3 year have passed and the relationship that Rainne and Gavin have is still a big love story that every person around them believes is true.
Rainne tried her best to go along with what Gavin asked her to do, not because she wants to, but because she trust Gavin.
She acted the way Gavin wants to in front of their families but when it's just the two of them and when they are in the University, they will go back to strangers.
Rainne has become a good student that her professor praises her with her good performance in school while Gavin on the other just does the same but without the idea of everyone that Gavin just uses his study to run away from his Dad. He wants to become a good prosecutor, so that one day he is the one who will prosecute those people who do bad things. He wants his Dad to feel afraid towards him too when he becomes a prosecutor.
Last year of being a student in the University and this means a lot to both of them.
At Pier 39 (9:46 pm)
Loud music, ticking glasses, dancing people on the dance floor and strangers hooking up.
This is what Gavin's night was like for the past 3 years. He gets himself drunk almost every night except if he has major exams the next day.
"Lorrie is not coming tonight?" Seth asks, who is now with a stranger on his lap.
"Maybe she gets tired of our friend games, you know. She's so faithful to him that she didn't even make herself available for others." Blake says
"You are right... Are you sure you don't feel anything for Lorrie? Man.. she is perfect." Seth is trying to make fun of him and he just smiled.
"You know, I don't do girlfriends if they stay then stay if they will walk away then so be it."
What's that? I even pushed away the only girl who loves and cares for me.
I take my glass and try to get another sip when someone holds my wrist.
"I think you already had enough."
"Finally! We thought you're not really gonna come, this dude here is a little sad."
She sits next to me and grabs the glass before drinking the whisky inside it.
"Really? I'm just trying to make him miss me just a bit." He puts a kiss on my cheek
I rest my chin on her shoulder and look at her beautiful innocent face. Lorrie is such a beautiful girl and she's been my shield towards my weakness. She never complains, she just stays by my side and takes good care of me.
And sometimes I feel guilty that I am using her so I can protect the girl that I love.
Everyday, I regret that day that I let her go and ask her to stop loving me. Every night I have a nightmare of her not breathing in my arms and that is the greatest thing that I am afraid of.
She's been with her best friends everyday and that includes Axel. The man I envy the most because he can freely love the woman he loves, the thing that I cannot do.
Each day, I endure the pain of seeing them together, so that he can make her smile and happy.
"Maybe I already had enough. Let's go!" I grab her hand "We'll go ahead guys, I still have some important gathering to attend tomorrow."
"Okay... bye and take care. Don't make too much noise, okay." And Seth chunkles
We headed to my place, where I already set my plans of ending everything.
I leave a message to Blake, a message that will surely break her once again.
I laid Lorrie on my bed, kissed her passionately and explored her body. She is responding to every touch and kiss that I put onto her, she moans my name because of the pleasure that I am giving her.
I can hear how she screams my name even if nothing has happened yet. The more I deepen the kiss, the more her nails dig up my back out of pleasure.
Until I am sure that she's already here.
"I love you....." There I drop the bomb in front of her.
Rainne's POV
I and Axel had our dinner and he is now driving me home when I receive a message from Blake.
"Rainne.. Gavin is drunk and I think he has a fever. He already went home but I am still worried about him." - Blake
I stare at the text for a moment that Axel noticed.
"Are you okay?"
"Gavin.."
"You're thinking about him while you're with me."
"No...I'm sorry."
"I think I am used to it."
"Can we go to the penthouse?"
"But Rainne.. I don't want you to get hurt again."
"Please? He needs me now." There my tears fell and Axel held my hand before having a U turn.
We drive to the penthouse without anyone talking. I know that Axel is disappointed but I cannot let Gavin be alone tonight, he needs me.
When we're already in the pethouse, Axel hugs me and holds my hand.
"Just go inside my place if anything happens." He kissed my forehead and let go of my hand before he walked inside his penthouse.
I was left in front of Gavin's place, looking at the pass code before typing in and I am correct he didn't change his pass code. As I entered his place, I knew he would be in his room but there's something strange. He never let his light off whenever he's sick or sleeping.
I turn the knob and push the door of his room, my eyes couldn't believe what I am seeing right now.
His eyes landed on mine and continued to kiss the naked woman.
"I love you."
My heart kept beating so fast that I couldn't even start walking. I feel like my feet are numb and my whole body is in the moment.
"Oh my god" There the girl saw me with shock and it's Lorrie, the girl who is always with him.
She covers herself with the blanket and Gavin looks at me with no emotion. He grabs his robe and puts it on before walking closer to me.
"What are you doing here?" I look in his before turning my back and I can feel that he is following me.
"I already told you before that....." I faced him and slapped him hard.
"I kept on holding because I thought you would change your mind but I'm wrong. I have been a fool for trusting you and hurting those people who really cares for me over and over again because I keep on choosing you."
"I already told you that I don't love you."
"I should have believed you back then. I.... hate you." I pull my engagement ring and put it on his palm before walking outside his penthouse.
I am not going to cry but as soon as I saw Axel opening his door for me. I rushed into him and hugged him tight, I can feel the comfort in his hug. The comfort that Gavin always denied for me.
"Sssssshhhhhh.... I am here." He keeps on caressing my back and I couldn't stop but cry. "Let's go inside first." He led me inside the spare room where I always stay whenever we have some sleep ove with Kai and Madi.
"Here.." He handed me a glass of water before sitting next me on the bed. "I will not ask, just take a rest." He smiled at me and laid me down on the bed.
When he is about to leave, I grab his hand.
"Why are you always there for me?"
"Because I....." He looks at me and smiles "I love you, Rainne and ...." I didn't let him finish and hug him
"Tell me how to love you too... Please.. Teach me how to love you."
"Love cannot be taught or learned, it will just come to you without expecting it coming." He pulls me away and caresses my face. "I love you not because I want to but because my heart says so."
"Will you wait for me?"
He smiled at me again and held my hand "If 3 years is still not enough, then I will still wait until the day has come that I am the one who's in there." He points out my heart. "Just take your time and don't dare learn to love me."
I smiled at him too and nodded "When that time comes, promise me that you will never let go of my hand."
"I promise."
Axel becomes my strength and I don't know when it started. He becomes my home that I always find comfort and feels safe whenever I am with him.
He doesn't need to ask because once he looks at me, he already knows.
As always. I slept in his place and he brought me home in the morning. My Nanny didn't ask anything since she is comfortable and fond of Axel too.
But that morning is a different one, aside from Nanny there is Mom and Dad who is waiting for me.
Mom always dislikes Axel and I don't know why. I didn't ask her and she doesn't tell me too, I just feel it every time she knows that I am with him.
"Thank you for driving Rainne home." My Mom says while giving Axel a fake smile and I hate it.
"It's nothing. I should get going, See you on Monday." And he waved at me and said bye to my parents too.
"Get change and go down here immediately."
I take a shower and get change for comfortable clothes sinv=ce it's Saturday and I have no plans of going outside.
My Mom and Dad are not in the living area, so I ask Nanny if where are my parents?.
"Young Miss, whatever your Mom or Dad will say just accept it." She looks so worried
"Nanny, I'll be fine. I am a big girl now, I can take care of myself." After saying that to comfort her, I went to the study room as per Nanny they are there.
I knocked twice before entering the room and there I saw them having wine early in the morning.
"I know that wine is good for the heart but early in the morning?" I sat in between them and there I saw my Dad smile before putting down the glass.
"You really look like a doctor now." He said while smiling at me
"Because I am and you know what? We are into research of my condition and it's a good thing that I learned a lot about myself."
"You're not having a hard time?"
"No... Everything is good especially that I have Axel and Kai in all this."
"Speaking of... Let me get straight to the point here Eliza."
Eliza? Mom only addresses me, Eliza if she is mad or upset.
"Hon..." Dad is trying to stop her because he knows that I notice it .
"What's going on between you and Axel? A normal girl will not go sleep around his friend guy for nothing."
"So I am not normal?"
"Don't talk back at me.Where is your manners now huh? Let me just remind you that you are engaged. What will Gavin think if he knows that you're sleeping in your friends house? "
"I'm sorry if I talk back but Mom, Axel is a good friend to me. He never does anything that is against my will, he is a gentleman."
"I don't care if he is a gentleman or what, you have a fiance'. Stop seeing that man."
"But Mom?"
"You heard me and it's final." She stood up and walks out the study room.
My Dad just hugged me and caressed my back. He's comforting me because he cannot do anything to change my Mom's decision.
"Just follow what your Mom says, she knows better."
"How? How come that she knows better? Dad... Axel is a good person if only she knew everything."
"Do you like that guy?"
I feel my tears fall and then I realize that maybe I don't love him more than I love Gavin but one thing's for sure I love him too.
"Dad.. if you think I failed you because I decided to be on my own, then forgive me and don't hate me."
"How can I hate my princess? Nothing in this world can make me hate you, Rainne. " He stood up and walked to the bookshelves before getting a book. She gave it to me and the author of the book seems familiar.
"Tell Me How, Tell Me Who, Tell Me When! by Bianca Stewart"
"What is this... I know that it's a book but why are you giving me this?"
"That is my favorite book, I want you to read it and then when you're done answer me this question. How are you going to tell if that love is right?"
"Dad?"
"I know for so long that what you and Gavin have is pure but then you found a new comfort in someone else's presence, why? because in this world, change is the only thing that is constant. I will not go against your answer or decision in life, because I know that we raised a strong woman."
Madi wants to hang out with me but I refuse because I am busy reading the book that my Dad gave me. I want to answer his question with my own feelings and not because I feel like answering it.
It's just a common weekend, I need to face Gavin again tonight because of our traditional dinner every weekend.
I am just reading the book that Dad gave me and there's this phrase that caught my attention the most.
"Romance is like walking across the high wire stretched between friendship and romance. The two priorities of growing and guarding are like the two ends of our balancing pole. We need to hold our pole in the middle for success. If we're too guarded, we won't move forward, if we grow close too fast, we risk emotional injury."
It clearly talks about me and Gavin, how he guarded himself from me because of our friendship and how I grew too fast in him that we are now both suffering in emotional injury. It is all about balancing but we both failed to do it.
I thought our friendship was already enough to have an access into his heart but I was wrong. It just gives Gavin the idea of guarding our friendship and because I want more, he even let go of the friendship that we used to have.
I heard a knock outside, I pulled myself out of my bed thinking it is Gavin but when the door opens it's Eleona.
"Hi El." I sit on the couch and ask her to sit too.
"I am thinking why you are still here, that is why I come myself to say hi."
"I didn't notice that you already came, I was busy reading a book."
"Rainne... I heard that you want to call off the engagement."
I smiled at her sadly and nodded "It's for the best."
"But Rainne you don't understand... Gavin... Gavin needs you."
"Does he? I thought I could understand and wait for him but I cannot anymore... I hope you understand El.. I love Gavin and you know that but my love for him isn't enough. I couldn't fight anymore into a battle that he already surrendered a long time ago."
"Please Rainne.. Don't do this to Gavin and I am begging you."
"El.. I need to breathe too, I need to survive on my own. How can I do that if I keep on living in the shadow of our past? I had enough, he doesn't love me Eleona. Did he tell you that he brought the same girl last night to his place? I saw it with my own two eyes, both of them naked and how he told Lorrie that he loves her."
"Rainne maybe... maybe..." I saw how her tears fell
"I already gave him everything that I have and there's nothing left in me. I already gave him thousands of chances but he always made me realize that I am a fool giving him those chances. Please El, don't ask me to change my mind. I know he is your brother but I am your friend and as a friend please consider me this time."
I am about to walk outside when she held my arm
"Dad will beat him to death if you will cancel the engagement... Please Rainne"
"I will not tell them what your brother did to me, I will tell them that I still need time.. Or that I fell out of love."
"You don't understand, Rainne."
"Then make me understand." I couldn't help but to get mad at El's attitude right now.
"Gavin loves you, Rainne. I don't know why he is pushing you away but all I know is that he loves you."
I didn't reply to her anymore because the more I listen to her, the more I want to change my mind which is wrong.
I decided to go down and leave her in my room.
The tension between Gavin and I are very obvious and I know that my Dad can sense it too.
Our dinner is purely business matters, my parents and Uncle Miguel are just talking on how they will expand the Mowry's Medical Hospital in New York. How Dad will instantly prepare the Prosecution District to welcome Gavin as the new prosecutor, how Eli will study masters in New York and how I will become a resident of MMH. Everything is prepared and settled without us being informed, our role? To just agree with it.
I need to tell them, it's now or never. I took a deep breath before calling all their attention. I tried my best not to look at Eleona because I know she will ask me again not to do it.
"I have an announcement..." I say while looking at Mom who looks so worried of what I am going to say.
"Mom, Dad and Uncle Miguel..." I was cut by El who's eyes were teary
"Rainne....." She constantly shakes her head of disagreement.
"I want to call off our engagement."
Mom and Uncle Miguel's wine glass dropped on the floor while Gavin put down his fork and knife before looking at me.
"I am sorry... It's all my fault."
Mom laughs that Uncle Miguel did too but my Dad is just looking at me and Gavin.
"You got me there, Eliza" Mom smiled at me
"It's not a joke Mommy. I want to call off ...."
"Stop it, will you? You're not funny anymore, so you better stop it."
"I said, I am not joking...."
She smiled at me before looking at Gavin. "Gavin, would you mind taking Rainne inside her room?"
Gavin took a deep breath before standing and lending me his hand.
I push it "I don't love, Gavin anymore. Please Mom listen to me first, I don't want to marry him."
"I think we can call it a night, we'll talk to Rainne first." My Dad stood up and walked closer to where Gavin is standing next to me. "I'm sorry Miguel and Gavin."
"I'll talk to my son too. Thanks for the dinner, let's go."
I go to my room and lock it. I don't want to hear anything from Mom or Dad, none of them understands me.
How can she take my words as a joke?
"Eliza, open the door now." Mom is still outside and when I didn't open it, she did what she needed to do and use her key.
"And what is that? That's not funny."
"It's not a joke to laugh at."
"Is it because of Axel? I knew he wouldn't bring any good to you, I knew it the first time I saw...." I stop her
"Axel has nothing to do with this... Why can't you just support my decision?"
"Because it's bullshit... you don't love Gavin? Let me remind you that you're the one who wants to marry him."
She got me there... realization strikes me hard with what Mom said and it really hurts me thinking that I am the reason why Gavin is forced to me.
"That is why I'm correcting it, I realize that I don't really love him. Mom... please support me with this."
"We already have so much commitment with the Mowry... How can you just call off the engagement without thinking of us?"
"That's enough, Hon."
"Go on.. Side with your daughter"
"Let's talk in the study okay? Wait for me there, I'll just talk to our daughter."
"That is why she is so spoiled.." Mom storms out my room and leaves me and Dad alone.
When it's just the two of us, I hug him and cry on his shoulder.
"Dad please, don't hate me."
"I don't but can you tell me why you are calling it off?"
I pull away from him and face him. "I realize that I still have so much that I want to do without thinking of marriage. I feel pressured that I think it's limitting me to do the things that I can do on my own."
"So you still love him?"
"I read the book and I realize a lot... I've been so inconsiderate of what he feels, I love him too much that I locked him. I didn't give him the chance to explore and do the things that he loves to do and it's just the same with me. I thought our memories as a child are already enough to call it love but it's not, I became selfish and I narrowed the chance of both of us to grow."
Dad smiled at me and wiped my tears. "If that's your decision, I will support you but can you also give me a favor?"
In need
"Give him the chance to hear what you said to me. After all Gavin is a very good man."
"I will.. And Dad..about the business please don't stop supporting the expansion of MMH just because of my decision."
He laughs that makes me smile "Business is a business, you or Gavin is out of it. I trust Miguel, that's why I am going to invest and not because of your relationship with his son."
"Thank you, Dad. I hope you can talk to Mom, I don't want to see her mad or disappointed over me."
"She will understand, I know she will. She maybe like a dragon but she is soft hearted one."
I know I made the right decision, not just for me but for Gavin too. I didn't hate him because I realize that, I am at fault too.
Mowry's Residence
"What did you do to make her withdraw the engagement?"
"Just respect her decision Dad.. I cannot do anything about it." I received a puch from him.
"I told you to be careful in all your actions. Did she find out that you're dating another woman?"
"Dad...." I shout to make him stop "She doesn't love me anymore... which part of that can't you understand? Let her be.."
"And you believe her? You know her more than anyone, you know that her love for you will...."
"Her love has limitations too... She already decided, please respect her decision." He gives me another punched before laughing
"You know that her life is in my hand, never ever forget that." After saying that he walks out of our house and leaves Eleona with me.
"Say sorry to Rainne, you know she loves you. She can still forgive you, Gav please."
"I will not. Stop siding with Dad and act as a good friend to Rainne if you really care"
"And what about you? I don't care about...."
"If you really care for me, you will support my decision and her decision." I left her and went out to see Blake and Seth.
As days go by and little did I know there's only a 1 month left and I will be free from his shadow. I can start moving forward when we finally graduate and I am already having my residency in the hospital.
University of Monarch, Football Stadium
"Let's just buy snacks and go there, I'm sure Axel is done by now." Kaiden says
"I will buy. Go there and save a seat for us, it's finals today and I'm sure many students will watch."
"Okay okay.. But don't forget to buy me drinks."
"I'll stay with her, go save us a seat." Madi says while picking some snacks in the bar.
Kaiden runs out and heads to the football field to look for our seats while Madi and I are going to buy some snacks.
"I'll just get some gatorade for Ax." I walk to the direction of the fridge when I accidentally bump into someone. "Sorry" When I checked who it is, I was a bit startled.
"No.. I'm sorry. Here, you go first."
"No, it's okay. Go ahead." I move backward to give her some space for her.
She smiles at me and gets an orange gatorade, I stop her knowing that Gavin is not drinking orange gatorade. I grab a blue one and give it to her.
"That's the only flavor he is drinking. Excuse me." Then I get 3 red gatorades for Axel, 4 bottles of water and 3, pineapple juice in the can.
"You said he's not drinking any other flavor, why did you get the red one?"
"Oh.. these? It's for Axel, it's his favorite."
"I see, so you two are dating now?"
"Why? Your planning of seducing Axel too?" Madi pushes her into the fridge. "Stop acting that you are sweet and such because you are nothing but a boyfriend stealer."
I grabs Madi's arm trying to stop her but she's strong
"Sorry girl but Axel loves Rainne and he is not the type of guy who will go out with a low class girl like you."
Lorrie just nods in every single words that Madi is saying and smile at her "Gavin is already enough for me, thank you again for this Rainne." Then he started to walk to the cashier and when Madi is about to follow her, I immediately stop her and shake my head for disagreement of what she is about to do.
We headed back to the field and looked for Kaiden, he was there talking to Axel.
"What took you two so long?" Kaiden asks
"Oh well... we bumped into some bitches but we're good." Madi replied while rolling her eyes out of anger and I just laughed to lighten up the atmosphere.
"Here..." I handed the gatorade to Axel ""Goodluck on your game."
"My lucky charm is here, so it's a sure win. Thanks for this, Captain." He puts the gatorade on my face and I can feel the cold of it but the heat on my cheeks is stronger as he caress it.
"Okay enough, you two are being too cheesy already and I feel like I am going to vomit." Madi says while pulling me away from Axel.
We all laugh but reality check, my heart is beating so fast because of his touch.
"I'll go now." He ran fast to reach his other teammates before looking at me again and wink.
"That guy will be the death of me. He doesn't know when to hide his feelings for you."
"I will surely enjoy this game. C'mon let's sit now, the game will probably start any minute." Kaiden sits and pulls us both.
The game started as the referee started to whistle. My eyes are focused in both Axel and Gavin. I can't help looking at Gavin whenever his opponent push him and he ended falling on the ground and there's Axel who's also doing his best to make a score out of every pass that his teammate is giving him.
The game is almost over but no one has scored yet, until the moment when Gavin has the ball and Axel is free to shoot it but he is not passing the ball even if Axel is asking. Their coach is already shouting to pass the ball but there's a doubt in Gavin's face if he is going to pass it or not. And then we heard Axel shout at last that made Gavin pass the ball.
"Pass the ball dude, our fight is not here in the field. We can have it later if you want."
They're exactly at his spot when he kicks the ball and it's a goal. It makes everyone stand from their seat and shout the name of our football team.
His goal is the winning goal for the whole University of Monarch. Everyone is running in the field to congratulate the whole team and to take some pictures too but I was there looking at his sad face.
Why is he sad if they win the game? He is supposed to be happy and celebrating. Then I saw Axel looking at me with a sad expression but put a smile when he saw me looking at him. I smiled back at him and walked towards his place together with Madi and Kaiden, where he gave me a hug and put me in the air.
"I told you, you're my luck charm."
Everyone is aware that my relationship with Gavin ended at the start of this year and since then Axel becomes more vocal about his feelings for me.
"Put me down..." I laughed while still in his arms
He puts me down and puts his arm on my shoulder. Before facing Kaiden and Madi.
"That's a fantastic goal." Kaiden gives him a applause before giving him a kiss on his cheek that makes us all laugh
"That's gross..Anyway that's amazing, Mendez you really put a good game in your last year here."
"Correct.. If only that moron did pass you the ball earlier, you can still have more than 1 score."
Axel just smile and pretends that he is not affected what Kaiden says
"Let's have a celebration tomorrow okay? My treat...."
"Sure sure.. We know that you have a celebration with your team."
"Bingo.. See you tomorrow, Captain?" he lower down his face into mine before smiling
"See you."
Axel ran into his teammate and they are all celebrating the Monarch's victory.
