Fated Strings

Chapter 1: Red, Ai, and Lance

"Do you know that place between being asleep and awake, where you still remember your dreams? That's where I'll always love, that's where I'll always wait for you."

Red's POV

It's that time of the day again. When the sky's at its bluest and the sun's at its peak. The breeze is always best at this time of day. It's as if the summer winds are tickling my face and the green grass where I lay are like soft cotton cushions. I would give everything just for this moment to last forever..

"Red, natapos mo na bang basahin ang libro na to?"

I looked at the person who lay beside me at the grass, her straight long black hair flowing wildly with the breeze as if it was dancing to some kind of silent rhythm. She brushed aside strands of her hair that covered most of her face and I was dumfounded, like I always would every time our eyes met. Her beautiful eyes were like pure black pearls, and the way her eyes curved as if it was grinning always made my heart shudder.

"Uy, Red.. Naistorbo ko ba yung daydream mo?"

Daydreams? Ha! How ironic. Maybe that's what I'll call you from now on. My daydream.. because everytime I look at you, be it at the middle of the day while I'm conscious still feels as though I am actually dreaming. Red ang corny mo! Stop na!

"Oo.. (Paano ba nabuhay ang isang katulad mo sa mundong to? Masyado kang perpekto.)" I whispered my last sentence as if I was talking to some omnipotent being that was eavesdropping on our conversation.

"Ha?... Haha, ok ka lang ba ngayun Red? Tinatanong ko lang sa'yo kung nabasa mo na yung librong to."

"Ah.. Oo. Last month pa."

"Weh? Talaga? Maganda ba yung ending?" She asked. Her eyes met mine for the second time, and for a second I almost thought of asking her if I could kiss her.

"Kung sasabihin ko sa'yo yung ending, edi hindi mo na masyadong ma eenjoy yung book nyan. The scenes and chapters which lead to the ending is what makes a story a good story diba? Ikaw ang nagsabe sakin nuon nyan eh. haha" I joked.

"Aba.. Nilelecture mo na ba ako ngayun kung paano mag enjoy sa pag-babasa ha Mr.Briones? May I remind you that without me you wouldn't even have acknowledged how great books are. Haha." She japed back. Yeah, it was all because of you.. at first I mainly read books just to impress you, so that we could finally have something to talk about but after some time I finally knew why you fell in love with them.

"Hindi naman po Ms.Andrada. Haha."

"Haha. Kaw ha.. Oh crap!"

"Oh bakit?! Anyare? Natusok ka ba ng damo?"

"Haha. Seryoso ka ba Red? Natusok ng damo?.. Hindi! Late na tayo kaya tumayo ka na diyan." There she goes again. As much as her love of enjoying nature and reading books she also despises being late. As soon as she stood up she grabbed me by the arm and pulled me along and we rushed towards the school, luckily the park was only a few meters from our school campus.

As soon as she entered the campus all eyes were on her. Smart, beautiful, sporty, the list goes on. No wonder she was greeted by everyone as she passed by. A couple of guys even tried to talk to her but were only met with a "can't you see I'm walking here look" I was lucky that she didn't let go of my arm. Maybe somebody might mistake me of being her boyfriend, I wish.(Tama yan, mangarap ka lang Red.) Stupid inner thoughts.

"Red, hanggang sa classroom ba kita kakaladkarin oh gagamitin mo na ba yang mga paa mo? Baka gusto mung baliin ko na lang yan? Tutal hindi mo naman masyadong ginagamit eh." I must really be insane to think that the way she threatens me is extremely cute, but I really do.

"Hindi po. Lalakad na po mahal na reyna." I answered. I noticed that even after she said that she wouldn't drag me to our room, she still firmly held my arm. And a thought came across my mind; it was as if my thoughts were screaming "Chance mo na yan! Chance mo na yan!." And finally I snapped, The heck with it! Chance ko na to! I sneakily moved my hand to hold hers.

It felt warm and soft. Much like her heart I supposed, she may seem cold and cruel to others but to me she was this warm fragile girl. I felt that she needed me, she needed somebody to shield her against the corruptness of the world and at that moment I made a resolve.

"Aalagaan kita Ai. Pangako yun." I whispered as we both ran across the hallway leading to our room.

"Ano? Red? May sinabi ka ba?" She asked as we stopped at the door. Luckily the class hasn't started yet, God knows how serious Irene can be when it comes to tardiness. She could've jabbed me in the stomach if we could have been late, even if it was just a minute or two.

"Ah. Wala.."

"Ok. Sige. Upo na ko ha." And just like, that she let go of my hands and went off. Maybe she really didn't notice? Wag ka ngang assuming Red. I shouldn't take things like that seriously.

I silently went to my chair and sat. I sat at the back of the room while she preferred the seat nearest to the professor. We might be friends, but Irene and me were in a totally different levels, I had a few friends at school but only a few while everyone at school loved her. She was popular, amongst the guys and even the girls. Everyone wanted to be her friend.

"Psst, Bro. Andito na si Irene."

"Sino?"

"Si Irene Andrada Yu. Yung cute na second year. Hindi ko inakalang classmate natin siya ngayung sem."

Ah, yes. I'm already used to this. No point in getting worked up now. Irene is not mine, so I shouldn't be bothered when somebody talks about her.

"Oo nga bro. Chicks talaga, wala pa bang boyfriend yan? Sarap papakin eh. Haha!"Calm down Red, don't make a scene. Your hand just held the hand of the most beautiful girl in the world, you shouldn't stain it with an assholes blood.

"Wala pa raw. Kaso mukhang siya yung hinahabol ngayun ni Lance."

"Lance? Yung Laurel? Kaklase din ba natin yun?"

"Oo, yun ang narinig ko. Pero mukhang hindi na naman papasok yung loko."

"Mabuti na yun, balita ko naging girlfriend raw niya halos kalahit sa mga babae dun sa dati niyang pinapasukang school."

Hinahabol? Asong ulul ba ang Lance na to? And as if I'd let him have his way with Irene. Creeps like him are the ones I hate the most. They're like a disease to every nice guy out there. I'd rather step on shit rather than let him be Irene's' boyfriend.

It's been 15 minutes already and the prof hasn't shown up yet. It seems like class is cancelled. My other classmates must have been thinking the same thing, seeing as how half the class were already packing their textbooks and notes and were hightailing it. I was about to leave too when I suddenly heard guitar strums.

"I'm so lucky to be loved by.. the most beautiful girl in the world."

Hmm.. It's just some sap that's hungry for attention I guess.

"Oww! Ang swerte ng girl, hinaharanahan siya! Yieehh! Ni Lance pa?!" Some girls in the background shrieked.

Seriously? Uso pa pala yun ngayun? I wouldn't have mind at first whether or not the serenading went well until I found out who the guy was singing to.

It was the last verse of the song when the guy shouted. Those words ringed in my ears as though it was a grenade that exploded next to my face.

"Irene Andrada Yu. I am Lance Samonte Laurel and you will be mine!"

And f*ck. If only glares could kill, this asshole would've died by now.