Italics = Thoughts
**Third Person's POV**
"This is wrong. You should not be feeling this way. You're getting married in two weeks. Tigilan mo na itong kagagahan mong ito! You are marrying your boyfriend of seven years. He's the man you should be spending the rest of your life with. Don't you throw away the wonderful years you had with the man you loved for so long over someone you just met. Don't!"
The girl in standing in the dim lighted room with a pair of sore eyes, tear stained cheeks and a white baggy shirt, told her reflection off.
"Listening to Loni about how you should make a bucket list was a mistake. Going on that seven day cruise was a mistake. A mistake that should be left in the past and forgotten. Now get yourself together and start packing."
And so she did. Hope and her fiancé, along with her grand parents, mother, step father and siblings are set to fly out to Manila tomorrow for the wedding. Her wedding. She's not happy with the idea of the most important day of her life being so far away from home but her husband to be's mother insisted that they should get married in the Philippines.
The empty suitcase that is sprawled open on her bed held her gaze and stirred her annoyance at how her in-law to be changed almost all of what she and her fiancé had planned. At the beginning they had agreed to fly her father, aunt and step mother and his mother, siblings and a few friends out to California and have a simple and serene ceremony. Unlike other girls who fancied getting married on a beach or in a big old church, Hope dreamed to have a wedding in her grand parent's backyard. One dream that she'll never get to live because of her partner's nagging, socialite of a mother.
"This is good. Mas okay na mabwiset na lang ako sa kanya at hindi yung kung anu-ano pang bagay ang iniisip ko."
"Hopie?" A voice and a knock pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Justin! Hey! What's up?"
"Dinner's ready."
"Oh okay. I'll be down in a bit. Tapusin ko lang to." She said, pointing to her suitcase.
"You're not done yet? Kanina ka pa dito ah."
"Yeah well... May ginawa pa ako eh."
"Ate are you okay?"
"Yes. Yes I'm-I'm okay! I'm okay. I'm good-great even! I'm good. All is well. Everything is---everything's good."
"Would you rather have me ask you, 'what's wrong or say, 'Okay. I believe you.'?"
"I'm just stressed out but I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Liar." Justin shut the door behind him and sat on his sister's bed. "Come on. You can tell me anything. Is it Dad? Are you worried about seeing him? Look I know you're still... Well... not cool with..."
"It's not that. To be honest, I'm excited to see him. I missed him and I'm glad he finally found someone to be with. At least hindi na siya mag-isa sa Philippines diba?"
"Then what's really bothering you?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"Come on, Hope. Do you think I didn't notice?"
"Notice what?" Her palms suddenly got sweaty, her heart beating way too fast, a short pain filled her chest and she felt like her windpipe was jammed. She couldn't breathe. She was guilty.
"Your eyes. Heck! Your whole face. I know you've been crying."
"Oh that. Yeah I was listening to a podcast earlier. Have you heard of it, it's called Love Over Pride? It's really good. So much drama." She rambled and forced a laugh.
"You're really not going to tell me?"
Do I tell him? I know I can trust him... No! I should never talk about this. Hindi pwede. It will ruin everything. But if I don't... If I keep this all to myself, god baka sumabog ako!
"Justin I... I just... I think... It's..."
"Oh for the sake of god just spit it out!" Justin thought.
"Hope?"
"I'm having second thoughts."
"There! Nasabi niya rin. That wasn't so hard ri... What the fuck?! Second thoughts about what? Oh no about the wedding?!"
"What?" Justin was shocked.
That was the last thing he expected to hear from his sister. He saw how happy and in love she is with her partner that he never saw this coming.
"I'm having second thoughts." Hopie's eyes began to water as she repeated her statement.
"Hey hey hey it's just pre wedding jitters. Normal lang yan. Brides have them all time." The ever caring brother enveloped his sister in his arms and rubbed her back.
"Paano mo naman nasabi na normal to." Asked, sobbing Hope.
"I've seen it in movies."
"Justin I'm serious."
"Seryoso din ako."
"Well I'm sure my case is different kumpara sa mga napanood mo."
"Paanong different?"
"Promise you won't tell anyone?"
"I promise."
"Swear on your life?"
"I swear on Kaycee's life. Now spill."
"I--I cheated on him."
