FF15: Change

"Change is the only constant in this world. But the question is, have you change for the better or worse?" - FF15

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Yrrah stiffened when Santa's lips touch her forehead. She was awestruck when the high voltage of electricity traveled to every part of her body. Her heart would like to pop out of her chest and she's quite anxious that he could hear its sounds. She also felt something weird in her stomach. Probably the dancing and singing butterflies? Just like the crowd who's applauding and cheering right now.

Though he changed his voice to be deeper and more jolly than his actual tone, his eyes and effect with her could never disguise him enough.

"Merry Christmas, wife. You look so beautiful tonight," Santa whispered closer to her ears. His warm breath tickled her ears and its minty smell sent a more hypnotic spell.

"Yrrah!" Aeron broke the spell. He was standing in front of her with a concerned look and extended his arms to her.

She reached his hand, stood up like a robot, and forced to smile to the crowd.

"Awww!" the crowd complained. Aeron guided her to be backed to their table.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! Enjoy the party!" Santa said and waved to the crowd. He went back to where he came out.

The emcee announced that it's time for more fun games for kids, teenagers, and couples. She even asked everyone to participate and enjoy the night.

'When did he come back? Why is he here? Why did he call me wife? Was he being sarcastic only?' Yrrah asked herself inaudibly.

Unconsciously, she drank and emptied the red wine in her glass.

"Are you okay?" Aeron asked her, he noticed that she's preoccupied.

She nodded and smiled at him. "Excuse me, I'm going to get more drinks."

"No. Stay there and I'm going to get it for you." Aeron walked away.

Zach arrived and settled himself on the empty chair of Aeron, beside her. "Hi," his simple greetings to her.

"Hi, Auntie Fe. How's the food?" he asked the older lady who's seating beside her on the right side.

She just gave Zach a lazy nod as her reply. Her face remained emotionless though, her heart was hammering harder, shouting to come out of her chest.

"Delicioso, hijo," Manang Fe complimented, gave him a genuine and satisfied smile.

'Oh! He's the one who cooked that lobster, salmon, and some other fancy dishes. That's why the taste seems very familiar,' she thought to herself.

"Gurlush, who is this handsome fafa? Mah gash!" Barbie who sat on the left side of Zach now asked in an animated tone. His thicker and wide lips were like being stretched from ears-to-ears. His eyes twinkled with heart-shaped.

Zach didn't even bother to look at Barbie. Before Yrrah could reply, Aeron came back with a glass of wine on his left hand.

"Excuse me, you're taking my spot," he said to Zach.

Zach threw him an ice-cold glare. "Am I?" He stood up and faced Aeron.

Yrrah felt the tension between two men who were the same height, both dashingly handsome, and they were attracting a lot of pairs of eyes already. Aeron was just a bit muscular than Zach, has more angular jawline and sharper eyes. If he's a movie actor, he would be better in an antagonist role. While Zach got his own unique charm as he still looks so kind like an angel even with his pokerfaced. What more if he smiles? If he's a movie actor, he would always play the role of a protagonist.

She stood up also facing both men. "Ah, Zach. I want you to meet Aeron, my boyfriend," she said in a low voice, enough for Zach to hear.

She even snaked her arms on Aeron's right arm and gave Zach a sweet feign smile. She was thankful that she didn't stutter. She saw a ghost of disappointment on his ex-husband's eyes.

Zach's lips even parted a bit, surely, he was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that in the short span of six months, she could easily replace him.

Yrrah was not sure if her own eyes betrayed her or it is what her mind wished to see?

"Aeron, this is Zach, my-"

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," the emcee said. She was looking at their direction. "We would like to take this opportunity to welcome and give thanks to our special guest who made our evening extra blessed. We are so lucky to have a taste of the cooking of the well-known chef in New York, USA. None other than Chef Zacharry Ravelo. Also known as The Sizzling Hot Chef. Thank you, Chef, for joining us tonight and for all the tasty and fancy dishes. We're so lucky not to pay even one dollar to taste those foods."

Zach just waved his hand to their guest and his lips lifted for a bashful smile.

Yrrah caught the redness of his cheeks when he spared him a quick glimpse.

'Are you shy, ex-hub? Oh gosh! He is. Even his ears are red. He looks so cute.' The tiny voice inside her head mimicked.

Their guest clapped their hands and they started murmuring like bees. Mostly positive comments about the foods, the elegant buffet, and how illegally handsome he is. Some of the older and younger people approached him and asked if he's the son of Zacharias and Zarah Ravelo. Some asked him if he's still single. If he has a current girlfriend. His social media account. His cellphone numbers.

'Really, people?'

She rolled her eyes to the dark sky and her lips curved in a dismayed look. She pulled Aeron away from the crowd. Her ex was surely the King of the Night.

"Are you serious about what you've said?" Aeron asked her in an apprehensive tone.

They settled themselves at the gazebo a few meters away from the perimeter of the party.

"What?" She played dumb. She actually just admitted it as she didn't want to look pathetic in front of her ex. But then, it was her planned a few days ago, but now that Zach came back, she's a bit confused again.

"That... I am your boyfriend. You already knew that I like you so much. So, do you-"

She cut him off. "Yeah. I'm supposed to tell you on your birthday but I p-passed out," she admitted then, let out a silly laugh, and drank the wine that Aeron gave her.

"Yes!" he shouted a bit louder. Some people closer to them glanced with confusion but then, their lips lifted with delighted eyes when he wrapped her into his muscular arms and kissed her on her forehead.

She tried to feel the voltage of electricity but there's none. Though she felt her cheeks hot, her heart was also palpitating irregularly, and it seemed that there's something weird in her belly like some bugs fighting; betting between Zach or Aeron. Who's going to win?

'This is my decision. I stick to it. I know, it's the right decision. Aeron likes me since we met. While Zach, it seems that I was the only one who fell for him. It seems that I just registered as a member of Unrequited Love Club, like those of 'pinaasa pero hindi minahal' or 'given with false hope but their love had never been reciprocated'. Yrrah thought to herself.

She glanced at Zach's direction. He towered those ladies around him; matured, young adults, and teenagers. Their eyes met. He was staring at her coldly as if he's throwing her with frosted icicle arrows. Her hands lifted to hug back Aeron and rest her head on his shoulder as the tears escaped from her eyes.

'I better choose the one who loves me, not the one I love but stabbing me to death. I hope I'm not being unfair with Aeron. I surely learn to love him.'

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