"TUMAYO ka diyan at umalis ka na." malamig na sabi niya. Hinawakan ni Mira ang kamay niya at hinagod ang likod niya.
"Zaphyra Yuanne! Pumasok ka sa kwarto mo!" sigaw ng kuya Zac niya sa kanya.
"Hon! Please usap tayo Hon!" pagsusumamo nito sa kanya.
"Umalis ka na rito Mr. Jimenez, wag kang magsimula ng gulo." sabi niya at diniinan ang 'Mr. Jimenez'.
"Hon!"
"I believe you're lost. Sino ang tinatawag mong 'Hon'?" natigilan si Pyros doon.
"Hoy! Umalis ka na raw! Mr. Jimenez!" sigaw naman kambal niya na galit na galit na.
"Zaph mag-usap muna tayo please..."
"Kuya Zio, please call the guard." sabi niya at muling tumakbo pabalik sa kwarto niya.
She still heard his voice, shouting and pleading.
She knows that she's not the only one hurt, Pyros loved her so much and she knows it. Alam niya na kahit si Pyros ang may kasalanan ay nasasaktan din ito, he's right that he had needs but she's there and he didn't ask her.
KINABUKASAN ay bumalik si Pyros sa Andrejez Residence, umaasang kausapin na siya ng dalaga. At tama nga ang desisyong bumalik siya dahil ngayon ay nag-uusap na sila.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said and made him confused.
"Why are you saying sorry?" he asked her.
"Because I didn't know you were unhappy, I should've known, sana mas maaga kita pinakawalan..." hindi niya napigilan ang pag-iyak niya.
"It's my fault I cheated." sabi naman niya and he caressed her cheeks. She tilted her head para hindi na siya mahawakan nito sa pisngi.
She looked at him and forced a smile. "Why?" she asked.
"I-I have needs Zaph, I'm very sorry," he replied and that tore her apart. Mas maiintidihan niya if there was no things like that.
"So, sa iba mo hiningi? Tanggap ko kung hindi ka masaya! Pero this is too much!" napataas ang boses niya at napayuko si Py. "I'm sorry, sorry, very sorry Zaph."
"I trusted you! I love you!" she shouted and burst into tears at napa-upo sa kalsada.
"Stand please." sabi ni Py sa kanya na lumuhod para pumantay sa kanya.
"I love you Pyros, but you're not happy anymore. It's painful but I'm letting you go." she caressed his cheeks and for the first and last time she kissed him.
Yeah, for those long years. It's their first kiss together and her first kiss. It was a long non-moving kiss until she stood up and get inside their house:
"You are the air I breathe Zaph, I'm sorry. Please don't leave me," he begged as she turned away from him.
"I am the air you breathe, oh I must be suffocating," she said and gets back inside.
Akala niya na porket hindi pa sila nakapag-halikan ay nagkulang na agad si Zaph. She's reserving her hanggang sa makasal sila, she wanted him to be her first at everything, except pain.
Maraming beses na sila nag-away and they also broke up. Pero hinahanap nila anv isa't isa, it's just maybe they are both unhealthy for each other. Siguro nga hangin nila ang isa't isa, and their problems are the polutions na naging dahilan para maging malayo ang loob nila sa isa't isa at siguro nga, Pyros got suffocated at naghanap siya ng fresh air instead of fixing each other, clearing the polution. Pero hindi, he became hesitant of his feelings. He chose to abandon the girl whose air is him. She suffocated him and he did to her too.
Their relationship became irrational at hindi na nila sinasabi ang problema sa isa't isa kahit meron na. They lost trust, not to each other but to their selves. Hinayaan nila na maging ganon at yung ang mali nilang nagawa.
They didn't fight for what is right. Humanap si Pyros ng sarili niyang saya. And he became too selfish not to tell her.
That is what wrecked their relationship apart. And that is what broke both of them.
The day she left...
He went to a bar, without any hope and only with regret.
"Bro!" bati sa kanya ni Sirius.
"Whiskey..." sabi niya sa bartender.
"Seems like this guy have a problem!" halakhak ng isa niya pang kaibigan, Zitron.
"Wala lang kayo magawa! Alis!" sigaw niya sa dalawa at humalagapak ang mga ito sa tawa.
"So? Ano na kayo ni Alexis?" tanong pa ni Zitron sa kanya.
"Don't even mention that name." sabi niya habang nilalagok ang unang whiskey niya.
"Hmm... Mukang nalaman na ni Zaph ah." He froze at what Sirius said kaya mas naging seryoso ang usapan nila.
"It-It sucks, she left me," sabi niya, "Isa pa!".
"Malamang iiwan ka non, niloko mo eh." sabi ni Sirius at umiling. Binatukan naman siya ni Zitron. "You're not helping!" singhal nito.
"What help can I do? The damage have been done! Para namang hindi natin siya sinabihan dati!" sabi naman ni Sirius at umalis sa tabi nila.
Siruis Clein Levistre, liked Zaphyra noon pa. He has always been there for Zaph, he tried to pursue Zaph noong one time na naghiwalay si Zaph at Py, kahit na labag ito sa bro code nila. He's a great man, the kindest among them three and he is also handsome. The finest jawline, red lips na mala Donny Pangilinan, his blue eyes, and a pointed nose. And the accent when he speaks in English, perks on being half-British.
And Zitron Rie Jung, he's the happy go lucky kind of guy, of course, the happiest, he's the peacemaker at any fight. He is half Korean, and that made him more attractive. Honestly speaking, he's the most handsome of the three and he's the most approachable. But he's a bit of a playboy.
AFTER a long flight, their family's private plane landed in the airport of one of the busiest cities in the world, New York City.
Their stay here will be more like a vacation and a time to fix herself.
"Why did we come here kung sa Australia tayo nag-ma-migrate?" she asked her Kuya Zio who accompanied her.
"I don't know, not my orders 'Lil sis." her Kuya said while getting their luggage in the baggage area of the airport. He carried them and only gave Zaph the lightest luggage.
"Kuya..." she warned him, but he didn't care and started walking towards the exit of the airport.
"Hey! Wait up!" she shouted at humabol sa kuya niya. Suddenly something popped up in her mind.
"Kuya, How are you and ate pat?" she asked and smirked when she saw him sighed. Ooh, he's still chasing her? she thought.
"She found someone else," he said and that made her worry about her brother. "She said, she needed time to breathe, why to find another?" he pointed out and his face darkened.
"I'm sorry that I asked," she replied and forced a smile, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.
Her Kuya Zio is heartbroken. Who would leave a guy like Zaphirio Andejez? He's intelligent and a very caring person. Not to mention, handsome.
When they arrived at Zio's Condo in New York, she immediately plopped down the bed in the guest room. She still have jet lag and she need rest, she didn't have the chance to sleep on the aeroplane because she was busy using her laptop and typing another update for her blog.
She closed her heavy eyes and little by little let the darkness eat her.
HE woke up in his bed because of his own smell, he stinks and he reeks of liquor. He even looks like a man whose business closed down and he can't find a job.
He cursed when he started to move, his body aches and he feels so heavy. He didn't even remember heading home last night.
He stood up from the bed lazily and went to his bathroom for a hot shower, he needs it because it's good for an aching body and because he stinks.
When he finished, he wore a white v-neck t-shirt and his shorts. And when he got out of his room he was shocked at the discovery, it's his friends, Zitron is watching on his television and Sirius is cooking their breakfast.
"Good morning bro, you are heavy and my body aches." Zitron even massaged his arms acting really hurt.
"Why are you two even here?" he asked and looked at them seriously.
"Wala man lang pasalamat! At 'good morning'!" singhal naman ni Siruis habang nagluluto ng pagkain nila.
A moment later he received a text message... He creased his brows, reading what he received. It is a message from Mira.
She may never come back, in the meantime, She's in New York and this is the only help I could give you.
-MiraHe stilled when he finished reading the message. His friends didn't seem to notice him. Why would Mira help me? he asked himself. Who would help a jerk like him? But Mira did, maybe because Mira knew what Zaph really feels and he can feel it too.
A week after...
He was standing in front of Zio's unit and left a bouquet of flowers. Her favourite, daisies.
He pressed the doorbell and ran as fast as he can to the corner where Zaph won't see him...
AND AS she opens the door, she is confused and looked around the hallway but she didn't see anyone. She picked up the flowers and smiled. Whoever gave this, it's so sweet and I wish to see him. Sabi niya sa isip niya.
While hiding he felt that she smiled and that made him feel good. At least I can still make her smile. He smiled but he became startled when Zio came out of the elevator and saw him. He can see anger in his eyes kaya napayuko na lamang siya.
"Pyros, make sure you take care of her. Never do a thing that would hurt her, just love her and that's enough for me to trust you." Zio told him on the day that Zaph agreed to be his girlfriend.
"What are you doing here?" Zio asked, maintaining his cold and dark aura.
"I-I wanted to see her-" he didn't finish his sentence when Zio said something.
"Mag-usap tayo, pero hindi dito." sabi nito sa malamig niyang boses at muling naglakad papunta sa elevator, sumunod nalang siya rito. Nakakabingi ang katahimikan nilang dalawa ngunit hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin nang muling nagsalita si Zio.
"Stop sending her flowers every day, my unit is becoming a flower shop," Zio said with a serious face.
"How did you know?" he creased his forehead and asked him.
"Tayo tayo lang ang nakakaalam ng paborito niyang bulaklak Pyros. And why would our brothers leave flowers on the front door if they can knock and get inside." It wasn't a question, it was a statement of truth. He stayed silent for that, barely composing himself to say something.
"I will let you talk to her Pyros only if she agrees," napatingin siya sa binata at sakto naman na tumunog ang elavator. "Communication is everything, or else you'll fully lose each other," Zio said when Pyros got out of the elevator and he pressed the button to close the elevator and go up again.
THE next day Zio messages him the place where he could meet her. It's an Italian Restaurant, Zaph likes Italian foods so he thanked Zio for finding a good place.
He waited for her and she came, there was an awkward silence between the both of them that made Pyros uneasy.
He wanted to ask her something after they eat but it doesn't come out of his mouth.
"You want to say something, speak." It wasn't a statement from her, it was more of a command.
He cleared his throat and, "Uhm, do you want to go somewhere else?"
"And where would that be?" she asked her and he told her his plans for their last night together.
She actually felt disappointed when he said that it will be their last night together. She felt sad that he doesn't want to patch things up, he said he wanted them to talk and she is clearly waiting for an explanation.
When they arrived at the place that he wanted to go to with her, he was happy that she agreed to talk to him.
It was a moment of happiness as well as sadness for both of them.
They are laughing like there's no tomorrow and they are talking about both of their happy, epic, and embarrassing moments together. The time that Pyros is a shy boy who asked her to be his date on prom.
But at a sudden point, they just stop and became serious. He reached out for her hand and held it. She is confused about what he's doing but she let him hold her, she didn't feel being uncomfortable being around him.
"I'm sorry that I chose to find my needs from another person and not from you. It's just I felt like you don't really love me," he said as a tear rolled down his cheeks. "I am selfish for that, and I admit it. I don't want to blame you because you didn't do anything," another tear escaped his eyes, and Zaph dried them and nodded at him. "Please give me another chance Zaph, please let me help you heal the wounds I made, please let me help you fix this. Just don't push me away, you are my air Zaph." he looked at her intently with those pleading and teary eyes.
She looked back at his eyes and wiped his tears, "Of course I'm giving you a chance! But only as friends, that is the only chance I could give you, I'm giving you a chance because I know in my heart that you're the only line who can fix me Pyros. And if you're going to ask me and beg me to forgive you, I already forgave you Pyros, because I do understand that it's partly my fault." she said and forced a smile, but she just can't stop her sobs until she cried her heart out. And with that she felt Pyros hugging him tighter and tighter, she missed his hugs where she felt safe and protected.
"I'm sorry Hon," he said and she felt him smile at her. They stayed like that for a long time, being comfortable in each other's arms.
But disappointment never left their minds. He's disappointed at himself as well as Zaph to herself. Maybe they had to end like that and start off as friends again.
After their dramatic moment, they laughed.
"Ang drama naman," she said between giggles.
"Yeah." he agreed but he isn't laughing anymore, he's smiling and looking intently at her. Like she's the only girl he's ever seen, it looks like he doesn't care about any other girl.
He is staring at her while she's laughing, it's been a long time since I saw her laugh like this. He said in his mind and with her laughing, he can't help but smile.
"Thank you," he said that made her look at him confused. "...for giving me a chance," he added and caressed her cheeks, and because of that she felt a bit awkward so, she turned her face away from him.
"Let's go?" she shifted her gaze somewhere else and he felt that she is feeling uncomfortable so he agreed.
WHEN they got into the cab, they are still happy like how they are earlier, it seems like they never run out of something to talk about. It's the first time he saw her like this before he was only trying to play with her, he knows that she's easy. He didn't know that he'll fall for her, but unlike her, he didn't fall hard, he wasn't really sure about what he felt for her. But one thing is for sure, he didn't know that he loved her, he didn't know that he was really serious. He unconsciously got trapped into her charms, maybe the reason he didn't know that he loves her is because he's afraid and ignorant of the feeling. He felt relief right now, her laughs are genuine and so is his. Maybe because he's not blind anymore. Maybe, her leaving him was his eye-opener. It showed him that he needed her and he can't take it if she leaves.
"ARE YOU shooing me away?" her tone becomes more serious and fierce. "Well Uhm-it's not like that!" the man kept touching his temple. She can read that he is stress because of her uninvited presence. The teller interrupted her, "Ma'am he signed into our logbook and he's in event venue room 4, It's an engagement venue ma'am. A friend of his booked it." She raised her brows,Sure, this teller talks too much.Perhaps being famous has its perks. "Thank you so much." She gave her a smile and when she turned at Zitron and eyed him to accompany her to the room that the teller said. When they got into the venue, she watched how a man proposed to the girl. When she saw the couple, she felt a familiar pain. A pinch in her
ON THE car Zaph's head started hurting. Like it is drenching, she reached out for her meds but it isn't enough to ease the pain, it just made the pain more intense. A man she saw,In her heart, it left awe,Though the man was without a face,She saw a familiar clothing lace. He swiftly moved in her directionShe felt its good intention,And then she had a tingling sensation"He's a beautiful creation." But the man vanishedWithout a trace, he disappeared.Into thin air, he wasn't seen,Nor felt again. As she opens her eyes she couldn't stop but wonder, who is that man? Is he real? Or is it just
Zaphyra woke up with a headache but immediately smiled when she saw her brother sleeping on the couch. Still, she felt pain, not only on her head but also felt a needle pierced into her heart. She knows that she can take her heads pain, but she's not sure with her heart. She sighed and quietly got up from her bed, she went to her kitchen and cooked breakfast for her brother and her. It's her favourite kind of breakfast, a Filipino breakfast. Fried rice and Adobong Baboy. Quarter an hour, she finished and saw her brother patiently waiting for her to finish. She chuckled and asked him, "Kanina ka pa diyan, Kuya?" "Yes, ang sarap niyan ah. Na-miss ko luto mo!" he exclaimed and pat her head as soon as she reached him.
ZAPHYRA YUANNE ANDREJEZ I found myself lying here in a hospital bed. I smiled upon seeing him, sleeping beside me while he's sitting on a chair, peaceful handsome face. He looks tired and exhausted, was it because he was here taking care of me? I am startled when he moved his head and faced me with a faint, tired smile. "Hey. . .you're awake?" Really? Why do some people ask the obvious? "Ay hindi. Tulog ako e," I said and playfully rolled my eyes and sarcastically smiled at him. I saw him smiled in the corner of my sight, "Magaling ka na," it wasn't a question but, a clear statement and that made me crease my forehead. "How are you sure about that?" and he. . .l
Walking on the mall, people are stunned by her gorgeous presence. She rarely goes to malls alone, and it feels like her first time. On the other hand, Pyros is just a meter away from her. Watching and following her, well, more like stalking. "Why the hell am I doing this?" he hissed at himself. He's looking like an idiot by following such beauty that he could just ask to meet. As she stopped and went inside an Italian restaurant, he can't help but smile. It's still her favourite. Across was a Japanese restaurant, and he was so genuinely happy when he remembered the first time he ate at Japanese cuisine with Alexis. He felt his smile getting larger. But he turned into a confused look, Why am I thinking of Alexis?he t
A week... had passed. She stayed the longest in Batanes for about three more days before deciding to go home. While driving, she felt pale and drained. She felt like an empty can, or maybe someone who can't control showing the feelings that they don't know why they feel it. She didn't plan her road trip to run away, she took the chance to maybe-just maybe, relax herself and try to be calmer that she will soon regain her past. But, no. She is wrong. She's been gone for days, drove for long hours. But nothing changed, she still feels hopeless. She feels empty as before. Hitting the break for about one block away from their gate. She reached for her mirror and looked at herself, "I thought I felt empty," she muttered trying to smile,
As she parked her car and got off the car, a muscular silhouette of a man emerged in front of her. She swallowed hard when she realized who that is. "You collapsed the other day, tapos ngayon nag-drive ka pa. Paano kung mabinat ka? Wala ka'ng kasama, paano kung nahimatay ka ulit—" "Pero wala naman nangyari..." she reasoned out, the man clicked his tongue, "Don't give that reason, baka makalimutan ko that you're in your twenties already," agad siyang tinalikuran nito. There was a part of her that's scared of that aura her father showed her. Zach Luis Andrejez, her father, is supportive of things that would benefit the whole family and for each of them individually. "On the study room, youngest!" she was taken back when it hissed. S
Botanical SeriesIs the series of individual stories that revolves around the Andrejez Siblings. Their stories tackle their struggle with their familial life and their intimate relationships.It is named Botanical Series as their stories are represented by five different flowers for it's meaning.The line up:Daisies - (Air I Breathe) Zaphyra's favorite flower and a flower that symbolizes innocence and purity just like Zaphyra and Sirius, especially their feelings. (COMPLETE)Roses -(Second Choice) Is Miraphea's favorite flower among the garden in the Andrejez Mansion. The light pink rose symbolizes sympathy, joy, and admiration.
This is the end of Air I Breathe, thank you for my Medicsfor reading❤️! I hope we'll meet each other again at Second Choice (Botanical Series #2). I will always be thankful for those who read this, I wrote this for almost a year having lots and lots of pauses. I hope you have learned something from this. Thank you! Second Choice, the second installment of this series has two chapters available, but is only visible to the web. I figured out, that I won't sign it yet for you to read it for free <3 To those who have seen a lot of errors in here, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. I am still improving my vocabulary not just in English but also in my own language "Filipino".
I FORGOT On the same day that Zaphyra woke up, she was also discharged, and because no injuries could be seen in her, she didn't need intensive care at the hospital as Yoh wanted. "My head hurts a bit-" "I told you, you should've stayed in the hospital..." She completely understood her brother's concern but it was not what she thought of, not that she is not giving herself importance but the hospital had many patients other than her that needed a room. "Kuya Yoh, I'm not the only patient in the hospital, besides I have something that is treatable but not deadly..." She glanced back at the window as she missed sitting in the passenger seat of Sirius's car. Their small talks mattered to her because it meant a lot fo
PATIENT of the hospital. WAITER inthe restaurant. SIRIUS CLEIN LEVISTRE I was up in a tree, reading a book that I already had read many times. And because of boredom, I snapped it close and was about to jump down when I saw this schoolgirl sitting right under where I sit on top of this tree. She had a headset plugged in her ears which made it hard for me, I cursed under my breath before I finally shouted at her, "Get out there or I'll squash you!" Immediately and flustered, she looks up at me, talking of the accessory on her, her eyes even widened in shock.She's beautiful.And that was the first time I met her. I only jumped and walked aw
A bit like her Mother Since last night, she isn't bothered to sleep nor rest as she keeps on thinking about what Elios said, about his fear of the mother that she adored despite Arqienna's flaws as a mother to her children. Zaphyra loves her mother because she understood the incomplete and unhappy childhood of her mother, yet she's still trying her best to grow her family much better than hers. "We will start torturing you until you beg to just die..." she was stopped by the sudden thud as the door opens before her and Elios once again with his stylish grey suit and his dishevelled hair that showed how he looked great even in the early morning. He indeed grew up rich and elegant for a man who lost his family at a very young age. And it is only simple why he chose to
Abducted "So... you're back at work again!" After a week of being with Sirius in the city of love, she's back in New York while Sirius travelled to another country for a meeting. She couldn't contain her smile as Jean eyed her with so much curiosity. Slowly putting her bag on her table, she heard Jean whimper with a teasing smile. She contained her giggles, not until Jean's eyes widened as she tucked her hair into her right ear. "Holy-" Jean screamed in so many butterflies that she felt in her stomach for Zaph. "You're engaged?!" "Uh... I guess?" Her forehead turned puckered and Jean jumped to hug her tight, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I can't take this all in, I'm so happy for the both of you!"
Confessions "I want to thank everyone who came and attended my show and premiere tonight. I hope you enjoy the rest of the night with the designs that we, Zaphire, are launching in this harmonious event for us," Zaphyra entered the stage with her speech and smiled upon seeing how much many came out of the invitations that they sent out. "...It's a long preparation that we needed to have in order to aspire and hope for a new trend and find what we really need to fashionable these days... And I sayyes..." While looking straight at his eyes, that's what she said. Smiling and happily walking down the stage, she grinned when she walked through the crowd and greeted guests until she found herself standing in front of him. "Congratulations... you deserve thi
"Are you both hungry?" Farkle just emerged from their back and that took Zaphyra's attention to him as well as the others. Kyla ran to him, "Daddy!" Then Zaphyra stood up and faced Sirius again with a smile. Syrae felt a bit awkward and tense between them so she decided to break the silence, "Taken?" Zaphyra was stunned by her question and nervously chuckles, "No-Actually, yes." And smiles quirky and that made Syrae widen her eyes. Zaphyra signed Syrae something with her eyebrows and Syrae quickly got that. Smiling, Zaphyra looked at Syrae's belly which grew bigger. "Ninang ako ha?" and bid goodbye to them and went back to Kyla and Farkle to join them. "What the-" Syrae immediately covered Sirius's mouth before he says anything an
She hailed a cab for her too, the last eyes she saw were Adrian's eyes. All she can see is love, genuine love. She felt pity now, for Adrian instead of her brother. She saw it through Patricia's eyes. If she's not going to choose between Zio or Adrian, she's going to choose herself... always herself and it's because she's self-centered. When she heads back to her condo, she noticed that the two apartments on her floor are open and have things just outside the door. What made her heart melt and feel relaxed is the little girl. "Daddy! Look, I'm big and I can carry this!" the kid shouted while carrying her basket full of toys. You can see in its face how heavy those are. She chuckled and went to the kid, she lifted the basket up off