Before The Last Sunset [Before Trilogy #1]

34

"So...Chase Javier, huh?"

I felt myself choke on my cereal at the mention of his name. Malakas akong umubo at mabilis akong kumuha ng tissue. Tinawanan ni Savannah ang reaksyon ko at inabutan ako ng tubig.

"Why do you seem so surprised?" her lips curved up in amusement. "You really thought I wouldn't find out, Maddie?"

I drank the water she offered me, heat rising to my cheeks. "Kanino mo nalaman?"

"Vienna," she said like it was obvious. "Chase Elliot Javier, eighteen years old, Austin's best friend, son of the best doctors in the town, has one little sister and lives a few blocks away. I even heard that he was I quote 'drop dead gorgeous'," she listed all the facts she knew like she was part of the freaking FBI.

I massaged my forehead, suddenly stressed on how much she knew. Ano akala niya kay Chase, thesis?! Talagang nagresearch pa siya tungkol sa tao. Chase was already well-known here but I didn't expect for her to actually find interest in finding out who he was. At paano niya ako nahuli? She barely stayed at home! I was so careful on getting back before she did, but she still caught me.

"How much do you know?" I asked.

"You aren't the best when it comes to keeping secrets, little sis," she giggled. "You think I wouldn't notice how much you've changed the past few weeks? You may have forgotten that I'm your sister, Mads. I notice every single thing."

My forehead creased in confusion. "Changed? In what way?"

"You aren't the type to always go out, but somehow I found out that you always do these past few weeks. You're always with him, right? I keep catching you going in and out of his black car. The late night calls? I hear you. The walls are thin so I hear your giggles. I even catch you posing in front of your mirror whenever you're preparing for a date. You smile more, you seem more cheerful than usual, you're happier. You're adorable when you fall in love, Maddie."

"I'm not falling in love," I denied.

"That's a load of bollocks," she scoffed. "I'm not blind, Maddison. I experienced falling in love myself, I know what it looks like. I can confidently say that you, my dear sister, have fallen madly for that boy."

She knew me too well. Savannah has always found me as an open book to her. There is nothing that slips from her knowledge. I can't hide anything from her. Maybe I was becoming too obvious. Was I? Did Chase notice too? God, I hope he didn't. Him knowing would just complicate things.

"Does he know?"

Kahit hindi niya sabihin ng diretso, alam ko ang pinapahiwatig niya. "No."

She pursed her lips. "Do you plan to tell him what you feel?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't even dare," I answered her immediately. "Things would get complicated if he did, Sav. I can't let him get too attached to me. I'm not staying for long, you know this. I don't want to hurt him." I already booked my flight home. I was already sure that I was going back.

"You can always stay," she said in a small voice, as if she was afraid to bring up the topic again. "You know that I can provide for you-"

"Save it, Sav. We talked about this already," I cut her off in a stern voice. "You already have enough on your plate. You have yourself and your baby to think of, right? I won't add myself to the list of things you need to consider. I'll be fine back in London."

Savannah sighed deeply. "You know you're happier here, Madison. You can't deny that."

"Sometimes choosing to be happy is not the right choice."