Twice The Trouble

Chapter 100: A Miracle

"Okay, first of all, never talk like that again. You're too distinguished to use the words 'hook up' and secondly.." A mischievous grin stretched Stacy's lips. "You think Lucas is a cutie, eh?"

My whole face burned crimson. "What? No! I was speaking hypothetically!" I cried out.

"Sure you were," she said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively before glancing at Lucas.

I vehemently poked her arm. "Stop looking over there!" I hissed at her.

Stacy met my exasperated glare. "Where, you mean that table?" She craned her neck again.

"Ace!" I kept poking at her arm. "You're doing it again!"

My sister doubled in laughter as she looked at me. "Sop, you've never had a boyfriend and you've never been on a real date.Liam doesn't count," she quickly said when I began to part my lips.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"Do you ever plan on being with Lucas?"

Her question caught me off-guard. My shoulders drooped in dismay. I lowered my gaze to my plate of untouched food. "I don't know, Ace. I really, really like him. To be honest.." I tucked a wayward strand of brown hair behind my ear and went on. "..I'm in love with him, and I think I love him already, but what's the use of telling him all these when I might not get a new heart?"

"Let's say you do get that operation." Stacy fixed me with a stern look. "Would you be willing to pursue a relationship with Lucas?"

I rubbed my palms over my face, a tidal wave of frustration washing over me. "Yes. Maybe. I want to be with him so badly, Ace," I admitted. "He makes me happy. He makes me laugh. He makes me better, and when he's there, just smiling at me, he makes me feel complete."

Stacy remained quiet.

"Years ago, I had no interest in dating anyone," I rambled. "I couldn't imagine dating anybody. Not after the situation with Dale, and especially not after what happened with Liam."

What I didn't say was that even though I still had my doubts about dating, I didn't much like the concept of being alone, either. What I wanted was to rewind and start over. I wanted to have made braver decisions in the past. I just want to be with Lucas, no strings attached.

Stacy seemed to have read my mind. She pointed at my plate full of food. "You're not eating."

"I wouldn't be able to finish this if I were stranded on a desert island for a month."

"You're exaggerating. Why don't you at least try a bite of the chicken?" she suggested.

I did as she asked, and though I felt a bit uneasy being at a neighboring table near Lucas and Bryce, I was able to chew and swallow many bites until both my plate and bowl were empty.

Stacy's sky blue eyes glinted with glee after I released a tiny, long burp.

While she finished her mango shake and me my iced tea, the waitress returned with our desserts of giant halo-halo.

"Oh fudge," I groaned upon seeing the tall, ginormous glasses of sweets.

The waitress lifted an eyebrow at me. "I'm sorry, miss, we don't have any fudge."

Stacy cackled with undisguised humor as the waitress left us to fuss over another table.

Twenty minutes later...

"God, I am full," breathed my blonde sister in a pink blouse and Santa hat.

"I'm not," I said, surprising both of us.

My appetite has improved.I  craved something else to eat.

Bingo. One of the waitresses, a short-haired, model-thin brunette in a red polo and black slacks, approached a nearby table and placed two small plates of sweet leche flan on the square table of two male teenagers, both of them undeniably handsome and self-confident.

I didn't care that I was ogling their dessert. My brown eyes were riveted on their plates while I waved a hand in front of my sister to get her attention. "Ace. Hey, Ace. Do you still have a bit of room in your stomach??"

Stacy swatted my hand away before it hit her in the eye. She trailed my gaze. "Yeah, sure."

I tried catching a waitress's eye but everyone was busy or didn't notice me immediately.

The brown-haired employee was called over by another table.I felt somewhat annoyed.

"Easy, Sop." My twin patted me on my arm to placate me,to no avail.

In less than three minutes, though, the brunette waitress went to our table and served us two small plates of sweet flan, just like I craved.

"I'm sorry but we didn't order this." I mended myself: "I mean, we were going to--"

The waitress flashed me a perfunctory smile. "No worries, miss.The two gentlemen at the table next to you have cordially paid for them." She turned and left.

Automatically, I swiveled in my seat to glance at Lucas while Stacy frowned at Bryce. I gestured to the dessert before me and I mouthed a Thank You to the De Los Reyes brothers.

"Ouch!" Stacy glared at me after I kicked her shoe beneath the table.

"Say thank you," I admonished my blonde twin.

The 18-year-old girl turned to look at Bryce. She mouthed Thank you then stuck her tongue out.

I picked up my small spoon and speared a tiny chunk of saucy flan. Yum! I was about to lean in for a bite when suddenly, the spoon fell from my fingers, the silverware clattering on my plate.

No no no, not again.. not here.

My right hand clutched at my chest.I felt an excruciating pain inside my heart.

Lord, please help me, I thought.

Stacy urgently rushed to my side. "Sop, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"N-no," I stammered, panting hard. "I.. I can't move properly.. my heart, it hurts."

"Oh God, what should I do?" My sister's panic was audible in the restaurant. Other tables started to stare in our direction.

Stacy's phone rang. She answered it. "Hello? What? Is that true? Okay, we're coming." She hung up and plonked her phone inside her pink purse.

"Sop, I seriously need to take you to the hospital. NOW," said my frantic twin.

"We'll give you two a ride," offered Bryce, who had risen from his chair.

Lucas nodded frantically. "Let me carry her."

His face was the last one I saw before I lost consciousness.