Chapter 4

"What?!" I stood up in annoyance when I heard what the woman I was talking to said on the phone. "I've been waiting for almost a month now and you're saying you have run out of stock? You think I'm a joke?!"

"Stop shouting and sit down," he told me but I ignored him.

"What? You can't make one for me? You said I was the first one who ordered that brand when I called you," I continued.

"We're very sorry, Ma'am. The person you talked to just resigned last week and I was the newly hired. I don't know that we will run out of stock so I've sent the bags  to those who live near us," she explained. I dropped the call out of irritation before I threw my phone on the table before sitting down.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked me. We're here at his Restaurant because he told me to come here. "Did something bad happen?"

"The brand of the bag that I ordered last month got canceled because they ran out of stock," I told him before rolling my eyes. "Do they think I was a joke? I was the first one who ordered that bag!" I rant at him.

"It's okay. I'm sure there's a lot of stores selling the same bag that you want," he said, trying to comfort me.

"No. There's no such store. That's their signature bag! I badly want that bag," I pouted as I said that. "This is so annoying! This is your fault," I glared at him.

"How was that my fault?" he asked while laughing.

"If you wouldn't have told me to come here," I whispered. "Can you just say yes? I just need to release the annoyance and irritation I am feeling right now."

"Anong bag ba? Hahanap ako ng mas maganda."

"As if," I said. "So why did you ask me to come here? We already talked last night about the deal."

"Yeah right. I was just----" his words were cut off when a man suddenly came.

"Alas!" he smiled at the crew before approaching him and making a fist bump. "Belated happy birthday. I heard what happened to your family. Condolence, pare," he said carefully to him.

"Umuwi ka para mag-condolence sa akin?"

"That’s also a reason but yeah, I'm staying here for good," he said before pulling up the chair next to him and sitting down. "I'm planning to settle down. I'm getting married. Best man kita, ha?"

"Para namang may girlfriend," he told him.

"That's the problem," he says before facing me. He surveyed my whole face and was surprised when our eyes met. He cleared his throat before turning his gaze back to him. "Girlfriend mo?"

"No. We were talking about something and got cut off, thanks to you," I sarcastically told him before sipping at my juice.

"Just wait for me at the counter, you can order any food that you want. We'll just talk," he told his friend. He just nodded before standing up and gave me an apologetic look. "Do you have to be that mean?"

"What I said is true. So, you were saying?" I asked him, trying to get back to our topic earlier.

"Okay, I know I made a deal with you. But come to think of it. My family is now buried. I lost my family but I need to keep going."

My brows furrowed. “And your point is?”

"What if I back off? What would be the consequence?"

I leaned my back in the chair and crossed my arms. "If you're planning to back off," I looked at him seriously before shifting my gaze to his friend who was now eating while talking to two girls. "How about you sacrifice your friend's body in exchange for yours? Can you do that?"

He looked surprised at what I said. He even looked at his friend. "Or do you have someone special in your heart? Are you in love with someone right now? I can have them instead of your friend. Just give me an answer," I added.

"Do you have to do that?" he asked incredulously.

"I just gave you the consequence you are asking," I seriously told him. 

"Is there no other way? That was too much."

I barely laughed because of what he said. "Too much? Do you think I'm that easy? You didn't make a deal with anyone. You made a deal with me."

"Look, lasing ako kagabi,” he reasoned. “Is that your way of comforting other people?"

I laughed again when I heard his question. "I am not comforting you. I am giving you a choice to either save your family or let everyone close to you die."

A long silence remained between the two of us as we looked into each other's eyes. 

"You told me it was your job to help the people who are in need. Help me to find a way to get out of the deal without making me sacrifice anyone," he was the one who broke the silence.

"Yes," I said. "But I can't help you with that. I already lost the ability to help you the moment you agreed to the deal.”

He sighed as if he were carrying all the problems in the world. "Fine, I won't back out."

"Are you sure?" I asked him. 

"But can I wish instead?"

"It depends on the wish you'll say," I answered him. He sighed so I spoke again. "Fine. What is it? I'm only granting one wish, okay?"

"I wish to have an endless wish."

"Do you wish to die?" I asked him irritably.

"That's the only wish that I want," he said like a child.

"Fine," I just told him. "But you can only have one wish every day," I reminded him.

"Call," he smiled at me. "How long would it take before you can bring my family back to life? They are already buried."

"It would have been faster if you hadn't buried them first," I whispered before looking back at him. "I can bring them back now if you want. The question is… are you willing to die now?” I saw him gulp. "I guess you aren't ready yet."

"Give me 100 days," he said immediately. "After that, you can take my body. I just... have to do things that's why I can't be gone yet."

"Do what you wish."

"And a part of our deal is to see each other every day," his smile widened even more.

"What?!"

"Why? You don't want to? That's the reason why I agreed on the deal in the first place so it became part of it. Should I give a consequence if you can't do that?"

"I didn't agree on that," I said.

"I also did not agree with what you said earlier," he fired back.

"You sure have an ace in your hand," my eyes narrowed as I said that.

"Bakit? We need to be fair. And Ace is my second name which explains why," he told me before winking.

"Share mo?" I raised a brow at him.

"Since we're on the subject. What's your name?" he asked me but I didn't answer. "Huwag mong sabihin sa aking wala kang pangalan. I'm sure you have."

"Sia."

"That's it? Sia lang? Pangit naman!"

"How dare you," I stood up and tried to reach him to hit him. "It's Alessia. Alessia Mackenzie, idiot!"

"Alessia Mackenzie," he repeated what I said. "I'm Asher," he smiled at me again before offering his hand. "Asher Ace."

I looked at his face before his hand. "I don't have the heart to shake hands," I said. "I think we're done. I need to go home now because I'm wasting too much time with you."

Before I could finally go. He held my arms and gave me his phone. "What? You're showing off your phone? Is that new?"  I asked crookedly.

"Cellphone number po."

"I don't want to," I quickly refused but he reached for my hand and put his phone there. "You sure have the guts to do this to me," I said while typing my number. "You are only allowed to call me once a day."

In an instant, I was inside the house. I lazily put my bag on the table before sitting down. I leaned myself on the backrest of the sofa before irritably speaking. "What are you doing here again?"

"I'm sure you know the reason why I'm here."

I rolled my eyes before looking at her. "Would I ask if I knew?" I asked her. She looked at me seriously so I rolled my eyes again. "I don't know and I'm not interested. Can you just leave? I don't want to see you yet."

"When do you want to see me? Kapag may hindi ka na kayang gawin? Kapag kailangan mo na ng tulong?”

"Well, that's a good idea.” I said before looking at her. “I will do that. Thanks."

I heard her sigh deeply. She seems to want to yell at me now but something is stopping her. 

"I'm sure you know that even when I'm not around you, I know what you're doing."

"Of course. The deity knows everything," I sarcastically replied. 

"Revoke the deal you made," she told me directly. "Do not ignore what I am saying right now."

"Why? Aren't you happy that finally, I found someone who is willing to sacrifice their body? I'm sure you can breathe easy now because I'll finally be gone... for good."

She looked at me in disbelief before shaking her head and sighing again. 

"Why? Are you sad that I will be gone forever? Of course, who doesn't?" I joked. "Don't worry. When I live again, I will commit a sin so that our paths cross again."

"Do not accept my advice as a joke."

I couldn't stop laughing because of what she said. "Seriously, what is wrong with you? Do you regret now that you gave me a chance to die without getting my punishment? Just stay still and be happy. I will disappear without your notice. Don't worry, I still have 100 days before disappearing. Brace yourself and prepare yourself for my loss."

"You know what it means when someone makes a deal with someone like you. And you cannot bring the dead back to life. You are only increasing your sins."

"Don't worry. If in exchange for what I am going to do is my long-sought death, I am willing to do everything."

"You are putting that person's life in danger!" she suddenly raised her voice at me.

"It was his choice. He agreed to the agreement."

"Alessia!" 

I fell silent when she shouted my name. I did not speak for a long time before looking at her. 

"You don't have to worry. Nothing bad will happen to me. If there is, I will try no to ask you for help," I told her gently.

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about that person."

"Wow, see how you make me look like you don't really care about me. If you are really worried about that person, do everything you can to protect him."

"Can't you just listen to me?" she asked me as if she's already giving up. "This is for your own sake. I will make sure you won't regret it."

"Can't you just let me?" I mimicked her voice. "If I can't do this, can you let me receive the punishment I've been waiting for? You know how much I want to end the life I have now. I've been through a lot, you know that. I can't take this anymore, I want to rest. I am so tired of the life I have."

"Sia, you know how much I have protected you over the years."

"But it still can't change the fact that you are the reason why I became like this," I said bitterly.

"That was my job."

I looked straight into her eyes as I held back my tears. "Please, just let me end the life I have now. He is the only way I have."

"You will never have another chance of living again if you do that. I am doing this for you, Sia. I want to give you a chance to live again without experiencing what you experienced in this life. Please, Sia. Just stay still and wait a little bit longer for your punishment."

"But I already waited for too long!" I shouted. I could not stop my tears from dripping. "I've suffered too much. I really can't... do this anymore. Please... just kill me now."

I lost my strength which made me fall to the floor. "Just kill me. Kill me now. Please," I pleaded. I felt her sit up and hug me which made me cry more. "Please. End the life I have now. I'm begging you."