( Alys Prov)
I raised my hand up in the air. "Are you nuts? Seriously, Drake, what is wrong with you?" I asked, sincerely.
He smiled at me and cut a portion of his steak. "Nothing is wrong with me."
"Then why are you being like this?" I asked him. We're done, four years and counting but here he is again, messing around. I thought he made himself clear, he did not want me, and I was expecting that he does not want me. I have waited for two years! You know, I waited two years, eh. I'm not the type of person who breaks up and then moves on right away. I waited two years... Even though I knew full well that Tripp liked me and I liked him too, I didn't give in. Why? Because deep down, I was expecting he would come back for me and get me back. But that did not happen.
"Why am I being what?"
"You're playing with me. Damn, Drake! I don't want it anymore, okay? Can't you please spare me from your emotional torture?!" I seethed. I took the wine glass from the table and drank it. God, I'm losing my cool! Where is Tripp?! Don't worry, Zyril. Your boyfriend will arrive in just three days. Hold on.
He shook his head. "There's no emotional torture here, Alys. I'm just going to date you today. What's so wrong with that?"
That's it. I stood up and walked out.
It's rude to be rude but do I have a choice? He's playing me again! Back then, I was naive and gullible, but now, I'm a whole lot better and I won't give him the liberty to toy with me again. Not now that I'm content with my life. I love my life right now.
I was strutting towards the door when he caught me by my arm. "Where do you think you are going?"
I sighed. "Home, Drake. I'm tired, okay? I haven't slept, and I'm going to lose my sanity. Don't add anything."
I slowly removed his hand from my arm and faced him.
"Drake, seriously, I don't want you back. Please stop bothering me."
"Alys?"
I turned around. Today's a new day. I was pretty exhausted yesterday with Drake's drama. Good thing I talked to Tripp last night and I didn't tell him about that 'talk.' He also has good news! He will come home early, thank God! I think I will go crazy without him.
"Uncle Steve called you. He told you to come to his house," Dane said. Mommy and Daddy aren't there so Dane and I are the only ones at home all the time. Because Dane just got out of rehab, not that my brother has a drug related problem. It's just that, he's emotionally vulnerable as of the moment.
I flipped the cover of the glossy magazine that I was reading. "Why?"
"I don't know. You should go there."
I sighed and punched Tito's number on the landline.
"Can I talk to Tito Steve?"
chrome-native://p
("Why?")
Awww There. Even on the landline, Drake doesn't want to stop me.
"I'll just ask why he wants to send me there," I said. I figured maybe we should have a talk with Drake, right? To clear the black clouds between us. Of course, I still have a grudge against him. He broke my heart. But now, since he and Tripp are cousins and it's inevitable that we meet, I hope we can be at least civil to each other. I wanna cut the chase and just be friends. After all, the damage has been done. The best thing we could do is to be friends, or acquaintances, at least.
I heard some crying on the background.
("It's Ethos' birthday.")
OMG! Why don't I know?! I'm such a bad godmother!
"Shit," I uttered.
("Since when did you start cursing?") he asked while Ethos was crying on the background. Aww! Even his sobs are so cute! I've seen baby pictures of him and he's nothing like Drake! If Drake ,looks like a snob, Ethos is more like Tripp. He's like an angel. Inherited from his Mama, and he's white like milk!
I erased the thought of comparing the two Palmas of my life. "Since I don't know. Tell Tito Steve that I'll swing by later," I said then hanged up on him. Hah! Feels good!
I went up to the room and changed my clothes. I will go to the mall first. Ethos is my first child, so of course my first gift to him had to be special! When she was baptized, I only bought a gift for Aya. I'm such a bad godmother.
"Baby, please tell Mommy that I'm just going to see Uncle Steve, okay?"
I've been walking around the Mall for a while now. I wish I had brought Aya with me! Because I met Kent earlier, I wish the two of them had a chance to talk! Well, it's obvious that they want to come back, but they're acting.
"Which one's better?" I asked the sales lady what I should buy between the minion stuffed toy super cute or the gun shooting with helicopter and stuff. Ethos might become violent if I give him the gun. God! This is how difficult it is to be a godmother. Can I just give money? Thank you
After a while, I settled down with a miniature train toy. Maybe it's okay because he's not violent! I also eat before going. I'll just swing by because really, I don't plan on staying long because Tofer and I also have a walk today. I made a promise that I would accompany him to his store. He ventured into the food business because Tofer is really greedy, he's really thin.
"Sup, Ugly?" I said while munching my glazed donut. I'm at Krispy Kreme right now.
("I'm almost done with the proposal. I'll be there by the day after tomorrow.")
My eyes twinkled. "Really?!" I said, I almost choked on what I was eating so I drank coffee first.
He chuckled on the other line. ("Take it easy, choke, I might lose my ugly girlfriend.")
What he said choked me even more! "Great, Tripp Marco, huh!"
("It's just a joke. I miss you so much, I'm ugly...")
I blushed. It's a shame, maybe someone will see me here, I'm redder than a strawberry! I covered a tray of coffee here. "You said, eh. Go home here. You won't find a beautiful woman to marry you in New York," I said. Hahahaha! This is what I like about him, we could just talk and have a good laugh. Sometimes, people don't want a complicated relationship. In my case, I like things like this. Simple, comfortable, no chaos. Just pure rainbow and butterflies, no stormy days.
("I'm so handsome. --Palma, get your butt here. They're looking for you! Aish. Bye, Panget. They're calling me.")
I sighed. "Okay... Bye, Ugly. I love you."
"I love you too. See you soon!"
I hung up the phone and finished what I was eating, then I went straight to Uncle Steve. Nothing has changed in their house, still the same. The garden looks amazing, the roses are still there! Aunt Katrina really has a green thumb. Now, The paedophile image of him has faded a bit in my brain. Time really does change everything.
"Uncle Steve!" I ran towards him and hugged him. I miss Uncle Steve so much!
He hugged me too. "Alys! It's good that you came!"
He looks good! So much. Years have passed! Uncle Steve has matured more but is still the same, playful. I miss this...
I handed over my gift. "It's for Ethos. Where's my godchild, Uncle?" I asked, looking for my godchild.
"Yes, he is with Drake. You're the one who takes it to him."
Uncle Steve said goodbye to me. I saw Uncle Tristan so I hid for now. Tripp hadn't formally introduced me yet. Tripp had tried to introduce me several times but I always got away with it. I wasn't ready yet. The entire Palma clan knew that I was Drake's girlfriend. It would be terrible if after a few years, it was Tripp.
I went straight to the back of their manor. I'm looking for the pool that Tripp and I used to go to. The first time he kissed me on the cheeks.
"Baby Ethos is so cute. Isn't he, baby Ethos? So cute!"
I was taken aback by what I saw. Drake, Cristine, and baby Ethos were there. They looked like... a happy family. For one second, I really thought that they're a family.
While Drake was holding Ethos, Miss Stinson was playing with Ethos. She didn't look like she was this playful. Every time I saw Miss Stinson, she was like a substitute. She never smiled at me as if she was sincere. It always seemed like it was out of responsibility, or at least that's what it felt like to me.
Drake pulled Ethos away. "Stop your baby talk. You're annoying."
Miss Stinson pouted.
"I can't! I'm cute and you know it! Right, baby Ethos? Your brother is really cute, my dear!"
I just didn't have enough popcorn, it was like watching a movie. It was like I was in a throwback Thursday. I guess I was like that before, too? I remember myself with Miss Stinson. Hopelessly in love with a Drake Sebastian Palma.
Come to think of it, if you look at it from a different point of view, maybe I'm the villain. Maybe in someone else's mind, Miss Stinson is the girl for Drake but the reason why everything is not picture perfect is because of a girl named Alys Perez. Maybe that's how it is. After all, a story has different sides. It's just how you will choose to look at it. And at this point, in my point of view, I'm not a villain because first of all, I have no thoughts of intruding. I am happy and I want Drake to be happy.
Miss Cristine was still playing with Ethos, now, she tickled him. "Are we Kuya and you?"
Ethose enthusiastically nodded. "Yes po."
Awww! She's a cutie pie!
"Is Kuya your naughty?"
Ethos shook his head. "Ethos loves Kuya. Kuya not bad."
And they burst into laughter. And that's my cue, I stepped back and left my gift on the table. I guess we both got what we want. We got our happiness.