Where Hearts Collide (Guontiveros One Shot AU)

Whispers of Hope

The rain hammered against the window, a relentless rhythm that mirrored the pounding in Risa's chest. Across the room, Alice sat curled on the couch, her face illuminated by the flickering light of the television. Risa watched her, a silent observer in the drama unfolding on the screen, but all she could see was Alice, her eyes shadowed, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"What's wrong?" Risa finally asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Alice didn't turn. "Nothing," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the throw pillow she clutched to her chest.

Risa knew better. She knew that Alice's "nothing" was a carefully constructed wall, built to protect her from vulnerability, from the fear of being hurt again. Risa had seen that wall crumble before, seen the raw, exposed heart beneath, and she knew she couldn't bear to see it crumble again.

"You're avoiding me," Risa said softly, her gaze fixed on Alice's back. "Buong linggo mo na akong iniiwasan."

Alice finally turned, her eyes wide and frantic. "Hindi kita iniiwasan," she protested, her voice rising slightly. "Naging busy lang ako."

"Busy with what?" Risa challenged, her voice gaining strength. "Busy with work? Busy with your friends? Or busy trying to forget about me?"

Alice's eyes darted away, her silence a deafening confirmation. Risa felt a familiar ache in her chest, a dull throb that resonated with the unspoken words hanging between them.

"Alice," Risa said, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. "We need to talk."

Alice sighed, her shoulders slumping. "What is there to talk about?"

"About us," Risa said, her voice firm. "About what happened, about why you're pushing me away."

Alice stood up, her movements stiff and deliberate. "There's nothing to talk about," she insisted, her voice tight. "We both know this isn't going to work. We're too different, we want different things."

"Is that what you really think?" Risa asked, her eyes searching Alice's face. "Or is that just what you're telling yourself to make it easier to walk away?"

Alice's eyes met Risa's, a flicker of something raw and vulnerable in their depths. "It's not that simple," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's just... I can't."

"Can't what?" Risa pressed, her heart pounding with a desperate hope.

"Can't let myself fall for you," Alice confessed, her voice cracking. "Can't let myself believe that we could be something real."

Risa's heart ached with a familiar pain, the pain of unrequited love. She knew this was a battle she couldn't win, not with Alice's defenses so firmly in place.

"Why not?" Risa asked, her voice soft but insistent. "Why can't you let yourself fall for me?"

Alice turned away, her voice choked with emotion. "Because I'm afraid," she whispered. "Afraid of getting hurt, afraid of losing you, afraid of... everything."

Risa felt a surge of empathy for Alice, for the fear that held her captive. She understood the fear of losing someone you love, the fear of being vulnerable, the fear of heartbreak.

"I understand," Risa said, her voice gentle. "I know you're afraid. But I'm here, Alice. I'm not going anywhere."

Alice turned back, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hope. "Pero paano kung itulak kita palayo?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Paano kung saktan kita?"

Risa stepped closer, her hand reaching out to touch Alice's cheek. "Then I'll be there to catch you," she said softly. "I'll be there to pick up the pieces, to help you heal. Because that's what love does, Alice. It doesn't run away from pain, it faces it head-on."

Alice looked at Risa, her eyes searching, her heart questioning. The rain outside continued to fall, a constant reminder of the storm raging within them both.

"I don't know what to say," Alice whispered, her voice barely audible.

Risa smiled, a small, reassuring gesture. "You don't have to say anything," she said. "Just let me be here with you. Let me love you, even if you're afraid to love me back."

Alice looked into Risa's eyes, a flicker of something new, something hopeful, shining in their depths. The rain outside continued to fall, but inside, a new kind of storm was brewing, a storm of love, of vulnerability, of the possibility of something real.

*⁠.⁠✧☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡ﾟ☆✧.*

Hey lovess!!(⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)
So... This story has a continuation po, but I'm still working on it po hihi. I think it has 4 or 5 chapter, i guess?! HAHAHAH. I don't know if ilang chapter kasi di pa tapos, I'm still thinking pa kasi kung pano yung magiging flow ng story eh mweheheh. Ayy... I just wanted to ask you guys if visible ba yung song na mga nilalagay ko, can you guys tell me sa comsec if may song ba ako na nalalagay hehe. So, yun lang po thank youuu. Enjoy, have a good day!! Lovelotsss!!(⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)💗