Chapter 3

Flashback

I don't even know why he's like that. Maybe he can't forget what I did to him before. I just fed him chili powder, charr.

We first met at his birthday party. It was his first month working at his father's bank, and all the employees and their families were invited. That's how we met.

I greeted him with a happy birthday, and he was so arrogant, thinking he was super handsome. He even said, "Thank you, ugly." He's such a jerk, right? He acted like we were close.

Since then, we kept bumping into each other at events. I always went with Dad, so we became close, even with his sister, Rinalyn Cristal Ferrer. They always hung out at our house on Saturdays, and before I knew it, I was in love with that jerk. He was my first love back then, and I'm still deeply in love with him now, but I can't be with him. It's shocking, right? I actually loved him.

It hurts. There's nothing you can do to make things go back to the way they were.

Years passed, and I was the only one who felt this way. But he confessed to me on my 12th birthday. He courted me for almost a year back then. It never crossed my mind that he liked me. Because if you think about it, it's so unlikely. Just his personality alone, it's unbelievable that he would like me.

I decided to make him my boyfriend at the park, and that was exactly on my birthday, December 9th. Both our families supported us. Maybe they could see it. But I'm thankful they didn't stop us. We were just kids back then, and we were already in a relationship.

It was a really good relationship. Like, if we fought, we wouldn't go to sleep until we were okay. We weren't that dependent on each other. That's when I saw his sweet and kind side. It was almost perfect, until that incident happened.

We both decided to go on vacation with our friends, but his car lost control. And it was raining that day.

He hugged me before we crashed into a tree. We both flew out, but he was the one who got hurt. The impact of his head on the car was strong, and he got selective amnesia. The last thing he remembered was his crush, Kristine. I couldn't do anything but cry and cry. Before he woke up, he was in a coma for a year and six months. He remembered his family, and mine too. He remembered his friends, but why not me?

Of all the things he could forget, it had to be me? But I just let him be. I didn't force him to remember me. I was 15 years old back then, and he was 18. And now I'm 18. That's why he's so angry at me because of his bitch girlfriend, Kristine.

She even bragged to me that Cyrus had left me. I punched her, and she passed out. He saw it, so he got mad at me. He said I didn't have the right to hurt his girl, so that's how our war in school started.

It just hurts that I was his girlfriend, but he remembers someone else.

I was the one he promised, but he's slowly fulfilling his promises to someone else.

At that time, I didn't know what to do. Mom said it was okay, that it would pass, that we were just kids.

Was it really just a childish love?

But why does it hurt so much?

Why is it still him?

~end of flashback

Btw, I'm in college now, taking Business Administration.

When I got home, I was thankful that no one was there. I hurried upstairs, but as soon as I stepped on the stairs to my room, someone shouted.

"Ashiannie Ventura! What did you do again? And it's Cyrus again, huh, Annie?" Mom shouted loudly from behind me. News travels fast. It hasn't even been 24 hours, and it's already here.

"Ma, I wasn't the one who started it. He flipped the table while I was eating. Then he kicked my chair. Who wouldn't get mad?" I said to Mom, annoyed. I don't know whose child I am, me or Ryle. Why am I always the one getting scolded?

"You should have just avoided him, Annie. Jeez, it's a good thing Cyrus woke up. We could have been sued!" Mom said angrily.

Tsk. He didn't have any major injuries. He only got hit on the nose.

"Tsss, he deserved it anyway," I mumbled quietly so Mom wouldn't hear.

"What did you say, Annie?" Mom asked me, raising her voice.

"Nothing, Ma. I said I'm going upstairs. I'm tired. I'm not going to eat, I'm not hungry." I said lazily, then went upstairs.

"Oh, aisshh, you really take after your father." I heard Mom say.

After I changed, I just lay down and stared at the white ceiling of my room.

I wondered if he was okay. Did he remember me? I don't know why love keeps playing with me. I'm tired. My heart is so tired seeing my beloved man loving another woman.

I don't know what I did in my past life to suffer like this. Since love played with me, I learned to control my emotions, not to trust people I just met in a short time. I've learned to be heartless sometimes.

I'm happy that he's happy in his life, but I don't know if it's real or just an act. Yes, I'm jealous whenever I see them being sweet, things he should be doing for me, and how he protects her.

"Sweetheart? Are you still awake? Can I come in?" My cousin, Dash, from my mother's side, asked sweetly. He's one of three siblings with Mom, and he's the only boy. He's the youngest, just like me. He's the only boy born in their generation. So, they're all very protective of me. Even on my father's side, they never had a girl until I came along. I'm very thankful, especially to Grandpa. I'm very close to him.

"Yes, Kuya. It's not locked," I said. He's my closest cousin. He's kind, charr. He's quiet, unlike my other male cousins who tease me a lot.

"Princess, are you hurt? Did that freaking Cyrus hit you? Hurt you?" Kuya asked me, one after another.

"No, Kuya. I'm-" I didn't finish my sentence when my five other cousins arrived. What's going on with them? Their expressions are priceless. Damn.

~Ylluscion