soothing voice, and comforting aura. Biglang bumalik lahat.

Akala ko ba naka-move on na ako sa iyo, Aiden?

"KADENCE!"

I continued running away from them. Bahala na si Orion diyan tutal kasalanan niya ito!

Kung hindi niya sana ako dinala rito, edi sana hindi ako mahahabol ng mga pato. Edi sana hindi ako mabubunggo sa lalaking iyon.

Edi sana hindi ko nanaman maaalala si Aiden.

I gasped for air as I roamed my gaze. Unti-unti na rin akong huminto sa pagtakbo.

Nasaan ako?

My heart skipped a beat when I realized I am lost. Wala na akong makitang kalsada, instead, trees are everywhere and there's a crystal-like flowing river in front of me.

The breeze brushed on to my skin and it was somehow... comforting. Birds are also everywhere—chirping—and it was soothing.

Hindi ko alam kung saan ako dinala ng mga paa ko, everything here seems to be tranquil—timing nga naman.

I slowly sat near the river. Wala na akong pakialam kung madumihan pa ang suot ko, in fact, madumi naman na talaga ito dahil sa nangyari kanina doon sa igiban—or kung ano man ang tawag pa roon ng mga taga rito.

I clutched my dress as I felt the heaviness once again. Naalala ko nanaman ang nangyari kanina—

At kung paano ako magmukhang tanga dahil naalala ko siya.

"Aiden, ano ba itong ginawa mo sa akin?" I asked him as if he could hear me.

Nakakainis naman.

Why do I still long for my ex-boyfriend? Why am I still paranoid about him? Why do I still think about him?

Isn't he the reason why I am here at our province in the first place? I need to heal... I must heal from the awful past he had given to me!

"You're pathetic, Kadence," I said then sighed. He's not worth my time, nakita ko lang kamukha niya. That's it! Hindi ko na siya dapat iniisip pa.

I tried to look at the river, I can't help but to smile bitterly. Actually, hindi ko napigilang matawa nang makita ko ang repleksyon ko sa tubig.