Glimpse of Goodbye

Chapter 4

j a c o b   c a i d e n

  Damn! Remind me why I bought an alarm clock, it's annoying. I sat up and reached my alarm clock to stop the annoying sound of it. And what makes this day worse? Today's monday, I hate mondays. Pumunta nalang ako sa cr ko para maligo at magtoothbrush. Matapos kong maligo, nagbihis na ako ng uniform ko at bumaba.

  I kissed my mom's cheek and greeted dad good morning. He was reading a newspaper when my mom asked while slicing her pancake. "Hijo, my former client's daughter called last night asking about you. Her name's Cassiopeia, do you know her?" and narrowed her eyes.

  I stifled a laugh and instead I smirked. "I know her," I said which made her eyes open wider. I couldn't contain my laugh anymore and released it. "Just helping a friend, mom. Don't worry, she's not one of my 'prospects'." I added. She calls every girl I date, or atleast I like, prospect, weird mom. I've dated a lot of girls out of boredom, I date them and when I grow tired of their clinginess or naggings, I break up with them. I don't stick to one girl, that's just not how I roll.

  "Gosh, don't even try, please, Jacob Caiden Lopez." my dad warned. I only nodded and smiled. "In fact, I have a favor to ask." I said while smirking. "What is  it?" dad inquired. I then started telling them my plan.

   I finished my food before I bid them goodbye. I'm going to Jacob's unit first, Jacob Kaiser, to be clear, before we go to school. I'll tour him around the campus. It's just fifteen minutes away from my house anyway. I drove to the condo he said where he's staying and went to the elevator. I clicked button of the floor he said where his unit was located and when I was on the right floor, I went immediately in front of his unit and knocked.

   I was shocked when he opened the door. Mukhang bagong-gising siya kasi gulo gulo yung buhok niya at half-opened pa yung mata. "Dude, if you don't want to be late in our class, try waking up early." I said. He grunted and I laughed. "Go take a bath and I'll prepare breakfast. Pasalamat ka marunong ako magluto," I said. "Opo maliligo na po, mom" pang-aasar niya. 'Di ko nalang pinansin at naghanap ng pancake mix.

  Nagkakilala kami nung lumipat ako sa France para dun mag high school. Siya naman 'andun na since he was nine. Naging close kami hanggang sa nagkkwento na kami ng mga sikreto sa isa't isa. At yun, nabanggit niya si Reese, ni 'di nga niya maalala yung full name, hirap tuloy hanapin. Nung summer, ipinakita niya sa'kin yung yung picture nila at gumawa ng copy nun'. I hired a private investigator to search for that girl, and boom, nakita na namin siya. It was my way of helping him kasi dati, I tried helping him by finding him a date. Sinu-sinong babae ang nireto ko sa kanya, tinatanggihan niya. Sabi niya, nangako siya kay Reese na siya lang yung babaeng "mamahalin" niya. What the fuck?! They were just nine year olds pero may nalalaman na silang ganung kakornihan. Tsk, binatukan ko siya nung sinabi niya yun sa'kin. Kahit ang daming babaeng nagkakandarapa sa kanya, wala siyang pakialam dun.

Si Reese lang talaga yung gusto niya.

Kahit hindi halata, head over heels in love 'tong kaibigan ko sa kaibigan niya. I gave up showing girls to him two years ago, I accepted na ganun na talaga.

Si Reese lang yung babaeng mamahalin niya.

  Saktong paglagay ko ng pancakes sa plato, lumabas si JK mula sa bedroom niya. "How's life living alone?" I asked and we both sat. "I still hadn't adjused," he admitted. "Why'd you move ba kasi?" I asked and laughed. He stared at me and said Reese's name casually. "Geez, you're such a lovesick, you know that? Kung alam ko lang na lilipat ka ng unit dahil dun, dapat pala 'di ko sinabi kung saan siya nakatira." I said. He didn't reply and I just continued drinking my coffee kasi kumain na ako sa bahay.

  After brushing his teeth, we decided to leave. We were inside the elevator when he broke the silence and asked "Do we have the same schedule?" and all I did was nod. Bago kasi kami umalis ng France, I told mom to fix my schedule as early as possible and sync it with JK's. "You really don't like her?" he asked again. I can't help but roll my eyes. The day he arrived, sinabi ko sa kanyang nahanap ko na si Reese. Nung ngumiti ako, aba akala niya may gusto ako kay Reese! Yeah, she's attractive and all, at base sa sinabi ng mga kaibigan niya, matalino rin, but she's really not my type. "For the nth fucking time, Jacob Kaiser Acaveda, I am not attracted to your girl." I said. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Bro, I have no intentions of being your opponent. And, guys before girls, right?" I said. "Right," he replied and smiled.

  Nasa campus na kami at kasalukuyang tinitignan ni JK yung paligid. "Where's our first class?" he asked. I pointed the building we're headed to. "Is Reese our classmate?" I rolled my eyes at the question. "No," I replied and I saw his stoic face changed to a sad expression for a second. "But her two friends are," I added and saw him smirk.

Damn, that De la Vega is one lucky girl.

After two classes, naglunch na kami. Nung first class, I decided na ipakilala ko si JK kanila Bronwyn at Ava. I was surprised di siya kilala nito. 'Di ba nagkkwento si Cassiopeia about kay JK? Weird af. "Pwede ba akong pumunta kanila Reese?" he questioned. "No, only glance from afar, you weirdo!" I firmly retorted and sent him dagger looks. He chuckled in response.

  The day ended rather boring, the lectures weren't that hard at all. I invited JK to have dinner with us, since I know that he'll eat in some random restaurant. He even gladly accepted my offer. He knows how to cook but I know kadalasan tinatamad siya. "JK, go invite ate Jacee to join us in dinner." I said while driving. Jacee Kaarina is his only sibling. She's like a year older than us, I think. "I'll call her," he replied and picked up his phone.

But my main reason is,I invited them because I want to see their reactions when they reunite.

j a c e e

  Weird, my brother's calling. That only happens once in a blue moon, like this is the first time he called me this month! "Jacee," he said when I picked up the phone. Hmp, he never called me ate. "Ate Jacee," I said to annoy him. "Whatever. I'm going to Caden's place and have dinner, wanna' come?" he said. The moment he said he'll be going to he's going to tita Nachelle's house, I beamed. "You know I'd never say no to that," I replied and smirked as if he'd see it. I heard him chuckle and that made me chuckle also. "You miss tita Nachelle too much, you know?" he said. "She's like a mom to us," I replied and sighed due to sadness. The other line went quiet for a few seconds that I had to call him "Jacob Kaiser, you there?" I said. "Still here," he said. "I'm just gonna' pack my things and I'll go to tita's house. Bye," I said and dropped the call.

  Twenty minutes later, I arrived to the private subdivision where tita Nachelle and tito Four's house is. I asked the maids if the two Jacobs has arrived and they said no. "Kaarina!" tita Nachelle said. "I miss you, auntie!" I said while hugging her. She asked me a lot of things while heading to the dining area. "Good evening, Kaarina." tito Forsythe said. "Good evening too, tito Four." I greeted back. He's name is Forsythe but he prefers to be called Four kasi ang haba daw.

  

  Paupo na kami nang dumating yung kapatid ko at si Caiden. After we prayed, we began eating the food tita cooked. We were talking animatedly na nagulat kami nang may nakita kaming babae sa may bungad ng dining area. "Sorry I'm late, tita." The girl said. She seems familiar pero 'di ko maalala kung saan ko siya nakita. "Hija! Come and sit next to Kaiser's chair," tita said.

   "Kaarina, Kaiser, I know you know her." she said kaya kumunot ang noo ko. "She's Cassiopeia Reese De la Vega," she added while smiling.

A/N Hi! Happy 50 reads !!Sorry 'di ako nakapag-update yesterday, huhu! Love you guys a lot, thank you for reading.  I'd like to recommend my friend's work, In Between Us by nycophiliatic13. Vote and comment!  
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