Forbidden Love

Chapter 5: Unraveling Bonds

Sabrina's POV:

I never thought it would come to this—sitting next to Duke Sword Alcantara, trying to work through our mess. Kung tatanungin mo ako a few weeks ago, I would’ve sworn I’d never willingly be in the same room as him again, let alone attempt to fix things. Pero ito ako ngayon, sa tabi niya, trying to make sense of everything.

"Okay, Sabrina," Duke’s voice broke through my thoughts. "We have to face this head-on. We can’t keep pretending this isn’t affecting us." His voice was calm, different from the arrogant tone I had gotten used to.

I crossed my arms, my mind still racing. “Bakit ba bigla kang interesado na ayusin ito? You’ve never cared before.”

He exhaled sharply, frustration flickering in his eyes, but there was something else—guilt? “Because I’ve made mistakes. I know that now. The kiss... everything. I acted out of jealousy. And honestly, I regret it.”

Jealousy? The word stung. "Jealous of what, exactly? Of Jake? He’s my best friend, Duke." My voice wavered as I said it, unsure how to take his sudden admission.

“Yes, Jake,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the ground. “He’s always there. And you’re always with him.”

My heart pounded in my chest. Jake has been my rock through all of this, especially during my most vulnerable moments. But now, hearing Duke say that he was jealous of Jake—of all people—caught me off guard.

I shook my head, trying to stay focused. “That doesn’t give you the right to kiss me like that,” I whispered, recalling the night he stole my first kiss. Anger simmered beneath my skin. "You don’t own me, Duke."

He winced, and I could see the guilt written all over his face. “I know... and I’m sorry. I thought—"

“Don’t,” I cut him off. “Just don’t.”

Silence hung between us for a moment. I couldn’t believe we were here, talking about this. It felt surreal.

“Ayusin natin ito, Sabrina,” he said again, softer this time. “We have to.”

I sighed, looking up at him. For the first time, I could see a glimpse of vulnerability in Duke that I hadn’t seen before. And it made me feel conflicted. Part of me wanted to stay mad at him, to push him away, but another part of me one that I hated admitting was starting to see beyond his rough edges.

"I’ll help fix this," I said slowly, “but only because I can’t keep living like this. The rumors, the tension... it’s too much.”

He nodded, relief washing over his face. “Thank you. We can clear this up, together.”

For the next few days, Duke and I worked together to address the issues that had been plaguing us on campus. We spoke to the dean, explaining the misunderstandings and trying to set the record straight. It was exhausting, but surprisingly, Duke was supportive throughout the process. Wala siyang ginawa kundi ang tulungan ako, something I never thought I’d appreciate coming from him.

Pero habang ginagawa namin iyon, something strange was happening. Duke was changing. I could see it in the way he spoke to me, the way he listened. Hindi na siya yong arrogant guy who thought he could get away with anything. He was... softer. And I hated that I was starting to notice.

One afternoon, after a long day of meetings, we sat on the steps of one of the university buildings, watching students walk by. "I never thought we’d be doing this," I said, half-joking.

“Doing what?” Duke asked, leaning back on his elbows as he looked at me.

“Working together. Actually getting along.” I smiled a little, but it felt strange.

He smirked, tilting his head to the side. “Yeah, well... I guess people can surprise you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You? Surprising?”

“Don’t get used to it,” he replied, but his tone was playful. I couldn’t help but laugh.

For a moment, it felt... easy. Like all the drama between us had melted away, even if just for a second. But deep down, I knew that things between us were far from simple.

Days passed, and every time Duke and I crossed paths, I felt the air between us change. He wasn’t treating me like the girl he hated anymore. In fact, there were times na parang ayaw na niyang malayo sa akin. His possessiveness was starting to show, lalo na when Jake was around.

One time, while Jake and I were talking near the music building, I noticed Duke watching us from afar. His jaw was clenched, his fists tight at his sides. And the second Jake walked away, Duke made his move.

“Why are you always with him?” he asked, his voice low and tight with frustration.

I frowned. “He’s my friend, Duke. You know that.”

He stepped closer, his gaze intense. “I don’t like it.”

“You don’t get to control who I spend time with,” I shot back, my voice rising slightly.

He grabbed my wrist, gently but firmly. “You’re mine, Sabrina,” he said, his voice possessive. “I don’t want anyone else around you.”

I pulled my hand away, glaring at him. “I’m not yours, Duke. And this—this possessive crap? It has to stop.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but instead, he stepped back, his expression softening again. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

“Lose me? You never had me.”

But even as I said the words, I could feel my resolve weakening. There was something about the way he looked at me, like I was the only person in his world, that made it hard to stay mad at him.

One evening, after all the chaos of the past few days, Duke and I found ourselves sitting by the lake just outside the university grounds. It was quiet, and the only sound was the gentle ripple of the water.

“I never meant for things to get this bad,” Duke said, breaking the silence.

I sighed, leaning back against the tree. “Neither did I. But... maybe this was supposed to happen. Maybe we were supposed to go through all this.”

He looked at me, his gaze soft. “Why?”

“Because it forced us to see each other differently,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t hate you, Duke. Not anymore.”

His eyes widened slightly, surprised by my words. “You don’t?”

I shook my head, biting my lip. “No. I don’t.”

For a moment, we just sat there, staring at each other. The tension between us was thick, but it wasn’t the kind of tension we used to have. This was different—something new, something neither of us knew how to handle.

“I don’t hate you either, Sabrina,” he said softly. “In fact... I think I might feel the opposite.”

My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t know what to say. All I knew was that things between us were changing, and there was no going back.

As Duke and I continued to spend more time together, the walls I had built around my heart slowly started to crumble. He wasn’t the person I thought he was, and little by little, I was starting to see the real him.

And it terrified me.