NO ONE dares speak between the three of us. We were sitting at a round table. Tahimik kaming tatlo na para bang pare-pareho kaming takot na magsalita. Bukod tanging si Evo lang ang masaya habang sarap na sarap sa pagkain ng strawberry ice cream niya.

Tia is Cynthia, Cash's ex-girlfriend, who Sir VM mentioned before at the anniversary party. She was Cash's first love.

Si Cash din kaya ang tatay ni Evo? That's a possibility... Does that mean Cash was Evo's father who gave Tia a huge sum of money kapalit na huwag na itong magpapakita ulit sakaniya?

But why the hell would Cash do that?! Why wouldn't he want his own child?! I don't understand... Para akong mababaliw sa mga naiisip ko.

My brain couldn't sink into what is happening right now. And I couldn't also deny the fact that my heart throbbed in pain if what I'm really thinking is right. Parang sarili kong utak mismo ang nagre-reject nang information na iyun. Para bang ayaw tanggapin ng sarili ko na may anak si Cash at Tia.

My best friend, who is like a sister to me, and the guy that I'm in love with have a son... and that pains me a lot.

Cash was sitting in front of me. Nakatulala lang siya habang titig na titig kay Evo, and his face is pale as white, as if he had just seen a ghost. Ganon din si Tia na nakaupo sa tabi ko. Tahimik din siya habang nakatulala sa kawalan.

I need to leave. I can't bear this kind of atmosphere.

It's suffocating me.

"I... I have to go," I finally said before I utterly lost my sanity here.

"Sera sandali lang," agad na hinawakan ni Tia ang kamay ko para pigilan ako sa pag-alis. I looked at her and saw pain in her eyes. Gusto kong maawa sakaniya pero hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko sakaniya.

I am not mad at her naman, I just really need to leave. Gusto ko munang mapag-isa.

"H-Hindi ko alam..." she said, her eyes starting to water. If I didn't know her, I might have pity for her, but I know that she's a strong woman and doesn't need my pity. I know she can handle whatever her issue is with Cash.

I put my hand on top of her, gently squeezing it so she could feel that I was not mad at her or anything. I pressed my lips together in a thin line.

"Let's just talk next time, hmm..." I muttered as I slowly slid her hand into mine.

Cash didn't say anything. I gave him one last look before I finally turned my back on them. I even heard Evo's calling me, but I just kept on walking farther away from them.

#

When I got back to the Empire, I carried my things back to my unit. I dropped my luggage bag on my carpeted floor before running to my room and flopping myself onto the bed.

I don't want to cry, but my stupid tears keep on flowing down my cheeks and my chest is tightening so that it makes me feel suffocated.

"Why does it have to be Tia? I really like her and she's like a sister to me na," I muttered to myself while wailing like a child.

I don't know how long I stayed in bed that my eyelids started getting heavier from crying too much. Cash's face popped into my head before I finally let myself drift to sleep.

I woke up around 8 o'clock in the evening. My eyes hurt and swell. I've never cried like this before, even when I found out about my ex-boyfriend cheating on me with another friend. Maybe because I treated Tia as my family. And Cash... the person I shouldn't have loved in the first place.

I slowly peeled myself from my bed and made my way to the washroom to take a quick bath to freshen myself up. After a bath, I just made myself a sandwich to pacify my growling stomach. I don't have an appetite, but I still pushed myself to eat.

I was in the living room, munching on my sandwich, when my phone suddenly started ringing. I didn't have the means to answer any calls, but then I saw Tia's name on the screen. My heart starts pounding. We had talked before that if there's an emergency, that's the only time she will call me because, according to her, sayang sa load tumawag.

I placed my half-eaten sandwich back on the plate and immediately grabbed my phone to answer her call.

I hadn't even said my greetings when I heard Tia's shaking voice on the other line.

"S-Si Evo..." I could feel the lump in the back of my throat.

I swallowed hard. "Where are you? I'm coming!"

"Nandito kami sa Manila City hospital ngayon. Natatakot ako Sera, baka kung anong mangyari kay Evo."

"I'm on my way. Just hang in there Tia." I said before immediately ending the call. I grabbed my car keys and ran outside my unit towards the elevator while I kept on praying in my head that Evo would be alright.

My hands were shaking so badly that it's a miracle that I got into the Manila City Hospital safely. Halos tumakbo na ako pagka-park ko ng sasakyan papasok sa loob. I ran towards the nurse station to ask where Evo was, but then I saw Tia and Cash outside the emergency room. Tia was crying while Cash was consoling her.

A lump formed in my throat yet again. I shouldn't feel jealous of Tia. Her son was in the ER, and she needed someone.

I took a deep breath before I started walking towards them. Cash immediately saw me. Our eyes met, but I was quick to avert my gaze. Not now.

"Sera!" Tia exclaimed. She got up from her seat and ran towards me, throwing herself at me. I wrapped my arms around her to comfort her.

"He will be fine, Tia. Your son is brave and I know he will get through this." I keep chanting for her. Tia's a very strong woman, but when it comes to her son? Her heart becomes fragile. She wants nothing but for her son to be totally okay.

Nakayakap ako kay Tia habang naghahantay kami sa paglabas ng doctor. Cash is sitting across from us, quiet and steady. His head is down, kaya I can't see his face. But I'm sure he's very worried about Evo too.

I am sure he is worried about his son.

A doctor came out of the ER, and Tia immediately got up from her seat and talked to the doctor. The doctor said that Evo is getting oxygen because he has a bloodstream infection (sepsis) to maintain his blood oxygen level. He will also receive a spinal tap to get his spinal fluid tested for meningitis and other infections that cause inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Evo was transferred to a recovery room, and I let Tia be with her son alone, after checking on Evo. I heaved a deep sigh when I got outside. Hindi ko na nakita si Cash kanina pagkatapos i-explain samin yung kalagayan ni Evo.

I saw benches outside the hospital, kaya I decided to sit outside to breathe some fresh air. Sobrang daming nangyari ngayong araw na 'to na parang pabagsak na iyung katawan ko. From finding out that Cash's first love, Cynthia, is actually Tia, and realizing that Evo's father might be Cash.

I rested my back on the bench and stared at the dark sky. The cool wind brushes against my skin while I keep my focus on the beautiful starry sky when I see Cash occupying the other end of the bench that I'm sitting on. I didn't speak. We were both quiet, trying to get a peaceful atmosphere.

The only sound that I hear from him is his nonstop deep sighs.

"I'm sorry..." I heard him say, in almost a whisper. His voice almost cracked at the end. My eyes remained in front of me. I wanted to look at him, but I didn't risk it.

"I am sorry for proposing to you." he continued. I clenched my fist.

I am feeling mixed emotions. Somehow, I feel relieved that he realized that what he did was an utter jerk move, but... a part of me hates the fact that he is feeling sorry for proposing. It made me realize that he really doesn't like me the way I like him.

For him, I am really just a friend with benefits.

Someone he could go to if he was bored or needed someone to warm his bed.

I'm just that kind of person for him... nothing more. Especially now that Tia's here with her son.

Naramdaman ko na iyung pamumuo ng mga luha sa mata ko, kaya bago pa man ako umiyak sa harapan niya ay agad na akong tumayo para umalis pero agad niya akong hinawakan sa kamay.

"Don't leave," he whispered. His voice is begging.

"I can't..." I swallowed. A tear fell from my eye that I quickly wiped away with my free hand.

"Can't we just go back to where we were before?"

"Can you even hear what you're saying, Cash?" I said in anger.

Does he really think I could compete with his son for him? Evo needs him the most!

I aggressively pulled my arm from his grasp. "Just focus yourself on your son and just let me be. I am not your girlfriend anyway," I said before walking away from him with a heavy heart.

W H A T Y A S E Y