Rain (Marckianna)

III.

Now, dear readers, you might be thinking "In love pa rin sina Kianna at Marck sa isa't isa. Eh, bakit naghiwalay sila?" 1 word: fate. Fate brought them together and fate tore them apart. And we all know, when fate gets in the way, nothing can stop it. It is a risk in itself to love because you know that, at some point, you will have to get hurt. That is the price we have to pay in order to love. Hindi ka pwedeng magmahal na hindi ka masaktan. It's all up to you if you think it was a good price to pay. 

To Marck Espejo, the answer is yes. To him, it will always be yes. Even if she is the reason for his sadness and heartbreak, she was and still is worth it. He hopes she feels the same way. The answer to that, is also a yes. 

-----------------------------------------------

Flashback...

It was raining when they first came into each other's lives, and it was raining when they left. The drive to the airport was silent. Too silent. It was almost defeaning. Marck struggled to keep his eyes on the road and not on the girl beside him. Kianna was looking out the window, away from Marck. She couldn't let him see her cry, their hearts were broken enough. She almost didn't let him drive her to the airport, but Marck insisted. He needed to see her in her last moments with him.

They were silent as they entered the airport. Kianna strung her backpack over her shoulder and Marck followed behind her with her stroller bag. When they were a few feet away from the gate, Kianna turned around and faced Marck. Tears were still flowing from her eyes "So," she says while Marck wiped her tears and cupped her face in his hands "this is goodbye I guess." Marck gives her a sad smile "Yeah, this is goodbye." He kisses her forehead and looks into her eyes. His eyes say all the things he can not bring himself to say 'Stay.' 'Please don't leave me.' 'I love you.'

Kianna lets out a small laugh and wipes at her tears "Goodbye, Marck." she says. She takes her stroller bag from him "Goodbye, Kianna." He replies. His eyes are glossy, but he keeps his tears at bay. Kianna gives him a small wave and he returns it. He turns around and begins to walk away when he hears her call for him "Marck?" she says. He turns around "Yeah?" he replies, voice cracking "Please be single when I come back." Kianna makes it seem like a request, a favor, but in reality she is begging. Begging to God, and begging to Marck. She begs that when she returns, whenever that may be, his heart will still be hers. Marck lets out a chuckle "Of course, Kians." he says. At that final goodbye, Kianna smiles at him one last time, and walks away; taking Marck's heart with her. 

  It was raining when they first came into each other's lives, and it was raining when they left.  

------------------------------------------------------------------

Kianna sits at her desk, papers strewn everywhere, eyes fixed on her laptop. The sun hasn't even risen yet, but here she is, working on her latest case. Things like these are what made Kianna one of the best lawyers in California. She is reading a case file when, suddenly, her phone rings. Kianna reads the caller ID.

Calling: Mom

Kianna answers it right away. "Hello, Mom?" Kianna hears her mom's voice right away "Kianna, anak. How have you been?" Kianna misses her mom, her whole family actually, and it's been years since she last went home. "I'm okay, Ma." Kianna's mom hums across the other line "Hmm. Well, I know you're busy. But I was just wondering if you were coming home this Christmas." Christmas. Kianna has avoided coming home for the holidays since she landed in the US two years ago. 2 Christmases without her family was heartbreaking, but Kianna just couldn't bring herself to come home yet. "Ma-" she says, but her Mom cuts her off "Kianna, ano ka ba anak? It's been 2 years since you last came home. Please, anak. Namimiss ka na namin." 

Kianna hears the sadness in her mother's voice, the longing, and she can't say no. She sighs deeply before answering "Ok, Mom. Ok. I'll come home for Christmas." She can hear her mom's relief on the other "Ay sa wakas." her mom says. Kianna laughs "Sige anak, take care of yourself there, okay? I love you." Kianna smiles. She misses her mom. She misses her family. She misses her home. "I love you too, Ma. Bye." she says "Goodbye, anak." Kianna puts down the call and thinks of the decision she has made. She's coming home for Christmas. For the first time in years.

She will no longer be delaying something that was inevitable: Seeing Marck again. 

--------------------------------------------------

Marck strolls along the crowded halls of MoA. His sister, Mia, had insisted that he get out of the house and accompany her shopping. He knew it was just an excuse so that Mia could have someone carry all her shopping bags, but Marck said yes anyway. He needed fresh air anyway. Mia stops in front of a Bench store and turns to her brother "Marck, dito ka lang, okay? May i-checheck lang ako diyan. Saglit lang." Before Marck can even reply his sister already makes a bee-line for the store. Marck heads to the nearest chair in the center of the mall. His mind is wandering places and he doesn't notice the person he is about to bump into. When he finally does, it's too late and they collide. Hard. 

Both Marck and the person fall to the floor, with the person's shopping bags strewn everywhere.

"S-sorry." Marck says in haste and quickly helps the person pick up their things.

"It's okay." the person says. And Marck hears a familiar voice he hasn't heard in a long time. A voice he used to hear often. A voice who's name he heard in large arenas and stadiums years ago.

The voice that belongs to one of the greatest volleyball players in Philippine history.

And that voice belongs to....

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note:

Who does that voice really belong to? ABANGAN SA PAGBABALIK NG RAIN. Hope you guys like the story so far xD sobrang sabog ng chapter na 'to sorry huhuhu.