August Reveries (FreenBecky)

Chapter 3: The Day The Past Meets The Present

- ABBY -

Present Day [Bangkok, Thailand]

"...Trish"

"Abigail," Frans snapped me out of my reverie. I looked up and refocused. My eyes met her warm brown ones, reminiscent of the first time we met.

A surge of electricity then shot up my spine, shackling the floodgates of emotions I had painstakingly locked away for years, threatening to burst forth uncontrollably as I watched my ex's concerned eyes trying to read what was on my mind.

The swirling aroma of caffeine permeates the air, piercing the lingering silence that has settled between us. Its addictive scent, like a thread, weaves through the gaps of our wordless exchange, stitching together our unspoken connection. Our eyes remained locked in a staring contest as I thought again:

After all these years, why had Francesca returned? What did she want from me?

"Finally, you're back," she said, breaking the heavy silence that had settled between us. "Welcome back to earth," she added, her gentle smile thawing the tension in the air. "You've been doing that a lot—spacing out, I mean."

I couldn't bear to meet her gaze again, so I shifted my focus to my iced coffee instead.

"Sorry," I uttered, forcing myself to nonchalantly respond. "It's been a long day."

"When was the last time you had a real vacation ba? Yung walang work, just a pure, uninterrupted break? I think you're pushing yourself too much," her concerned voice threatened to penetrate into the iron walls I had tried so hard to build from the day she left, and I didn't like it.

I didn't like how easily the older woman was getting right through me.

Still avoiding her gaze, I reached for my cup, clasping it tightly in my trembling hands.

The first sip brought forth a wave of relief as the cold, sweet blend of caffeine and milk washed over my palate, gently subduing the simmering emotions that threatened to surface. It was an odd contradiction, knowing how coffee could stir the heart's restlessness, yet at this moment, I found unexpected comfort in the icy elixir. As it trickled down my throat, an icy embrace soothed my senses, offering respite amidst the chaos within.

"I take vacation naman, but not very long since I'm still at the peak of my career. My schedule can be a bit... demanding."

Frans nodded in understanding. "So I've heard. You're preparing for another movie, right?"

I nodded, pushing aside the overwhelming surge of emotions that had swarmed me since our reunion.

Determined to maintain a lighthearted atmosphere, I forced a teasing smile and arched my eyebrow, braving myself to playfully meet her gaze.

"I see you've been keeping tabs on me." It was a risky path I chose to tread, but it felt far better than settling into the awkward silence that would otherwise consume us.

Frans seemed to pick up and playfully rolled her eyes. "Please, you're all over the news and online kaya. How can I not?"

"Some of my students also love you," she continued. "So I can't really un-know about your public life."

My eyes widen, "students?"

"Oh, yeah, about that," Frans said, her expression softened into a warm smile. "I'm a full-fledged teacher now. After years of debating, I finally decided to take my teaching license and just be done with it. My bills were piling up na din kasi, and the life of a starving artist wasn't paying them all. I needed stability, so I took the leap and got my license."