Shadows of Serendipity - Hambebe AU

Chapter 55

After dinner, Serena invited Gaille over to their rooftop, knowing that the older likes looking up the night sky.

And also... she needed to let out her thoughts about tonight's sudden event.

Silence fell down between them. Serena let it pass for a while, knowing that Gaille likes it calm and peaceful.

But her thoughts won her over, breaking the ice just a few moments after.

"I'm sorry for putting you up through all of this..." She muttered as she leaned over the railings beside Gaille.

Gaille, on the other hand, glanced at her for a while before shifting her gaze towards the sky again.

"It's fine. I played along with it when I could've declined. It was my own decision so no need to apologize."

"Still, baka naman kasi na-pressure ka lang na mag-play along kasi you were put up on the spot mismo eh."

"It's okay." Gaille reassured. "It was nice to get to know your parents, too. They're comfortable to be with."

Serena let out a chuckle. "Wait 'til you hear them na magplano ng kasal natin."

Gaille let out a little laugh before letting the silence consume them again.

"You know, it's kind of weird, 'no?" Serena continued, "Parang... kahit fake lang 'to, minsan nararamdaman ko na parang totoo."

Gaille's heart skipped a beat. She glanced at Serena, who was looking down at the pavement, her face slightly flushed. Gaille didn't know how to respond, her mind racing with thoughts and feelings she didn't want to confront just yet.

"I sure do hope I'm not being too obvious." Gaille thought before sighing.

Serena looked up at her, meeting Gaille's gaze. There was something in her eyes—an unspoken question, something that the younger had rarely seen.

"Ang hirap nga minsan, kasi alam kong isang araw, we're going to end this relationship soon."

Gaille's chest tightened at Serena's words, the reality of their situation hitting her like a cold splash of water. She knew this was inevitable, but hearing it from Serena made it feel more real.

"Yeah, I guess," Gaille replied, trying to keep her tone neutral. "But we're still... together."

Serena's lips curled into a small smile. "Sana pwede lang na hindi matapos, ‘no?"

"Then why don't we make it real?"

"Pero hindi eh," Serena added, following her unfinished words. "You have your own life as well. You will, one day, pursue someone whom you really like."

"Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"

"You fit so well in my standards that sometimes I wonder if may mahahanap pa ba 'kong katulad mo. Pero alam ko na hindi naman pwedeng i-gatekeep na lang kita, 'no? Mukha rin naman nagiging close na kayo ni Claire. Diba? Ang saya niyo nga nung—"

"Serena... stop talking."

The silence between them was filled with the distant hum of the city and the soft rustling of leaves. Gaille felt her heart beating so loudly that she wondered if Serena could hear it. She knew this was her moment—if she didn’t say something now, she might never get another chance.

She would probably regret this later on, but now, there was nothing holding her back.

Gaille took a deep breath, gathering all the courage she had. "Serena... there's something I need to tell you."

Serena lifted her head, turning to face her. "What is it?"

Gaille’s hands trembled slightly, and she clenched them into fists to steady herself. She forced herself to meet Serena’s gaze, even though it felt like her heart might burst from the intensity of the moment.

"I couldn't keep this from you anymore, Serena. I'm over Claire already..."

"Huh? Hala, sorry! And here I am pushing your through her sti—"

"I'm not done, yet, Serena." Gaille interrupted her, her voice shaking. "I'm over her already because... I like someone else now."

"Sino?"

Gaille let out a chuckle, unsure of what to feel at this current moment. She swallowed hard, her throat dry, continuing her words.

"I kept on agreeing, playing along with your terms despite knowing the fact that I'm facing a risky situation. But, you know what? It didn't really matter in the end, especially when I know that I'm doing all of those for your sake."

Serena stared at her, wide-eyed, as if the words were taking a moment to sink in. "Gaille... are you saying...?"

"I’m saying that I’ve fallen for you," Gaille confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "And I don’t know when it happened, or how, but... I can’t keep pretending anymore like it’s not real for me."

Serena’s mouth opened and closed as if she was trying to find the right words to say but couldn’t. The shock in her eyes was unmistakable, and Gaille felt her heart sink, afraid of what might come next.

"I know that there's a bigger chance that you won't feel the same way— that you won't like me back." Gaille continued, her voice trembling. "But I couldn’t keep lying to you, to myself, anymore. I just needed you to know."

Serena looked away, biting her lip as she processed Gaille’s confession.

The older continued, letting out her overwhelming feelings pour into her confession. "But, whatever your answer will be, remember that it won't affect the way I feel for you and the way I treat you. I'm doing all of these based on my own decision— based on how I feel about you."

"Remember what I told you before? That when you care for someone, you wouldn't really think about your actions, whether if your gestures are romantic or simply platonic. That's how I like someone. It doesn't matter if my feelings are given back to me, just as long as I could feel that I'm making a positive difference in their life. And that's how I feel about you, Serena."

The air between them grew heavy with emotion, the weight of Gaille's words lingering like an unspoken truth that neither of them could ignore. Serena remained silent, her mind racing as she tried to process everything Gaille had just confessed.

Gaille took a step back, creating a little distance between them. "I know this is a lot to take in," she added softly, her voice barely audible. "And I don't expect you to say anything right now. I just needed you to know how I feel, because pretending... it's just too hard for me to keep up anymore."

Serena's silence was giving a lot of anxiousness towards Gaille. All she wants to hear is for Serena to answer her honestly— to say that the younger still values her the same despite not feeling the same way as her.

To hear Serena answer that she still appreciated Gaille's efforts, whether it was through her unspoken feelings or through pretending, throughout their whole relationship.

But when Serena finally opened her mouth to speak, mustering up the courage to let out only two words.... it was enough to make Gaille's heart shatter into pieces.

"I'm sorry..."

***