Maybe, Almost, Always

Prologue

"Ate? Nandito na si Ali," Cass called from outside Iris' room.

Iris looked at the mirror and did one last makeup check.

She heard two men laughing downstairs, one more familiar than the other and grew skeptical of what she'd see downstairs. So she left her room and peeked down, crouching on the floor to see who was at the front door.

Of course.

Ali saw a glimpse of her hair and knew she was peeking.

"Iris, bumaba ka na. Nakita na kita."

Iris rolled her eyes and walked down. Her and Ali did their signature "swipe under the nose" gesture when they got closer. Cass started to take all these pictures, handing the extra camera to Basti to take.

"Oh ano? Ganda?" Iris asked, knowing that she knew how she looked.

"Eehhh..." teasing her.

"Umayos ka."

"Sige na."

"Ganda ko, no?"

"Oo nga," laughing at typical Iris.

"Sabihin mo... Maganda si Iris," teasing him with the rose he gave her.

"Maganda si Iris," smiling and bringing her in for a hug.

They hugged for a while, having Agnes and Cass take lots of pictures of this moment.

"Tinatago ka pala ng ganda, Iris," Basti said, taking a picture of the pair after their hug.

Iris' smile fell and she sighed. Nandito pa rin yun?

Ali sensed the tension between the two of them and cleared his throat, "Alis na tayo?"

He gestured to take Iris' arm in his after saying goodbye to everyone. Basti had to walk in front of them for Iris to realize that he was dressed up as well.

"Bakit ganyan ka? Sumama ka samin?!" she asked the boys, freaking out that Basti would ruin her special night with Ali.

Basti shook his head, "Driver ako ngayon. Ali asked me for a favor, Iris. So relax."

Iris huffed and opened the door to the back seat. Ali followed her in after the guys gave each other a look that she would be like that the whole way there, which she was. She barely said a peep while Ali and Basti made conversation like they had been separated for years.

"10 years di nagkita? 'To nawawalang anak?"

Ali heard a murmur beside him and looked at the scowl on Iris' face.

"Iris..." putting an arm around her.

She kept the look on her face and saw Basti looking at her in the rearview mirror. Basti smiled and chuckled that she could keep up being angry for this long.

When they got out, Ali was greeted with a bunch of the guys that would be going with him to PMA. Basti opened the door for Iris and she got out, still looking annoyed.

"I'm sure I'd be able to feel that you don't want me here all the way from Greece. But I'm here doing Ali a favor and a friend of Ali's is a friend of mine. Iris, I've talked to you before and you always complain that I'm taking him away from you... so this was my way of saying sorry. Liligawan ka na nya, ganyan ka pa rin?"

"Ewan ko sayo," crossing her arms and turning her back.

"Masyado kang masungit. Sayang... ganda ka na. Mamaya mukhang lola ka kasi makukuha ka ng wrinkles sa sobrang sungit mo."

"Anong sabi mo?!"

"New nickname for you. You pick..." his teasing voice turning on. "Lola Iris or Sungit?"

Iris had to clench her fists to restrain herself from slapping Basti across the face. She stomped on his foot with her heel and whispered aggressively so Ali wouldn't hear her.

"Inis ako sayo! Umalis ka dito! Beastmode ako!" 

A/N:

I wanted Basti and Iris to meet before Greece because I need more IsTi development. IDK.