Chapter 4

I got up from my bed and grabbed my jacket hanging on the backrest of my wooden chair before going out of my room.

"You weren't with Camila when you went home?" Ate Nea asked.

I shut my door close before shaking my head as a response. "I was with Revi. Why? She's still not home?"

Ate Nea sighed heavily. "I don't know with that cousin of mine anymore. I don't even know her whereabouts!"

I checked the time on my wristwatch. "It's already late. She hasn't texted you?"

She shook her head. "No, she hasn't. "

Her phone rang for a call so both of our eyes glided down to her phone.

"Ah yes, she's calling me now. Thanks, Amelia!" Ate Nea said before excusing herself to answer her cousin's call.

Thoughts about Aubrey's confession I had earlier doesn't bother me anymore. I felt a strong assurance from what has Revi said. And of course, the man that he is, I trust every word that he utters.

If Aubrey likes my Revi, I can't do anything about that. She's free to like Revi, it won't change the fact that he's my boyfriend.

Kung gusto ni Aubrey si Revi ay wala akong magagawa doon. Gustuhin niya lang nang gustuhin, wala namang magbabago.

It doesn't change the fact that he's my boyfriend. I am not possessive but I claim what's mine.

I can't sleep and all I did was to stare at my artificial starry ceiling. Nothing was bothering me but what keeps me awake is all the things that I have now. I always have this thought every time I am about to go to sleep.

I came from a well-off family. I am studying for my dream course at the best university in the city. My name's always on the honor list and I am blessed with a lot of friends. I sometimes join pageants, academic contests and I am even a member of a popular charity organization at the university.

What else can I wish for? My life... is blessedly perfect.

That's my life... mundanely perfect. But when Revi came into my life, my once empty yet perfect life flourished.

Revi painted a lot of colors in my life.

But why do I feel like something's missing?

I sighed and stopped walking unconsciously.

What if... Revi didn't come into my life? I am sure my life will be the same as before. Well, I am not saying that I need a man in my life to feel happy and lively but it's just that... having Revi created a huge impact on me to the point that I cannot imagine myself without him anymore.

People always say, 'You're so lucky!' What defines luck, though? It's because I have rich parents, I am beautiful, thanks to my genes, intelligent which I opposed to being called for because the truth is, I just study and that's that. People can't just say that I am lucky because of what I have because I always hear my boyfriend's name attached to it.

'You're so lucky! Beautiful, smart, rich, kind, and popular! You even have a boyfriend who's dreamt by everybody!'

I leaned my body on the bridge's railing and rested my chin on my crossed shoulders on the top of the cold railing.

I am not offended by that. But I always feel that they just notice me because of the things that I have and that because I have a rich and popular boyfriend who is dreamt by everybody. I've never once heard someone saying of pure compliments to me about the things I'm good at.

You see... I am not just blessed because of the worldly treasure that the norm has set or because of my boyfriend. I am blessed with what I have and with what I don't have. I have talents too yet people just didn't take some notice on it because their eyes are set on their usual praises.

I'm not complaining. And if the second life does exist, I would want to wish on living this life again. I am just 22 and I am yet to discover fascinating things that will inspire me to keep on living.

For now, I am already thankful for the things I have and for the friends I have.

I looked at the night sky and stared at it for a while, emptying my thoughts. I am alone on this cold night. I have the urge to call Revi but it is already late at night and if he's still not asleep, he might be studying. I don't want to disturb him because if I am in his position, he wouldn't want to disturb me too.

I giggled at the image of my boyfriend with his disheveled hair while looking down on his notes with his forehead creased. Just the image of him sitting on his chair, studying under the study lamp giving enough light, illuminating his manly shadow on the wall made me blush.

I've always admired Revi. Everything about him. But the serious and studious Revi always win over any other. I don't know but that part of him always makes me think dreamily like I am some sort of a fangirl.

"Are you perhaps... suicidal?"

I immediately turned to the direction of that low voice and was astonished to see a familiar face.

Due to my surprise, I lost my grip on the railing which made me step down from where I was standing.

"W-what?"

Gael chuckled. "That's impossible, right?"

"What is?" I asked. I've now recovered from the shock brought by his sudden appearance.

"I mean... why would such a woman with a blessedly perfect life commit suicide?"

I frowned. That was what on my mind earlier and here he is again, reminding me how blessed my life is!

"Do I look like someone who's about to jump from this bridge?"

"Well, no. But with all your smiles and creepy giggling without company made me think twice."

I shot him a glare which then made him laugh. "You're so mean to me, Gael!"

"Don't call me by my second name. You always make me remember my mom!"

I let out a deep chuckle. "That's what she calls you every time you're scolded, right?"

He shot me a glare which made me raised my brow, letting out a sinister smile.

Gael is my childhood friend and my boyfriend's best friend. We were so close then but since his parents filed for an annulment, he lived with his mom. And because he was still not in the legal age to decide, he's always moving between his father and his mother's house. If I remember it correctly, he spent half of his elementary until high school days in his Dad's place and just visits Tita Amira in Gravetto every vacation. Because of that situation, we grew apart, especially because I'm not home and stays at my grandparent's place every vacation where I happened to meet Revi.

"Why are you alone?" He asked after a long silence.

I leaned against the railing and looked down at the calm water only to see a cruise exuding the sound of romantic music.

"I can't sleep."

"And going out does help?"

I yawned while covering my mouth with my hand. "I think it's quite effective."

He shook his head with a smile on his face.

"How about you? Why are you alone?"

"Do I look like I need someone with me?"

I grinned. "You don't have a girlfriend with you?"

His lips stretched back into a grim line. "You know that I don't keep one."

Gael is handsome too. Compared to Revi, he's much more mature and playful. If Revi is a fan of studying and academic stuff, Gael is much more into dangerous activities and hard work out so that explains his well-defined muscles. He's kind and intelligent, like what I knew, but just like any other evolution, he's a playboy and so into partying.

"I don't really know what's stopping you. Is it because you're a dork?"

"Psh. Stop asking that, Amelia."

I chuckled.

"Where's Revi?" He asked.

"Maybe sleeping or studying," I answered.

"What would he get by working that hard, though?" He asked in a very ridiculous tone. Well, he's working hard too. Revi's definition of working hard is 'studying hard' meanwhile to Gael, the definition suddenly changes. He defines 'working had' in a brute manner.

I looked at him in a smug. "There are many! That's Revi for you... my boyfriend!" I proudly said before letting out a hearty laugh.

"You really are in love," he mumbled.

I wiped the liquids on my eyes while remnants of my laugh are still on. "I do?"

Gael nodded. "Yes, you are."

I smirked. "I am very in love with your best friend."

He sighed and looked at me helplessly. "You know what? You can shout right here, right now." He sarcastically said. "And let the whole city hear it."

I looked at him with my glimmering and very pleased eyes. "Oh, should I?" I asked excitedly.

He shrugged.

My grip on the railing tightened as I inhaled and exhaled, preparing to shout.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

Gael nudged me. "Hoy-"

"I am in love! I am madly and deeply in love!!" I screamed.

Thank goodness that there are no people around us. Maybe they're already sleeping or in their house now. Well, it's because of the empty street which gave me this much confidence.

"I am in love with Revi Abracosa!" I shouted in its full glory, pouring my full energy on it. "You hear that?! I'm in love with Revi Abracosa!"

I gasped for air after screaming in full volume and I then felt trickling sweats on my forehead. "You hear that, Gael?--"

I turned to my side and was shocked to see that Gael's not beside me anymore. I turned to my other side and saw him walking away with both of his hands in his pockets.

"Hey! Gael!" I called but he never looked back and continued walking away from me. I immediately chased him even though it's obviously impossible because of the huge gap between us and because I lost my energy from all the shouting and screaming I had earlier. I could barely run.

I stopped and panted heavily while both of my hands are resting on my bended knees.

"You're... leaving... me... seriously?" I managed to ask in between my struggle for breathing.

I shook my head hard as a few strands of my hair danced along with the wind of the cold night.

"Lincoln Gael!"

So cruel! He didn't even look back.

When my breathing became even, I started walking slowly. I give up on the thought that I'll keep up with him. The possibility is close to an inch to zero.

A small smile escaped on my lips as I realized something. I know that he has something in mind, I was just not sure if it's a problem or a lovely thought, though. If it ain't it, why else would I come to encounter him on a quiet night like this? A person who finds peace in chaos is unusual to see in a full quiet place like this.

He's enigmatic but I somehow found some of his difficult pieces of the puzzle. His suggestion of me to shout proved to me that I am halfway on assembling his difficult puzzle.

It's like he's telling me in a vaguely silent statement that it's not just the bad things that are good to shout for a good release but the same goes for good feelings.

Who said problems are the only ones which require a scream? Beautiful things deserve a shout too that is why, Gael... you don't need to shout your problems to let everyone know. One person to tell your problems to is enough.

I hope you'll tell me about your problems one day and I am looking forward to the day where you'll need someone to comfort you although you're very annoying most times. Besides the fact that you are my boyfriend's best friend, you are also my friend... Lincoln Gael.