Scenarios

IV

“ So, Ian, bakit ayaw mong mag-pose shirtless? ” Vice asked him for the second time. It's Vice's birthday and they are in a beach resort, where Vice chose to celebrate it with her closest friend. It is an intimate celebration so there are only 10 of them.

They are playing spin the bottle and it landed on him; consequences is truth or dare, and the person who will not do the dare or not tell the truth, will pay their trip.

Ian bite his bottom lip and takes a glance at Alice and it's as if on cue, a song played on a radio.

Simmer down, simmer down,
they say we're too young now to amount to anything else
But look around
We work to damn hard for this just to give it up now....

Alice caught a pair of beautiful eyes that she ever saw, looking at her direction so she blushes, looking away. She bite her bottom lip and draw something in the sand to divert her attention.

Ian heaves a sigh as the song currently playing on the radio brings back memories — his favorite one. He smiles as the image of Alice, wearing her favorite shirt of his flashes in his mind.

“ you look so damn perfect in my shirt, baby..... You'll also look perfect for me, ”

“ I'll also look perfect with you, ”

Ian remembers that scene, and he remembers it so well as soon as he heard the chorus.

She looks so perfect standing there
In my american apparel underwear
And I know now, that I'm so down...

How can he not? It was a perfect moment for him — for them. They were young, but they knew that they're in love. The conversation, their antics, her laugh; everything were perfect, she was — is, and will always be perfect.

Perfectly made for him. Too bad, they had to break up.

“ Ay, mukhang may magbabayad na ng all-expense paid trip mo, bakla! ” Regine teases which made them chuckle, except for Alice, and him, of course.

Your lipstick stain is a work of art..

Ian lick his bottom lip and the moment he heard the next lyric, he removes his shirt, as if it's the sign that he's been waiting for.

I've got your name tattooed in an arrow heart
And I know now that I'm so down..

Everyone gasps upon seeing what's tattooed on the center-right of his chest, well, except for Dawn, Richard, Aga and Lea, who knew about it, and Alice, who bite her bottom lip to suppress her overflowing emotions.

Just like what's written in the lyrics of the song, Ian got a tattoo of Alice's name inside an arrow heart. It wasn't that big but is enough to caught someone's attention, why not? Alice's name was written as if it was the beat of the heart — well, it's true, metaphorically speaking, his heart beats her name.

“ O-oh my god, ” Regine's jaw drops, same as Ogie, Vice, and Karylle. They can't believe what they're seeing right now.

“ Grabe naman Tito Ian, all along, akala ko shy type ka lang, ayun pala, may sikreto ka, ” Ogie, although still shocked, manage to talk calmly.

“ T*ngina, naging kayo ni Alice?! ” Vice asks hysterically.

Ian looks at Alice who's bowing her head and sighs. He felt bad. It was a mutual decision not to make their relationship publicly, and to never talk or share about their past publicly, not even to some of their closest friend that they are with right now. And he just did.

He violated Alice's privacy, he invalidates her feeling and he felt so bad about it. He hates himself for it — not only because he knew he hurts her again, but also because he knows for now that he hasn't any chance left at all, not after this confession.

While I was out, I find myself alone just thinking:
If I showed up with a plain ticket
And a shiny diamond ring with your name on it..

“ Yes, ”

Ian's eyes widens and looks at her direction again. He was about to answer Vice's question when Alice does. The four of their friends who knew about their past could only look at each other.

Alice heaves a sigh and looks at them. She takes a glance at her ex as she says “ we used to be together, ” to their friends who doesn't knew about their past.

“ what happened? ” Karylle asks.

Alice heaves a sigh as she shakes her head.

Would you wanna run away too?
'Cause all I really want is you..

“ this time I would, ” Alice utters while looking at Ian, like it was a question that Ian has just blurted out. “ I will because I love you. Not just that time, because although I want you, I also want what's the best for you, ”

“ I know, ” Ian replies with a nod of his head. “ I understand now, Ja, ”

She looks so perfect standing there
In my american apparel underwear
And I know now,
That I'm so down..

Alice's tears fell as soon as she hears him say that. “ thank God, ” she let out a soft chuckle, tears are streaming down her face. “ that's what I want, Sev, for you to understand, ”

I made a mixtape straight out of '94,
I got your ripped skinny jeans lyin' on the floor
And I know now,
That I'm so down...

“ did you know that I made songs for you? ” he asks, tears are formed in his eyes.

Alice nodded her head and bite her lips. “ I do, our friends told me, Lei even let me listened to one of them, ”

Ian smiles, then he chuckles as he can't prevent his tears from falling, too.

“ I am still, so, so, sooo down for you, Alice, heck, I'm all over you, wala namang nagbago, ”

“ Alam ko, ” Alice replies that makes him look directly in her eyes. “ because I am, too, ”

Ian squints his eyes and chuckles. “ r-really? ” he asks her in which Alice nods. “ hindi ka nagbibiro? ” he asks her again then he looks at their friends. “ tngina, hindi ako nananaginip? Gago, ” he stood up and run his fingers through his hair that earned him a subtle laugh from his friends.

Alice stands up. “ remember years ago, when I told you that I will marry you, just not now, but when everything's in the places where they should be na? Ito na 'yon, Ian, ” Alice sobs, but she's laughing; she walks near Ian and cups his face. “ I know I'm the one who left, but I waited for you — until now. I waited for this for so long, akala ko hindi na mangyayari, akala ko ayaw mo na, gustong-gusto na nga kitang ligawan, but I was just too shy, how can I win you back? Why would you want me back? ”

“ because I love you, ” he answers with a smile as he cups her face, too, softly brushing her tears away with his thumb. “ I always have, Alice, and I always will, ”

“ I do, too, Ian. I love you so much, ”

“ and I'd gladly fall in love with you again, always, in all ways, ”

Ian and Alice smiles at each other. Everyone around them laughed when they heard Ian exclaimed “ Tangina, hindi nga panaginip, ”

“ It's not, Sev, this is all true, ” Alice utters, chuckling, tho her tears are still falling.

Ian smiles at his baby “ I need proof, ” he then lean forward to give her a soft kiss full of love, longingness, and sense of calmness and familiarity.

Their teary-eyed friends can't help but to smile from ear to ear while clapping their hands. Especially Dawn and Lea, who's been a witness of their love, whilst not a fairytale, is a story worth to tell; a love that's pure, absolute, incomparable.

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Wrote this because I was anxious, and I considered this as my therapy. Hope you'll enjoy it! ❤️