Kristier Arabella Sandoval is one of the daughters of the Sandoval clan. She's a student leader, a dancer, and a humble teenager. Her life is too full of happiness and protection. Her family gives her everything, not just money but also love and affection. When she transferred to CCAM (Central Colleges of Medicine), for her college years, she thought life will stay as easy like before. But when she entered the stage of maturity, things started to change drastically. Will she be able to handle the changes in her life? Will she stay the same after falling in love and getting hurt from her first love? For her: "He's been my prince, my comfort, my home, and the only person who constantly explained the meaning of love just by his existence."
View MoreDavina's POV:
The flaky layers of the croissant shattered with a satisfying crispness as I bit into it, the buttery richness melting on my tongue. This tiny corner table at "Le Petit Bonjour" had become my sanctuary, a place where the lingering anxieties of job applications and the general uncertainty of post-graduation life could be momentarily forgotten in the simple pleasure of a perfect pastry and a strong latte.
My phone, nestled beside my half-eaten breakfast, vibrated insistently against the wooden tabletop. I frowned, glancing at the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen. Usually, my calls were from recruitment agencies I barely remembered applying to or my mom checking in. Hesitantly, I swiped to answer.
“Hello?”
The voice that answered was flat, devoid of any warmth or inflection. “Davina Wilson?”
A knot tightened in my stomach. It wasn’t a voice I recognized. “Speaking.”
“Your father, Mr. Malcolm Wilson, is in the hospital. He suffered a heart attack.”
The buttery sweetness of the croissant turned to ash in my mouth. Malcolm. The name felt foreign, a relic from a life I thought I’d left behind. My father. A man whose presence had evaporated from my world years ago, a clean break after the messy, acrimonious divorce. He hadn’t called, hadn’t written, hadn’t so much as sent a postcard in what felt like an eternity. A heart attack? The image of a man I barely remembered clutching his chest felt surreal, almost comical in its absurdity.
“My… my father?” I stammered, the cafe’s comforting hum suddenly a distant, muffled sound. My fingers tightened around my coffee cup, the ceramic digging into my skin. “But… I haven’t heard from him in years.” The words felt inadequate, a pathetic understatement of the chasm that had grown between us.
The voice on the other end remained impassive. “He asked for you.”
That single sentence hit me with the force of a physical blow. He asked for me? After all this time? After the silence, the deliberate cutting off of ties? A bitter laugh almost escaped my lips. It had to be a mistake. Some cruel, twisted prank.
“There must be some mistake,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “My father… he wouldn’t…” The words trailed off, the reality of the situation, however improbable, starting to sink in. A cold dread began to bloom in my chest.
The line went silent for a beat, amplifying the frantic thumping of my own heart. Then, the voice simply stated, “City General. Room 312.” And then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the call ended, leaving a hollow echo in my ear and a gaping void in the normalcy of my morning.
My croissant lay forgotten on the plate, its golden-brown layers now a stark reminder of the peace that had just been shattered. Malcolm. In the hospital. Asking for me. It made no sense. It was wrong. Yet, a strange, unsettling pull, a morbid curiosity mixed with a flicker of something I couldn’t quite name, began to tug at me. What was going on? And why, after all this time, did my estranged father suddenly want to see me?
The questions swirled in my mind, as bitter and unsettling. The cafe, once my sanctuary, now felt like a cage, and the sunshine streaming through the window seemed to cast long, ominous shadows.
My breath hitched in my throat, a strangled sound escaping my lips. "Room 312," the disembodied voice had said. City General. My mind raced, trying to reconcile the cold, distant father I remembered with the image of him lying in a hospital bed, asking for me. It felt like a scene ripped from a bad dream.
Pushing back my chair with a harsh scrape against the tiled floor, I practically ran out of the cafe. The L.A heat hit me like a physical weight as I hurried down the street, my mind a whirlwind of disbelief and a growing sense of urgency. City General wasn't far, a stark, modern building a few blocks away.
Bursting through the automatic doors of the hospital, the sterile scent of antiseptic and the hushed murmur of voices assaulted my senses. I spotted a nurse at the reception desk, her expression calm and professional.
"Excuse me!" I blurted out, my voice tight with a mixture of anxiety and a strange, unwelcome surge of emotion. "My father... Malcolm Wilson? He's in room 312. I need to see him."
The nurse's fingers tapped efficiently on her keyboard, her gaze fixed on the screen. After a moment, she looked up, her brow slightly furrowed. "Wilson... Malcolm Wilson... yes, he's a patient here."
Relief, sharp and unexpected, pierced through my anxiety. "I came here as soon as I received your call, about his heart attack. Can you tell me how he is? And... can you take me to his room, please?" My voice trembled slightly, the years of estrangement creating a strange barrier even now, in this moment of potential crisis.
The nurse's gaze softened slightly. "He's stable and he is currently resting. However," she paused, her eyes meeting mine with a hint of confusion, "He did not suffer a heart attact and.. we didn't call you."
I've been into a lot of struggles just to be with her. Everytime I see her, my heart will beat faster. Hindi ko inakalang darating ang araw na mamahalin ko siya ng lubusan.It all started that day."Pre, susunduin mo na naman ang kapatid mo sa SEU?" I heard Alden's voice from behind.I was busy aiming for the target board when he came. Nasa practice room ako ngayon ng archery. I focused again on the board until I hit the center spot."Sana all, sharpshooter." I heard him again."Susunduin ko, malamang," sagot ko sa kanya habang inaayos ang bow at arrow."Ang tanda na ni Andrei, sinusundo pa." He hissed and crossed his arms.I raised a brow and let him rant. Sanay na ako sa kanya. Kapag nagkaroon ka ba naman ng kaibigan na baliw, magtataka ka pa?Sabay kaming lumabas ng CCAM. Naghiwalay lang kami ng landas nang nasa parking lot na. Nagpaala
"Saan mo gustong pumunta ngayong umaga?"I sat beside him. He's currently watching some cartoons. Mas nauna siyang nagising sa akin kaya nauna din siyang bumaba. Kinusot ko ang mata ko, halatang inaantok pa."Let's visit my friends, please," I asked him with my puppy eyes.Ginulo niya ang buhok ko at tumawa ng mahina. I pouted and crossed my arms trying to act like I'm mad."Kung saan mo gusto," he said softly.I excitedly went back to my room, nagmamadaling mag-ayos. I badly missed my friends. I'll surprise them this time.After a quick shower, I blow dried my hair and wore a white, pintuck mini dress paired with my black Roadster heeled boots. Hinayaan kong nakalugay ang mahaba kong buhok. Naglagay lang ako ng clip sa left side, just to pin my baby hairs.When I went downstairs, I saw Ismael comfortably sitting on the sofa, still watching another cartoon
" Sunbae, nasa labas po si Dr. Santiago."I urgently faced Erika when she said those words. She smiled awkwardly at me when she noticed that I was totally shocked. After we talked last time, we never had the chance to talk again. I rarely saw him these days. I don't know if he's just avoiding me or he's really busy.Despite of the awkwardness, I chose to go out and face him. I sighed heavily when I saw him leaning on the wall, just behind the door of the laboratory. His hands were on the pockets of his white coat, slightly bowing his head."Eikel," I called him.He swiftly moved and looked at me with his tired eyes. He faked a smile and came closer."Can we talk?" he suddenly asked.I seriously don't have enough reasons to turn down his request so I nodded and followed him.After a few minutes, I found myself sitting in front of him. We're on a café
"Nagbibiro ka ba?"I asked Ismael after he said those words about marrying me. I can't deny that my heart pounded after he said those words. I'm open enough to understand marriage pero di ko inisip na sasabihin niya nga."I'm not. I'm always serious when it comes to you, Kara. I want to marry you," he seriously said."Baka naman naiinggit ka lang sa kapatid mo." I mocked him.He smirked and leaned closer. Parang balewala ata ang lamesang humaharang sa pagitan namin."Why would I?I have the best girl in the world. In short, I have you," he said and chuckled.My face heated upon hearing that. Gosh, I'm not a teenager anymore but his words can really bring butterflies to my stomach. Umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya kaya mas lalo kong narinig ang mahihina niyang tawa. Bumalik na din siya sa pwesto niya kaya ibinalik ko ang tingin sa pagkain ko."Kumain ka na. Bak
"Pose ka rin dito, Kara!"Nasa dalampasigan kami at trip ni Alise mag pictorial kaya nakisabay na rin kami ni Taine. Ilang beses na niya akong pinipilit mag-pose ng kung ano-ano. Some tourist were actually looking and that made me felt awkward.We're wearing a two piece. Napilitan akong hubarin ang ipinatong ko dito kanina dahil sa kakulitan ni Alise. I was about to walk away when she pulled me."I don't want this, Alise. Marami na ang nakatingin," I awkwardly told her."Natural! Maganda tayo at sexy!" she said and rolled her eyes.Sa huli, wala rin akong nagawa dahil mapilit siya. Si Taine nga ay ginawa niya pang model. Nakikisakay naman ang isa kaya natutuwa si Alise. Kahit kailan talaga, pahamak siya.I was already enjoying while watching them when someone sat beside me. It was a couple of seconds when I realized that it was Ismael. He looked so grumpy and pissed off.
"Nasa'n na ang maleta mo?"Parang tanga ako habang wala sa sariling naglalakad papalapit kina Alise at Taine. They looked at me with confusion. Tinanong agad ako ni Alise nang nasa harapan na nila ako."Kay Ismael," I said.They both laughed and giggled. Eikel turned his gaze to our spot. Maybe he's wondering why did Alise and Taine laugh out of the blue. I sighed heavily and tried to forget about what happened in the bus."Come back na ba?" nakangising tanong ulit ni Alise."Hoy! 'Yong kuya ko pa!" mabilis na sagot ni Taine.Parang kanina lang halos ipagtulakan niya rin ako kay Ismael tapos ngayon, ipapaalala na naman niya sa akin na nandiyan pa ang kuya niya. I was about to say something nang dumating si Ismael habang bitbit ang maleta ko. Nakasunod na rin si Alden sa kanya na nakatingin sa akin ng nakakaloko."Maleta mo," Ismael said and gave me my lugg
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