Love Me Again

Prologue

Cassandra Legaspi just got back in the province where she was born and is now getting ready for their mini reunion.

She was first hesitant to attend pero naging mapilit at magaling mangonsensya ang mga kaibigan niya kaya wala siyang nagawa kundi pagbigyan ang mga ito. Besides, it's been 6 years since she last set foot in her hometown.

She sighed. Being home brought back a lot of memories. Kaya pinili niyang huwag umuwi ever since she left because she doesn't want to entertain unwanted emotions brought by those memories that she failed to forget over the years.

She shook her head to brush off some memories that started resurfacing inside her head. She doesn't want to think about the past right now.

Pagkatapos magbihis ay nagdrive na siya papunta sa meeting place nilang magkakaibigan. Hindi niya alam kung sinu-sino ang mga pupunta ngayong gabi dahil hindi na rin naman siya nag abalang magtanong. It will be a two-night event dahil na rin sa kagustuhan ng mga kaibigan niya coz they have a long catching up to do raw, so she brought clothes with her good for 2 days and 2 nights.

Sa isang beach resort napili ng mga kaibigan niyang magkita-kita. As far as she knows, they rented one of the biggest beach house on that resort to accommodate all of them.

Pagdating niya sa roon ay nakita niya agad ang grupo ng mga kaibigan niya. They are all gathered in an open cottage na nasa harap ng isang beach house, which she assumed is the house their friends rented.

She scanned the place while feeling the cool breeze of the air. A few meters away from the cottage ay natatanaw niya ang dagat. Rinig hanggang dito ang hampas ng alon at ang mabining tunog ng mga dahon sa mga punong nakapalibot sa buong resort na nagsasayaw dahil sa hangin.

Merong limang beach houses and cottages ang buong resort na ito. Maliban sa kanila ay meron pang isang grupo na nasa isang cottage di kalayuan sa cottage na inu-okupa ng mga kaibigan niya.

"Cassey!" napaligon siya sa sigaw ni Trexy ng makita siya nito at dali-daling tumayo para salubungin siya. She's her bestfriend.

Napalingon na rin sa kanya ang mga kasama at nakangiting kumaway habang naglalakad siya palapit sa kanila.

Nakangiting sinalubong niya ng mahigit na yakap ang matalik na kaibigan. Matagal na din silang hindi nakikita dahil sa pag-iwas niyang umuwi.

"I missed you!" bulong niya rito.

"I missed you, too. And I'm sorry." ganti naman nito at niyakap din siya ng mahigpit.

Kunot-noong napatingin siya rito. Not getting what she's sorry about.

Tumingin lang ito sa kanya with a guilty look plastered on her face but didn't say anything. Bagkus ay hinawakan nito ang kamay niya at iginiya na siya papunta sa cottage nila.

"Hi, guys! Sorry, I'm late." masayang bati naman niya sa mga kaibigan.

But her breathing hitched and her smile faltered when she saw the man turning his head to look at her.

Fuck!

She tried to compose herself and held back to urge to avert her gaze. She returned the smile she had earlier and greeted the man casually.

"Hi, James. Fancy seeing you here." she said.

The cold look he's giving her sent shivers in her body. Tinanguan lang siya nito and went back to talking with our friends.

She shot Trexy a cold stare but she just mouthed sorry and tapped the empty space beside her.

She sighed and sat down. Everyone greeted her at nakangiti naman niyang binati rin ang mga ito.

There are plenty of food already served on the table and everyone started eating while catching up. Kamustahan dito, kamustahan doon.

She did her best not to appear awkward in front of them kahit ang totoo ay kanina pa siya uneasy sa kinauupuan niya. Hindi rin lingid sa kanya ang paminsan-minsang pagsulyap sa kanya ni James na nasa kabisera sa kaliwa niya.

James...

Parang may pait na humagod sa lalamunan niya by the thought of his name.

He looked so different now. Long hair. Cold expression. He looked so guarded. Gone was the sweet and jolly man that she used to know.

She smiled bitterly. She knew deep inside her that whatever or whoever he had become was a product of what she did to him in the past.

And while everyone was busy chatting, her mind started to wander back to the past she tried so hard burying 6 feet below the ground but failed miserably.