PERCIE
“You’re not the worst person or the worst brother, Percie. You survived that accident for a reason. It’s for you to find out what are those reasons—your purpose in life. She would be devastated, and it would break her heart too if you got the injury instead of her. Do you wanna see her in your position? How would you feel seeing her struggling and blaming herself for what had happened to you? Do you think she can survive the way you did after being disowned by your parents? You’re stronger than you think you are. Give yourself extra credit. That’s one of the reasons why you survived. You wouldn’t and never give up on her. That’s another reason. You survived for her. I think that’s enough for Emma.”
I couldn’t begin to imagine Emma struggling to survive when she was in my situation. Would my parents disown her too? She had somewhere to go to—her old family. But Emma loved me so much. If I was the one who got the kidney problem? What if they both
PERCIEEight months ago…My parents arranged a three-day funeral for Emma. I was there every day. We bumped constantly, but I didn’t give a damn about them and their feelings about me. They loathed me, so I did the same. They disowned me, and I did the same. Emma was sent to her grave in the late afternoon on the third day. I was with my grandparents, who were there with me all the time. I left after throwing white calla lily to Emma for the last time. I walked away without looking back. I just lost Emma. I lost everything—a reason to live, hope to have a better future, and I just lost the only person who cared about me. I lost everything that day because Emma was my everything. I stopped at an old rusty bench just outside the cemetery. I sat and remembered how we met again. “Percival, come down! I would like you to meet someone.” I heard Dad yelling from the living room
PERCIE Remy Larkin showing his signature smirk to the girls who glanced at him was not news anymore. He was the definition of a class A jerk. Who wouldn’t notice him, by the way? When he walked like he was on the runway. He got the looks, money, and power from his dear daddy. Well, some girls liked guys like him, owning a little bit of popularity. He surprised me when he patted my shoulder—that never happened since last year we had the same classes together. Then he dropped. I snorted. “Remy, you patted the wrong guy, dude.” “No, man. Come to my party at the Frat house. Bring your new girl, Matthews.” He smirked, and it pissed me off. There was something nasty about this invitation that I could smell from a mile. What I found hard to believe was how he remembered my name. I narrowed my eyes at him. I could see the glint in his eyes. “New girl?” Unfortunately, I didn’t have any idea about the gir
PERCIE I stepped on the brake. The tires screeched. Our body whiplash as the car stopped to a halt. I was too angry to notice that the traffic lights just turned red.Damn it, Hailey. “Are you okay?” I checked for her. She was holding her chest and breathing rapidly. “Lee.” I regretted it right away. What was I thinking, letting my emotions clouded my judgment? I cupped her face and looked her in the eye. Everything flashed back at me, of what happened months ago when I saw the reaction in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, constantly nodding. Thank God she always wore her seatbelt whenever she rode with me. “I’m sorry, Hailey. I was just angry. This won’t happen again. I think you should buy a car. The sooner, the better. I can’t risk your life like this.” I stared at her in the eye longer until she gave me a reassuring smile. “I’m okay. I was just a little bit shaken.” Her voice didn’t lie. The horns
PERCIE “Hailey, where have you been? I’m worried hell, and you didn’t even check your phone for my call. You can’t just run away like you just went completely off the face of the earth.” I tried hard to calm my voice, but that asshole’s smirking before me had pissed me off. “Hey, man. Hailey was with me the whole time.” Piercing Hailey with my gaze, I had to turn my attention to the asshole who answered me instead. “What do you mean she was with you the whole time?” Hailey cleared her throat. “He saw me at the ice cream parlor.”Wow! How convenient?”We drove to the nearest park and ate ice cream there.” My nose flared. My chest constricted. How could I be so fucking dumb? I couldn’t believe she spent time with him instead. “And you have no plan texting me that you’re actually okay?” I faced Hailey again. “Man, why are you angry with her? It’s not that you two are dating. She
PERCIE I turned my head, swearing silently. The shock on Hailey’s face twisted my gut to see me with Lexie together. She stopped at the door, causing her friends to stop too. I swallowed hard and looked back at the girl in front of me. It was not that we broke up or I was cheating on her. The waitress approached and asked Lexie about her order. Lexie looked at me. “Are you sure you want me to sit with you?” My brows furrowed. “Of course. Why not?” “Um, Hailey might think something, you know,” she whispered. I chuckled. “We’re just roommates. I don’t think she cares if I’m talking with girls. I’m not stopping her to make friends either. Or even go out on a date. She is a big girl. She can take care of herself.” “Okay. But why do I sense some sarcasm and jealousy?” She beamed at me. “Nuh. I was like a brother to her.” I looked to my right. Hailey was looking right
PERCIE I locked the door behind me and cleared my throat. Hailey was already frozen in her place to see Lexie with me. Poor girl, she didn’t have a clue. But deep inside, I was glad to see her here, safe. “Hailey, I’m Lexie. Percie and I have classes together.” She waved her hand while her eyes barely opened. She had to lean into me to keep standing. Hailey hadn’t moved a muscle. I must admit that judging by her reactions right now, Lexie was right that Hailey liked me. “She hates me,” Lex whispered. Regret was thick in her tone. “Thought you went to a party.” I opened the conversation since she was still dumbfounded to reply to Lexie. “I said to think about it, and I thought you’re not interested in Remy’s party,” she said dismissively, glaring at Lexie. “It’s legit. She hates me,” Lexie whispered again, causing Hailey to glare further. “I went with Lexie because I thought you would be there
PERCIE What the fuck? “He asked you out?” My voice raised. I pressed my lips into a thin line before I spoke again. “And just now you told me?” “Yes. I mean. You ignored me, so how am I supposed to tell you when we were avoiding each other.” “Did he insist?” She stared at me right into my eyes. “He said just once, but I said I like someone else, and he asked who.” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat while wishing it would be me. My heart thumped faster in anticipation. “And?” My tongue thickened in my mouth. “I said I like you,” she whispered shyly. I thought my world just spun around, then abruptly stopped.Wait a sec?Did she just say she liked me? A smile spread across my lips and slowly, deliberately formed into a wide grin. My face ached. I squeezed her hands and caressed her knuckles. “Did you mean it, Hailey? Or you w
PERCIE “Wow! Who owned this place? Or are we trespassing?” I saw the amazement in Hailey’s eyes as she wandered to the property of my grandparents. The two-story stucco house had a huge front lawn, beautiful landscapes, and a deck to the lake at the back of the house that Hailey was about to see. Grandma loved this place so much and had been with them for a long time. As a real estate business proprietor, they knew clients would put big money into a property like this. “We would not trespass on our first date, Lee. This belongs to my grandparents.” I was holding her hand as we marched to the front door. The last time I visited this place was my last summer with Emma before we started our senior year. Nothing had changed with the interior. Our family pictures were mounted, then the last picture I had with Emma and my grandparents was just above the fireplace. The living room had the same furniture. One thing has changed, I came b
HAILEY Six years later… It was Sunday morning, and Percie just came back from his run. It was a part of my daily routine to wake up early since we got married almost three years ago, just right after I graduated from college. “Baby, you came back early.” I kissed him on his lips. He was sweating everywhere. I gave him a towel. “And please, don’t wake them up until Grands and your parents arrive. Mom and Dad are on their way.” “I missed you as soon as left the house.” He smiled, wiping off the sweat on his forehead. I rolled my eyes. “I thought after what we did last night, you won’t miss me until you go on your business trip on Monday.” I suddenly remembered how we made love last night. He never ceased to amaze me. I could guarantee the saying rock your world was so real. He was still hot in bed. The sex was always amazing even if we’d been together as a couple for a
HAILEY Percie’s parents visit turned into a small party. His grandparents, my family, friends, and even Remy came over. It was just a click on Percie’s phone everyone we cared about came over. Mrs. Matthews had been great to me. She squeezed me into a hug when she saw me wearing her son’s engagement ring. She held my hand and looked closely at the ring on my finger. “This is so beautiful.” She smiled. “Beautiful for a beautiful young woman. Please, don’t break my son’s heart.” “Thank you, and I have no intention to.” I did a quick glance at my man chatting with Remy and his father at the corner of the living room.” “Now, I can rest. Percie has just been through a lot to have another heartbreak, but I know he’s in good hands. Thank you, dear.” She kissed me on my cheek. Percie saw us, and he was smiling at me. When his mom left me in the kitchen, I tried my best not to roll my eyes when Victoria, Lexie, and
PERCIE The feel of her tight, warm wet folds around my stiff cock made me moan in pleasure. “Fuck yes.” I looked at her, stark naked, dark eyes staring back at me. My hips flexed of their own will, sending my hard cock even deeper into her heat. My hand encircled around her slender waist, pulling my cock out slowly, and then she began to slide it slowly in, rolling her lips teasingly. She bit the bottom of her lip to stifle her moan. She failed anyway. I cupped her full round tits with my hands and sat up to suck her small bud nipple into my mouth, circling with my tongue. The sound of her moan was like music to my ears. “Percie.” She arched into my mouth, asking for more. I tugged and bit her nipple with my teeth, causing her to gasp. I did it again, sucking alternately. Something about how she called my name in pleasure made me hungrier. I flipped her over on her back. She laid there with her big dark eyes, staring back at me,
PERCIE “Hey.” I moistened my lips. I wanted to say something—anything, but words wouldn’t come out. “Hi.” Surprised, she swallowed. Her gaze dropped to the box in my hand, then glanced back at me. I waited for her to start, but it didn’t come. “Oh, uh.” I looked at the box. “This is not for you.” I went silent, stunned. Then something in her expression caused me excruciating pain. Finally, it came to my senses. “I mean, this is not mine. I mean, it’s mine now. It’s from Emma.” I stopped. I screwed big time. “This is one of a few things she left for me.” “I understand. You don’t have to explain,” she interrupted, eyes glittering. “Anyway, I just come here to take my things.” “What do you mean?” I stalked her to the living room. “Victoria is looking for a roommate. As we agreed before, I’ll leave as soon as I find a new roommate.” “Don’t leave, please?” My voice choked with raw emotions.
PERCIE Hailey was true to her words in giving me the space I needed. She ignored me for the whole month. She even temporarily crashed at Victoria’s apartment. We rarely saw if not on the campus, but she barely looked at me. Her friends were still upset with me—they said, for breaking Hailey’s heart. Lexie was still giving me the cold shoulder. I thought I deserved it all. I was invited to Ward’s family dinner, and that was the most awkward dinner I’d ever had. Her words were taunting. The pain was hard to bear. As soon as it ended, I left right away and drowned myself in alcohol. I visited Remy in rehab as frequently as I could. “Shouldn’t you be with Hailey, groveling? You know, there’s a Filipino culture when courting a girl. The man plays guitar outside the house and sings for her. Why don’t you try it? It might work.” I glared at him. “Just get better, asshole.” “What do you think I’m doing? It’s not that I can threa
PERCIE How the hell did she find me? I drew in a long shuddering breath as I opened the door. I was wide awake, wincing in pain as Grandma kept on hitting me with her clutch. “Ow! What the hell?” I managed to block her with my arms. “What are you doing? Stop it!” She didn’t stop. “I won’t stop until I get the answer on what the hell are you doing here?” I stared at her in disbelief. Then I suddenly realized what she meant. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Good to see you too, Grandma.” I sat on the edge of the bed. “You will stand up and drive me to your apartment. I paid a hefty amount not for you to just desert it because you’re stupid again. You will come here and stay with your mom and dad on weekends. Now get up, or I will let my driver drag you out of the house.” I remembered Grandma like this when I stayed with them before visited Emma for the first time. She was wearing the same an
PERCIEI snatched another sandwich on the plate and apple on the fruit basket before I dashed out of the kitchen.“Finish your breakfast, Percie!” Mom called out.“Gonna be late!”“You need to call your Grandpa, Percie.” Mom followed me outside the house.My car was already in the driveway. Mom’s driver gave me my car key. “I will. Thanks, Elliot.”“Percival!” Mom’s annoying voice made me stop.I groaned. “Fine. I’m gonna be late for my class.”“You’re coming home tonight, right?” I watched her eyes light up with hope.“Sure. Can I go now?”“Drive safe, honey.”I looked at her again. I had not heard the word honey in a long time. I still felt cynical about a sudden change of heart. At this moment, I needed them and a room to stay.My
PERCIE I had not shed a tear, which honestly made things worse. I stared at the house in front of me. It was a miracle how I got in here unscathed. And I didn’t know how I was still standing. The main door swung open, revealing my dad. His walk forward felt like an eternity before he reached closer to me. “You can shove anything into my face all you want. I don’t give a fuck. I wanna stay. You can call the cops and let them drag me out, but I will still come back. I have nowhere to go right now where no one will find me. This is the last place they’re gonna look for me.” I wiped my face. His eyes widened. “Are you in some kind of trouble?” “With the authority? Not that I know of. Can I come in?” He nodded quickly. “Did you bring something with you?” “No.” Dad guided me inside and locked the door behind me. “Can you ask your driver to keep my car in your garage?” “Of course.” He took the key from m
PERCIE Call me coward, an idiot, but after watching Remy’s lifeless body, fighting for his life for the choice he made, I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to go away. Since the doctor said that Remy would pull it through, I was beyond relieved that I didn’t have to carry the guilt with me for the rest of my life. It hurt as fuck as I walked out of his room while he was still unconscious. I just wished I could say something to him before I left, but on the other thought, it would just make it difficult for me. When someone said to me right now that everything happened for a reason, I already punched him in the face. If the reason for losing Emma was finding Remy, it was bullshit—a fucking cruel twist of fate. Why the fuck they both had to suffer? Why did I have to watch them suffer? It felt like a deja vu, all over again. I couldn’t think about them without that horrible image of Emma and Remy lying in the hospital bed. “Percie?” I