Strings of Fate

PROLOGUE

Arabella's POV

2004

"Ara" Argus called her attention after their exhausting but satisfying sex.

Yes sex that's what they did. They were friends with benefits.

It's been 4 years since they started this weird relationship of theirs, kung relationship nga bang matatawag kung ano man ang meron sa kanila ni Argus, given that she's in an on and off relationship with her boyfriend Rob and he too had relationships in between.

She cannot call herself a cheater because she's not engaging into anything with Argus kapag taken siya.

It's just that— with Argus, it was safe. She doesn't love him and vice versa. Walang expectations between them. It's just sex and they are friends.

It all started when they are in college, one drunken night was all it took, and since then they seem to find comfort from each other.

Kapag in a relationship sila pareho, they are friends. Her with Robert and him? Ewan— he only had two exes since they did this. Kapag hindi naman— friends pa din with benefits nga lang.

Nobody knows except her cousin Sharon and Dawn may have suspected something since she's Argus' ex-girlfriend.

It was wrong na tumalo ng ex ng kaibigan, she knows that but her excuse? Dawn and Argus was never serious plus, then happened even before she met them.

She's a transferee sa school nila, they were already 2nd year college when she started her first year in the academy.

Paano nga ba sila napunta sa ganitong sitwasyon?

Looking back hindi na niya maalala kung paano but she clearly rememebered why it happened.

Flashback

It was the first summer after her first year in college. If she can remember it right, she qas heartbroken over Robert and her cousin Sharon invited her to drink with the gang.

Argus was accomodating and funny, hindi pa sila close nun but he made her laugh. That night brought them closer but they got drunk and were left alone in their dorm.

One thing leads to another and it happened.

The next morning was awkward. Like really awkward because all of a sudden, Robert came to fetch her.

"Ara, about last night--" Argus began but she cut him off.

"Argus, You need to leave. Rob is fetching me." she said while looking at him in the eye.

"P-paano yung nangyari kagabi?" He asked in a serious tone.

"What happened last night was an accident Argus. We're friends and this won't change a thing." She answered while wearing her clothes again.

"Ganun lang ba sa'yo yun Ara?" He confusedly asked.

"Wala namang tayo Argus diba? Things like this happened. Babae ako at lalaki ka. Please promise me this won't affect our friendship." She pleaded with him and he seems to have no choice but to nod his head.

For a moment, she felt something but she shrugged it off.

She loves Rob at wala naman siyang ibang gusto but to be with him. She cannot let what happened to change that.

"So ganito na lang tayo?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Argus.

"What do you mean? We are still friends Argus. We can still be like before. What happened between us was just physical joining of our bodies and nothing more." She lied because deep down she knew that what happened between them somehow meant something. Something she cannot entertain. Her heart already belongs to someone else.

And that was when it all started. When Rob fetched her that day, nagkabalikan sila they were okay until they broken up again after two months and she only realized she was pregnant after the break-up.

Since then, they will only communicate for their kid.

She had to stop her studies because of it and the pregnancy was kept a secret. Only her family and Rob's family knew and her family took her away. They made her stay in New Zealand.

Within 4 years she will just visit the Philippines and she and Argus will meet for a quick fvck.

And today, andito siya ulit sa Pilipinas for some papers she needs to fix for her inheritance because her grandfather passed away.

Argus was there at her gramps wake of course, given that he's one of the bestfriend of her cousin Edu.

She was so sad and Argus comforted her. The next thing she knew, he invited her over to his flat to have a night cap.

She knew what will happen ng sumama siya dito but she still went with him.

"Ara! Kanina pa kita tinatawag hindi mo ako pinapansin". Putol ni Argus sa pagbabalik-tanaw niya.

"Argus, I'm going back to NZ." She said without looking at him.

"I thought you will stay here for good?" He asked with disbelief evident on his voice.

"No. I'm only here because of what happened to Gramps." She answered. She cannot tell him about her son.

"Gaano ba kalalim ang sakit na nabigay sa'yo ni Rob?" He asked in a serious tone. Everybody assumed that she left because of a broken heart.

Partly, it was true though.

"Masyadong malalim Argus, I don't even know how to heal myself from it." She answered honestly.

"Would you let me heal you?" He asked bravely and she can see the sincerity in his eyes.

"Marry me Arabella." He declared and her heart beated a little bit faster at that.

"It's not that easy Argus. Just because we are compatible in bed doesn't mean we can work as a couple and besides we are not in-love with each other." She answered with a straight face his face fell.

"Are you still in-love with him?". Argus asked with his voice laced with sadness.

"What if I am?" She answered. If the circumstances between them is different she would have said yes.

The thing is, she's too broken to yes to a marriage proposal that is not based on love.

She wanted to marry for love and only love.

"Babalik ka naman diba?" He asked instead and she nodded.

"Babalik ako kapag buo na ulit ako." She answered him with a small smile.

He held his hand on hers. "Promise you'll keep in touch?" He asked and she nodded with a smile.

"Can I have tonight Argus? Tonight, help me forget. Let me remember this instead." She requested and kissed him with all that she has.

He kissed her back and they made love as if they were saying goodbye to each other.

The next morning, Ara woke-up sore. She looks beside him and saw Argus still sleeping. She almost didn't notice that a smile slowly formed from her lips.

This is it, she will leave him again. She will fly to New Zealand the day after tomorrow and this time hindi siya uuwi ng Pilipinas until she fully heal herself.

She stood up and get dressed. She only wrote a note for Argus. She kissed him on the forehead very carefully so he won't wake-up.

"Goodbye my Argus, let me heal my broken heart. Pangako babalik ako, at sana kapag pwede na, pwede pa." She whispered before standing up and leaving him behind.