A/N:

T-2 days

This is my favourite chapter.

I don't know why.

You're all free to disagree with me.

Enjoy :)

xoxo

***

"There's a little bit of something me, in everything in you." - If You're Gone (Matchbox 20)

I wished Maria were upset—or angry.

Those would have been easier to deal with rather than the calmness she showed when she called.

She asked if I knew about the latest blind item from Sole.

I had no idea dahil busy kami sa pagso-shooting.

Tinanong ko siya but she said it's better if I check YouTube or whatever channel Sole's talk show was aired.

I think she was more worried that the photo showed Henry.

Hindi man pinakita ang mukha ng kapatid niya but we both knew when it was taken.

I was right after all.

Meron ngang sumusunod sa akin the night I went to pick them up before they spent the weekend with me.

I inwardly cursed Sole.

Things are going pretty well between Maria and I.

That was until the blind item happened.

Hindi na nga dapat blind item ang tawag dito dahil she was more brazen this time.

Gumamit pa talaga siya ng pictures.

Kahit sabihin na burado ang mukha namin ni Henry, my haircut and my clothes was enough to give everything away.

I understand why Maria was very concerned.

Pati ang kapatid niya na nananahimik eh nadadamay sa ginagawa ni Sole.

After ending the call, nilapitan ko agad si Neri.

Dinala ko siya sa tahimik na bahagi ng set at dalawa kami na naghanap ng video clip for Sole's latest episode.

When I saw it, pati ako nadismaya.

"You need to deal with this, Kyle." Inis na sabi ni Neri.

"I don't think you can ignore her this time." Concern na payo niya sa akin.

"I will. I have to. She can't keep doing this." I didn't conceal the anger in my voice.

It's a different story if it was just me.

But other people are being dragged into the issue.

I have to put a stop to it.

Tinawagan ko ulit si Maria to assure her na wala siyang dapat ipag-alala.

"Anong balak mong gawin diyan sa ex mo?"

I was stunned.

When I didn't come up with a quick response, she told me how she found out.

"Huwag kang magalit kay Krista. Concern lang iyon sa akin." Paliwanag niya.

"Mabuti na din na alam ko dahil baka kung hintayin kitang mag-open tungkol sa relasyon ninyo ni Sole eh baka mamuti ang mga mata ko."

"I'm sorry, Maria." That's all I could come up with.

It never occurred to me to tell her about my relationship with Sole.

Hindi ko naman kasi binibigyan ang importansiya ang mga ginagawa nito.

Besides, we're over.

When we went our separate ways, I made it clear that I don't want anything to do with her.

Mas pinili niya ang gusto ng magulang niya at ang mana na makukuha niya.

I couldn't keep begging for a love she wasn't willing to give.

"Mahal kita, Kyle."

I was shaken from my reverie when I heard what she said.

"What?"

"Gusto mong ulitin ko?" I heard the laughter in her voice.

The tight knot in my chest loosened.

"I love you too, Maria."

"Buti at nagkakaintindihan tayo." Tumawa siya.

At that moment, I wished I was with her so I can hug her.

"May tiwala ako sa'yo. Hindi kita pipiliting magkuwento tungkol sa mga ex mo kung ayaw mo."

"I don't have a lot of them."

"Good. At least konti lang ang sasabunutan ko kung sakali."

I laughed.

"I'm going to talk to her. See what her deal is."

"Good luck. Sana maayos kung anuman ang issue ninyo."

"I don't have an issue. I moved on from the past. It's her who needed to work on hers."

Maria took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Pakinggan mo siya, Kyle. Baka meron pa siyang mga bagay na gustong sabihin sa'yo."

She doesn't fail to surprise me.

Akala ko dahil galit siya sa ginawa ni Sole, she would say something hurtful towards my ex.

To hear her say na pakinggan ko ang anumang gustong sabihin ni Sole showed maturity.

"I will try."

"Gawin mo na lang, bae."

"Bae?"

"Oo. Bae. Yan ang tawag ko sa'yo."

My cheeks warmed up.

Yup!

Definitely surprising.

Before resuming the shoot, I dialed Sole's number.

It was saved in my head not on the phonebook.

I wasn't sure if she keeps the same  phone number but when it rang and she picked up, I was relieved.

I don't want any of her people to know I contacted her.

What I wanted was to keep things on the down low to prevent more gossip from circulating.

"I finally got your attention." She said after I said hello.

"Can we talk? In private?"

"It depends."

"Depends on what?" I was starting to get annoyed.

If it weren't for Maria and Henry, I wouldn't talk to her at all.

"What's in it for me?"

"Soledad," She grunted on the other line.

She hates it when I call her by her full name.

"Let's talk like adults."

"I am an adult. You're the one who ignored me for so long."

"Well I'm not ignoring you now. You made your message loud and clear."

"Does she mean a lot to you?"

"Why don't we talk about it face-to-face?"

"Okay. How about tomorrow at ten? Same place. You know where I live."

"Sure."

When I hung up, there was an uneasy feeling in my heart.

I broke up with Sole when she told me about the plans her parents had for her.

She was being set-up to date the son of another wealthy businessman who was a long time friend of her dad.

I met her family.

She introduced me as her best friend and they believed her.

Except for her mom.

She was questioning my closeness with Sole.

It came to a point when they argued because she was spending so much time at my place.

I truly loved her.

Before she became a talk show host whose job entails wreaking havoc on people's lives and exposing their dirty linens, she was this woman who loved watching romantic and feel-good movies and spending Sundays cuddled in my arms.

We had plans until she had to face reality.

I begged her to tell them what she really wanted.

Nothing came out of my pleas but disagreements and heartaches.

Seeing her inability to act, I took it upon myself to decide.

She was hysterical when I told her I'm leaving....for good.

It was her turn to beg.

But I made up my mind.

I didn't want to play the waiting game anymore.

Sole lived alone.

From the grapevine I learned that she was jumping from one relationship to another.

She liked men and women.

But her dalliances with women were still a secret.

I rang the doorbell to the high-rise condo unit she owned.

When it opened, she had on a smile that immediately put me on guard.

"Come on in." She stepped aside.

There was a narrow hallway that led to a large living room.

I was a few feet away when I heard a man's voice.

When I emerge, there were two chairs in the living room.

In front were a camera and a man behind it.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I briskly walked back to the door.

Sole was right behind me.

"What did you expect?" She screamed.

I turned around.

Behind her, the cameraman was recording everything.

"I expected someone who had the decency to respect one simple request—that is to talk like normal people and settle issues minus the fanfare. But I think I expected too much from you, Sole. I should have known better." I turned around, ready to leave.

"That's it? You're going to turn your back like you always do."

"I didn't turn my back on you. You were the one who couldn't face your family and the world. You were content to hide under the guise of friendship. You chose money, Sole, so don't make this about me."

Knowing that the camera was rolling, she was not going to say something that would put her in a bad light.

This was still her show anyway.

It would be easy for them to edit the clips that didn't fit with the narrative they wanted.

Sole turned around and with one wave of her hand commanded the guy to stop recording.

He obeyed and went back inside.

When she looked at me again, there was none of the false bravado.

"She's a lucky girl."

"I beg your pardon?" I blinked, surprised at the quick change in her demeanor.

"You walked into the lion's den for her."

"I would have done the same thing for you and you know that."

"I do." Sadness crossed her face.

"But that ship has passed. A long time ago. I know I should move on but  I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because I let go of the one good thing I have. I don't think I could forgive myself for being stupid."

"You're not stupid. You made a choice."

"It was still a stupid choice."

She laughed.

The bitterness ringing with each painful note.

"Kyle, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

Silence passed between us.

Perhaps, there was nothing else to say between two hearts who suffered the same fate.

I walked to the door but before I opened it, I turned around again.

"Before I go, I have to say what I came here for."

"Go ahead."

"Give me this chance to be happy again. Can you do that?"

She nodded.

"Can I ask for one thing, Kyle?"

"What is it?"

"One last embrace."

I frowned.

"It's okay if you don't want to."

"It's fine."

Sole walked closer and held open her arms.

I wrapped her in an embrace and then stepped back.

When she moved away, there were tears in her eyes.

"Goodbye, Kyle."

"Goodbye, Sole."