Chapter 5

"Hey babe,"

A woman in her middle twenties greeted him as he walked inside the room. She was standing a few meters away from him while crossing her both hands on her chest, with a smile plastered in her lips.

It was Donna—her girlfriend, soon to be his fiance to be exact. She was wearing a white spaghetti dress, hugging her small and curvy body. But somehow, he remembered someone.

He smiled and walked towards her direction. He immediately hugged Donna's waist and planted a soft kiss in her lips. She giggled, making him smiled. 'I love this woman so much' whispered in his mind.

But suddenly, his smile faded remembering what happened to that woman—Jillian and him. He knew it well. It wasn't her fault, it was him. Kung hindi lang siya nagpadala sa tukso ay di sana umabot iyon sa ganito. Temptation is really hard to resist. But Jillian's word is somehow right. If he really loves Donna, he can resist it, he can avoid it...

"How are you? Did you sleep well?" he asked her softly as he rested his cheeks on the top of her head.

Donna nodded "Yeah? I woke up early when I noticed you are not around."

Donna and him are victims of fix marriage years ago, but they both declined. Making the engagement called off. But after a years, they saw each other during a party celebrate. And here they are now, making their relationship work.

"Well, something happened in the house.." he smiled at her "Go on, pack your things. I'd granted your wish.."

Donna's eyes widened "You mean?"

"Yes, we're going to our resort. One week leave for me, and for you. Let's have our vacation together." he said. Donna smiled widely.

She's so lucky to have this man. Lahat ng hinahanap niya ay nasa kanya na, kaya kung sino man ang magtangkang umagaw sa kanya... Well, let see what she can do.

"Really?" her eyes twinkled.

Lucas smiled and nodded at her "Yes, anything for you babe."

She hugged him in the neck and planted a soft kiss on the lips.

"I love you, Luc."

"I love you too, Don." he replied and kiss her forehead.

'I can't afford to lose her just because of that fucking one-night stand.' Lucas in his mind.

He knew what might happened if Donna know about what happened to them—Jillian. Pero hindi niya iyon naisip habang may nangyayari sa kanila ni Jillian. His only plan is to enjoy himself with his friends that night, and yet he couldn't believe that it lead to another situation.

Hindi siya makaisip ng solusyon para manatili iyong sekreto. No smoke can be clenched forever. But there's only way to keep Donna closed to him, and to did not leave him.

"Babe?" he whispered.

"Hmm?"

And that is...

"Marry me." he said seriously.

Jillian feel the cold breeze of wind scourging her face. She inhaled the fresh air to calm herself. 'What a nice view'.

Her sister and mother planned to have a meantime vacation. Kahit ayaw niya mang sumama, wala siyang ibang nagawa dahil pinilit siya ng ina. So she has no other choice but to come with them and told her boss to have a leave for just a meantime 

She really hate being with them. Nung mamatay ang kanyang ama ay mas lalong lumalala lang yata ang ginawang pagkompara ng kanyang ina sa kanilang dalawa ni Rizle. She tried to runaway before, but end up coming back again.

"Jilliana,"

Her head turned back when she heard her sister's voice. And there she was, wearing a white long sleeves dress with her hair untie. Looks like her sister is a real goddess while she was the opposite.

"What?"

Her sister sighed and look at her "I heard your conversation with Lori that night, during our wedding anniversary."

That made her shock. She was right. Her sister really heard it. Alam niyang matagal-tagal pa ito kumatok at mukhang pinakinggan ang pinag-uusapan nila ni Lori. She heard her footsteps that time, and no doubt. She heard it.

"I heard.. that.. tha—"

"That?"

Rizle sighed "Some stranger uh.. you know, devirginized you. Is that the reason why you come back home early in the morning that day?"

She stared blankly at her sister "And so?"

"Jillian, listen. Mama has a lot of expectation from you. You just can't disappoint her like what you did be—"

Pagak itong tumawa "Like how disappointed she was before?! Ate, I had a lot of expectation from myself too. But it all faded when that tragedy happened. And you're telling me to do not disappoint her? Kailan ba siya hindi nadisappoint sa akin huh?"

"Jillian, that's not what I mean. I want to tell you that you can still pursue your dream. And become a successful like me y—"

"Yan ka na naman ih! Palagi namang ganyan diba?! Like you, like this, like that! Wala kayong ibang ginawa kung hindi ang diktahan ako sa gusto kong gawin! You think that will help me from pursuing my dream? You kept on telling me to be like you!" she exclaimed to her sister's face.

"I am Jilliana Ignacio on my own way, I'm not you. So stop telling me that. Yes, I have my dream, but I don't want to be like you. We're not the same so stop doing that!" she added.

"Jilliana!"

She stiffened when she heard her mother voice from somewhere. Napapikit siya at nagtagis bagang. 'Here we are again'.

"How dare you to talk like that!"

Pakiramdam niya ay namamanhid ang kanyang pisngi dahil sa malakas na sampal na iginawad nito sa kanya. She held her cheeks and staring blankly at her mother.

"Ma—" Rizle tried to stop here.

"Saan mo natutunan ang ganyang paraan ng pananalita mo huh?! Jillian?!" and with that, another slapped she get. Tears pooled down to her cheeks as she wiped it away.

"Yes, you're right. You always disappoint me. And you will never be as good as your sister, remember that." her mother words feels like a knife that stabbing her chest in a million times.

'You always disappoint me.. '

'You will never be as good as your sister.. '

"Because I'm not her. I will never be as good as her because I'm not her. I have my own mind. So don't you dare to dictate me.. " she then turned her head and start walking away from them.

"Jillian!"

She need to get away from them. Alam niyang palagi nalang sakit sa ulo ang binibigay niya sa kanyang ina but she'd still trying her best to be a 'good daughter' to her. She tried to be her sister when she was in middle school and yet, she did not succeed. And she's tired of being her sister.

She has her own way. She doesn't need to copy everyone. She doesn't need to act like Rizle.

She ran as fast as she could until she bump to someone. Napatigil siya at pinahiran ang luhang dumaloy sa kanyang pisngi.

"Hey Miss ar—Hey!"

Napatigil din siya ng makilala ang pamilyar na boses. She slowly lift her head and then she saw a familiar face. That familiar blue-eyes..

What the?

"Lucas?!" gulantang niyang tanong.

The same with her, he has the same reaction too. He stared at her for a moment before blinking a couple times.

"Hey, Jilliana?"

This is impossible. Akala niya ba yun na ang huling pagkikita nila ni Lucas? But looks like she was mistaken.