D A R W I N

I saw her as soon as I stepped on the stage.

How could I not?

In every place and in every crowd, it's her face my eyes automatically search for.

She was wearing a simple white dress topped with a plain cardigan.

Her hair was no longer red. It was back to its normal jet-black color and reached just below her shoulders in gorgeous waves.

She looked sleepy.

I know she's tired from working.

Her skin got a bit of a tan, but I already expected that.

Belle is late. She was supposed to be the one giving the speech.

My mind was a puddle so I just said a couple of things I have already said in other events before, and ended the talk without much fuss.

I don't know how to approach her.

Should I?

We didn't exactly end as much as we just went on separate ways.

It's been years, I guess it's about time we talk.

Right?

I turned my back for a second and she was already gone.

I cursed myself for missing the chance.

But was she really here or was I just making things up in my head?

Baka jet lag lang.

I was looking for her when Belle arrived — a solid hour late.

"Where's Felix?" I asked, kissing her on the cheek.

"I had to rush him to the emergency. Sumakit 'yong tiyan. Probably gall stones. Ang hilig kasi sa maalat!"

"You should have texted me. Hindi mo na sana pinilit na pumunta."

"It's alright." Kibit-balikat niya. "He was just watching The Walking Dead when I left him. Babalik din naman ako kaagad."

I nodded. "As soon as this is over, ihahatid kita."

"No," mabilis niyang pagtanggi.

"What do you mean no?" I asked. "Kailan ka pa tumanggi na ihatid ka, eh, napakatamad mong mag-commute?"

She licked her lips and smiled. "I saw Mads," she whispered excitedly.

I guess I wasn't delusional, then.

I tilted my head.

"I talked to her," she added meaningfully.

I pursed my lips. "What about?"

"I told her that you and I got back together, and that we're engaged!"

We were talking side-by-side with our eyes on the stage. But at her mention of our supposed engagement, I couldn't help but shift my gaze and look at her incredulously.

I waited for her to blurt out that she was joking, but she just kept smiling at me as if she was expecting me to smile back.

I massaged the bridge of my nose. "Belle... what?"

She held my arm and pulled me away from all the people.

"Sabi ko sa kaniya, naghiwalay kami ni Felix tapos nagkabalikan tayo."

I have known Belle most of my life, but I don't understand a bit of what's going on in her head right now.

"Why would you tell her that?"

She rolled her eyes at me and let out an impatient breath. "For someone so smart, you are equally as clueless," she remarked. "I was just checking if she still cares for you! Duh!"

I breathed in loudly. "A-And?" I asked.

"I don't know!" she answered. "Umalis na ako. But she congratulated us."

I tried so hard not to roll my eyes back.

"Belle—"

"Oh! There she is!" Nguso niya sa double doors.

Magkasabay na pumasok sa convention hall sina Mads at Patrick na mukhang mahinang nagtatalo at malalim ang pinag-uusapan.

Kasunod no'n ay lumapit sa akin ang manager ng Hiraya.

"Sir—" Iniharap niya sa akin ang cellphone niya na nakabukas sa Twitter, kung saan nakita kong naka-post ang larawan nina Mads at Patrick na magkayakap.

Hiraya lead guitarist, Patrick Denver Romero, spotted in the arms of his long-term ex-girlfriend! Is this the end of DenMi?

Looking at the clothes they were wearing in the photo, it is obvious that it was taken just minutes ago.

"Don't you know anything about damage control?" I asked the guy in disappointment. "Have that post taken down and track the fucker who uploaded it."

Madali naman itong tumango at kumaripas ng takbo palayo sa akin.

"Ano iyon?" tanong ni Belle.

Bago ko pa siya masagot ay nakita ko nang naglalakad papalapit sa akin si Patrick. Nakasunod naman sa kaniya si Mads na nakayuko lang ang ulo at hindi nagsasalita.

"Kuya—"

"I know. Your manager showed me," sagot ko.

Nagmura siya.

"Puta talaga." Lumingon-lingon siya sa paligid. "Nasa'n si Nami?" mahina niyang tanong.

I looked at their table but she wasn't in her seat anymore.

I then surveyed the entire hall, but I couldn't find Nami anywhere.

I lifted a finger and two of the assigned guards hurriedly approached me. "Find Miss Floresca," I instructed. "And be discreet."

They nodded their heads twice and left.

Umalis si Patrick nang walang paalam para siguro ay hanapin din si Nami, kaya't naiwan si Mads na nakatayo lang sa harapan namin ni Belle na tila naliligaw na bata.

"Uhm—" Narinig kong bulong niya.

"I'll just make sure that Twitter post gets taken down before it starts making rounds online," I told Belle.

I kissed her once more on the cheek before walking away and leaving them together, without so much as acknowledging Mads.

I was a fool for thinking that she and I could talk.

Of course, she still wants my brother.

She always have.

Three years is not enough to change that. The same way it wasn't enough to change how I feel for her.

Maybe, I need three more.

I downed one more glass of wine before finally heading out the convention hall and leaving the gala.

I know it's still too early, but I already said my piece and my part is done. My flight back to Australia is at five in the morning, so I might as well get some rest.

Binilinan ko ang driver ko na ihatid si Belle kapag handa na itong umuwi. Then, I called a few more people regarding Patrick's photo online, and I was guaranteed that it would be taken down immediately.

I have always been skeptic about that imbecile band manager of his. I could have hired him a more capable one, but the guy is his acquaintance so I pushed no further.

I stepped in the elevator and pressed firmly on the 14th floor button, but not before I saw Madeline's figure out the hallway.

"Belle told me you're not really back together. Is that true?" she asked, her hand on her chest as if she's trying to catch her breath.

I stared at her, this time, pushing on the hold button.

"I'm not with anyone," I whispered.

She bit her lips and nodded. "Okay."

I waited for her to say something more, but she didn't. I let go of the hold button on the elevator and nodded back at her. "Okay."

There are a lot of things I want to say, but I'm not sorry that I didn't. It's best if we part ways without leaving behind more weight.

The elevator doors closed, and within seconds, I was already on the 14th floor and heading to my suite.

Before I reached my room, I heard the sound of running footsteps coming from behind me.

I turned around — and for the fourth time tonight — saw Madeline.

"Darwin," tawag niya.

She looks like she's about to cry.

"What?" I asked.

She inhaled loudly. "I wasn't supposed to be here tonight," she said. "I didn't know about the gala. I didn't know you'd be here. Sabi ni Belle, sa Australia ka na nakatira at ngayon ka lang ulit umuwi rito." Malalim ang paghinga niya at ang mga mata niya naman ay puno ng emosyon. "Don't you think there's a reason why we're both here tonight?"

I considered what she said for a moment.

I don't believe in destiny.

I don't believe in fate, either.

I only believe in people making their own decisions and choosing their own paths.

We are here because we both made choices that led us here. Nothing else.

"What do you want, Mads?" I asked, trying my best to sound uninterested.

She opened her mouth and then closed them again. "I j-just want us to t-talk," she murmured.

"We are talking," I said.

"No. I mean... about... about what..." She was struggling to find the right words.

"About what?" I asked, even when we both know what she was trying to say.

Her eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head in annoyance. "You know what?" She raised an eyebrow at me. "Hindi bale na lang." Inirapan niya ako at tinalikuran. "Good night," aniya bago naglakad pabalik sa elevator.

Tangina naman.

The elevator doors opened and she stepped in without so much as looking back at me.

Tangina talaga.

I darted along the hallway and pressed on the down button of the elevator to stop its doors from closing.

Hinarang ko ang kamay ko sa magkabilang gilid at saka siya hinarap.

"Tara na," mahina kong pakiusap.

She just stared at me, her lips somewhat trembling.

"What do you want?" she asked, throwing me the same question I asked her earlier.

"Mag-uusap tayo," sagot ko.

"We are talking."

"Mads—"

"Anong pag-uusapan natin?"

"Lahat," sagot ko.

The elevator started making a loud alarm sound so I removed my hands from either side of it and stepped back out the hallway.

Madeline was just staring at me as the elevator doors started closing between us for the nth time.

This time, she just let it shut and I just watched as the indicator showed the numbers moving from 14 to G.

It stayed there.

I let out a sigh and just walked back to my suite.

It is probably a good thing that we didn't get a chance to talk. Tomorrow, I will be back in Australia and we won't be seeing each other again.

Maybe destiny really is true.

It just isn't in our favor.

I swiped my key card on the door, just as I heard the sound of running footsteps once more.

I already knew it was her without looking.

"Para tayong mga bata," bulong ko, bago tuluyang binuksan ang pinto at saka pumasok sa loob habang nakasunod naman siya sa akin.