Come Inside

Epilogue

Supposedly, hindi na ako mag-p-post ng Epilogue pero I want you to have a glimpse of Royce Jacob.

This is just short, though, and not connected in the final chapter.

May special chapters pa 'to. Hahaha! Just wait for it. :)

- x -

EVERYBODY CALLED HIM ROYCE. There was no one he knew who called him by his second name for they know it irked him.

   "Royce, I'm open!" his teammate yelled, and it's true Figueroa wasn't guarded so he kicked the ball toward his teammate in which he successfully caught.

   Royce played football since 6, in which his grandfather taught him to for his grandfather was a retired instructor and coach of football in the university he was currently going. He loved football so much that it became his only source of scholarship. Yes, being an athlete was being a scholar in their university, and being a scholar means that he should study well so he wouldn't get kicked out of the varsity team and the university itself.

   He was left by his parents with his grandparents. Both of his parents were in abroad, working their ass of in their different families that they'd forgotten they had a son in the Philippines. But Royce was okay with that. He was okay with everything.

   "Jacob!"

   He smiled at the only person who called him Jacob. Raicca immediately handed him a bottled water even though he had a tumbler full of water in his bag. He just appreciated his best friend's gesture since she always did that ever since they were in high school.

   And he continued the game.

   When the coach blew the whistle, they got to rest under the shade of the trees just beside the field. The wind blew, harshly brushing against his skin and blowing his lengthy hair. Then there was a woman walking into them, thick papers in her hands, distributing it to almost everyone. When he caught her eye, he blew a breath, as he stood up in instinct, taking a step near her, held out a hand wanting her to give him some papers.

When her lips parted, Royce couldn't help himself gasp. Damn. There was something in his system that might be malfunctioning because he felt different. When their eyes met, there was something in his stomach that churned, there was something in his heart that made it beat erratically, and something in his mind that made him wanna stare at her all day.

Ever since that day, Royce vowed that he would certainly do anything to know her name because every time he would go to bed, he couldn't sleep thinking about the woman who captured him almost immediately. He couldn't sleep thinking about everything he would do to her.

Every time he sees her, he tries not to stare, but his eyes won't just listen to him. And every time he sees her legs, he wanted her to be his. But that's just not right so he ignored her for a few days.

But in his supposed time of sleep, he still couldn't get to fall. He was always awake, thinking of so many questions. What ifs and what not's. It made him crazy so he tried to barge his way in the girl's life.

He knew her name. He got it from his teammate. Royce knew he wanted that girl. Saying her name was like burning himself, making himself hot and crazy for the fire trailing below. And what he did to himself while thinking of her, they wouldn't want to know.

And she turned him down. That's when he realized he liked her so much. He liked her... He actually liked her. He became more persistent in showing his sincerity until she gave in. When she gave in, he felt like he was the happiest man alive in the planet.

"I love you, Jacob."

By that, Elaine became his only favorite to call him Jacob. His heart beat so fast, his knees went weak, there's something that took over him, the first time Elaine called him by his name. And when she said it with I love you, he felt like he could die at any moment.

"I love you too, kitten."

She reminded him so much about his cat when he was young. Always far away from him but every time near him, it just doesn't want to go anywhere.

Elaine's head rested on his shoulder as they watched the sun set across the horizon. He held her hand as he said, "I will always stay the same for you. You can always come home to me when everything gets hard for you."

"I know."

"I may have done terrible things but as long as I love, as long as I live, as long as I feel, I deserve another chance."

"I'll always give you a chance, Jacob. I'll always be patient."

Jacob smiled. "Marry me after you graduate? I'll work hard for us. For me to deserve you."

"You deserved me Jacob. It's not about the wealth. It's all about how you made me a better person. It's about how we grew as a person with each other, about the experiences."

Jacob rested his head against hers and the world turned dark. And the next morning he woke up, there's no sign of Elaine. The promises he hold on to were broken by Elaine. But he kept things from him, too. Maybe she knew. But no one knew his set-up with Raicca except for him and Raicca's family. He clutched his chest as the pain didn't go away. He cried. For the first time in many years, he cried.

He lost Elaine, but he got Victoria. At least she made him happy. He married Raicca because he hoped she would get better but after a year and few months, she died. Then Elaine came back.

And he fought the urge. He was married. He was committed. He has a family. Then Raicca's parents knew. They gave him a go, told him that Raicca wouldn't want him to deprive himself the happiness he deserves, a complete family Victoria deserves.

He pursued Elaine again because undeniably he still had feelings for her. He wanted her back. But he almost lost hope when Elaine made it clearly that it was just lust she felt for him.

He almost lost hope.

He almost killed himself with an alcohol. Then Kael came. He was punched by Kael for being weak, saying that he was willing to back out from the engagement if Jacob told him he still loves Elaine.

Jacob told him he didn't.

Then another blow that made his head turn. Damn. He loved Elaine so much that it hurt equally.

"I will never give Elaine to a guy like you, Jacob. Never. I'll never let Elaine be with you again. Remember that."

Those were Kael's words to him.

But he got her. He got Elaine. He got his happiness. He got Victoria. They're both his happiness. Kael was wrong. He still let Elaine go. For Jacob.

"I backed out because I can see she still wants you." Kael said when to him when the former went to Nueva Ecija to talk to him. "Do what's right this time, Jacob. Never let her go."

He did. He didn't let her go. He was just holding her loose but he still never let her go because he didn't want her to be free.

And in the end, he had the happy ending he deserved even that he was a bad guy.

He got Elaine back.

F I N