Chapter 3

Carly

MONTHS HAVE PASSED, AND WE'RE PREPARING FOR OUR MIDTERMS. Kiara is still in the hospital, unconscious from her suicide attempt. Francis managed to console his cousin to take his classes and focus on the exams. Good thing he obliged, and right now, they're also doing their exams.

"Carly! How's the exams?" Shin asked as she visited the school.

"It's fine. How's yours? I heard you were cramming on a book review."

"It's hard!! I wanna quit!!" She whined.

I tapped her shoulder. "It's okay. By the way, how's your problem with Rhyss?"

"Well I don't know. If my book review is hard, me and him is complicated."

"What do you feel about him? Without considering Myrtle..."

"Uhmm... Well he's a good friend even if he's a bully. I also kinda like him but, arghh! I don't know!" She looks frustrated now.

Good thing I'm not in a complicated situation like hers. Shin's just ranting about her annoying teacher as I try to laugh at her mocking the poor teacher. It's hard for us to get good grades, but we'll have our get-together during our Christmas break after this.

My exams went smoothly, and everything was fine. Our professor applauded us for a well-done job and wished us well for a wonderful Christmas. I only have one wish in mind. I want to Kiara wake up from the coma.

"Carly I'm sorry." She said one time as I was peeling apples for her.

"Why are you saying sorry? Is something wrong?" I asked her, giving her the apples.

"I..." She paused. "Nothing. Maybe I'm just guilty for being a burden to you."

"K..." I said as I held her hand to assure her. "Don't say sorry about it. It's my choice to be here with you today. I wanna help you and Rai. You both are my friends and I love you guys."

I remembered that conversation with her before she got into a coma. I am curious about how deep is the reason for her sorries. I have no idea why she has to be sorry to me. For the years we've been friends, we never had any arguments. She was an excellent addition to the circle of friends when she became Raiko's girlfriend. And she never knows about what I truly felt that time...

I walked outside the classroom while some of my classmates stayed inside to clean. I went directly outside to meet Francis. He's waiting for me because we have a little date night. I have been trying to give time to him because I have been busy both in class and with Kiara.

"Babe!!" I said as I saw him. He immediately went to me.

"Hello babe." He said and kissed my cheeks. "How's your exams? You answered all just fine?"

"Hmmm... It's hard and very stressful. I'm kinda nervous on my score."

"Babe, I know you did great. You're my girlfriend, my future nurse and wife." He boasted.

I pinched his cheeks. "Come on Mr. Vergara. You're now thinking I'm your wife huh."

"Of course! You're my only girl that I wanna spend the rest of my life with."

He's the sweetest, and I can't ask for more but just him. We went inside his car and went for a drive. All throughout, we just kept talking about life as he held my hand. It's a romantic moment for both of us. The music playing while he's holding my hand. I looked around and saw a familiar place to me. It's the hill where he confessed his love for me.

"Remember this place babe?" He said.

"Yes... How can I forget. You confessed here." I said while looking around.

He went outside the car and straight to the door next to the passenger seat. "Let's go." He said and opened the door for me.

I took his hand and walked with him. He had set up a little picnic on this hill. The lanterns and portable lights became our light, and he had prepared the food for us both. We sat on the blanket, and he started giving me food so that we could eat. He's so caring and sweet; I could not ask for more.

"How's Raiko?" I asked suddenly in the middle of our conversation. "K is still in coma and I know he was not that focused on his exams. So how did he do?"

"He's fine, Carly. Why do you worry so much about my cousin? You haven't even asked about my exams." He said, feeling disappointed in my sudden question.

"I'm sorry. I just got used to being his only bestfriend for a long time."

"You can be his friend but you're also my girlfriend. And this is our date, so no Raiko for now." He said and continued eating.

Looking at my boyfriend, they really look similar to my best friend. Both were best in their exams, took engineering and football champs. But one day, I heard Raiko just quit on his team. Francis was still courting for me at that time. I was so shocked to listen to his departure on their team.

"Rai!!" I called him in the hallway. It was after the football match. The rumors went so fast, and it reached me that he's no longer part of the team.

"Carl... I thought you'll gonna watch Francis." He said.

I hit him in the arm. "Why did you left the team?! You are the next team captain. How can you waste it."

"I'm sorry Carl. I had my reasons but I can't tell it to you for now."

"I'm your bestfriend Rai! I was waiting for you to be the team captain. It's your dream right..." I wasn't able to finish my sentence when he hugged me. ".... What are you doing?"

"I wanna hug you. You always keep nagging at me. You always take care of me. You always make me wanna pursue my dreams. If you have just been that girl, I could have...."

"Babe? You okay?" I snapped back to reality when Francis called me.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about something." I said.

He sighed. "You know you can always tell me everything right? I'm your boyfriend Carly."

"It's really nothing. Maybe I'm just tired from the exams."

We were just silent when he suddenly held my face and made me face him. He's really handsome; he's even the most famous on their campus now. He looks into my lips and starts to go near. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to kiss my lips, and he did. It was slow and steady. I just kissed him back with the same pace. Until we were disturbed by my phone.

It kept ringing, so I answered it without seeing the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Keira is in the ER. Raiko is breaking down he might do something weird. Be here, ASAP!!" It said and hung up. It was Shin, and if she calls, that means it's serious trouble.

"Is something wrong?" Francis asked.

"We need to go to the hospital."