Alexis was inside her room.
Two weeks had passed since her father's death, and a week since they buried him. Alexis had mostly been cooped up inside her house. She hadn't been going to school, she hadn't even left her house.
Not that she wasn't allowed to, but Wolf was being overly overprotective. Additional CCTVs were installed around her house, GPS trackers were installed in her cars and in her cellphone, and she was followed by a bodyguard wherever she went. Aside from that, Wolf insisted on going with her especially when she had to go outside.
Alexis didn't mind this at first, but she had since gotten grouchier and snappier at almost everyone since after her Papa's funeral.
She was alone, and had grown tired of crying. She still couldn't believe that she was now an orphan. She was now living alone in her house, and had hardly went to other rooms because it reminded her too much of her father. The first few nights, Chandria and/or Elizabeth slept over with her. Wolf wanted to but because they wanted to avoid gossips and because Wolf knew Mr. Christopher wouldn't like it if he were still alive, he just stayed over until after dinner.
But tonight was Chandria's flight to the US and Elizabeth's parents wanted her to sleep at home that night. Wolf had just left her house after taking her home from the airport. The two of them, along with Elizabeth, had gone to the airport to see Chandria off. This was the first night she was alone in her house. She wanted to go out, and forget. She wanted to be with people who didn't know her or what just happened. She didn't want to be reminded anymore.
She got up, and went in her walk-in closet. She looked at herself in the mirror and shrugged, taking her curler and curling her hair in mermaid waves. After that, she dressed herself up in a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers but she took out a small duffel bag and stuffed some fancier clothes in it along with her make-up bag.
Now she just had to shake off her body guards. The moment she went down the stairs of her house, two bodyguards immediately arrived on her side.
"I'm going out," she announced. "I'm driving. And don't call Wolf, I can go out on my own."
She got in her car and her body guards got inside another. They followed her until Alexis stopped outside a hotel. Since she was a VIP, they opened up the hotel spa for her. She went up on the fourth floor, her bodyguards behind her, and had the spa on her own. She had asked to use the Jacuzzi first.
"I'm going to change," she rolled her eyes at her bodyguards. "So if you don't mind giving me some privacy."
Her bodyguards left her, but they didn't know that there was a personnel only way inside the Jacuzzi room. Alexis changed into the black skin-tight leather pants, white halter crop top, silver jewelries and black peep toe four-inched heels she brought with her then applied dark makeup on her face.
When she was done, she went ahead and opened the personnel only door to sneak away.
On the other hand, Elizabeth was at home with her parents. They had just finished having dinner with the Palaezes because they were talking about the course of action they should take regarding the case they were filing against Hope. Marco wasn't with them yet because he had to take care of something else. But his parents said he was coming over.
Actually, he had been regularly seeing Elizabeth. He had been coming over and it was him who told the whole story to Elizabeth's parents. But like they always did, they let their daughter choose which path she should take.
Elizabeth really wanted to press charges to her too. She was really angry at her and she didn't want to let her get away with it. But it suddenly came rushing back to her, like how it did ever since that incident. She would have moments of sudden fear that would leave her angry and sad at the same time. Elizabeth had also become paranoid, easily scared and, like Alexis, grouchy at almost everyone all the time. But she tried keeping it to herself and not let anybody know that she was left feeling traumatized by what happened to her.
She had left the grown-ups to talk amongst themselves and excused herself to get some fresh air. She was standing alone when she felt this moment of sadness again, and found herself crying uncontrollably.
"Bee," she heard someone call her.
"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth said without even turning around. Only one other person besides her grandfather called her that.
"Are you okay?" Alvin walked closer to her and placed his hand around her. The maid was the one who let Alvin in. When the maid left him to tell Elizabeth's parents, Alvin saw Elizabeth standing on the garden so he went to her.
Elizabeth pushed him away and screamed, "Don't touch me! Don't you dare get anywhere near me again!"
"Bee... please, let me explain."
"Let you explain?" Elizabeth mocked him while wiping her tears. "I asked you to let me explain, Alvin! I asked you to listen to me, to trust me! But you turned your back to me! We're through, Alvin. I'm breaking up with you."
"No... Bee, please, I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I... I came back after that, I did! I realized I was wrong! Bee, please... I love you. I'm sorry... I'm sorry...I love you!"
"Bullshit! You're telling me you love me now? I was fighting for you, Alvin! All those times I was fighting for you! Do you wanna know why? Because I believed you when you told me you loved me!"
"I do! I love you very much! I was just... stupid and jealous! I was scared... I've been scared ever since we've been together, scared that I wasn't enough, scared of not giving you what you deserve, scared of losing you to someone else. Please, Bee. Believe me one more time."
Elizabeth didn't speak. Alvin took a step forward, "Bee, I love you. I know there's no excuse for my shitty behavior. If you'll have me again, I'll show you everyday that I deserve your trust. I know you think that being with me again is a mistake, but I'll show you it's not!"
"Liz. What's going on here?" Marco had arrived and he walked over to Elizabeth's side and took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears.
"The fuck you're doing here, Alvin," Marco glared at Alvin. "She doesn't want to see you."
"Bee..." Alvin ignored Marco.
"Just go away, Alvin," Elizabeth said. "I don't want to see you."
"See? Now go away," Marco said.
"Bee, I know you can't forgive me now. I know you're angry at me, that you're finding it hard to trust me again. But please... let me earn your trust back, " Alvin knew that if he didn't convince her now, it'll just become harder for him to see her again.
"You want to try and earn my trust back?" Elizabeth said, getting an idea. "Fine."
"You're agreeing?" Marco said, surprised.
"I said he can try," Elizabeth scoffed. "Let's go, Marco."
Elizabeth took Marco's hand and held it, pulling him back inside her house with her. Elizabeth had a plan. She was tired of running away, so now she was going to get even. She was going to make them as miserable as she was. And she's going to start with Alvin.
While all of this was going on, John was in a bar somewhere in the Metro. It was just sheer coincidence that the night of Chandria's flight to the US was also the eve of John's eighteenth birthday. He had a birthday party prepared by his parents the next day but he didn't feel like celebrating.
He wanted to be alone, he wanted to forget that the girl he loved was about to hop on a plane and leave. It felt like she was leaving and never returning at all. He didn't know how it happened but it seemed like he had become the villain in the love triangle the three of them were in.
So that was how he chose to spend his pre-birthday: alone. He had bribed the bouncer to let him in and he went straight to the bar and drowned his sorrows in alcohol.
He had been there a while, a few girls had even approached him. If it was the John before he really knew Chandria, he would've been dancing with them now. But since he was there drowning his sorrow, he ignored them and continued drinking.
He was on his way to the bathroom when he heard some people cheering. It got his attention so he stopped for a while and looked. He saw that a girl in a white top was dancing in the stage. Guys were around her egging her to dance more. The girl looked drunk and almost wasted, and it was only eleven o'clock. John was about to pass and ignore them but when the girl turned around, he got better look who it was - Alexis.
After Alexis went through the personnel door, she had paid whoever would see her to let her pass until she was out the hotel. After that, she hailed down a taxi and asked the driver to that particular bar. Since she arrived, she had done nothing but drink, and pretty soon, she was drunk enough that when someone asked her to dance, she immediately said yes to dance the night away.
John frowned as he saw the guys around her. He could see the lewd stares they were giving her and he didn't like it. John immediately went over to where Alexis was, fighting his way through the crowd. He as wondering why it seemed like she was alone and where Wolf or her bodyguards were when someone bumped into him. Because of that, he lost sight of Alexis and that made him worry. Who knew what could happen to her in here.
"Fuck, what the hell is she doing here alone?" John cursed under his breath as he looked for Alexis. Then he saw her. She was being led away towards the door by some guy John was sure Alexis didn't know.
"Shit!" John said, running after her.
"Hey!" John screamed as he caught up to them outside. "Let the girl go."
The guy was clutching Alexis' arm and she wasn't resisting because it looked like she was about to pass out or something.
"Who the fuck are you?" the guy said.
"I'm her friend," John said. "So let her go you asshole or I'll happily rearrange your face for you."
"The hell? Get the fuck out and get your own," the guy was about to go again when John kicked him out of the way, and caught Alexis before she fell over. He carried her to take her home. The guy, obviously also drunk, was about to get up again but John kicked him down again.
"My name's John Ford, asshole," John looked down on the guy. "Mess with me and my friends again and I will make your life fucking hell."
John carried Alexis to his car. When he put her down to open the door, Alexis suddenly vomited. John sighed but he held her hair away from her face.
"Do you feel better now?" John said, handing her a handkerchief to wipe her mouth with.
"Ugh, what are you doing here?" Alexis said.
"I should be asking you that Alexis," John shook his head. "I'm going to call Wolf."
He took out his phone and was about to dial when Alexis stopped him. She held onto his arm and gripped it.
"No! Don't... don't call him! I don't want... I just want to be alone, okay? Can't I at least have that? Can't I forget? I just want this one night! I don't want to remember anymore!" Alexis struggled to form words and was soon crying. "I am so sick and tired of crying all the time! I just want one normal night!"
"You call that normal, Alex? Some guy almost took you to God knows where and do God knows what to you!" John told her. Alexis cried harder and John felt a little guilty. "Look. If you want to go somewhere and forget then I'll go with you. I understand what you're going through, believe it or not. I... just want to forget some things too... And I'll be damned if I let something happen to you."
But Alexis cried even harder.
"Aw, come on, Alex. I'm sorry, okay? Wipe your tears," John said. "I'll take you home."
"No! Don't you understand? I don't want to go home!" Alexis said before she ran away from John and went back inside.
"Shit," John said. It wasn't like he could just leave her alone in her state. He understood what Alexis meant, about wanting to forget. After all, he was also there to do the same. Without another thought, he ran after Alexis back inside.
On the other hand, Chandria was sitting inside the airport, waiting for their delayed flight. She was staring at people coming and going in the airport, not really taking in what was happening around her. Chris was somewhere buying something to drink.
Chris' mom was already in Los Angeles, waiting for them both. Chandria knew her Mom was going to visit her once they've settled in the house they will live in there.
Chandria closed her eyes. She was questioning her choice: was it really the right thing to do?
She was confused, so very confused. She didn't know what was the right thing anymore. Now that she was about to leave, she was having second thoughts as all that she saw whenever she looked around her were John and the memories they shared in the little time they were together.
When Chandria opened her eyes, a little boy was standing in front of her. It was a cute little boy, maybe about seven years old, looking curiously at her.
"Hi, little guy," Chandria said. "Are you lost?"
The boy shook his head, "Why are you crying?"
Chandria quickly wiped the tear that had fallen from her eye, "Oh I'm... just sad."
"Why you sad?" the little boy asked.
"I guess... well... you can say I'm lost myself."
"You are? Mama said when I get lost, I stay in one place and she come looking for me."
"Your Mama is right," Chandria smiled.
"Are you waiting for your Mama?"
"Oh no. I'm waiting for... no, I guess, I'm not waiting for anyone."
"Why not?"
"I... well..." Chandria sighed. "It's complicated."
"Mama always tells me that when she's crying."
"I guess your Mama and I have a lot in common, huh? I just... feel like I'm lost and at the same time I lost someone."
"I lost my truck-truck."
"You did? Are you looking for it now?"
The boy nodded, "Uh-huh, it's my favorite. Mama said she'd buy me a new one but my truck-truck is my favorite."
"And nothing can replace your favorite truck-truck, huh? Come on, I'll help you look for it," Chandria stood up and held the boy's hand. They were walking around when Chandria heard a woman call from behind them.
"Oh there you are, you naughty boy!" someone said. When Chandria looked, it was a lady carrying a red truck in one hand and a bag in the other. It was probably the boy's mother.
"Good evening," Chandria said. "Is he your son?"
"Oh dear, I'm sorry, has he been bothering you?" the lady said, taking the boy's hand.
"My truck-truck!" the boy said, grabbing the toy.
"No, it's okay," Chandria said. "We were just about to go look for his truck but I guess you have it back now, huh?"
The boy smiled. The lady thanked her.
"Bye, little boy!" Chandria said.
"Bye-bye!" the little boy waved. "No more cry, okay? Find your favorite too!"
Chandria paused at what the little boy said to her.
"My favorite..." Chandria thought. And only one face popped in her head. She breathed in deeply and remembered what she said to the little boy: no one can replace your favorite.
Then she heard the PA speaker calling out their flight. It was now or never.
And now she was sure she was making a big mistake. She had known all along but it took all these to finally wake her up. She was about to leave but she felt like she was leaving her happiness behind. She knew she was making a big mistake. She thought she coud do it, but when the time to leave came, she just couldn't make herself go. She grabbed her purse and immediately ran, looking for Chris. In her hurry, she bumped into him.
"Chris!" Chandria called
"Chan-chan! Are you alright? Where are you going? Our flight's been called."
"Chris, I..."
"Can't go?" Chris cut in, smiling a sad smile.
Chandria looked at him and never broke eye contact, "Yes."
Chris wiped the tears that have started falling from Chandria's eyes, "Don't cry. Sending me off with a smile is the least you can do, you know."
Chandria held his hand as he touched her face, "I'm sorry."
Chris hugged her, and when she couldn't see his face anymore, that was when Chris started crying too, "I tried my best to win your heart, Chan-chan. I'll miss you very much."
Chandria hugged him back. Chris knew it was a fight to win her heart and he did his best, even though he knew he was hurting her. He kept telling himself that she'd learn to love him too. But now that she had made this decision, he knew he should stop pretending not knowing who her heart really belonged to. They were like that for a few seconds and Chris finally wiped her tears and let her go. Chandria removed the necklace he gave her and returned it.
"I hope to see you someday again, Chris," Chandria said. "And maybe when that someday comes, you'll have a healthy heart and someone who really deserves this more than I do."
Chris smiled and took a ring out to his pocket. It was the promise ring that John gave to Chandria that John threw to the ground when Chandria returned it to him. Chris saw it then and picked it up.
"It's me who should be sorry for all the heartaches I caused you two," Chris placed the ring on Chandria's palm. "Goodbye, Chandria."
He kissed Chandria's forehead, and Chandria forced out a smile as she clasped the ring in her hand. Chris took one last look at her and turned around, leaving her to where her happiness was.
Chandria wiped her tears and smiled. It was time to correct her mistakes.
At that time, however, Wolf was in the hotel where Alexis ditched her body guards. He was furious as hell at them and was mad that Alexis did this. Paul was locked up in jail but he was furious she did this and put herself at risk once again.
He went to his car and drove around, calling some people to help him look for her. He was on the road when he received a call from Chandria.
"Cha?" he answered the call. "What's going on? Aren't you supposed to be-"
"Wolf!" Chandria cut in. "I'll explain later, okay? Are you home? Is John there?"
"I'm not, I'm outside, driving. Why?"
"Can you help me look for him?"
"Yeah, sure, probably should get him to help me look for Alexis too anyway."
"What? Lex is missing?"
"Yeah. Where are you? I'll go get you."
After that, Wolf made a detour and picked Chandria up from the airport.
In the mean time, John had finally convinced Alexis to stop drinking and had managed to pry her away from the bar. He had lifted her up again and was walking back to his car.
"Where are we going?" Alexis slurred.
"Home," John said. "I'm taking you home."
"No! Not home!"
"You want my brother to kill me, Alex?"
"Kill you," Alexis laughed and cried at the same time. "Like how he did Papa? You know, John, I heard you talking when... in the... hospital. Wolf killed Papa, right? It's his fault, his fault... he said..."
John wanted to kick himself, he didn't mean it like that. "No, Alex. Wolf was being stupid that time. He didn't mean it like that. He came to save you, remember?"
"Remember... remember... wait, I know something about today. What time is it?"
John shrugged, "I don't know, one in the morning?"
"Merry birthday, John! Oops, that's not right, Happy new – nope still the wrong celebration... it's happy... happy birthday!"
John was surprised that she even remembered that, especially in her drunken state. It wasn't really the way he imagined his birthday would start, but then maybe it was better than he expected. At least, with Alexis there with him, he did temporarily forget his problems.
"Thanks," John laughed at the way Alexis greeted him. But Alexis didn't reply for she had passed out and had fallen asleep.
Wolf and Chandria were still in the streets, looking for John and Alexis. Wolf soon found out that John left his phone at home, much like how Alexis left her phone in her car. After some time, Wolf received a call from one of their people. The caller said that John had checked-in to one of their hotels.
"Well fuck, at least we finally found one of them," Wolf drove fast to the specific hotel.
When the two of them arrived, Wolf asked what room John was in and even demanded a key in case John was asleep or something. They went up the eighth floor and arrived in front of the room. Wolf didn't even bother knocking and just went ahead and opened the door.
"John!" Wolf called when he opened the suite. John was nowhere in sight but when they heard the flush of the toilet in the bathroom, they followed the sound to one of the rooms.
The door was open. Chandria and Wolf walked to the doorway, and Chandria dropped the purse she was holding in shock. They saw John carrying a barely conscious Alexis and laying her down in bed.
|| No fandom wars please. You guys know that I promote peace and unity among fandoms and please understand that I did not write this to promote hostility between you, this is just how I envisioned my story to be. Isa pa, I always have a purpose in whatever I put in every chapter so please be patient and don't fight :( And to my JaRon babies, hehe, don't worry. Actually sa tatlong loveteams, don't worry. Basta! And yeah, I'm currently translating and editing my story into English if you haven't noticed yet. I just thought I could cover more grounds that way. Haha! At oo nga pala, I did a music video/trailer for my story. Please watch! Thank you very much! || XoXo <3