From Italy, Straight to Your Heart (COMPLETED)

Backstory

Zeke

"Hi, I-uhh, m-mi chiamo Zeke." I felt my cheeks heat up. Geez, Ezekiel! You're so gay! I offered my hand for a handshake and she hesitantly took it.

"Dreanna." She smiled awkwardly at me. But why does it looked so cute on her?! I really can't help but blush and feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I try to talk to her. "Dreanna Marquez."

"Look how cute." Said her American classmate and best friend, Luselle.

"Ha balbuzie, Dreanna." Helena, her Italian best friend said. She smiled to the both of them and then looked at me.

"Are you a junior?" I almost laughed with her accent. She's not a good English speaker.

That was the first time we met. In no minute, I fell in love with her.

I deleted the whole part of the chapter I was currently writing. That was the tenth time I wrote and delete that part. It has been days when I started feeling that I can't write this anymore. I closed my laptop and tried to remember that scene on the airport. Somehow, I felt miserable.

"Then follow her!"

I was half shocked and half paralyzed when I heard Mom order me to follow Cleo. I was honestly expecting her to tell me she was right all along but she didn't. I quickly changed to casual clothes and drove to the airport.

"Signorina, ha già lasciato il volo per le Filippine?" [Has the flight to the philippines left already?]

"Si, Signore."

That night, i left the airport with my shoulders down. I cried in bed until I woke up. My Mom forced me to eat for almost three weeks and since then, I never knew why Cleo had to leave me because of that joke.

"Tita!"

I almost jumped out of bed when I heard her voice. It's been so long since I last heard that voice. That soft, melodic voice that I always longed for.

"He's in his room. I don't know anymore Dreanna. He's not very fine." I heard Mom and I bet she does not know I'm awake. Mom's room was just beside mine.

"Leave this to me, Tita."

"Dreanna, call me Mom, please?"

A moment of silence followed then I heard my door creaked open. "Zeke?" She whispered and when he saw me awake, "Zeeeeke! Mi ha mancato?"

[Missed me?]

"No." I turned my back from her.

"Aww li'l bro? You still haven't moved on from me?"

Yes, that's our story. Dreanna was my Mom's daughter from her past relationship with a pure Italian man. She is my half sister but before we knew it, we fell in love first.

"No, Dreanna, you can't leave me like this!" Lost, hurt and mad. That's what I'm feeling right now. I held her hands as if I'm never letting her go. There's no way I'm letting go.

"Zeke, this is the right thing to do. This is what we need." I shed a lot more tears whenever i hear her sob. I can't stand to see her like this. And I don't understand why we both have to feel this kind of pain. "We can't be together." She added as she tugged her hands away from mine.

And then she left. I never saw her again.

"Hey, brother!" Dreanna was pure Italian so she speaks bad with English before. "Are you listening?" But now she is great, well thanks to me.

"Yeah. I have moved on with you, Dreanna. But never with her." I said as I pushed myself to lie down to bed.

"Oohhh.." She looked so amazed. "A new girl huh?"

"Dreanna..." I said. "I miss her."

"You do? Who is she? Is she beautiful? Where is she from? Does she love you? Why did she leave? Answer me bro." She said in Italian. I did not quite understood why she's that excited.

"I do miss Cleo. I really do. And yeah, maganda siya." I also learned to speak in Filipino language. Thanks to Cle--ugh! Again!

"Maganda?"

"Questo significa 'bello', sis. Mi ha insegnato che."

[That means 'beautiful', sis. She taught me that.]

"Looks like you two have been together long enough."

"Yeah and I don't know if she loves me too. But I love her, I really do."

"But where is she?"

"Home."

Nag-usap pa kami ni Dreanna ng kung ano-ano. Hayys. How I wish Cleo was here. Both of them are important to me. It would be good if they meet.

"A piece of advice, little brother." She said and stood up. "You said she took your heart with her, right?" I nodded. Cleo took my heart because if she didn't, i know I would feel it right here.

"Then it would be simple, little brother." She said with a smile and faced me.

"What?" She inched to my face and opened her mouth to speak.

"Follow where your heart is." She said and then kissed me on the forehead. She stood up and got out of the door.

"Tita—Mom!" She shouted. "Let's go shopping!"

I quickly stood and headed to Mom. I ran past Dreanna. I even saw in my peripheral vision that she smiled. I miss that smile, sister!

I smiled too. "Thanks sis!"

"Ma!" I shouted too. I approached the kitchen where all maids and Mama and Papa are.

"I'm going to the Philippines!" They all smiled at me.

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