Lost Stars (Working Title)

Chapter 1

Vince

"I love you so much Vince." He said while looking into my eyes intently. God! He is the most precious thing I have laid my eyes upon. Of all the things that I've done wrong, I must've done something right to deserve him.

"I love you too." I answered as I inched closer towards him and locked our lips in a kiss.

I looked into his eyes and saw tears streaming down his face.

"Why are you crying?" I asked smiling.

"Vince, please always remember that I love you so much and that you are the last person I'd fall in love with in this lifetime." He's still crying.

"Of course I'll always remember that, and you are the only person who will ever own my heart and soul. I don't care how many lifetimes we will have, but I will always find you and fall in love with you all over again." I told him assuringly.

He smiled with tears still on his face. He turned his back on me and started walking away. Slowly but surely. I started to panic I want to chase after him but it seems like my feet are stuck on the ground.

"Please don't leave me. You told me you love me, right? Don't go please! I love you." I shouted, but it seems like my plea fell on deaf ears.

I cried in desperation as I watch him fade in the dark. I feel so helpless.

I opened my eyes soaking in tears and the next thing I know is I am on my bed with the alarm clock ringing on the bedside table.

"Yung panaginip nanaman na 'yon." I mumbled to myself.

I've been having these weird dreams for quite a few years now. I don't usually have them frequently, mostly napapanaginipan ko lang yun kapag stressed out ako, but recently medyo dumadalas ulit.

The weird thing is paulit-ulit lang yung scenario, there's these two people who really love each other but one of them always ends up leaving the other one. I'm not sure kung ako yung isa, cause no matter how hard I try to recall it after I wake up, wala talaga akong maalala. I don't even remember their faces. I just know that it makes me feel a pure kind of love and pain between the two of them.

I just shrugged it off like what I always do, did my morning routine and ran around the block for a few minutes.

——

"Hello babe, good morning." I spoke over the phone. It's my girlfriend, Celine.

"Hi babe good morning. Did you have your breakfast already?" She asked.

"Yep, I'm on my way now to the office. Today's your flight to LA, right?"

"Yeah, I am at the airport already. I'll miss you babe. One week din ako dun."

Celine is a high fashion model who works for the likes of Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabanna and many other notable brands. She and her family is based in New York like me pero palagi din syang wala due to the nature of her work.

"It's fine. Mabilis lang naman yun, at pagbalik mong New York anniversary na natin. I'll have a surprise for you." I answered to cheer her up.

"Ikaw talaga. Binobola mo nanaman ako." I heard her chuckling on the other line.

"Oo nga. I'm sure magugustuhan mo to."

Celine and I have been together for almost three years now and I'm planning to propose to her on our anniversary next week.

She's the sweetest and a loving girlfriend. She's the perfect woman to spend the rest of your life with and I am the luckiest guy on earth for having her and I love her so much.

"Babe ibababa ko na tong phone ah, I am almost at the office building. Take care okay?" I continued.

"Okay, you as well. I love you Vince."

"I love you too and I'll miss you."

"Alright, bye babe." And she ended the call.

——

I've been so busy here at the office for a few months now. Itatransfer na kasi sa iba yung position ko as general manager of our company's US operations, so I have to make sure the transition will be as smooth as possible. As for me, my dad asked me to return to the Philippines and take on an executive position on the company. I am eying the COO position as I want to be hands on on the operations, so I need to be based in our head quarters in Manila.

Our company runs a chain of hotels, resorts and casinos and most of our locations are in Southeast Asia and a few in the US. It's a public company but my family still retains over 50 percent of all the shares.

I still have one month before I return to the Philippines. Celine and I have already talked about it and she's willing to move with me. Doon na din kami magpapakasal.

"Good morning bossing! Parang iba ngiti natin ngayon ah. Mukhang maganda gising natin. Nagising ba sa tabi ni Celine?" Bungad sakin ni Ace pagpasok nya ng office ko.

Ace is my secretary, he's a Filipino as well kaya siguro naging maganda ang working relationship namin dahil walang cutural barrier. Actually naging matalik na kaibigan ko na din sya.

"Hey Ace, good morning. Gago hindi, I'm just relieved na halos tapos na tayo sa lahat ng paperworks for the transition. Balita ko magaling din yung magiging bagong gm kaya wala na kong iisipin." Sagot ko.

"At dahil dyan, magce-celebrate tayo mamaya. Syempre libre mo. Hahaha."

"Ayan tayo e. Basta sa gimikan talaga ang galing mo."

"Syempre sobrang na-stress tayo these past weeks. Kailangan nating mag-unwind."

"Oo na lang. Nakakahiya naman sayo." Biro ko.

"Lakas ko talaga sayo bossing."

Ganyan talaga kami ni Ace parang magbarkada lang kahit sa trabaho. Ayoko kasi yung masyadong strict na superior-subordinate relationship. Isa pa very efficient si Ace and he pays great attention to details kaya nagja-jive talaga kami sa work.

"Nga pala, Ace I have a favor to ask."

"Anything boss, wag lang 'tong katawan ko. Hahahaha."

"Tangina ka ang baboy mo. Hahaha."

"Hahaha. So ano nga?"

"Anniversary namin ni Celine next Sunday, and I'm planning to propose to her." Napapangiti nanaman ako sa thought na yun. I need to make sure everything will be perfect on that day. "Can you help me set things up?"

"Wo wo, hold it there, tangina bossing kaya pala iba ngiti mo ngayon. Talagang kailangan natin mag-celebrate dahil dyan!"

"Alak nanaman nasa isip mo gago. Ano tutulungan mo ba ko?"

"Syempre naman bossing. Sisiguraduhin nating hindi makakahindi sayo si Celine!"

"Malakas pa self-confidence mo sakin ah. Hahaha. Anyway, isesend ko sayo lahat ng details mamaya including the location. Ikaw na bahala."

"Sure thing boss. Rest assured, alam mo namang forte ko ang pagpapasagot sa mga babae. You will witness how the expert works."

"Oo na lang. Lakas mo e. Anyway, anong oras nga yung meeting ko with the people from Babel Tower?" Tanong ko.

"Let me see. It will be at 9 am."

"Alright, please make sure na plantsado na yung presentation natin."

"I already had it taken cared of last night, but I'll double check it just to make sure it's perfect." Maaasahan talaga yang si Ace.

"Alright, thank you."

At nagsimula na kami sa trabaho.