Chapter 3

ON THE VERANDA on the second floor of the house, they chose to share the cake baked by her mother. She looked at the moon. Very beautiful and very bright, along with the stars shining in the sky. Then she frowned when Bastie's smiling handsome face suddenly appeared in the sky. 

"Why am I thinking about him?" 

"And who is that?" Her mother asked.

Oh! She thought she said that in her mind only, but she did say it outloud.

"Nothing mommy." She denied. 

Her mother seemed not convinced but never asked her again.

Her mother gave her a slice of cake. Since her sister passed away, her mother has turned her attention into baking. And it became a coping mechanism for her.

"How are you hija? How are things going?" Her mom asked and sipped on her tea.

Her mother always talks softly and with finesse. When she speaks even when you are furious your heart will surely melt.

She took a teaspoon of cake into her mouth to have a taste of it and it was perfect as ever! 

She first swallowed what was in her mouth before answering her mother. "All good. Though I will be really busy this week, aside from the fashion show in New York, I need to rush Jade's wedding gown."

She is really happy for her best friend. Finally happy ending for the loveteam #JadRie!

"What about the loveteam #IceTie?"

Seriously? Her inner self was thinking that? Badtrip right?!

"So it will be a busy week." Said her mom. "Don’t overwork yourself, hija."

"I'm fine mom. I get more tired whenever dad is trying to control my life." She confessed. And then sighed.

"Hija, please understand your father. You might not see it now, but he is just protecting you." She explained.

That’s what they always say. But her answer is different whenever it's coming from her father. It's different when she hears it from her mother because her mother speaks to her gently and she always has a soft heart when it comes to her mom. She does not want to argue with her.

She looked at the sky. And focus her gaze on the moon. "Do you think she's watching?" She asked her mother sadly.

She no longer had to explain to her mother who she was referring to.

"I know she does.... always..." She can't sense any sadness from her voice anymore.

From the moon, she turned her gaze to the stars. Every time she does this she always remembers a song for the person you love so much that you can no longer see again. It is a song by FM Static, the song title is Tonight. Then she hummed it on her mind, "Never thought not having you here would hurt so much....Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up, I need your loving hands to come and pick me up, and every night I miss you, I can just look up, and know the stars are holding you, holding you tonight."

"She's with the stars now, right mom?" She smiled forcely and turned to her mother.

Her mother smiled genuinely to her. "She's happy wherever she is right now. And I'm sure she wants you to be happy as well."

"I missed her...." She said sadly. 

She's wondering why she can still feel the pain of losing a sister. It's been 9 years, but every time she thinks about it there's something blocking her throat and it seems that she will cry any moment. She's just 18 years old then. Her sister is 24. They may have a six years age gap but that did not matter for having a close relationship with her sister.

For her sister, she is always her baby sister. Her sister loves her dearly and so does she. They were always together every moment. Then one day she decided to end her life.

Everything is fine in their lives. They were happy as a family, well then. Everything changed when she was 18. The day when her sister came to their house shocked and her tears were constantly dripping. What she knew was, she came from the party and she spent the night with her friends. She can still remember how her mother panicked during that day. The next thing she knew her father set an engagement party for her sister with a guy she doesn't even know! Then after the engagement party her sister took her own life. She overdosed.

Then there goes Bastie becoming her shadow! With the speed of the events happening in her life, she no longer knew if she would be able to keep up with her life during those times. But, she's a fighter. That’s why she’s still here, still standing despite everything that happened.

"But even heroes have the right to bleed." She reminded herself. That is why, at night when nobody can see it, she was still crying inside her room. 

"I missed her too." Her mother said and pressed her hands for comfort.

"This cake is so perfect mom. You should plan on supplying pastries to Jade and Erie's Hanggang Ngayon Café." She said changing the topic because she saw a glimpse of unshed tears on her mother’s eyes. 

"You think so?" She said going back to her energetic tone.

"Of course!" She beamed.

"You are not being biased because I'm your mother?" Her mother said, asking for assurance. 

She smiled and pressed her hands too. "You know I will tell you frankly if I don't like it right?"

"Yeah, you are right!" Said her mom and gently caressed her face.

She was touched by her gesture. She touches her hands caressing her face.

"Baby, remember this, always follow your heart and what will make you happy."

She didn't know why her mother was saying that but for some unexplainable reason that gave her a peace of mind.

ICE STOPPED on what she was doing when she saw Bastie enter her boutique.

"What are you doing here?" She asked while her brows furrowed.

She told him earlier not to pick her up because she needs to do some overtime today. Because they’re finishing Jade’s gown. She is with her three assistants so she will be okay.

He laid the paper bags on the table and then faced her. "I will be with you." He said flashing his perfect set of white teeth.

"Seriously?" She asked, a little bit astonished.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Bastie answered back. 

"You don't have to do this." She stated.

"But I want to." The usual answer that she was hearing from him all this time.

She sighed. When God gave some stubbornness to people, Bastie got it all!

"Guys! Break time first! I brought you some food!" He even clapped his hands to get the attention of her assistants.

It's already 7:00 pm according to her wrist watch. Maybe they are already hungry as well. Her plan was to order food for delivery but because she was engrossed with what she was doing she didn't even notice the time.

She looked at Bastie handing the food one by one to her companions. How considerate. When he suddenly looked in her direction she immediately averted her gaze.

"Thank you so much Papa Pogi!" Arnold, her gay assitant said happily. 

"Seems like you want to drink some IceTie as in I C E T I E." Belle, also one of her assistants, teased. 

Then Sara join them. "Oh! Bastie is really kind and handsome, jackpot right?"

"Don't flatter me too much." Bastie said as he approached her and handed her the food. "Let's eat." He said and guided her to another table.

She's expecting food from a restaurant or fast food but to her surprise, the food was cooked from home. And it's her favorite.

"Who cooked?" She asked.

Bastie scratched his head. "I-I did..." He seemed so shy while admitting it. "Uhm... I asked Jade.... I know you like her version of caldereta." He really looked uneasy.

She looked at the food and began to taste it. She can't believe that this guy will cook for her. Yeah, she saw Bastie helped in terms of cooking on some of their getaway with friends but cooking for her by himself was really something else.

She didn’t know if she was too touched by the fact that Bastie cooked for her, but the taste was so perfect. He really got Jade's recipe!

When she looked at him, excitement was visible in his eyes. It seems that he is waiting for her comment.

"Are you sure that it was not Jade who cooked this?" Tanong niya. His face enlightened, it seems like he won a jackpot prize in the lottery.

"Nope! I really did. I just asked for the recipe and procedure." He said proudly.

"Hmmmm... okay." Kitang kita niya ang pagbagsak ng mga balikat nito.

"Okay? Like just okay." He said sadly. "I thought I was able to perfect it this time. Because when I taste it earlier, I thought it had the same taste of Jade’s Caldereta." He added.

"Huh? Why? How many times did you cook Caldereta?" She asked.

"I've been practicing that recipe for almost a year now." He said, still sad..

"What the—— seriously?" She was surprised by his revelation. Why would he do that?

"Remember last year? We are with Jade, Erie, Jayden and Dean, we are at Erie’s house. Then Jade asked you among the dishes served what is your favorite? Then you answered you said Caldereta. The following day I asked for her recipe. I told her that I really like her caldereta. So I've been practicing to make it perfect for you. I thought I was able to perfect it today." He explained.

It seems that something touches her heart. "So I've been practicing to make it perfect for you." That kept repeating in her mind after Bastie's long explanation. Why is he doing this? Maybe, an obligation?But why did that answer seem to pinch her heart?

"Papa handsome! Don't believe her! It's so delicious!" Arnold shouted as if he was really thrilled! He even gave Bastie a thumbs up. Bastie just smiled and nodded. But his smile did not even reach his eyes, it was obviously a forced smile.

"I am really thrilled! One year of practicing it!" Said Sara.

"What an effort!" Said Belle.

She looked at Bastie. There was still sadness on his face. Then suddenly she does not want to see him like that.

"For the record... I think this is my new favorite. I like it more than Jade’s Caldereta." That’s a fact. Maybe because of his effort no matter what the reason is.

"Sorry Jade Eriette!" She said in her mind. She can see Jade's reactions in her mind.

What Bastie did next, she came unprepared for it. He stretched out and reached for her and then kissed her on the lips quickly. "Yes! I'm so happy!"

She quickly turned to her companions. Checking if they saw what the just Bastie did. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them eating well while talking to each other happily.

She turned to Bastie who immediately put a peace sign using his hands. "Sorry, I just got carried away."

"Why do you have to be so cute?" Said that small voice from her mind.

"Thank you for cooking this. But as I am always saying—"

"You don't have to do this." Bastie ended what supposedly she would say. He looked intently at her. "And just like what I am always saying—"

"I want to." This time she was the one who ended what he was saying.

He smiled and he used his fingers on his one hand to clipped his hair from the center of his forehead and pulled it backwards. And once again she was mesmerised by his handsome look. 

"Calling Muffin to earth please." She heard him saying that and she was able to get back all her senses. She gave him a sullen glance to cover up her embarrassment.

"I thought you were abducted by aliens!" He teased..

She frowned at him. "Over!"

"Your day will not really be completed, not unless you give me a shrewish temper." He said with amusement.

"Because you are annoying me. You can leave after eating." She said to him..

"I'll stay." He said firmly.

When Bastie's tone was like that she knew that even if the aliens will take her it will never change his decision.

"You are the most annoying person I’ve met!" She said pissed off and turned her back from him..

"Girl I'll stay through the bad times, even if I have to fetch you everyday... " He even dared to sing!

She knew that he was annoying her more intentionally but why did she smile?