A Story of Love, Lies, and Loyalty

Chapter 1

Maddie's POV:

I'm heading to Eliaso because my classes are done, and I'm free all day. I see the girl I love running so fast while crying, and she bumps into me.

"Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?" I ask.

She just hugs me tightly.

I hug her back. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here," I say, kissing her forehead.

Then I see Bea running in this direction.

"Jho, love, let me explain, please, love," Bea pleads.

Jho breaks our hug, and I'm just standing beside her.

"Bea, I heard everything. You're just fooling me. I love you so much, you know that. What did I do?" Jho says.

Then Jho runs away, crying again. She leaves me and Bea. I just stare at Bea for a few seconds, and then I run para sundan ang babae mahal ko.

Kanina pa ko tumatakbo, paikot-ikot pero hindi ko makita si Jho. So I decided to call ate Ella and ask her if she see Jho.

Hello, ate Ells, did you see Jho? I'm worried. She's crying; she bumped into me, and Bea was chasing her, but I don't know what happened.

"Hindi ko pa nakita si Baby Jho buhat kanina. Wait, tanungin ko si Jia," replied Ells.

"Jia, did you see Baby Jho na ba?" I asked.

"No, ate Ells. Why? Ano'ng nangyari kay bes?" Jia responded.

"Umiiyak daw sabi ni Flyfly. Hinahabol daw ni Bea. Wait," I said.

Flyfly, Jia said she didn't see Baby Jho either. Where are you? I'll try na tawagan si Baby Jho. Sana sumagot.

"Im here pa sa campus, ate Ells. Dito kasi siya tumakbo. Okay, ate Ells. Thank you so much. Update me if sumagot si Jho. Bye," replied Flyfly.

I saw Jho, she's here. She's still crying. I slowly walked towards her.

"Hey, stop crying. I'm here, I'm always here," I said.

I hugged her and gently turned her face towards mine. I wiped her tears using my thumb and kissed her forehead. She hugged me while sobbing, and I just caressed her back.

Jho's POV:

Habang tumatakbo ako palayo kay Bea na bangga ko si Maddie, I hugged her immediately at umiyak. Tinanong niya ako kung anong nangyare, kung bakit ako umiiyak, pero hindi ko sinagot, niyakap ko lang siya ng mahigpit kasi hindi ako makapagsalita. Sakit at sama ng loob lang yung nararamdaman ko.

Maya-maya naririnig ko si Bea, "Jho, love, let me explain, please, love."

"Bea, I heard everything. You're just fooling me. I love you so much, you know that. What did I do?" Hindi ko na siya pinagsalita at umakbo ako palayo sa kanila ni Maddie. Nakarating ako sa dulo ng Ateneo at naupo sa gilid habang umiiyak. Ayaw ko siya makita, sobrang sakit. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. Mahal na mahal ko si Bea. I thought she loves me too. Bakit hindi ko naisip na hindi niya ako gusto una pa lang? Bakit pinairal ko yung puso ko at hindi ang isip ko?

Then someone standing beside me, itinaas ko ulo ko at nakita si Maddie. I thought it was Bea. Yumuko ako ulit habang umiiyak. Maddie sat next to me and said, "Hey, stop crying. I'm here, I'm always here." She hugged me and turned my face towards hers. She wiped my tears again.

"Hey, stop crying. Pumapangit ka oh," hinampas ko siya, Bwisit talaga 'to, nakuha pang magbiro sa isip ko.

"Stop, Jho. Masakit. Stop crying na nga. Don't worry, maganda ka. Kahit yang ilong mo, kamukha na ng ilong ni Rudolph," she said while laughing.