Chapter 2

No matter how much I hate my father because of what he did, I will not deny the fact that I still love him after all of that. I did wish for him to just vanish before… after getting that much hatred but… those are the times that I do not mean what I was saying.

I did wish for it but I don’t really mean it…

To think that the day would come when he would really be… dead… 

“Hello? Shaun? Shaun?? Do you hear me?”

Calling Shaun, among anyone else, he was one of those who knew what was really happening. Like, he would surely have intel if my father was just faking his death just like me, right? Because if it was him, he should know…

[Kianna? Why did you call? Make it quick]

He sounds so annoyed but I understand. He is busy too, I know that. But I just really need to know what the truth is… I need to know…

“Is it fake news? I mean, I heard that my father is dead, it can be a case just like me. Right? He is faking it, right?”

Silence, that is what I heard on the other line. My hand that was holding the phone was shaking… it was trembling, I couldn’t help myself but be like this. I am trying to calm down. I really do. But… but… I just can’t! 

Walking back and forth, I stopped as soon as he started to speak. It was the words I do not want to hear.

[Sorry Kianna. I am sorry for your loss. It is true, I visited Father and he is not in a good condition too. I am sorry but, my father needs me. Call Jena if you want to know something. I am out at work for some time]

And with that, the phone call ended. 

It feels so unreal.

What did I just hear? Even Mr. Sebas? Just…. What happened to them?

I feel like my system stopped. As if, I can feel nothing right at this moment. Then…

The sound of the keys landing on the counter was heard. It surely is Drake. But for some reason, I dare not look at him. 

“Kianna… you heard the news?”

“Yes”

“Would you like to visit him?”

I can’t answer. Why is he calm? Is he just trying to act like that because he doesn’t want me to see him vulnerable?

“I don’t know anymore… Drake. Something is strange… just when I thought that peace was possible for us and that we could finally be happy … things like this would happen…”

He says nothing. Even I would be left speechless if I were in his position.

“Love…”

The things he was holding then landed on the ground. It was groceries. Did he buy that? or maybe Jena brought that up… but that is not the case right now.

I looked at Drake and saw him looking at me.  This is not the time for me to ask but I can’t help but to do so…

“Drake, there is something that I want to ask…”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember my graduation, you gave me flowers”

“Yes, why did you bring up that topic?”

This is not a dream, is it?

Staring at him, I was confused…

How can he know that?

“But…”

That didn’t happen this time. I mean… it happened in the past I recreate… why did he…

“Is there something wrong?”

Yes, everything is wrong. Things like this are wrong… I am not really sure what is happening anymore…

About Dad, about the memories Drake has… something is not right.

“How did you…”

“Kianna! Your mouth… Shit, what is happening?!”

Why is he so surprised? Is there something on my face?

A strange feeling then crawls into my system. As if something was falling out of my mouth and nose. As soon as I touched it, what I saw was blood.

…

“I told you I am alright, there is no need to worry”

“How can I? I thought that I would lose you again…”

Wiping his face, it was the first time I saw Drake act like this. But more than that…

“Drake, how did you know that?”

“Huh? Know what?”

“I mean, you did not give me flowers… back then”

“I did”

“No… I did not meet you there. I never even saw you when I graduated”

“What-“

“Then do you remember asking me for a date after that?”

Looking at me, he looks so pale. 

“Kianna”

“Drake… are you hiding something from me?”

Looking around, he seems to finally analyze what was happening. Holding his mouth he stares at me in surprise. With his teary eyes, he holds my hand.

“How did you…”

Just as I thought… it was like that. He knows something. But… how?

Drake did not remove his gaze from me. He was so surprised that he did not notice how his hand already touched mine. It was… it was the first time I had seen him to be in this state.

“Why are you crying?”

I mumbled as I saw the tears that were now falling from his cheeks. It was… pouring out with no stop.

“Oh, shit…”

He cursed as soon as he realized what he had just done.

But still…

This… doesn’t make sense.

How can he remember that when in this future that never happened? How can he have the memories of me in that time… did he also come back to the past? But how?

And… those visions I had, the small lights, the portraits, those images of me talking in my dream… are they all connected? 

Something then shakes my hand… it was Drake.

“You are… shaking”

I mumbled as he kept his face hidden and buried in the back of my palm. He is indeed crying. Sobbing his heart out. 

“Love?” I called him but still, it took him some time before he could even utter a word.

His shoulder was going up and down. I can see it so clearly. He can’t stop himself from crying…

“I thought… I thought you…”

I gulp as soon I meet his eyes. He was in a mess. Just seeing him cry makes me want to cry too. 

His face was full of sadness yet relief… why is he feeling like this?

“I am so sorry. I am sorry that I can do nothing back then. I am sorry I failed… I failed and kept on hurting you… I am sorry Kianna… I am sorry”

“What do you mean?”

Why is he apologizing? I don’t understand…

“I am sorry…”

“Drake…” he keeps on saying that to me and I just let him too.

And that night, I let him stay in the comfort of my arms. He didn’t say a word and just stayed near me. Just like me… he is also in pain yet…

There are so many things I am confused or right now… but somehow, I strangely feel like my emotions were blocked. I did not cry or anything…

More than anything else, I am mad. At myself…

Kianna… why are you so selfish even now? Why didn’t you notice it sooner?

You always think for yourself. It is always you… you think you can escape things if you avoid them… but… just like what they said. I can’t hide any longer. I need to do something… I have to do something… because things won’t go the way I want them to if I don’t take any action.

I don’t know why but that sight I saw before I got back to the present keeps knocking on my mind. Those portraits… and that empty frame…

Somehow… I think I have an idea of what might be in there… 

But I am not yet sure…

From Hera… to Rocco… to Drake and my Parents… 

Those keys should have a meaning behind them…

And what is it that she was talking about? 

‘You have to do something, Kianna. That is if you don’t want to end up like me…’

End up like what?

So many questions…

All of it… it must all stop.

This is not right… things like this…

And for that… I must fix things up. But how can I fix things if it was like this? I don’t even know what I should fix… then… I should start from the very first. I need to know what truly is happening… Fix it the right way. From the beginning… from where it all starts…