(Alys Prov)
She pulled me with her and asked me to sit. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked.
I just looked at her... and Tripp. Why were they together? I thought they didn't get along? Because when we were in New York, they didn't talk because Tripp was so upset with Kei, and the same as Kei, he didn't want Tripp with him. What happened? Was there an apocalypse and I wasn't informed?
"Here, water," Kei said to me as she reached for a glass and poured water in it. I drank it. I didn't know why I was nervous. I mean, I shouldn't be, right? Kei's almost my sister. She knew everything I went through when I was in New York. All those sleepless nights, all those inconsolable crying... She wouldn't betray me now that I was fighting for my only shot at happiness.
Tripp? He was avoiding my stare. Why, Tripp? Guilty?
After drinking, I turned to her. "W-Why are you here?"
She beamed at me. She still looked as good as ever. She's still blonde. She's still Kei.
"I just finished my internship and MBA!" she said. "I just want to visit the Philippines, you know. I've been far from home since high school."
"What did Auntie say?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Leave them alone, I'm an adult so they can't stop me if I want to spend my life here," she said and then winked at me. And then she stood up and clapped her hands. "Speaking of Mom, she asked me to give something to you. Wait up! I'll just get it from my car, ha." She sped away and left us here.
The silence was eating us. No one wanted to talk.
"So..." I said, breaking the numbing silence. "You're back."
I didn't understand how it could possibly feel so awkward talking to someone you love. We've been through a lot... So much. But now? It felt like I was talking to a stranger. Someone I barely knew.
He tried to smile. "Yes, yes."
"You're with Kei." It was meant to be a statement but it sounded like it was an accusation. Well, maybe it was. I just can't seem to understand why they were together when in fact, they couldn't be at each other's back.
He shrugged. "Yes, yes."
I was getting pissed off. He's avoiding me.
"Tripp, what the hell."
He looked at me now. "What the hell?"
"You're avoiding me."
"You're just thinking that, Alys."
And then it stung. Alys. He called me Alys.
"Are you still mad at me, huh..." I said, my voice breaking. I couldn't help but cry. I've been hiding my feelings for so long. The things I wanted to tell him, I'm only now saying. He was avoiding me for what felt like an eternity.
He crossed his arms and slumped back. "You're overthinking."
I couldn't help it but I slammed my fists. "Talk to me, then! You're not the one avoiding me!"
Tripp's jaw clenched and then closed his eyes. He muttered something inaudible. Tripp, why are you doing this to me? Don't you love me? Did you think you didn't want me to cry?
"Go home, Alys. We will just fight."
"Then let's fight but please let's talk!"
He stood up like he didn't even hear what I said.
"Go home." He started walking away from me but I tugged on his arm. "Alys..."
"Tripp... Don't treat me like this..."
Before I even knew it, I was crying again. Damn these tears. When will you run out? It seems that with all the things I've been through, you're never running out. Through everything I've felt, you've always been there.
"I'm not doing anything," he uttered.
I hugged him from behind. I don't care if anyone else sees us. I don't care if it looks like I'm chasing after him.
This was my last shot. It felt like everything's gonna break apart. I need to salvage what I can salvage.
"Please do something, anything. Don't do this, Tripp. It's more painful, huh..."
I felt him taking in deep breaths. He held my hand and his hand felt the same. His warm hands against mine. His familiar touch lingering...
He turned around and looked at me. His gaze didn't feel the same. It was like I was staring at another person. How could he possibly change in a short period of time? Why had he changed so much?
"Give me space to breathe, Alys. We'll talk when I'm okay."
"What about me, Tripp? What if I'm not okay? Have you even thought about how I feel?" I asked him. I sounded so desperate but I was more than willing to be. I have already lost everything, it wouldn't hurt to fight for this last one even if it meant lowering myself.
He smiled a little. "What about me, Alys? Have you even thought about how I feel?"
"You're the one I chose, right?! I chose you! Why are you being an ass?!"
He just stared at me during my outburst. "You didn't choose me, Alys. I was the option. Drake left you, so it's just me. That's it, right? Tripp's the only one there, eh. He's fine. Do you think that's fun to feel?" he shook his head. "It's confusing, Alys. It's so confusing." He turned his back on me. "Go home, please. We'll talk when we're both okay."
And then he started walking away and for a moment, I felt my hopes were crushing.
"Hey?" Kei returned just in time to see me crying. She was with Tofer who was as clueless as she was. "Why the hell are you crying?!"
I couldn't even utter a word. It felt like if I said a thing out loud, I'd breakdown again.
"Is it Drake again? I swear, that ass!" Kei cursed.
Tofer sat down next to me and hugged me. "That's okay, Alys. Did Tripp fight you?"
"Wait what, Tripp? Isn't he your boyfriend? Why the hell would he make you cry?"
I just shook my head and looked at them. "Look, I really don't want to talk. Could you just please take me home?"
Days after my talk with Tripp, nothing happened. He didn't make any effort to talk to me again, much less to even see my face. Were we really breaking up?
"Honey, come on."
My Mom dragged me to one of the company's party. Apparently, it was obligatory for the family to attend.
"Coming!" I shouted. Well, at least my family's okay even if everything was broken.
The drive was long and winding but finally, we arrived just in time. Dad and Mom disappeared from our vision, probably talking to the business partners. Dane? He left me to eat alone. My brother's such a lonely guy. When he returned from the States, he was really, really weird.
I was walking mindlessly when I bumped into someone.
"I'm so--" I was about to utter my apologies when I noticed that it was Drake... tending to a very drunk Fier.
He wasn't shocked to see me shocked.
"Alys!" Fier said, her words were slurry. "You little bitch!" she said. All the people near us looked at us.
Drake whispered something in her ears which made her giggle like a kid. "Come on," he said. He looked at me for a beat. "Sorry, she's just really drunk."
I smiled at him. Looking at her, I can't find it in me not to compare. Drake said she doesn't even compare. But how come I feel a wee jealous every time I see her so close to him? And it felt really inappropriate feeling this...
Drake dragged her from me but she just kept on mumbling things. "Alys... I hate you, you know!" she shouted while she was being dragged. "You broke up with him but I still can't get him from you! You're a horrible person!"
That was the last thing she said before her voice disappeared from my hearing.