Tristan's POV
Two weeks ago...
Tonight is going to be the first night he would head home feeling like a pair of cold hands were clutching at his heart.
The chilly weather, the light drizzle wasn't helping either. The sky was devoid of stars that might have helped make things better. There wasn't even a moon to give even the faintest light... or hope.
What is going on?
He watched as her car sped away, and right then and there, he knows for sure that things are never the same.
Who knew he would ever head this way at past 1 in the morning? It is Sunday already. He should be resting. This has been quite a week. But here he was, quietly cruising northwards, hesitating a bit...
He wondered if she's still awake.
He wondered if she ever felt any different than, say, six weeks ago.
He stopped at an intersection, and as he waited for the green light, he pressed a number on his speed dial, as he stuck the wireless head set on his right ear.
He pressed on the gas, as he heard a faint static before the lines finally cleared. Her number started ringing.
As he made a turn to the village entrance, he could feel his stomach churning, somehow he hesitated a bit. But the guards, quickly checking on his ID's, have given him a go signal.
Her phone was still ringing.
He cruised past houses, turned corners, as he listened to the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th ring... still, nobody answered. The cold hand that clutched at his heart felt heavier, colder, like each second that passed that his call was not answered was a countdown to the death row.
Please pick up.
10th ring, and then there was a busy tone.
He sighed. And stopped just a few meters way from their gate. He looked up, to where her room was. It was dark.
His shoulders slumped as one hand gripped the steering wheel.
Just one more try... and then he dialed her number again.
And this time, on the 2nd ring, she picked up. There was a shuffling sound, and then her voice.
"Sorry, this phone was in my bag earlier, I didn't know it was there..."
He breathed a sigh of relief. He is smiling now. "Do you remember what Lance said to Regina when she was explaining why she was late for a guesting?"
"Nooo..." and he could just imagine her pursing her lips, eyes narrowing as in deep serious thought. It warmed his heart just thinking how adorable she must have looked right that moment.
"No?"
"Well, he didn't really say anything yet, right? Because he did something first... he cupped her head, pulled her gently close to him..." she offered.
"And I kissed you."
She laughed. "No, Lance kissed Regina."
"TRISTAN kissed Aria."
"Fine..." she paused. "You're home already?"
"I could be..." he relaxed on his seat. He looked up her window again, in almost the same time that she turned on the lights.
"What?" she cleared her throat. "What's up, TRISTAN?"
"Leave the light on..."
"Hoy! Teka lang..." (Hey hang on!) he heard shuffling, and foot steps, something being opened. "Ikaw yung nasa labas? Sira ka! May problema ba? Wait, baba lang ako." (Are you the one outside? You're crazy do you have a problem? Wait ill go there now)
"No no it's alright. Stay there. I will leave soon."
"Is everything alright, TRISTAN?"
"Will I see you again, Aria?"
"Of course! Gusto mo now na?" (How about now would you like that?)
"I wish things were that simple." He closed his eyes. He just wanted to hear her talk.
"A time for everything, TRISTAN..." she sighed. "Are you sure you don't want to get in first? Coffee? Cake?"
"I'm okay here." He smiled. "You said 'Everything'. I remember -"
"In this crazy life, in these crazy times... it's you, it's you... you make me sing... you're every word, you're every line..." she sang.
And he felt like some might force have pried that ruthless hand that clutched at his heart on the way.
"You're everything." She finished. And he can see her beautiful, smiling face in his head.
And took away all the heavy, weary feeling he had earlier.
"So, ano talaga ang ipinunta mo dito?" (So why did you really come here?)
"Just something I wasn't able to say earlier..."
"And what is that?"
He looked up her window, and saw that she has opened it. It was a little dark, and she was meters away, but he could clearly see her lovely face, looking thoughtful and serene.
He looked right at her, in almost the same time that he looked his way. She smiled.
"I miss you already, Aria." he said, and never waited for an answer. He ended the call. He held her gaze. She looked a bit flustered. Then she slowly smiled. And shook her head.
He waved. She just made a face at him.
He thought his heart jumped right off his chest and did the D.A.D dance.
He saw her wave. He did the same and slowly drove away. And from his rear mirror, he can see that she has left the lights on.
Aria's POV
What has gotten into him? Why is he making it difficult for both of them? She heard her phone ring but tried to ignore it when she saw Tristan's name flashing on the screen. She's afraid to pick up and say something she'll regret later. She cannot commit the same mistake again. Tristan plus Aria is an improbable equation. Tristan deserves better.
Her phone rang again. TRISTAN. She gripped her phone and took a deep breath before picking up. Maybe, just this once...Really, Aria?
It may sound pathetic but she cannot resist the temptation of merely hearing his voice. There is something in it that makes her feel happy. Like, he truly cares.
"I miss you already Aria..." she heard him sigh before ending the call.
Aria felt the sting of tears in her eyes. "Tristan..." she whispered sadly as she watched his car sped away, disappearing from view...
She was about to turn off the lights but for some reason she decided otherwise...
As she tried to make out what she was feeling at that moment. About an hour ago, on the way home, she thought she felt numb, as the realisation dawned on her. It was the last day together in a scene for the entire series, and it what they shot wasn’t exactly a happy one.
It was like a last, painful goodbye. Final and irrevocable. Their onscreen love story being laid to rest. Never to be resurrected, as the series comes to an end, and with her character ending up with another man. The tears she saw in his eyes, during their scenes, were real. And it just made the scene even more painful that she wondered how she got through it without breaking down herself. He was a damn great actor, one of the really underrated ones the industry has. That one’s a given. But she never expected she would be so moved by his tears, she almost forgot they were doing a scene that she wanted to run to him and hold him in her arms.
Maybe holding him would stop the tears from falling.
If she kissed him, would it all make things better?
She exhaled, like that could release all the emotions that were welling up inside of her. She didn’t know if she should be thankful for the numbness earlier, or the confusion. She knows exactly what she is feeling at that moment though.
I miss you already.
He just took the words right out of her mouth. She was even afraid to admit it earlier. But now that he got brave enough to admit it, somehow it took away doubts. It drove away all fears.
She only wished she could do something about it.
For now though, while she gathers her thoughts, while she prays for all her confusion, while she makes up her mind – she would like to content herself with the thought that tonight, and maybe in all those other nights and days they were together, she wasn’t alone in what she felt.
She stood up again, went to her window, and allowing the cool night air to caress her flushed cheeks. No stars, no moon, no clothes either. There’s even a light drizzlE.
But still, she looked up, and whispered…maybe it will reach him somehow.
I miss you already, too. I will definitely see you again, TRISTAN.