Maybe This Time

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE

I've been in the Recording Studio for an hour now, but still, I can't sing the song to its perfection.

I am to sing at Tessa's wedding which is just days away, I feel hopeless because I can't get the right emotion I need to perform this song.

Emotion. Speaking of emotions, there's nothing inside just blank, dull, empty feeling.

There's no texts, phone calls, he's avoiding me, see? Where can I get inspiration? But there are times that I caught him staring at me, and then whenever our eyes meet he'll just roll them and ignore me for the rest of the day. Even got this funny but so awkward situation at the elevator where I was the only one on board then him being too busy scrolling his phone, got in, I almost huddle to the walls, almost stop breathing just to be ignored but all the while his eyes are trained on me, making the moment feel even more awkward, he never said a word and so did I. But when the elevator stopped on the floor where we are both going to, he jammed the elevator again, and hug me as if I am the source of life, I wasn't able to reciprocate because I have been too caught off guard, then after the longest two minutes of my life he walked out as if nothing happened, and the rest of the days are spent with steal glances.

I am so absorbed with my thoughts that I never noticed this smirking dude outside the recording booth. His smirk grew larger and walks inside to join me; I just scoff at him, he looks... tired, tired but handsome.

He reached a hand towards me which instead to give him a hand shake, I collide my head to his chest gaining a grunt from him, I just chuckle at his response, when I remained silent with my face on his chest, he just tapped my back and we stayed there for I don't know how long, my eyes are closed when he pushed me away by my shoulders, I am fighting back my tears because since now that he's back, he's totally back.

"Hey kiddo, what's with the tears huh? Someone's giving you a hard time?" Victor tipped my chin but I just smile at him weakly.

"Nothing." I sniff and dry my cheeks with my hands,

"Is my brother giving you all this hard time?" his face turned serious suddenly with his arms crossed above his chest, I nod-shake my head,

"I'm just frustrated, you know, Tessa's tying the knot this weekend and I promise to serenade her on their first official dance as husband and wife and here I am still can't blend the right emotions to sing the song." My shoulders are slumped in defeat because that's the truth, I have no inspiration.

"What happen to your inspiration?"I just sigh in defeat, "I really can't hide it from you, can't I?"

"Yeah. Remember I am your guardian angel. Your handsome angel." I laugh at his attempt to make me laugh,

"Whatever you say Casanova." I sighed heavier and stare at the lyric sheet in front of me. "I think everything just ended between us." Victor remained silent, "He's being so difficult recently, as in bipolar difficult." I let out a forced laugh, "I don't get it why he's being too serious about everything."

"What is it that triggered his sudden bipolar-ness?"

"His mother." Victor's eyes somewhat dilated, "I-I insisted on talking to his mom, which I actually did, because it's been so long that he knows where she is and what she's doing but does nothing to confront their issues, I said he's not man enough, then I bolted out of his car. Then he followed me later own, even got the chance to confront her but just hurt her and the rest is history..." I shut my mouth after my long speech and Victor's eyes are on me the entire time,

"You know that his mother is a hard limit and a hot topic to him, right?" he's all serious, I just nod, "You know, men unlike women, finds it hard to let go and just explode their emotions, they would rather solve the problem discreetly and by themselves than to be coached and lectured, it'll just piss them more."

"I also said he's not man enough..." go honesty.

"See. You just lit up the bomb. Oh dear sunshine, you should know to trust them to solving issues, Arch has his ways on everything."

"Okay."

"So next time you'll have issues with him, be open, talk to him squarely, don't judge him or preponderate him. Be the person whom he can lean on. Its better be you, than to be someone else.

"Yes, conscience."

"Good, now back to your singing mishap."

"Wow, singing mishap, seriously?" sarcasm everywhere.

"Focus! I am trying to be pro here." He's teaching me to focus, as if I don't know how to do so, in the moment I have gained my momentum, I sing the song the way I internalize it,

"It's blank. Sorry but it's just flat. Empty."

"Wow that harsh."

"I'm just being straight with you, besides I don't want my sunshine to be played around on the big day." My sunshine?

"Are you drunk?" I asked curiosity kicking in; he just called me sunshine twice.

"No. Just being me. Now sing another, now think as if you are auditioning for a competition whose prize is your dear hazy Archer." That made me smile, simple but convincing internalization piece.

Another hour more and we are both walking to the bus stop. We walk in peaceful silence, both lost in our own thoughts.

"Where have you been Vic?" I asked looking straight ahead,

"Well, I-I just fix some matters." He said with a deep sigh,

"May I know?" still looking elsewhere,

"There's this girl that until now I really love." He stops so did I; we are just standing side by side, "She's back in the country."

"So you reunited with her? Right?"

"That's what I wished to happen, but when she came back here, she's like a renewed person, someone far from the person that I used to tame before, it's as if she didn't left someone hanging here and acted like there's nothing that happened between us."

"Temporary amnesia, maybe?" he snorts but there's a weak smile on his face,

"I'd rather want that wild side of her than the person that she is now, there's just one thing that bothers me,"

"What?"

"I am just afraid that she'll fall back to the first guy she ever fell in love with. That will surely be the death of me."

"Does she know you love her?"

"More than know, Vans, my intentions for here is bright as the day. She knew about it. I just hope, really hope, she still remembers that."

"Why are they doing this to us?" I asked, hurt laced on my voice,

"Because we love too much."

"That bad huh?" I stare to the dark sky,

"Don't give up on him, please. Be stubborn if that's the only thing that will keep the both of you intact. I treasure both of you Vanna, you and Archer are the closest people I consider as my family, so please, don't give up."

"I'll do the best I can. I promise."

We both went home trying to hide the pain that we are both feeling because of the situation that is happening. When you really love someone, you become a warrior, fighting for what you feel is worth fighting for.