Those Chances We Missed

XV

"Sooo... until when are you gonna be here?"

"Well it depends with Exor... I'm not sure. And also, there's this wedding I was invited in and am supposed to go to in about two months and I'm not sure if I can make a decision to go back." I said then looked at him. His eyes widened and I smiled and nodded.

Of course he knew. Him and Sky kept in touch, strangely. She asked Richie many times where she could find me but my brother held his ground and stayed loyal to me so he didn't tell her. Through him, I knew that Sky and Nico got back together. And in the same way, I knew that they were already engaged. It was a great blow in my gut then, because I know that I really didn't stand a chance anymore.

"Are you serious?! You finally agreed to met? When? Where? How? Whaat?" He asked quickly and eagerly. And I just laughed at the reaction of his face.

"Yeah but accidentally."

And so I told him everything. Everything, including last night when I confessed to my friends.

"Okay. Wow. I'm surprised that you met but I'm even more surprised that you agreed to go to the wedding. What are you? A masochist?"

Am I a masochist? I let out a heavy sigh at his choice of word. But maybe I am?

"Oh well, I was cornered. What else can I do? I've agreed so I have to keep my word."

Richie stayed silent for a while, which is unusual. But I waited for him to speak. Maybe it's too much for him to process everything.

"I think that fate is finding a way to bring you two back together."

And there goes his romantic again.

"There you go again, little Romeo." I teased and he raised her hand in defense.

"What? It is a possibility. Of all times, you met before she got married. It could be a sign."

"Or, it could be an opportunity for closure on my part."

"My dear little sister, are you sure that that's what you believe in? Because if you're going to ask me, I don't think so."

"I'm not sure I think so as well but, I refuse to entertain it."

"I think you're just hiding and running away from what's in front of you. Just like how you ran away six years ago. Remember how I kept telling you to come back and claim what is yours? But then, hallelujah to you, you keep telling me that she's not for you."

Then I remember what happened last night when Sky asked if I was happy. The answer is obviously NO.

"But it's true. I can't make her happy the way Nico did. And I didn't want her to cry because of me. I don't... I don't freakin' deserve her."

That's the first time for as long as I can remember that my brother rolled his eyes at me.

"That's just an excuse, Patricia. And to tell you honestly, that's a lame one. Please do come up with a better one next time." He told me in a matter-of-fact tone.

"So what? You're telling me to confess and possibly ruin the friendship that we had and we just have now? The happiness that she now has? What's wrong with you?"

This time, it was his turn to let out a sigh.

"Rebecca Patricia Armstrong, What I am telling you is to stop caring about what others would tell you or think of you when you confess. Even about what Sky would tell you. It's not for them, the confession is for you. You say you need closure, right? So, how will you have it if you still have lingering feelings that you can't say out loud?"

And boom! That made me speechless, as if I swallowed my tongue.

"And hell! You've stayed away for six years. If this doesn't work out then there won't be a difference in those six years. You'll probably just be gone. But at least, you'll have your own peace. You've said what you've bottled up inside of you. And I believe that that's the real closure for you."

Then he held my hand and looked me straight in the eyes.

"I don't want you to stay being friends with Sky if it means having your heart break every time you see her with Nico, especially in that altar where they will say their vows and where they will first kiss as husband and wife. You're my little sister, and all I want is to protect you from that. But you have to go through the more difficult but also actually the easiest part of this chapter, that's honesty. Not for other. Be honest to yourself. It's for you and for her."

Richie had never looked at me so intense like this before that his every word felt like a punch in my stomach, waking me up from a dream.

"Why did you get dad's power of persuasion and I didn't?" I asked him jokingly and that broke his hard expression. He lightly laugh and messes my hair.

"You just sometimes don't think, little sis."

That hurt. And he knows it. Then he hugged me and for some strange reason, I felt lighter so I hugged him back.

"Thanks, big bro."