CHAPTER 2

While driving, he can’t stop thinking about Bria and why they have to end up like this. He knows it was all his fault. Honestly, at first, he doesn’t have any feelings for Bria. He just followed his father’s last wish while fighting over a deadly disease. Both of their fathers are best of friends also Bria and him were childhood friends together with his twin brother Dart. As they were a teenager, Bria confessed her feelings towards him but he can’t reciprocate it as he had a feeling for another girl and Bria is just like a sister to him. But one night, as he was guarding his father at the hospital, his dad suddenly talk to him.

He said in a very low voice. “My son, can you grant me a wish before I close my eyes for good?” his father slowly lifted his hand trying to reach Dash’s hand and he also held it.

“Dad, come on. Everything’s gonna be okay. Hmm? I got this,” he forced a smile and caressed his dad’s hand.

“Don’t be a fool. We all know that I don’t have enough time, so please make my one last wish come true.” His father tried his best to talk even though it was already tiring for him.

“Okay, I will be your one-time genie. What is your wish, my master.” He jokingly said and smile at him.

His father cough so hard but managed to control them. Dash gives him water and he drinks it before he continues to talk.

“I want you to be with Bria. Be her Boyfriend and take care of her. I know this is too much. But you know that I also made a promise to his dad that I will take care of her. But I cannot fulfill my promise now and I don’t want to face my friend like this. I want to make sure that you will continue the promise that I made. So please, just for me and for the peace of my soul do this for me. Will you?” he said crying as he tried himself not to cough but he can’t barely stop it.

After that Dash heard a beeping sound coming from the machine that manages the vitals of his father. He saw the heart rate starting to go down.

“Dad! Are you okay? Hold on a second. Dad!” Panicked flooded in his system as he saw his dad having difficulty breathing and his vitals are not in normal shape. He hurriedly pushes the button and calls for a doctor.

Doctors rushed to their room and he saw them starting to revive his father. One of the nurses gently pushed him away towards the door and closed it. He heard one of the doctors say that it was cardiac arrest. He can’t think clearly, his body was shaking and his heart beats crazily. He sat on a chair beside the room and pulled out his phone thru his pocket and called Dart telling him what is happening. Dart said that he was stuck in the traffic due to heavy rain and can’t make it on time.

He waited outside dumbfounded. After 30 minutes, the doctors went out of the room. He stood up and faced them.

“Doc, how’s my Dad? Is he stable?” He tried to be calm.

The doctor took off his surgical mask and started talking. “We’re very sorry, but your father didn’t make it. We did everything we can to revive him but he is gone. Sorry.” The doctor bid him goodbye and slowly walked away together with his team.

His knees lost strength so he slowly sat down. He can’t digest the word that the doctor said. Did he lose his dad? He is dead. Both of their parents are now gone.

He put his hands over his face to cover it and started crying out loud.

Because of that moment, he promises that he will continue what his dad wants him to do. And that is to take care of Sabria and be her boyfriend, even if he had to give up the girl he really loves. After 2 years, he didn’t expect to cross paths with Jane again.

THE YEAR 2012

Bria invited him to an event along with her co-models as they celebrated their anniversary. It was a pool party held at a 5-star hotel along the Metro. Dash really doesn’t want to come because he doesn’t know anyone but he had no choice but to come. He’s afraid that Bria will get drunk and someone might take advantage of her.

As he was standing alone in a corner with a glass of brandy in his hand, He saw Bria walking towards him. She was with a lady, a lady he never imagined that he could meet again.

He saw the panic on her face but quickly fades away. She was able to look normal while walking as she doesn't remove her gaze from Dash.

He can’t imagine that she is now right in front of him. She has grown into a very beautiful lady. Her face was so angelic with a pair of hazel eyes and her small lips that is naturally pinkish. His heart went crazy with her presence alone.

He felt like his knees were wobbling as she came closer and closer that he didn’t even notice Bria who’s walking with her.

“Hey, there love.” She kissed his cheeks and cling one hand to his arm. He wants to avoid the kiss but he knows it will make things more complicated “Why are you standing here alone? Why don’t you join us in the pool?” she said and taking a sip on a glass of margarita that she was holding in her other hand.

“Oh, by the way.” She put down her drink on the table and place her hand on Jane’s shoulder who’s beside her. “I almost forgot, this is Jane, my newfound friend. We are classmates and now she also joined the agency. Isn’t it amazing? I’m having a friend who’s with the same dream as me!” Her happiness is so obvious with her tone. But Dash has a bad feeling about Bria and Jane being friends. He didn’t tell Bria about his past relationship. She believed that she was his first love.

“Dash? Are you with us? Are you already tired?” Bria tapped his shoulder and looked confused as Dash didn’t respond to her.

“Hmm? Sorry? I... Am... Yeah, I’m a bit tired. Sorry, what did you say?” Dash snap backed and looked to Bria and tried himself not to be obvious that he knows Jane.

“I said, this is Jane, my new friend. Jane this is Dash, my handsome boyfriend.” She introduced them to each other, Dash held out his hand and try to shake her hand but she just looked at it and turn her eyes to Bria.

“I’m sorry Bria, but I am not comfortable with strangers especially to men. You know, what I told you the last time? I had a trauma about my ex-boyfriend who suddenly broke up with me without reason.” That words hit the spot. Dash felt guilty. He was that guy who broke up with her. His heart aches, he knows that Jane was trying to move on to him but he suddenly appeared in her life again.

“Oh, yeah. I’m so sorry. I almost forgot about it. Ugh! I remember him again, once I met him, promise, I will surely cut off his penis. He didn’t deserve to be called a man,” she said furiously. Her hands form into a fist and hit the table. Dash cough abruptly when he was choked with his brandy as he heard the sound of the table that’s been hit as well as the words that came out of her mouth.

“Are you okay? What happen?” Bria worriedly said and gently tap the back of Dash. “Yeah! Yeah! I’m okay. No worries,” he said, faking a smile and slightly glanced to Jane. Their eyes met once again. 

That whole night, Dash was like a stalker who always looking at Jane, sometimes she felt someone is looking at her and trying to find who is it but then it was Dash who’s looking at her, her curious eyes turn into a fierce glare.

He tried to find a way to have him talk to her, but she was like a wild animal that always tried to run away when she had a chance. Until he grab a small chance when Jane went to the restroom without Bria. And he thought that this might be his last chance to talk to her about everything that happens in the past.

He waited outside the door of the women’s restroom, when Jane came out and was about to return to the pool, he immediately pulled her in her arms that causing her to trip and landed on Dash’s chest. When she was about to pull herself up, Dash pulled her closer and hugged her tight.

“Who are you? What are you doing?” Jane shouted but the music is louder than her voice also, she’s finding it hard to see who is hugging her because of the party lights. She tried to pull herself to escape from his arms but he hugged her tighter. “Please let me talk to you for a minute,” Dash whisper from her ear and at that moment Jane stopped struggling. She slowly put her hands down and Dash loosen up his grip to look at her as he held her shoulders.

He looked at her in the eyes and he told. “I just want to explain everything that happens. I know this might be rude and not the right time but please hear me out,” he pleaded. And without blinking her eyes, Jane replied. “Do you think if we talked about the past, everything will be back to its proper place? What’s the point? You’re with someone else. She’s a good person and I know she has no idea that we knew each other.”

“I know... I know.... But I still want to explain everything to you. I just want your little time.” He doesn’t want to give up. He wants to clear everything and accept whatever her decision may be.

Sabria, on the other hand, is wandering around the venue, she can’t find Dash anywhere even Jane. While she was walking, she found a dark corner nearby the restroom and saw a tall and dark shadow that she seems to know. It was Dash having a talk to an unfamiliar girl. “Dash! Is that you? What are you doing there?” She said as she walks slowly closer to them as she tried to adjust her eyesight. When Dash heard Bria’s voice, he hurriedly talk to Jane. “Meet me in the café we used to hang out in. I will wait for you until you came. Friday night 7:00 pm.” And with that, he immediately walks away and goes to Bria. “Who’s that girl?” She asked while walking away from the restroom with Dash. He heaved a sigh of relief when Bria didn’t notice Jane. “That? Nothing she was just asking for directions, she was so drunk that she can’t even remember where the restroom is.” He said while letting out a chuckle, trying to look natural and when he turned his head to look for Jane she was not in there anymore.