

Praise for

THE FOREST OF EVERGREEN:

Found in the Wilderness

Bandiola returns with a sequel guaranteed to wrench reader's emotional heartstrings. Sophia's story continues to steer readers' minds and hearts as the second book reveals the answers to the mysteries surrounding the first book.

Secrets after shocking secrets came haunting the already chaotic lives of the characters. As the book progresses, each character reveals far more layers, questioning everything you thought you knew about them. As lies and secrets began to be uncovered, more questions and more speculations are being raised.

Emotional and intense! The Forest of Evergreen: Found in the Wilderness is an emotionally-charged novel filled with shocking revelations, appealing multi-dimensional characters, and suspenseful plot. Bandiola's exploration of family relationships, forbidden love, and self-introspection is compelling and complex, leaving readers craving for more of Bandiola's touch.

If you loved the first book, you will surely be captivated by Bandiola's evocative and highly-engaging sequel. Prepare to be swept off your feet and get lost once again to the magic of the Forest of Evergreen.

-Jeslen Tesoro, author and winner of AsianFanfics 2014

Praise for

THE FOREST OF EVERGREEN:

Found in the Wilderness

Book 2 is as surprising as Book 1. Love for the story creeps up on you, until you feel you can not let go. At first, it seems like just another fantasy story between a man and a woman, but when the reader comes to the main theme of the book , which is "Love does not demand its own way," the reader realizes she/he is not just holding another self-centered, selfish little piece about juvenile love and all the modern millennial trappings of so-called bratty, and twisted romance. I urge the readers to find out a little about themselves in this new book, and to know, like Sophia, what it feels like to be 'Found' and to truly belong. The fulfilling way.

-Renee Grace Amour V. Juliano, Editor in LinkEds & Writers

THE FOREST

OF EVERGREEN:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Found in the Wilderness

Book Two

TERESA MAY B. BANDIOLA
Sale of this book without a front cover may be unauthorized. If this book is coverless, it may have been reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payments for this "stripped book."

All of the characters, places, and incidents in this book are fictitious.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © 2015 by Teresa May B. Bandiola

Innocent Girl by An_taliA

Falling Feathers by http://rmrk.net/index.php?topic=50458.0

Wing by http://www.pngpix.com

Author photo by Arteri Yunson

Designed by Renee Grace V. Juliano of My Concept Studio

Edited by Ma. Evelyn D. Vergara, Ph.D.

All rights reserved.

ISBN-10: 1542737990

ISBN-13: 978-1542737999

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission of the copyright owner, except in

the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles

and reviews. Purchase only authorized editions.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is for my family and Eri Yunson,

for inspiring me always.

I can never find the right words to express

my deepest love for all of you.

AUthor'S notes

As I stated in Book One of this series, I created a mythical country as the setting of the story, which is located between Guam and Hawaii. I am a Filipino author and I haven't quite experienced yet the four seasons of weather that is why it would be difficult for me to describe them in my writing (like how snow falls in winter or how plants and trees begin to grow in the spring). So I chose a geographic location where I could relate to, much like my home country, and that was somewhere in the Pacific Ocean near the equator, where only rainy and sunny seasons happen.

I am a proud Filipino, and you will notice that our culture, traditions, history, and even our witticisms are reflected in my writing. I pursued it as a gesture of love and respect for my home country, and in the hope of bringing a fresh backdrop to international readers.

In Book One, I hadn't stated much about the origin of the outlandish creatures, the Vangkekans, because I was in the middle of an extensive research on how to make them realistically based, (and not just the typical fictional characters like westernized vampires or werewolves, but creatures that could actually be supported by History, Biology, Philosophy, and even Astro-Physics).

Now that I have gathered enough information to tell their origin, they will now be mentioned in the Prologue of this book. Certainly, some readers won't be open to some of the details but this book is only a product of fiction, after all.

Appendices A and B of this book describe the fictional country setting and the strange creatures respectively, while Appendix C defines the strange words found throughout the story. The three appendices are excerpts from Book One and were added only here, for the reader's reference.

I hope you'll enjoy reading the story and learn some lessons from it, as I did.

It (love) does not demand its own way.

-1 Corinthians 13: 5 NLT

Synopsis

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

This is the second part of the forest of evergreen series.

The first part, _Lost in the Wilderness_ , narrated that Sophia Vabueretti suffered from memory loss because of a car accident, which also claimed the life of her boyfriend, Giovanni (while it caused lesser injuries to her best friend, Zarah, and her brother, Alex, who joined them in the car at the time). The accident happened on their way home after joining the Battle of the Bands, in the summer before their senior year of high school.

However, Sophia's childhood flame, Jericho (now a new and very young doctor), came into her life again, carrying a stronger love for her, a love that knew no boundaries.

Though Sophia was in oblivion, old sparks with Jericho blazed on again, in the company of Sophia's diaries which mostly accounted for her unsettling love for him.

Their relationship was greatly objected to by Sophia's parents, who were influenced by Grandma Lucy (who condemned Jericho as a jinx in Sophia's life).

Against all odds, the two eloped to Forest Green until Jericho and Sophia ended up hiding in the Vabueretti lake house. When her family found out, they asked the police to arrest him which made the two run into the dark forest. That night, while escaping, Jericho accidentally stepped on a rock and lost his consciousness, while Sophia, shockingly, fell from a high cliff. While she was falling, someone suddenly caught her. It was Abanir, an outlandish creature that soon captivated Sophia's heart. But it was not Abanir's first time to see her. He had seen her before, at the lake house, where Sophia spent a bonfire night with her family. Sophia saw him, too, at that time, and was thinking that her senses had deceived her that night.

After rescuing Sophia from falling, Abanir brought her to the Kravena Tribe (which is found at the Forest of Evergreen) together with his personal servant, Rabel. Without a doubt, Abanir's regal parents were very shocked to see their son with a human. But humans were not new to them. They had a clash with them before, which included Sophia's doctor-grandfather who had led a scientific quest into the mysterious wild forest.

While in Kravena, Sophia remembered Jericho and she escaped to be with him again. But then, a strange animal, resembling a huge and wild pig, attacked her. Abanir saved her life once again and he flew her to Harem Falls, just as Sophia lost consciousness. It was now night when Sophia got her consciousness back and she had no choice but to spend the night there with Abanir and Rabel.

Unexpectedly, a spark formed between her and Abanir, that flickered along with the fires of the night. The following day, Abanir's enemies, the Sulabun and Fegratu Tribes, attacked Kravena without any warning. Because of this, Abanir had to return Sophia back to the lake house where he first saw her. Not to be seen by humans (particularly Sophia's family), Abanir landed her near the lake. Out of the blue, Abanir kissed her in the lips, a happening that confused Sophia's heart, further.

At that juncture, Jericho, at last, found Sophia. Then he surrendered himself to the sheriffs, and was charged with kidnapping her. He could be put to jail because Sophia was not yet at the legal age of eighteen.

Tormented, Sophia was now caught between the man of her childhood dalliance (who had always loved her) and an outlandish creature that she just met (but had saved her life, twice).

Grandma Lucy gave Sophia two choices: either to stay in Forest Green with Jericho but Jericho will be behind bars forever, or to go back to Orlando City with her parents so that Jericho would be freed from jail.

Sophia agreed to return to Orlando but her heart was breaking. Along with those throbbing tears was the torment who weighed more heavily: Was it Abanir or Jericho?

This second part, _Found in the Wilderness_ , now tells how Sophia continued her life in the city, but was brought back to Forest Green for her Grandma Lucy's seventy-sixth birthday. However, prior to Grandma Lucy's birthday celebration, shocking family secrets were revealed, secrets that could disturb Sophia's sense of identity and her renewed relationship with Jericho.

pROLOGUE

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

thE Vangkekan Origin

In the beginning, long after the Great Flood, creatures outside the Planet Earth collected ten slaves from the riverbanks of Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates, and brought them to the paradise now known as The Forest of Evergreen in the remote town of Forest Green, Orstia, Great Archipelago of Philipdomia.

The ten were composed of five pairs of males and females and were subjected to genetic mutation by these unearthly creatures. As a result, the ten had grown a pair of wings at their backs (with varied colors) and had abundance of distinct stem cells that contributed to their immortality and exceptional strength. They were then called the Vangkekans (from the ancient alien language meaning "reborn").

The extraterrestrials allotted five tribes for the five male slaves to protect and lead the entire paradise and be called as follows:

Datu Ilak The White of Kravena Land,

Datu Karok The Dusky of Sulabun,

Datu Saak The Red of Fegratu,

Datu Intal The Green of Asuldan, and

Datu Uliman The Brown of Kumanggi.

Each datu was assigned a spouse from the other five remaining female slaves. However, one female did not survive the genetic mutation and had died. She was supposedly the partner of Datu Ilak of Kravena. Hence, Datu Ilak was the only datu who had no immediate descendants.

For further procreation, the unearthly creatures gathered additional pairs of slaves from the middle east. There was peace and order. Growth and survival. Then, the ancient aliens thought of an army to prepare the Vangkekans for the _rupture_ , and decided to bring more slaves. Yet again, they were subjected to genetic mutation. There were batches of slaves from the south, now known as South Africa. Some were from the east, in the south, now known as India. Some were from the _beautiful mountain_ in South America, now called the Andes Mountains. The last group was from old Babylon. One of them was Banaak, who was consigned to assist Datu Ilak, while the extraterrestrials were searching for the perfect match for Datu Ilak (as he was the superior and most special among the five datus).

But that was the time when the ancient aliens did not return yet (and probably still searching).

However, the Mountains of Yandal served as the land mark for the ancient aliens' space crafts. The mark is still standing today, in a form of a circle consisting of twelve separate rigid stone walls, while at the center was a small circle with four feet.

No one on Earth knows about its existence because the Forest of Evergreen was protected by an electrical field, and is the reason why it isn't easily penetrated. The soil in the land had anti-toxin to protect the forest from any strange object, animate or inanimate, and the plants were ever-changing to confuse any stranger from entering. However, these plants, like the Ula-ula in Kravena (which was mentioned in Book 1), contained the substance resin that could heal wounds easily (like what Sophia experienced in Book 1).

The ancient aliens were in need of gold, which was more abundant in Mount Kalban than in any other place on Earth. (In Book 1, it was mentioned that Mount Kalban belonged to Jericho's family, and Jericho's grandfather sold it to a mining company.)

(Mount Kalban was abandoned when it caused the running out of Ovaweh Falls, which was the antidote for the deadly arrows, and the one responsible for restoring the Vangkekans' immortality because of the scientific manipulation on the water done by the extraterrestrials. Its abandonment was one of the reasons why these intelligent life forms left and went to other places or galaxy for an alternative supply.)

But before the ancient aliens left, they were able to earmark a symbol for each datu. These symbols were of the heavenly bodies, so that the ancient aliens would always be remembered by the datus. These heavenly bodies were the ones that first fascinated each datu, upon landing on paradise (mentioned in Book 1):

The bright sun for Datu Ilak,

The twinkling star for Datu Saak,

The half-full moon for Datu Karok,

The crescent moon for Datu Intal, and

The full moon for Datu Uliman.

At the rigid stone monuments around the secreted hot spring (where the deadly arrows were dipped to kill an immortal Vangkekan) was a set of picture symbols carved by the ancient aliens. Only the five datus, if together, could decode its meaning upon the aliens' return. Yet none of these spearheads knew of that return. No clues were left for them.

Now, the Vangkekans had to live, together, peaceably, and must keep on. They believed in One Invisible God, not the sun, not the moon, not the stars, or anything crawling, flying, or floating on land or on the water. These ancient benevolent aliens left them believing in One God, The One who's outside time and space. He comes in the form of Energy, has Life, and is oh, so Almighty!

The Vangkekans were taught to survive, believe, and wait—wait for that one thing the ancient benevolent aliens didn't elaborate, but which, according to them, was for the good of all.

CHAPTER 1

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

thE Agony

Sophia squeezed her pillow tightly, and did not let go, as if to signify that letting go meant finally admitting all hope was lost. She couldn't stop thinking of Forest Green: of how Jericho was doing behind bars, and that kiss, that kiss that Abanir bestowed on her before he disappeared among the tall trees by the lake.

She wanted to cry out, to release further the heavy burden burying her, but her eyes were already weary ever since they left Forest Green, that sundown.

Pressing her eyes hard, she wondered if her Grandma Lucy truly kept her promise: that she would free Jericho from jail once Sophia returned to Orlando with her parents.

She did it, and so she hoped her grandma would do the same. She loved Jericho so much that she wanted him to continue his life, even without her. And the only thing she was holding on to, right now was... could fate be kind enough to let them see each other again?

But, along those sentiments was the thought of Abanir. What did his kiss by the lake mean?

_Oh, God..._ Sophia wiped her teardrops away, but the wild rivers inside of her had already widened into oceans. Before long, she fell asleep and sank into the sudden dream of Jericho... and Abanir.

When Elizabeth opened her eyes, everything felt so different. It was on the morning they arrived back at Orlando City. She let out a soft groan and struggled to ignore the rush of fresh memories from Forest Green. Though she worried too much about Sophia's recent misbehavior, she was not too horrified to worry about her other kids as well: Alex and Nadine.

Slowly, she spun away from the bed, leaving Philippe snoring out of exhaustion, and went downstairs to the dining room. There, her parents were taking good care of Alex and Nadine after they had gone out, hunting for Sophia in Forest Green.

"Good morning!" Randy, her father, greeted, as his gray hair glimmered with the sun's rays entering the windowpane. His smile was refreshing, though he had blackish lips, a sign of a heavy tobacco smoker.

"Oh, hi! Honey, come and join us with breakfast!" her mother, Emily broke in, even more welcoming, as she offered her a seat and a cup of freshly brewed black coffee.

Despite her drained condition, Elizabeth managed a cheerful face. She felt recharged when Nadine ran to hug her, hastily, as though now was the last time.

"I miss you, Mom. You were away for far too long." Nadine's pining voice directly stung Elizabeth's heart as she clung firmly on her mother's sagging shoulders. "And where's Sophie?" She glanced around, eyes in all directions, just to spot her missing sister. "And daddy, too?"

Nadine's series of questions added coal to Elizabeth's burning chest. If only she could upload everything to her daughter's young mind and make her understand, she would, without a shred of hesitation. But patting her daughter's hair was all that she could do.

"Sweetie, Sophie and daddy are still in bed, all right?" Elizabeth tried to make up for Nadine's enthusiasm and met her large blue eyes, which were clueless about what was happening to the family lately. If only Elizabeth could tell her more.

"At this hour?" Disappointment crossed Nadine's face, and every eye in the room witnessed it.

Across the silence, the adults passed messages through their eyes. If it was that easy, they would let Nadine know. Let her know about her older sister's act of running away—away with Jericho to Forest Green.

Elizabeth then heaved a heavy sigh, and temporarily avoided to mention the fact that Sophia went missing for two nights at the forest with Jericho—the guy that disgusted her and Grandma Lucy the most, and the guy they thought to be the greatest menace in Sophia's life.

And this, Elizabeth found hard to accept, to believe that something else happened between the two. It was disturbing, but how Elizabeth wished she could ignore the fear flaring inside of her!

A second passed and Philippe joined them for breakfast, rubbing his eyes, as though he was still deprived of sleep. Clearing his vision, he greeted everyone, especially his in-laws. Then before he could find a seat, he noticed Sophia's absence. "Where is Sophie?" he asked, perturbed.

"He's still in bed, Dad," answered Nadine as she rushed to give her father a warm embrace, too. "I miss you, Daddy!" She expressed grinning, trying to wash away her displeasure.

"I miss you too, sweetheart!" Philippe imparted kisses on her cheeks and tickled her. "How's my little pumpkin while I was away, huh?"

Nadine chortled more loudly as Philippe examined her harder.

"And you've gained weight? I bet grandpa and grandma cooked a lot for you." Philippe had some more fun and flexed some muscles to carry his daughter.

"Oh, yes. Especially chicken meals." Emily joined in, grinning at Nadine.

"And soon she'll have wings if she keeps on eating more chicken," Randy supplemented and winked at Nadine gamely.

At once, a blast of laughs dispersed through the entire dining room, as Nadine lingered to be the center of everyone's universe.

That nightfall, Sophia's longing for Jericho heightened, but she was pulled back by her memories with Abanir. She knew Abanir had saved her life, and not just once... and his kiss placed her heart in a maze.

She reached out for her sketch pad and pencil and started outlining. Bit by bit, she came up with Abanir's face—those eyes, so splendid, that she remembered them changing colors. And that voice of his, singing by the falling water, took away her cluttered thoughts, for a moment.

Her remembering cracked to pieces when her cell phone rang. It was Zarah, wishing to talk to her, after she had heard everything from Alex.

At arm's length, Sophia held her cell phone, but a part of her was pulling her back. She was uncertain if she was with her sanity to talk to anybody.

Another ring—and she finally pressed _answer_.

"Ola!" Zarah's piercing voice popped out. "Alex just called. He said you're already home. So what's up?" Zarah was obviously trying to make things light.

"Zarah..." Sophia's voice was low and weak.

Feeling it, Zarah chose to act sensitive. She knew her best friend was in trouble, and she wondered why Sophia was silent about Jericho for so long. They were best friends, and Sophia could always talk to her about it—openly—that was why Zarah felt a bit of disappointment.

Yet, Sophia's interests mattered more to Zarah, and she was very much willing to listen to whatever Sophia would tell her.

"You wanna talk about it?" Zarah attempted to unlock a fragile confession from Sophia.

"I don't know... I can only wish to remember the good times and forget the things I refuse to remember. They are nothing but heartache." Sophia's reply was in an undertone. Then, a hushed howling echoed over the phone, and Zarah was at her finest to, at least, comfort her dearest friend. "I am really messed up right now, and I don't know what to do." Sophia couldn't help but admit. She had to, or her heart would burst into flames and scatter like wildfire.

Zarah knew then that her friend was referring to the emotional misadventures that Sophia had been involved with, and at that moment, she could only think of one thing she'd always believed in. "It's not love when you don't feel some pain, Sophie," she said and continued when nothing resounded at the end of the line. "Look, I wish I could go to your house today and cheer you up, but I'm out of town right now. I'm at my grandparents'," she added cautiously. "It's their golden wedding anniversary but I'll..." she was saying when she heard the rasp of Sophia's hushed weeping. "Don't worry, I'll drop by your house once I return to Orlando, okay?" Zarah was gallant in saying it, and Sophia could only thank her more but she eventually declined, realizing she would be too selfish if she'd ruin her best friend's retreat, so she hindered herself from lamenting and dismissed the subject matter immediately. She'd done it to spare Zarah's vacation.

"Hey, you know what? I heard Anne is throwing a party this Thursday night," Zarah burst out. "Why don't we go? I mean, you need to go out, Soph."

The offer kicked Sophia in the head. Her best friend was right but she knew she was grounded, and without a doubt, her parents would be watching her every move. Now that her mess was still fresh, surely she would be jailed at home like a prisoner.

"You're right. I need to go out but... Well, I'll try."

"No, don't try. You must, and you're coming with me whether you like it or not." Zarah directed with a compelling quality, accompanied by a row of sarcastic laughs—her convincing style that worked most of the time.

It worked now, and they began their plot of excuse-and-escape.

Right after the call, Sophia sat down on her bed and reflected for a while. Then a hasty flashback of the night she was falling from the high cliff seemed to transport her back to the forest. The feeling was critical... but was soon wiped out when she remembered Abanir, how he had caught her and saved her. She remembered the flapping sounds of his gargantuan wings, too. They were heavenly. But the night they spent at the Harem Falls was even more heavenly. Magical.

As those memories came back, Sophia caught herself tracing her lips. Abanir was fast in kissing her by the lake, and it was a moment she couldn't escape from. But then, there was a sudden, intense crumpling of her heart—the ache was different, this time.

Jericho.

Yes, Jericho, too, came into view. But his face was in torment. It made Sophia assume that he was, in fact, in real torment—in prison, perhaps. Heavens, if she could travel back to Forest Green and go straight to the precinct to see him and tell him that she loved him, she would, against of Nature's forces. But then again, there was an agreement with her Grandma Lucy: to go back to Orlando and forget Jericho.

She lifted her face up to the ceiling, and realized she was probably wrong in leaving Forest Green without reassuring herself that Jericho was released from jail. And right now, what she could only do was... to cling firmly to the hope: that her Grandma Lucy kept her word.
CHAPTER 2

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

whEn it still endures

The breeze of dawn broke through Abanir's face when he woke up from the same vibrant dream of Sophia. It was cold but it was Sophia's face that kept him warm.

Clearing his vision, he found himself sitting at the bed of the nest where Sophia was treated by Shamante, their tribe's healer.

It had been days since he had often woken up that way, and every day of Sophia's absence just made his heart grow fonder. He went back to the moment they had their first eye-to-eye and imagined Sophia was right in front of him—with this face so innocent yet so alluring.

Abanir was so wrapped up with memories. He didn't even realize the sun had already climbed to the mountains, and he was still there, sitting on the same bed, his thoughts floating with the early breeze.

Then, he decided to visit the lake house—the first and last place where he saw Sophia. He refused to believe that there was still no sign of Sophia's presence there.

Yet, his longing never waned, and anxiously reared stronger. Wilder. More powerful.

He stopped by the exact place where he landed Sophia, where he conveyed his affection to her through a steadfast kiss, even before he went back to Kravena to battle.

He remembered the scent of their first kiss. The kiss that strengthened and helped him to stand against the united enemy tribes.

Then Abanir looked at the lake house afresh, and couldn't believe how he missed the human so much. He had never felt that way before: desiring so much for someone out of his reach.

He flew to Harem Falls and noticed that the plain kubot, where he spent the night with Sophia, was still there. He landed and sat on the fallen tree that he turned into a bench, and remembered how he offered Sophia something to eat. He walked farther and watched the falling water. There it resounded with the melody he had hummed before her, along with the flower of the dama-dama he gave to her (before Rabel rushed to them, relaying the presence of their enemies in their territory—which now began the great battle).

With a sigh, Abanir knew that the dama-dama flower slipped out of Sophia's hand, when he brought her back to the lake house, for her safety. At that memory, he wished the fallen flower didn't mean she'd already forgotten him.

How he missed the human so much! Looking up to the brightening sky, Abanir knew his beloved was with her fellow humans now, probably with her family, yet he couldn't help but wonder if she ever felt the same thing for him, if she was thinking of him, too.

_I miss you_ , Abanir spoke to himself and collected his fists tightly. _Are you coming back_?

In a blink of an eye, Rabel, from the sky, was coming to join him. As usual, Rabel was there looking for him.

"I knew you would be here," Rabel told Abanir, his face showing fatigue and worry.

"Yes, Rabel. Join me with my rumination of the human you warned me of."

"You really miss her, don't you?"

Eyes down, Abanir nodded, "Yes, Rabel. I really do. I miss her but... she's in her own, different world now. And I—I don't know what to do." His confession was overly touching.

"You're right. She's in her own, different world now. With all due respect, My Raha, you need to let go of her, now..." Rabel then offered his unsolicited opinion.

Abanir fell into silence. His hakaro's feedback was too excruciating to handle. But he was right! He was just so achingly right! But it was killing Abanir!

"Let's go back to the tribe now." Abanir then put forward, yearning to escape the truth. He did not want to look weak. He had always been strong on anything. Hard on anything. But it was Sophia who made him soft and weak—and he admitted that there was something he couldn't take control of: love.

Arriving at Kravena, Reyna Kaya saw them and reminded them of the upcoming thanksgiving, after their restoration from their enemies. But Reyna Kaya saw her son's sorrow and went to ask him.

"My son, you were able to defeat the two tribes. So what depresses you?" She asked.

Abanir looked at his mother steadily, his eyes revealing pining.

"Is this because of the human?" Reyna Kaya drew closer. She felt she needed to bring out those finest and most comforting words of a mother.

Abanir did not speak. His silence merely meant _yes_ to Reyna Kaya.

"My son, she is a world apart. I need you to understand that." Reyna Kaya began telling. To make him understand. To wake him up to reality and truth. "I don't want you to be hurt, My son. While it's still early, I need you to forget that human. You have to."

Those words tore at Abanir's heart. He was flung upside down. "Mother, the thing is... it's too late, already. I have fallen in love with that human and I can't... I can't just forget her. I just can't." Abanir bowed down his head, gripping his hands tighter and tighter—he had to, or else he'd explode at any moment. All he ever wanted were to fill his eyes with Sophia's presence, fill his lungs with her scent, fill his mind with the sights of the night they spent at the Harem falls and the sounds of her laugh when he ascended with her into the air.

It was crushing Reyna Kaya, and she was now desperate to find ways to make her son realize that this desire for the human was venomous. Not just to him, but also to his family and race. She needed to make Abanir focus on the tribe, especially now that they have to be vigilant against the surprises of enemies.

Reyna Kaya decided to be more considerate then, and thought that perhaps, in the succeeding days, her son would finally wake up and realize that he was just not for the _human world_ , and nor was she fit for his _Vangkekan world_.
CHAPTER 3

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

the party

"Good Lord! So it's true. You look like her."

That shudder, cold as sandstone and shrill as a dagger, was heard by Sophia when she went to the fridge for a bottle of water. She'd never been downstairs since their return from Forest Green, and Nadine became her own personal aide, providing her all the things she needed, including food and refreshments. This was the only time she went down.

Looking delicate as a wren's egg, Sophia turned to look at the owner of the voice and didn't recognize the woman in her late sixties, with her mom. She must be a relative because of the resemblance this woman shared with Elizabeth.

The old woman slowly approached her. "Sophia..." she said, examining her closer and harder. It was Emily. The last time she saw her long-lost granddaughter was the day she was born (for there were too many unsettled issues back then, between the two sides—Sophia's maternal-paternal grandparents).

Emily cried oceans. Rage, despair, self-pity—all were tidal waves breaking inside of her. There was this ache to clench Sophia in her arms and would never ever let her go but then, she remembered her daughter Francheska. She wished Francheska was there, too, to witness the marvelous reunion, but it suddenly occurred to her that she was asking for the impossible. Francheska had been out of sight for many, many years now, and those seventeen years of absence had always felt like a lifetime, not just to her but to everyone who knew the family scandal.

Sophia froze, trying to recognize the old woman again. _Who is she?_ She kept asking herself.

"Mom, she doesn't remember you. She has amnesia, remember?" Elizabeth slipped in to rescue her daughter from her own self-examination.

"Yes, of course," answered Emily while studying Sophia even harder, then she touched Sophia's face, clasped her hands and gave her the warmest hugs.

Child-like, Sophia returned the same kind of scrutiny and accepted the old woman's approaching embrace.

There was a long moment of body-hugging and trying-to-figure-it-out.

"I shouldn't have let them take you... That was my greatest mistake. I'm so, so sorry," Emily whispered into her granddaughter's ears and tightened her hug.

Sophia felt the rush of her grandma's apologies and fell into a deeper stream of confusion. _Who is she exactly?! What is she talking about?!_

"I'm Grandma Emily," Emily, at last, revealed, her whisper even softer now, tinged with boundless regrets and sorrows. "The very person who's been missing you for _many, many_ years..." Another torrent of tears ran down her face, then a tall man surprisingly over-shadowed them.

"So, that's Sophia now?" His voice came behind Elizabeth. It was Randy, who just went out for a drink with Philippe. "I can't believe you're all grown up!" He was ecstatic but definitely not as expressive as Emily. "Come here, and I'll give you a warm hug, too!"

A flat face was all that Sophia could provide him. She had absolutely no idea of who he was. But by the looks of him, she already had a hint he might be her grandpa.

"Dad, she doesn't remember you," Elizabeth said, overwhelmed by the series of unexpected turn of events.

"Oh, yes! Of course, dear." Randy affirmed and joined Emily in encircling their long-lost granddaughter.

And then, there was a more detailed introduction, followed by an early dinner for Sophia—in fact, it was her meal for the entire day.

*****

For the first time ever, Sophia couldn't wait for the first day of her senior year. It would be much easier to go on with the motions of life in Orlando than to think of what she left behind in Forest Green.

She had overheard her mom's phone conversation with Grandma Lucy last night, and heard Jericho's name again and again. How it crushed her! She refused to believe they were planning again to isolate her from Jericho once he was freed from jail.

She shut her eyes and looked at the clock, which was now clicking close to nine in the morning. It wasn't her habit to get up late but things weren't the same anymore. Life, for her, had lost its drive. She simply chose to keep going, for she had to.

Then, she shifted her stare to the windows. The morning light was glorious, passing through the white curtains which she forgot to close before she fell asleep. She had been standing there last night. Waiting. Hoping that Jericho would miraculously appear from the shadows of the night.

Time and again, she'd felt sorry for leaving him. She felt guilty, felt worse than a criminal. But if there were people imprisoned here, it wasn't her. It was really the people who kept hindering justice... the justice of young love.

That morning surge of Sophia's emotions made her take control of herself. She began to feel defiant against everything and everyone. She wanted rebellion. She wanted freedom. For reasons she couldn't figure out, herself.

*****

Thursday night made Sophia's revolt become a reality.

She and Zarah dove into Anne's party despite a chain of arguments she had had with her parents. They didn't want her to go out, but Sophia was hard as a rock so that her parents ultimately admitted defeat.

"I have to go out or else I'll die thinking of Jericho! I don't know if Grandma Lucy really withdrew her allegation against him, or if Jericho is now rotting in prison!" Sophia unintentionally yelled at her parents, something she hadn't done before. "Why don't you just leave me alone! I'm sick of you always trying to protect me!" She yelled louder. It was a major concern that the couple couldn't abide, but they stiffened their spines and tried to be more considerate.

Philippe and Elizabeth tried to understand their daughter. Letting Sophia out was a huge risk but they, one way or another, realized that their daughter was, indeed, in need of it. Sophia had been mute lately, locking herself in her room, hardly eating, and they already worried over the possibility that it might lead her to depression... or worse, losing. Knowing that Zarah would be there to accompany their daughter was something that helped to remove a portion of doubt from their chests.

The party was attended by fellow upcoming seniors, with a few sophomores and outsiders gate-crashing.

Zarah was in a sexy metallic blazer and displayed searing hot smoky eyes while Sophia was as modest as ever with her lavender sleeveless chemise and zero makeup. Without question, she could still turn every head around, even in her most quiet, effortless get-up.

The place was absolutely crowded and chaotic, muddled up with varieties of alcohol, packs of _weed, and_ other drugs that were secretly passed from one person to another. And if not controlled, a bunch of these party animals would be diving into the pool or running naked across the streets, until the cops interfered.

The music was excessively deafening and no one could absolutely resist dancing, not even Sophia who was down and feeling very low at that moment. She was hopping while exchanging a few words with Zarah when Alex unexpectedly slipped in—in cold blood—and dragged Zarah out to nowhere.

The two's departure made Sophia explore the house and try things new when a guy suddenly trailed her.

"Hello, Sophia." His voice was manly and appealing.

Head down, Sophia lifted her chin to face him. He was quite familiar. She was one hundred percent sure she had seen him before, but she couldn't remember where.

The guy spoke again, tagging along with a confident smile. "I'm glad you came. I'm Enzo, by the way," he said as he offered his hand for a hand-shake. "You probably don't remember me, but we were friends... before your amnesia." His gentle accent and dark eyes did not make a dent on her memory. Sophia could hardly figure out the last place she saw him. Too late she realized she hadn't granted his hand-shake yet, but it seemed he was reading her mind.

"If you're thinking of the last place we've met, it was in a Filipino restaurant, by the Eight Avenue. You had lunch there with your family," Enzo explained.

Sophia's surprise and curiosity caged her, kept her speechless. She wished she hadn't drunk too much so she could think better, but there was something about this guy, not a special brand of dangerous charm, but probably someone with some answers that her own family would not give her.

Then, Enzo cleared his throat to prevent the dialogue from hanging. "Mind if I get you a new drink?" He shot a smile, still looking very engaging.

Sophia's thoughts drifted from that question as she felt the eagerness to begin asking, but it felt like it was too soon. And she didn't want, of course, to create a bad impression—she just met him!

"Thanks, but I haven't emptied my bottle yet," she said after some time, and they fell into another stream of awkward silence.

Enzo knew it was up to him to speak but he noticed the restlessness in her. She was still that same Sophia he knew almost four years ago. The one who had always been secluded. Mysterious and intriguing.

He remembered the first time he saw her, back in their freshman year. She was the country girl lost in the city of haste and hubbub. She had only one companion then—Daniella—who shared the same pursuit of wanting to belonging, in the family.

Very clearly, Enzo was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Even up to now. And for those first two months that they used to be casual friends, back then, he couldn't help but wind up that it was all worthwhile, though she was caught up with too many hustle and bustle. And now that her ex, Giovanni, was dead, Enzo was even more driven. (Little did he know about the other guys in Sophia's life.)

"I guess I have to go now. I'm sorry." Sophia tried to face him. She could no longer think of any alternative so as to prolong the conversation with this new guy, although she knew he could be a link to the gaps in her memory. Playing the cool role was not just her forte.

Enzo's smile vanished. "Why leave too early?" Enzo asked, wondering if he lacked all the charm or she had just utterly changed.

It was the worst moment of the night for Sophia. Her current situation would be much easier if she had to leave in the soonest way possible. She'd never been good in dismissing difficult conversations, especially with strangers. Leaving was always the best escape plan for her.

"Thank you for tonight." She then seized the courage to say it, accompanied by a coy smile to make amends for her silence. "I'll see you around."

The exchange of words with Enzo was refreshing for Sophia but she wasn't geared up, yet, to rekindle any lost friendship in the past. At some point, she was scared. Scared of the things that might come surprisingly, that she would never expect.
CHAPTER 4

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

thE lady in polka dots

Normally, Elizabeth didn't mind preparing for dinner, but Friday night was quite special. Her sister, Lilly, was coming all the way from London, to spend the rest of the summer with her and to see their parents, too.

It had been ages since Elizabeth saw Lilly, and she wondered if her sister was still that same hilarious Stephanie Plum she remembered most about her. Only this time, Elizabeth hoped Lilly was now on the road to redemption, after a life in ruins.

She remembered Francheska, too.

Yes, the poor Francheska. The three of them were Randy's precious _Tres Marias_.

Elizabeth flashed back to the times when she and her sisters were just little girls, dreaming of the fancy things life could offer them, and that Elizabeth would become a lawyer (which she had achieved but she became a full-time mother, by choice). Lilly would become one of the world's greatest chefs (which she hadn't achieved, and indeed, she had always been messing up, until now). And Francheska would become a teenage superstar (but nobody knew because she had been gone, since then, and hadn't communicated with the family).

Elizabeth held back a tear. Though it was far from happening, she wished her sister Francheska would be coming to visit, too. She longed so much for her sister to finally take a glance at Sophia, to let her see how the latter turned out, as Francheska's exact doppelganger: those same sultry ocean eyes, radiant olive skin, and brown hair— some of the many features they had in common. How would Francheska react once she learned about everything, especially about Sophia?

A cab stopped by their house, and Alex saw it through the open windows.

"Mom, Aunt Lilly is here already," he yelled, while he and Nadine were watching their favorite HBO series in the living room.

Everyone gathered to welcome Lilly, except for Sophia. She was there in her room, writing on her diary after finishing a canvas of a girl gone in the wilds, so dark and misty. The same daily activities had bored her since they arrived from their stint at Forest Green. When she heard the welcoming voices from downstairs, she tried to come down and join in, knowing someone was coming. Nadine happened to share it to her when the former visited her room the other night.

The problem was... Sophia was absolutely clueless about her Aunt Lilly. Aside from the fact that she couldn't recall her, she also hadn't seen Aunt Lilly mentioned in any of her diaries, and it frightened her. It frightened her that her aunt might ignore her... or treat her differently. It seemed that Sophia's diaries were not as comprehensive as she hoped.

On the last step of the staircase, Sophia was thrown off balance when the lady in polka dots, who was then warmly welcomed into the living room, turned to glimpse at her.

"Hello. I suppose you are Sophia," the strange lady said. The voice from those pink lips sounded calm and friendly.

Somehow, the drum roll in Sophia's chest mellowed down. She didn't expect that her aunt would greet her first—a good sign that her aunt wasn't aloof. But she wondered why new people were suddenly entering in their lives lately. Did it have something to do with her _running away_?

Lilly didn't look strange to Sophia, or maybe it was because Lilly had the dominant genes of the Roberts, Sophia's maternal side. However, her small height was uncharacteristic of the Roberts. She was unmistakably smaller than Elizabeth, had a stout body build-up, and a few wrinkles on her face. Perhaps the presumptions were true, that she had been on drugs, at some point in her glum life as a woman who was always rejected.

Like a glass that would break at any moment, Sophia watched her aunt walk towards her. Lilly was bestowing her a careful scrutiny. Sophia's brooding look reminded Lilly so much of someone else.

The sight of Sophia's humid eyes shredded Lilly's heart. She could sense the solitude in her niece. Anguish even. And just like everyone else, she wished that Sophia could be seen by Francheska, too. Francheska needed to have her past life fall back into place, now. But this was not the time for nostalgia. Lilly had to stay casual and focused. She had just met her niece.

Wonder came silently, to Sophia. Why was her aunt looking at her like that? Was there something wrong with her? Or with her face? She was pretty sure she'd fixed herself in the mirror before leaving her room.

Her wonders fell into pieces when Lilly uttered again. "How's my dearest niece?" Lilly was sweeter than syrup, and way too careful when touching her.

Sophia's heartbeat drummed quicker and louder as her aunt enclosed her and made her feel like there was no way out. And that was the time when Elizabeth butted in.

"Oh, it's been a long trip, Lil! Mom and I prepared for a little festivity," she said, and the attention was suddenly shifted to dinner.

Altogether, they gathered around the elliptical table, with zest burgeoning in the air. Before the prayer, Sophia was bordered with curiosity. New people had been showing her some sympathy lately, and she found it bearable. There must be something in her life, in her past that had been hovering, waiting to be uncovered. But what was it? What was there? What had happened in the past that made her present life much too hard?

Heavens, if only her memory didn't keep failing her!

"So this is your idea of a little festivity?" Lilly laughed at Elizabeth's irony, right after Nadine led the prayer. The ethnically diverse cuisines loaded on the table had quickly resolved Lilly's lassitude from the long trip, and she began digging in. She'd still got it, that effortless humor that everyone liked so much.

The dinner commenced with so much chats about each other's goings-on and it ended with a great deal of recollecting... digging up old memories, except for those that involved Francheska. The adults had it that way in the fear that Sophia might catch up onto something in their stories, and it wasn't the right time yet to reveal anything bad, from the old days.

The whole time, Sophia was plainly a listener. She was already entertained, just watching everyone turn their heads to each other and talk about life. They were lively, but it seemed they were a bit careful with their words. She wasn't that naïve not to notice.

At midnight, a careful knock distracted Sophia's reading of _Great Expectations_. She got up from the bed and discovered her aunt's presence in her door.

"Hey, are you about to sleep now?" Lilly asked beaming, allowing her snowy white teeth to glitter with the lights from overhead.

Sophia was almost icy in her reply. It was the best act of politeness she could muster—to return a smile and welcome her visitor-aunt to her room, but she failed to do so. She was merely surprised and shy, and that was always a bad combination for her.

Lilly narrowed her eyes then and gladly repeated her question. This time, Sophia was now attentive. "Ah, not yet... Aunt," she said, shaking her head.

"Good. I can't go to bed, so I thought that maybe, I could come and talk to you. Is that all right with you?"

Sophia seemed to have regained some confidence, and she now invited her aunt to her room. "Sure, I'd love to," she said.

The first thing Lilly did was to delve through her niece's framed photos on the wooden desk, and saw nothing but Sophia's face and her best friend's. "Um, any picture of a boyfriend?" she asked, with the attempt to open up a _girly_ dialogue.

For a split-second, Sophia could not give her any response. She didn't know the words to say. Surely Aunt Lilly would not need to know she had some flings in the past... but she was quite uncertain with the number. She was unsure if she had to include Abanir, or even Jericho. And the funny thing about the latter was... at the moment she couldn't even point out if they were still on or it was over-and-done-with kind of thing.

Then Lilly saw Charles Dickens' book unfolded on her niece's bed, saving Sophia from a reply.

"In high school, I was forced to read that book," Lilly began sharing. "And what was remarkable to me is the line," she paused in her thinking, and proceeded the moment she remembered, " _The success is not mine, the failure is not mine_ —"

" _But the two together make me_ ," Sophia continued it for her. "I like that line, too." That moment seemed to bind her to Lilly effortlessly.

Yet Lilly's blue eyes seemed to be more inquisitive. "So, I'm guessing you don't have a boyfriend." It sounded as though it was a shock.

With her head down now, Sophia did not know if she would smile or feel sorry for herself. There was this urge to share a few things to her aunt—confessions actually, about her current state with Jericho—but she was rather afraid that Lilly would judge her, or relay all the information to her mom. It might cause her another pandemonium.

Then Lilly looked at her niece with dawning knowledge. "Hey, wait a second," she was grumbling, "are you not allowed to date? Like your mom is playing the _mother superior_ thing?" Lilly then brought herself closer to Sophia, and looked like she was about to discharge a big laugh.

Sophia was mid-way between feeling embarrassment and self-pity. "Um, kind of," she shrugged, confused at why her aunt found it funny.

"Gosh, so this house must be a nunnery!" All at once, Lilly laughed, which made Sophia stagger all the more and eventually laugh, too, in unison.

A linking quickly bloomed between them. Despite the short time of exchanging a few words with each other, Sophia seemed to like her aunt already.

"You know what? I remember your mom." Lilly began sharing. "Since she is the eldest among us, she used to be very strict. But you know, we accepted her the way she was. I guess she had to." Lilly was gesturing as she spoke, and she recalled that one summertime in the west coast when Elizabeth scolded the young Francheska not to dive deep into the sand castle or she might die of suffocation.

Recovering from the flashback, Lilly didn't know Sophia was already in the middle of her pondering. She captured the word _among_ from Lilly's story, and it gave her the idea her mother must have had more siblings.

"Did you just say _among_? You mean, you're not the only sibling of mom?" Sophia queried, her eyes alight with enough curiosity.

"Yes, Sophia. How come you don't know?" Then Lilly realized quickly that Sophia had amnesia. And before her niece could ask another question, she began the details saying Elizabeth was the eldest, she was the middle kid, and Francheska was the youngest.

The last name quickly sent electrical impulses to Sophia's every nerve, and ignited her to the max.

"So where is Aunt Francheska now?" she asked, her face burning with interest, and fell into a series of wonders, memoirs, and even theories.

Lilly became silent all of a sudden, feeling stupid for her lack of discretion. This gave Sophia the impression that there was truly something with this Francheska—something tinged with fear. Or trouble. Or secrets and mysteries. Yet she felt so much anticipation: she wanted to find out about this other aunt. What was she like? Was she the same as her Aunt Lilly? Or was she more of her mom?

For Lilly, there was now this very need to be selective with her words. Another set of _slipped_ words could mean real chaos. And if the bomb was about to explode now, it is safer if she wasn't the one pressing the button.

"She's in New York," Lilly then answered safely, her tone slow and edgy.

"And...?" Sophia looked more fascinated, such an eager beaver. Lilly was thrown into a bigger quandary.

To act dumb was now the best option for Lilly. She had to dismiss this early, before additional questions could widen into oceans.

"Well, time for bed now, Sophia. Good night," she concluded fast, and hurried to her own other room.

Left hanging, Sophia couldn't pull through, her thoughts branching immensely in her head. Something was peculiar with the name Francheska, like a déjà vu, and it disturbed her the whole night.

CHAPTER 5

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

the hymn of the kravenas and

the symphony of abanir

The eventide came and it was time for the Kravena Tribe to celebrate Thanksgiving. Abundant food and jars of rice wine were served at the festivity. In the face of it, Datu Ilak ordered his army to be vigilant. The enemies might, once again, attack at any moment.

All over the terrain were the high spirits of singing and dancing, but Abanir was mute and listless. His pining for the human never withered but flourished abundantly with each day that passed.

In his cavernous thoughts, a female came within his reach and greeted him. "Your Highness," she said and bowed down, in all her finery.

Recognizing the voice, Abanir put his response on hold. He knew it was Tiyana, the daughter of the datu's top adviser, and this swirled him on hot water. He'd been hearing the whispers in the high court about a possible tie between him and her. Tiyana was the jewel in her father's crown, and this meant she had a hitch to the throne.

Abanir endeavored to get away, for a big breath of air. This was not what he'd been wishing for. It had always been Sophia, only her!

"Lately, your face is gloomy, My Raha. I fear for your wellness." As these words escaped Tiyana's pale lips, Abanir was already giving Rabel signs to take her away and dance with her, which was granted without too much delay. Abanir was out of sorts and could not deal with any small talk. His mind and heart were too. Dim. Neither the moonshine nor the twinkling stars succeeded in igniting these.

Moaning, he left the merriment and stayed up, in the gust of air, thinking of his beloved, Sophia. Up in the distance, he could hear his fellow Kravenas chanting the tribe's hymn.

O'er the plains and dusky forest;

Behold the grandeur of our mighty wings;

O'er the rush of river flowing;

Behold the paramount of our firm well-being;

White and pure are our mighty wings;

So are our hearts that gleefully sing;

United, we surmount unwavering;

With our stronghold, we'll be soaring.

For hours, Abanir steadfastly listened to the exults from the land. In the emergence of the sun, he lingered, suspended through the gentle wind. Fondly, he intoned his sentiments out, as well,

With endless hopes, I gaze at the mountains;

Through the clouds, I am uncertain;

Higher I soar, nothing but green;

Afar, thy shadows I see;

Rested my eyes, aroused by the truth;

You're a world apart, I cry;

Howls of pining, I pray they cease.

"You'll be back. I feel it," Abanir mumbled to himself, referring to Sophia, and finally, he went back to their territory.

At home, Abanir avoided the distractions. He had no heart to listen to the highlights of the last night's fête. His heart was somewhere else.

"My son, where have you been?" Datu Ilak queried upon seeing Abanir. "You have missed the blissful parts of the festivity!"

"Father, I heard them. You were jubilant." Abanir bowed down before his father.

"Where have you been all night?" The melancholy in his son's bearing never skipped Datu Ilak's eyes. "Have you been thinking of the human lately?" he asked, looking through every corner of Abanir's eyes.

Abanir, although he was doubtful in confessing it, nodded. He knew he had to show vitality and all, but there were no more left of the remaining drive he had whenever he set off, these past days, during Sophia's absence.

This made Datu Ilak's worry intensify.

"Shall I be honest with you, My son?" Datu Ilak temporarily set aside his supremacy and focused on his fatherly role, instead. Then he put both hands over Abanir's and witnessed those changing colors of his son's eyes, signifying emotional instability. "That human... and you," Datu Ilak said and took a hard time selecting the words that could hurt his son less, "you two are worlds apart. You must understand that."

Listening to his father, Abanir's melancholic face turned cloudier. His silence could resound into stream of tears, waiting to be unleashed.

The moment was harder for Datu Ilak, yet it didn't stop him from spilling his main concern. "You have a tribe to protect, My son. This is no time for weakness. Reigning is a privilege and you have to sacrifice for it. It is given to you by hand. Do not fail it," he stressed and looked even more serious. "Your entire tribe needs you. If you have to fight against the enemies once more, make sure it is the human that you give up. Not the battle," he concluded, acting heartlessly, for once, and then left.

Abanir tightened his hands to the fullest. He loved his tribe more than anything else... but he loved Sophia, too. What choice was left for him to make?
CHAPTER 6

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

a mother-DAughter heart-to-heart

Elizabeth knocked on Sophia's door on Sunday night and attempted to unravel a delicate conversation with her daughter. She had been planning it for days, had been thinking of the right words to use in breaking the walls separating them, but she knew Sophia wasn't in the attitude to talk to her. Her daughter had been quite uncontrollable lately, and with this, Elizabeth had been on-and-off in approaching her. Tonight was the best time, she thought, and felt the need to do the first move before it was too late.

"Sophia, about Jericho..." Elizabeth tried confronting, but Sophia already swayed her head, to stop the subject matter. It seemed she wasn't set yet for any serious conversation about the recent happenings. She was in denial.

Albeit, Elizabeth continued, "Mom Lucy said the papers are now being prepared for Jericho's release." Then she paused when Sophia made it obvious she didn't want to continue listening. But this didn't stop Elizabeth from pursuing her aim. "Mom wanted you to know that she kept her promise. And she expects you to keep yours, too." Elizabeth was attempting to meet her daughter's eyes but it seemed she was waiting for nothing.

When Sophia's silence extended, Elizabeth kept on, again. This time, with a challenge. "If Jericho would be out of prison, could this mean he'd be out of your life too?"

It was too much, and this pushed Sophia to hide her face even more. She was wordless, not knowing what to do next. She was back to that daunting thought again, that she might completely lose Jericho, once she'd completely adhere to the agreement. Her whole heart was breaking.

"Sophia, I need to know if you're going to obey the agreement." Elizabeth stirred her, making sure her eyes meet Sophia's unsteady look.

"Mom..." Finally, Sophia returned a response, after eons. "Since when did I win a conversation with you?" A pause, and she looked at her mother unmistakably. "I followed everything you'd asked of me. When you asked me to stop befriending Daniella because she wasn't a good influence to me, I did. When you asked me to stop being disobedient, I did. When you said you liked Giovanni because his family's good enough, I did too."

Elizabeth fell silent. Her daughter was, at some point, right.

"I know all of these because I read them all in my diaries," Sophia broke off, shaking, seeking for composure, and gathered all her remaining strength to finish her sentence, "which means that I have always been miserable." She cried to the last word and hid her face again with her bare hands.

As for Elizabeth, she only stared, not speaking, and trying to weigh in all the details, feeling close to tears.

"Now, tell me, Mom. Have I not been a good daughter to you?"

Silence. Elizabeth was pierced through the heart.

"What else can I do if you all hate the man I love now? What choice do I have?" Sophia groaned. "And who am I to disobey every one of you...? I love you, Mom. I love every one of you, but I also love Jericho. Please... you don't have to make me choose because I can't afford to lose everyone. Including Jericho."

Elizabeth lingered to listen. She didn't know if it was her heart or her mind that was betraying her.

"If you insist on trying to make me forget him, I will be miserable for my entire life, Mom." Sophia now directed her eyes on her mom and ached to continue, "And that could never be changed anymore. Not anymore... Mom."

Elizabeth shut her eyes. Waves of guilt seemed to consume her. Her daughter had never been so open and begging, like this. It was probably something that her daughter was really serious about.

Sophia was mute, after that. She felt like she had already let out one of the hardest things that had been choking her, her whole life.

For the first time, Elizabeth couldn't defend herself nor her mother-in-law. She had always been good at defending, as a lawyer, but this case with her daughter was altogether different. Much, much different. It was asking for something more. Something else, that even by-laws couldn't mark out.

An instant passed, and Elizabeth eventually admitted defeat. It was an open and honest discussion with her daughter. In her heart, she knew she had also made her own mistakes. But the type of mistakes that were only made with the best of good intentions, like any mother would do.

"Tomorrow's a big day. You have to wake up early." Elizabeth writhed to whisper and left promptly.

Like a marionette nodding, Sophia cried all at once when her mother finally closed the door. It was her against the world—for Jericho, for the man she loved. But she wasn't giving up.

CHAPTER 7

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

first day of school

On the first day of senior year, Sophia felt a total stranger. She had been in St. Thomas Academy since she was a freshman but this whole amnesia thing had swept everything away. She was back to zero. But thanks to those series of therapies and various tests, she wasn't entirely naive.

Wearing a school uniform was now mandatory for every high- school student of St. Thomas Academy, an amendment which was protested by the students, but rules were rules now.

Watching herself in her new tie and blue-striped short skirt, Sophia talked to her brother who was driving the car for her. Since the accident, their parents were still in trauma and would not let Sophia drive on her own.

"I'm nervous," Sophia admitted, sidetracking her brother's attention while he was parking his BMW.

"Don't be. Nobody's gonna come and eat you. They're all toothless." A failure at being a joker, Alex laughed exclusively at his own joke.

Such embarrassment didn't register in Sophia's mind. She was a little bit unnerved, thinking about how she would communicate and introduce herself to people, without the need for too much explaining.

"I think we should go, so, I'll see you at lunch." Alex said, just as he parked the car. "But are you sure you're gonna be okay?"

With a nod, Sophia slid out of the car and made her way to her first class. It was Spanish. Too good for her first day. She climbed up to the second floor of their age-old school building and saw Zarah at the corridor. Together, they shuffled toward their first class, only to discover a smart-looking Spanish man in his late twenties, writing on the board his very Spanish name: Fernando Garcia, Ph.D.. He was the school's latest heartthrob, the biggest "fish" in a Catholic school full of priests, altar boys, and seminarians. Perhaps the best highlight about him was his bachelor status.

"I think he's new here," Zarah whispered to Sophia, with full interest, as they sat beside each other in the third row. "He's cute... and hot. Like really hot," she added, now giving the newcomer a quick once-over. Admiration and desire seemed to drool from Zarah's mouth as she stared at the new teacher's athletic torso.

"Hey, you..." Sophia grinned at her friend, and about to give the new educator the dirty look, too, when she saw Enzo entering the classroom. He belonged in the same class, but he looked finer than the last time she saw him. More serious and smarty, which was not her first impressions of him, back in Anne's party.

Then Mr. Garcia finally spoke in Spanish, and insisted that everyone learn it without having to resort to English conversation, and that put every girl's daydreaming to a stop. It also left every male student feeling a bit intimidated.

When lunch came, Sophia and Zarah were joined by Alex and the rest of the band. The sad thing about this reunion was... Giovanni was not there to join them, anymore.

Sophia watched the guys silently. For a profound moment, she missed Giovanni. But a part of her was also missing Jericho... and Abanir. She felt torn, in three directions, but her affection for Giovanni was still there, firmly hovering at the bottom of her heart.

Reading her diaries last night, Sophia pained so much to realize she had used Giovanni. At this, she felt so guilty. She thought she was the worst girlfriend a guy could ever have. Her heart crumpled even more the moment she remembered the words in her accounts of him, that she had always endeavored to compensate for his devoted, unconditional fervor even though she wasn't feeling it, and that sometimes, she wished they hadn't been lovers.

It shot her to the ground. Bleeding to the last drop. How come she could ever deserve someone wonderful like Giovanni, whose love was impossible to recompense? She couldn't even begin to do so...

Her thoughts were shot to pieces when Rambo, the arrogant bass guitarist, saw Enzo and flung some ridicules at him. "What's up, Enzo? I mean, Stalker!" he yelled, pretending to be coughing, and laughed heavily, making the other guys also laugh in approval.

Enzo, discovering Sophia's presence, felt immensely embarrassed at the sudden ridicule and surprisingly, he dashed to start a fight with Rambo.

Everyone hushed as a boxing ring was about to be assembled before them. Then quickly, before the two could throw punches at each other's faces, a couple of teachers were already rushing to stop them, and sent the two into detention.

Sophia blamed herself for what happened and silently attended her next classes with Zarah. It was clear to her now why her brother, Alex, had always had an issue with Enzo. But she doubted about some of the presumptions regarding him. She felt that Enzo was better than what everyone thought of him. She was certain there was some good in him.

Throughout the day, Sophia appeared like a ghost to Zarah. It wasn't that easy focusing in class. Both sensory and emotional troubles were engulfing her.

"I want to go home now," Sophia said to Zarah as they made their way to the hallway. It was right after their last period, and Alex was now dashing to join them.

"I understand." Zarah consoled, and knew the cause of Sophia's distress—the recent happenings.

"Sophie, do you mind if Rambo drives you home for me?" Alex asked. "I'd like to take Zarah for a date."

"I want to take a cab." Sophie quickly shook her head in rejection and forced a smile. "Don't mind me. And please, enjoy your date." She was serious with the last sentence but uncertain with the first one.

Truth was... there was fear in her. Going home alone after the first day of school devoid of memory frightened her.

"Are you sure?" Alex confirmed.

For a while, Sophia was in two minds, dredging up the possibilities. Then when she was solid with her decision, she nodded and hurried outside the building.

The balustrades to the main school gate were filled with numerous orchids, the country's national flower, and the cattleya ones sent prompt vigor to her nose. She gazed at the other side and saw a mob of sophomores studying in the courtyard. It seemed they were the serious ones, while the other students played music and painted under the Mango tree, their national tree. Her school appeared to be the breeding ground for future politicians, artistic icons, and even activists. In her wondering, she didn't know she was about to bump onto someone, who happened to be out of himself, too.

"I'm sorry!" Sophia impulsively apologized to the guy in round eyeglasses a second after the collision. It was too late, for a pile of papers were already scattered on the ground, and the guy rebuked in annoyance. Then he shut up the moment Sophia raised her head to check on him. It seemed that he recognized her.

"Sophia, hey!" His exasperation quickly turned into delight. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you coming." He smoothed his hair and straightened his posture.

Sophia was about to pick up the papers, but she suddenly realized he had called her by name. He must have known her. Who was he? Then she paused, gawking at him. "I'm sorry... do I know you?"

The question shocked him, and he bestowed her with a puckered brow. Sophia was looking so drop-dead serious his dribble nearly choked him.

"Yeah! I'm Chuck, remember? A senior friend last school year?" he replied and began to get confused.

For a split-second, Sophia was wordless. "I'm sorry, I..." She was about to reason out her amnesia when a guy, from nowhere, spoke for her.

"She has amnesia, Chuck," he said and picked up the papers, then handed them to Chuck.

Sophia turned to look at the familiar voice that came from nowhere, and discovered Enzo's presence. Unlike a while ago, he was now calm.

"What?!" Chuck found it puzzling. "How?!" Then he steadied his brown eyes on Sophia.

Though she wanted to, Sophia was doubtful about sharing her story. It would only remind her of Giovanni, of the _accident_ , and it would be too unbearable to handle, especially now that she had to come home alone and strange people were continually breaking in.

"Um, it's a long story..." Sophia then provided him with a safe answer, and then Enzo changed the subject matter.

"So what brings you back here?" Enzo asked Chuck, giving Sophia the impression that they were buddies.

"I'm here to fix some papers," he replied and checked the time. "And now, I think I have to hurry. I'll see you around, folks. And I'm so sorry, Sophia," he said, showing increasing empathy towards Sophia, and ran fast to the administration's office.

A pull of silence emerged from Sophia. She didn't know how to face Enzo, didn't know if she was going to thank him for rescuing her just a moment ago... or to say sorry for the fight that involved him and her, this lunch-time.

"I really want to apologize for what happened a while ago," she said, her head entirely bowed down.

"Why are you apologizing? None of it was your fault, Sophia," he replied. It was confusing because he was smiling.

Sophia wasn't able to return a quick reaction. Her mind was still in the process, and each time she pondered, she drew a blank. Enzo was now the mysterious one.

"So, are you just gonna drive home or... take a cab?" Enzo stirred her, attempting to play cool.

"Um, no. I'll take a cab." She replied, right after she gathered back her wits and courage.

Her steady, frightened look at him made Enzo extend his brief silence. He wondered how big the _stalker image_ had impacted upon her, and it made him want to shout out and crush everything he saw. It must have been so hard to be that stigmatized.

"I can give you a free ride home," he offered, holding himself together, and struggled to display confidence.

Too bad this put Sophia into additional fright. It was not because of the stalking issues, but because she worried too much that this might lead him to another fight. She didn't want another chaos because of her. She had enough being everybody's mess.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna abduct you or something," he was pretending to be cool, "or leave you in an abandoned place or anything else you see in movies," Enzo advanced as the fear flashed brighter in her eyes. Then he realized, he was too hasty, asking for her trust.

Her gaze went distant for a moment, and as an act of courtesy, she agreed. He seemed to be real anyway, plus she'd caused him a fight this lunch. This could be an opportunity for a payback.

"As long as you know my home address." Sophia tried to smile, and it ignited Enzo, on a whim.

"Of course, I know where that is," Enzo admitted but, all of a sudden, realized it was slip of tongue. Too late did he realize it could add up to all of Sophia's doubts about him.

From that exact moment, Sophia confirmed he did use to trail her before. But it wasn't enough to convict him. Instead, she was beginning to trust him, somehow.

As they made their way to the parking lot, weaving between cars, awkward silence began to engulf Sophia. She was having second thoughts. She didn't know where this would go. But there was no backing out now. This guy Enzo was way too energized in opening his Ford truck and withdrawal was no longer an option.

Sophia's tension further elevated when Enzo finally roared the engine and drove it like an aircraft.

"Do you want to drop by a coffee shop?" Enzo dared to ask her, after ten minutes of silent driving.

"I'd love to, but mom would freak out if I'm not home by six." Sophia wasn't facing him, and she was obviously fretful. "Maybe next time. Thank you, by the way."

Her disquiet pushed Enzo not to ask a subsequent question. He hated how this whole stigma had caused him too much burden, even up to now. Then silence charged in again until they arrived at Sophia's.

Elizabeth, Lilly, and Emily were in the garden, kneeling and digging in the earth, when they saw a strange truck coming. Their speculations turned to worse when they saw Sophia gliding out of it, and this rushed Elizabeth to leave the two to water the daisies that bloomed along the hedge, so she could approach her daughter.

As for Enzo, considering his bad reputation to the family, he hurried to leave but Elizabeth saw him and stopped him. To his surprise, she offered him a snack inside the house.

"Sweetie, aren't you going to introduce your new friend to me?" Elizabeth asked her daughter, just as Enzo was getting out of his truck. She seemed to like him, especially upon seeing he was wearing the same school logo in his uniform.

Sophia was about to do so when Enzo did it for her.

"Hello, Mrs. Vabueretti. I'm Enzo, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said.

"Oh, Enzo! A very charming name." Elizabeth was stunned all the more when Enzo offered his hand for a hand-shake. This boy seemed groomed to Elizabeth. "You look familiar," she said and granted him a hand-shake.

A bright and breezy smile ascended from Enzo. "You've probably stopped by our restaurant at the Eight Avenue and saw me there, ma'am."

"Oh, I bet you come from a family of entrepreneurs." Elizabeth was smiling, as if it was a good news, and led him inside the house, with Sophia by her side.

Enzo was amazed at the house's elegance. The interior design and all the classic furnishings—they all threw him into a total spin. On the floor was a mauve carpet. The walls were pine-paneled. The living room smelt heavenly, with fresh flowers in brass vases that seemed to have come from the ancient Chinese dynasties.

"Um, coffee? Fruit juice?" Sophia began to ask him, acting too accommodating.

Sliding an appealing look, he said, "Surprise me." Sophia tensed then relaxed a bit. He seemed too good to be true.

Words died as Sophia's throat closed over. All she could do was to nod and hope she would choose the best refreshment.

In Sophia's absence, Enzo looked through the family photos. He noticed childhood photos of every Vabueretti kid except for Sophia, and he began to wonder.

"I can't see any childhood photo of you," he asked Sophia when she came back to him. She was carrying a glass of cold lemonade with peppermint.

Quickly, Sophia's throat stung. She was still searching for words to answer him. She didn't want to tell him she grew up, away, in Forest Green so she only said, "Maybe, I was ugly as a kid that's why mom didn't display one." She felt like shrinking when she realized it was a stupid feedback to make, but the expression in his eyes was positive.

Enzo was thrown into amazement. He couldn't believe how she just tried to put herself down. But the whiff of the fresh lemonade tempted him to have a sip. Thanks to the cool lemonade, though!

"Nice house you've got, by the way." Enzo revived the scenario and emptied his glass, then Elizabeth came to join them.

"I was wondering if you could join us for dinner," Elizabeth asked Enzo.

Too fast in declining yet trying to summon some courtesy, Enzo then said his gentle farewells and said he had to be home before dinner.

Impressed again and again, Elizabeth accepted the excuse. "Next time you visit, make sure you have some extra time to dine with us, all right?"

It was, undeniably, good news for Enzo but it was a bit of forewarning for Sophia. It seemed her mother could eye him as _Giovanni the Second_ in her life. Elizabeth had always had a good taste for guys from the upper class.

"Yes, Mrs. Vabueretti, I'll have that in mind. Thank you again." Enzo dismissed the conversation with enough politeness, and Sophia accompanied him back to his truck.

"Thank you for today." He shot a shimmering smile at Sophia.

"You're welcome." Sophia was smiling, too, and she was now gazing through his dark eyes, noticing some resemblance between him and Giovanni. She was starting to feel at ease with him, too.

"By the way, your lemonade is so refreshing," Enzo complimented as he opened his truck. "I hope I can stay home tonight because I might come back here for another drink." He winked, trying to reveal his comical side, and finally entered his truck.

Sophia couldn't help being pleased, but she simply said, "The bar is open anytime."

Laughing, he waved goodbye and left, full of liveliness from something no mint-and-lemonade could offer.
CHAPTER 8

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

the truth unearthed

"Another sister of mine is coming," Elizabeth told Philippe early on Saturday morning. "Francheska... she's coming."

The news sounded like a lighting about to strike in Philippe's ears. "Francheska?" He jumped out from the bed and rounded Elizabeth unmistakably, who had just smoothed his tuxedo for work. Then, disconnected memories came rushing back to both of them.

Their minds flashed back to the past, to the last few days when they had seen Francheska and Benjamin, the latter as Philippe's long-time missing brother. Though the memories were from seventeen to eighteen years ago, they remained, undying, in the minds of everyone involved.

"Phil..." Elizabeth's face flashed hot and cold. She seemed perturbed. "Before we left Forest Green, I... I saw a birthday card in Sophia's bed room."

"And...?"

"I read the card, and I'm very sure that the it was from..." Elizabeth paused and looked Philippe in the eye, assessing if he was ready for a blow.

"From who?" Philippe glared at her, too, looking very serious and nervous at the same time.

"I'm very sure that it was from... Benjamin."

A bomb inside him exploding, Philippe could hardly believe it! Learning that his missing brother had been actually in Forest Green for Sophia, Philippe almost lost control of himself. Questions whirled bountifully around his head.

"What? Are you sure?" He clutched Elizabeth's shoulders very tightly as he drilled his eyes to hers. "Are you really, really sure about it?"

"Yes, Phil." Elizabeth slid her gaze down, torn at the thought that she was happy for her husband but hurting for her youngest sister. Francheska was the victim here. And Benjamin... he was the suspect that ran away.

"I wasn't able to confront Mom Lucy about it because we were too busy trying to bring back Sophia, here." Elizabeth was freaking. Though it was ages ago, she couldn't recover from the height of the case her parents had filed against Benjamin, for allegedly sexually assaulting her sister, the night after she and Philippe got married in Forest Green.

Ensconced up in those memories, Elizabeth was, all of a sudden, full of regrets. If she hadn't let her sister attend the post-party with Ben at the lake house in the Bo Lake, Francheska could have been just fine. Benjamin, too. And everyone could have been living happily, ever after.

(Elizabeth knew then that both were truly teenagers—Francheska was fifteen and Ben was eighteen, so mixed up with emotions and misdirected with desires, but Elizabeth, at that time, was much too focused on her pregnancy with Alex and her honeymoon with Philippe.)

"Eliz..." Philippe, who now seemed to be looking for solutions, spoke again. Only now, he was looking down. "What happens now if Francheska is coming? What about Sophia? You know your sister is disgusted with her." Unmistakably, he was terrified, too.

The question dragged Elizabeth to the breaking point. "I don't know," she said, an uncommon response for a smart woman like her. "We'll know the things to do. As of the moment, let's just be happy that my sister is coming back, okay?"

Sophia gazed through the windows just after she finished doing her homework and saw an old man in front of their house, carrying a load of boxes in and out of his truck. He was Mr. Salvador, who was then full of activity at restoring his own house.

Unlike the Vabueritti's renovated Hispanic mansion, Mr. Salvador's was very American. Even his backyard told so because of its open lawn and non-existence of a giant golden gate—something far too convivial, compared to the other houses in the block. Philipdomia's history was reflected well in the Olympus Heights neighborhood, on how the various colonial invaders had caused significant impacts on the country.

Watching him, Sophia wanted to offer some help: wall painting perhaps or anything within her abilities. So she put on her Orlando Polo Club denim shirt over her white sleeveless one and headed downstairs.

On her way out, she was put to a stop when her mother called her from the kitchen. "Sophia, honey, where are you going?" Elizabeth asked carefully and approached her.

"I'm going to help our neighbor, Mom. I think he needs help." Sophia was careful with her movements, too.

"What neighbor?" Elizabeth examined her daughter for a while and noticed that Sophia was losing some weight. "Have you not been eating well, lately?" She walked closer and weighed Sophia's arms carefully. "Your arms are getting tinier. Try to eat some more, okay? And get some good sleep," she reprimanded, wishing she could offer her daughter a tight and lengthy hug.

Sophia also studied her mom. It seemed her mother was the one deprived of food and sleep.

For Elizabeth, a sense of failure had been washing over her ever since she learned of Francheska's return. Of course, she was beyond ecstatic for her sister, but she was scared to death that she might lose Sophia once her daughter found out about the secrets. It was way more frightening than heading into a black hole.

"And who's the neighbor you wanted to help again?" Elizabeth asked.

"The old man in front of the house, Mom."

"Oh, you mean Mr. Salvador?"

"He is Mr. Salvador?"

"Yeah. He's a retired navy officer but the old man is really down-to-earth." Elizabeth began to detail and was gratified to see that Sophia seemed animated. "He doesn't want to be called Captain Salvador, that's why people here call him Mr. Salvador. But you better check first if he's in a good mood before approaching him, okay?"

"Is he hot-tempered or something?"

"Not exactly. Just be nice when you talk to him. And say hi for me, then." Elizabeth added, smiling.

"I will, Mom. Bye."

To Elizabeth's disappointment, there was no kiss-in-the-cheek from her daughter or even a brief body-hug. It seemed the silent gap wasn't over yet.

Sophia was arranging her words as she crossed the street, but Mr. Salvador already saw her and greeted her.

"Hey, Sophia. Is that you?" Mr. Salvador was lively and inviting.

Face aflame, Sophia greeted him back and began to offer her help. "Hello there, Mr. Salvador," she was waving a hand and giving a sweet smile, "I just finished my homework when I saw you and I thought that I could come and help you..."

"Oh! Thank you, Barbie, but I can do this. You're not going to make your emaciated arms get bigger, aren't you?" Mr. Salvador was genuinely concerned when he thought Sophia would only get exhausted, especially when he noticed those small arms and gaunt face. "I mean, these boxes are really heavy," he added.

The refusal didn't matter to Sophia. In fact, she insisted. "No, sir. I don't mind. I'm glad to help." She appeared as though a hard-headed child before her grandpa.

This then made Mr. Salvador halt and drop the boxes back into his truck, his wrinkles becoming evident. "By the way," he said, and between his sighs was the thought of Sophia's accident. "I heard what happened. How are you now?" Sophia knew at that juncture he was referring to the accident.

"I—I'm fine now, Mr. Salvador." She managed a polite shrug as her mind got lost and drifted into the sudden thought of Giovanni. Whenever the accident was brought out, she remembered Giovanni. It had always been linked to him. At this, Sophia couldn't help but feel more emotional... and guilty. "I guess..." she said, and realized for sure she would no longer be fine knowing she used to be false-hearted with Giovanni.

Her sad words and facial expression plunged deep into the old man's soul. If a thousand battleships in the navy could only mend her, he would go back as captain and order everyone to navigate in one piece.

"Uhm..." Mr. Salvador moaned then, gawking down. "You know, there were days when you'd always greet me every time you pass by my front porch. Lately you've been inaudible."

The revelation brought Sophia to a shock. She didn't know she'd been quite friendly before her memory loss, especially to this old man. She thought she'd always been quiet and shy. Little did she knew those were the days when she was at the height of her mutiny against her family. At some point, she was the opposite of what she was, right now.

For an instant, Sophia pondered over but was forced to return a response when Mr. Salvador cleared his throat because of a cough.

"I—I guess it's because of..." Sophia was backsliding to continue. Mr. Salvador seemed more attentive to her than to his cough. "Maybe because of my amnesia, sir."

The moment she'd finished saying it, Mr. Salvador froze, all of a sudden. "Amnesia?!" Surely he was in a big surprise. "I didn't know that you have that. I'm sorry!"

Sophia then brightened up her face and set aside the thought. It would only put down the good mood. "It's okay, Mr. Salvador." She slid an encouraging look. "And I think I have to go back to the house now. Mom wanted to say hello, by the way."

Mr. Salvador's face brightened up, as well. "Oh, in that case, relay my greetings back to your mom." He winked and loved Sophia even more.

CHAPTER 9

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

the whining of jericho

"You'll rot in here!" The fuming voice of a sheriff echoed through Jericho's ears as he leaned against the wall near the metallic bars.

Jericho watched himself in the orange suit and was subdued by this. He looked through the eyes of his fellow prisoners and cried in silence.

"What's up, mate?" The man in countless tattoos poked him. "Why are you here?"

The way the man looked, Jericho already knew he'd spent too many years in prison. His behavior, his long goatee, and his manner of speaking—all gave him the hint.

"Hey, leave my man alone!" Vince, Jericho's only fella inside the prison, defended him.

"Are you his homey?" The tattooed man then made fun of them, and the rest of the inmates homed in on them.

The cops heard the uproar within the bars and made a banging noise, then decided to isolate Jericho.

For hours, silence took over the jail.

Jericho lay down on his bed that night and watched the moon through the grilled small window. Bursting with mixed emotions, he sang some lines out of his boyhood gushes.

"Centuries had gone by."

This is what my forlorn heart wept for.

Splendid it is for fate to be cruel.

I had witnessed nothing but tussles.

_I miss you, Sophia_ , Jericho sobbed. Then, he drowned into the hallucination—of him and her, sitting on the green grasses in front of the lake house, just like the old days back when they were young—when they were almost inseparable.

Jericho gripped his hands to the utmost, wishing for a life with Sophia endlessly.

He wanted nothing but her. Only her.

The next day, a familiar voice stirred Jericho's senses. Through the metallic bars, he could see Grandma Lucy talking to the police men.

It felt like a knot laced in his heart. He longed to know why Grandma Lucy was there, why she was signing papers and talking to the chief, and why an agreement was being conducted.

Shortly, Grandma Lucy came to him, with the look of an executioner. "I promised my granddaughter that I will free you but in return, she will go back to Orlando and forget all about you. Your relationship with my dearest Sophia is over." Grandma Lucy stressed it hard on Jericho, and it felt like he would die at any moment. "Now, if you allow me, let go of her already! You just don't belong to her world and she doesn't belong to your own pathetic one!"

Jericho was brusquely submerged into a stream of blistering hate. What else was left of him? The only reason he was still holding on to life was... Sophia. And now, she was out of his life again!

Grandma Lucy spun away from him and left, with her endless warnings ringing in her ears.

Subdued by the tumult of emotions, Jericho struggled to breathe, to think, to hope for another chance. All he ever wanted was Sophia. He had dreamed countless dreams about her. He had planned countless plans for her—for their future together. He just refused to believe that it was all over, so soon.

The cops cleared Jericho, with some derisive look, but he didn't mind it. All he ever thought of was... how he was going to take Sophia back, again. He would never give up on her. Never.

Jericho already exited the precinct, but he was completely drawn into this vision of Sophia, who was smiling at him, coming to him, coming back to his loving arms. Again.

CHAPTER 10

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

francheska

Lilly downed a margarita from the minibar, with Francheska now on her side. "Why the hell did you leave us for so long?" She asked the latter, looking challengingly at her erstwhile sister. They were at the Zenith Hotel, where Francheska checked in after arriving from New York.

Francheska, in her thirties now and with a glass of martini on her hand, seemed five years younger, probably brought about by her job as an actress in Broadway. She had been there since she ran away. She looked utterly fresh and glamorous. But those years of fame and fortune hadn't healed her of her wounds from the past.

"I was young and ambitious," Francheska muttered under her breath.

Lilly swayed her head in protest. "A lot of things happened when you were gone, you know." Lilly spoke like a young girl crying in front of her mother. "Dad almost had a heart attack. Mom suffered from depression... and Soph—" Thank God Lilly was watchful enough to hold her tongue. She knew her niece's name was a curse to Francheska. She must never mention her, not in front of Francheska, or a catastrophe would happen.

Francheska's face changed then, getting the hint that Lilly had almost said it—the name she considered the greatest misfortune in her life.

"Hate me forever, but she is still your... flesh and blood. And you can never change that, Cheska." Lilly finally had the nerve to tell her younger sister, and that act caused the latter to walk away, into her hotel room, brusquely.

On Monday morning, Sophia arrived in school through a cab. Back in their house, earlier, she wondered why a coming visitor had to be anonymous. What was something in her that she had to be unnamed at the moment?

During Physics class, Mrs. Tina Roxas noticed Sophia's inattentiveness and called her, "Ms. Vabueretti, you may be physically absent but you are obviously mentally absent. Eyes on the board!"

Red-faced, Sophia shrunk in shame and apologized. Then the lecture proceeded after having her as the centerpiece.

After the class, Zarah came to Sophia's rescue and comforted her in the lady's room.

"What were you thinking, back there?" Zarah elbowed Sophia and smiled.

Making fun of herself, too, Sophia shrugged her shoulders innocently and decided not to share any detail. After all, the reason was vague itself.

"I'd like to cut my classes today," Sophia said.

It came to Zarah as a shock, obviously, because Sophia had never been into skipping classes ever since they turned best friends. There must be something really bothering her.

"I'll call your mom if you do that." Zarah messed around, winking.

Playing along, Sophia handed over her cell phone saying, "Call mom, now," accompanying it with a silly laugh.

"No, seriously, is there something wrong?" Zarah's look was now crumpled. "You know you can trust me."

Thinking hard, Sophia bequeathed her an agreeing nod. "I'll tell you everything tonight. It's about Jericho... and Forest Green." It seemed to Sophia now that there need not be any room for secrets any longer. Secrets about Jericho... about Abanir, but she was absolutely terrified. How could she ever find the right words to make Zarah believe about the strange creature? She might sound crazy. And this latter thought was somewhat pulling her back.

They went to their next class, Calculus, but Mr. Clay wasn't the one sitting in front of the class. It was the principal, telling them that Mr. Clay couldn't come to class and that his substitute couldn't make it, too.

Of course, euphoria took over the place for a moment! It just rescued Sophia from the disinterest of learning, today.

"I guess today is your lucky day." Zarah then poked Sophia and invited her to the cafeteria.

Sophia's heartbeat raced as she saw Enzo in the cafeteria table. He was alone, with an apple pie and soda before him. He was looking at her through the corners of his eyes, as if he was trying to send her a message.

Ignoring her erratic pulse, she proceeded to the counter with Zarah and ordered their favorites, but Enzo was still watching her.

"Greek frappe for me and iced Cappuccino for my girlfriend here," Zarah spoke to the seller and noticed Sophia's stare at Enzo. It seemed to her that they were having an eye-to-eye.

"What are you doing?" Zarah asked, halfway between curiosity and displeasure. "You know he's a prowler, right? And he's not in good terms with Alex." Zarah stressed it hard, arching her perfect eyebrows.

Wordless, Sophia shifted her look to the seller who was then preparing their orders. Her best friend was right, but knowing a little bit more about Enzo when he offered her a free ride home, the bad impression had finally waned. This time, she thought of him as a friend, who just happened to be mislabeled by everyone.

"Hey." Zarah stirred Sophia again. "You're not doing this," she said, as though it was a warning.

They found a small table for two and sat down. "By the way, do you know your birthday is fast approaching?" Zarah spoke again.

It didn't register immediately in Sophia's mind. She was back to the thought of Enzo, who had just left the cafeteria for the library. She remembered her last moments with him back in her house. He was cool there. And hilarious. Now why was he acting differently in school?

"Hey!" Now Zarah began to feel irritated. "Stop it! Not with that guy, okay?"

Shaking her head, Sophia quickly apologized and began sipping her drink. "It's not what you think." She defended herself.

"Hey, do you even know your birthday's coming?" Zarah poked her again.

"Yeah, mom spoke to me about it."

"So any plans?"

Stirring her drink with a slim straw, Sophia replied under her voice. "I don't know. All I know is I'm turning seventeen."

This enthused Zarah to share the highlights of Sophia's last birthday, that she had a grand party in a hotel (throughout the times when Sophia's parents were trying to buy her love and acceptance) and that there were many who attended, mostly from the aristocratic families.

Hearing them all, Sophia's bank of information expanded, then she asked her best friend if she still had to celebrate her seventeenth birthday. "I'm too old for a party," Sophia admitted.

"You're a Vabueretti. Everyone expects you to throw a party." Zarah was shrugging as she chattered. "And don't be too hyperbolic. You're turning seventeen, not becoming some retiree." She shot a smile and reminded Sophia of their next class.

CHAPTER 11

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

abanir's astonishment

Nadine ran to Sophia's bed and cuddled her. She couldn't go to sleep, and exchanging a few words with her sister might probably be a huge help.

To Sophia's surprise, Nadine no longer asked for some bed time stories, but instead, asked for more mature stories like a boy liking a girl and vice versa.

"Is someone asking you for a date?" Sophia appeared to tease her eleven-year-old sister, playful and silly. "Is he cute?"

"What? No!" Nadine was too quick in denying.

Sophia stretched her lips mockingly and cupped Nadine's chin, and shook it from side to side. "You know you can tell me," she said, appearing sweet and playful. "And don't worry, I'm not gonna tell mom and dad."

"Eww!" Still, Nadine was in denial.

Sophia gathered Nadine in her arms and squeezed her tightly, now appearing to look serious. "I'm always here for you, Nad. I'm going to protect you from all the boys who'll take you for granted." Sophia truly meant her words as she ran her fingers through Nadine's hair, dark as honey and soft as cotton.

"I know, Sophie." Nadine felt all the love, and she sank into her sister's chest, feeling grateful, and fell asleep like a tiny mouse.

At ten o'clock, Sophia was done with her late homework and decided to watch the crescent moon. She slid her curtains up and noticed a strange red car parked near their gate. She looked farther and disregarded the thought that it might be Jericho's. The notion was there but she got scared and thought she must have been hallucinating.

Then her heart pulled in with enough longing for Jericho. How was he doing now? Could he still be in prison? Or he was now dating someone new...? Sophia tried so hard to understand the rumble inside of her. It was screaming for Jericho. It was more than the roll of big waves breaking on the seashore. And it was impossible to calm, yes, even the smallest upsurge.

*****

"Sophia!" Abanir yelled as Sophia's face faded from the depths of his sleep.

Rabel, who was disturbed by the noise, opened his raha's chamber and checked on him in a hurry.

"What happened, Raha?" he asked, panicking.

Abanir was unresponsive for a moment. He was still trapped in the nightmare and was catching his breath.

"Raha, are you all right?" Rabel asked again.

"I dreamed of her..." Now, Abanir's breathing was returning to normal but sweat was all over his body. It was impossible to ignore the sting of those images before he opened his eyes.

"What did you dream of her?"

"She was..." Abanir was searching for the words as he reckoned the times he had dreamed of the same dream, for days now. "She was taken by our enemies." He sat up, then stood up to wash his face in the adjoining room. Out of pining, he ascended into the air and visited the lake house anew.

He landed on the same spot where he left Sophia. As he stood there and thought of his beloved, the sound of a car, coming towards the lake house, sidetracked him. He sharpened his vision and saw a shaft of light moving into his direction. He hid himself hastily through the thick tall trees and wished it was Sophia.

The car went to a stop. Then, two pairs of drunk minors came out from it. They challenged each other to swim in the lake naked and tossed coins for who'd go first.

Abanir, to his dismay, discovered that Sophia was not one of them. He lingered observing them, and attempted to approach the mysterious car but his fear of exposure held him back.

"Who cares about the Vabuerittis? Tonight, this lake is mine!" The shorter guy mocked and dove into the pitch-black waters over the lunar moon, in his hand a bottle of Budweiser, and pitched his wet shirt to his girlfriend arrogantly. The other guy did the same, and the two girls joined in.

Their silly giggling gave Abanir the chance to examine the car. It was beyond bizarre to see a huge metallic object that could transport humans.

And when the youngsters were done, they returned to the car and drove back to the town proper.

Abanir followed them carefully and was surprised to see a place full of shimmering lights. Since his senses were very sharp, he could hear the different sounds of the town: talking voices, speedy cars, and even the radios. Again and again, he fell into a world filled with wonder. Everything seemed to be new and refreshing.

Then he decided to stop by the nearest house. It was a large one, located at the top of the hill. Cautiously, he examined the house. The floor downstairs was shed with lights while the upper floor was entirely dim.

He landed at the balcony but a scent seemed to be familiar. For a moment, he watched the little houses of the town that flickered with lights. Then he wondered: which house was Sophia's?

In the fullness of time, his marveling was elevating. He thought of how humans could be. Were they really all bad, after all?

Then, he waited for the sunrise and as it came, he went back to Kravena, utterly astonished by the spectacles he had just discovered. It was as if a passage had just been opened into the world of humans. The world of his beloved. His Sophia.

CHAPTER 12

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

relived

Coming home from school was difficult for Sophia. There was heavy traffic down the Supreme Court Avenue due to a massive protest by the LGBTQ community; because of this, Sophia decided to go for a walk. She paid the cab driver, initiated pacing, and got lost in a small alley. There, the buildings were very European, built in the nineteenth century when the Spanish regime in the country was at its peak.

Then a boutique of vintage items caught Sophia's eyes. There seemed to be plenty of artworks, and this interested her the most.

Inside were old paintings that appeared to be from the Renaissance era; urns that looked like they were made during the Ming Dynasty; and a golden compass that glinted like it was fresh from the American Civil War—among others.

A portrait of an Aristocrat lady swirled in her sight and drew her attention. She examined it carefully and noticed the dress she was wearing. It was pure white, and she was gazing through the setting sun by the lake.

Then, she felt a sudden resemblance. The lady in the painting was lonely, too. At this, she felt a deeper connection. She continued exploring when a guy behind her spoke to her.

"Hello, Sophia," he said, and the voice was familiar. Very much familiar.

Sophia's pulses quickened to the max. She was flushing hot and cold, refusing to believe the familiarity of the voice. Bit by bit, she turned around and to her massive surprise, it was... Jericho!

His Jericho. And she almost cried.

"Jericho," she whispered, trembling. Her heart, almost falling to the ground.

There was a long eye-to-eye, with the urge to hold each other tight and never let go.

"Sophia..." Jericho finally whispered back. He could barely breathe, too.

Then, silence took over once again. It was a stinging silence, filled with too much longing and misery.

"Oh, Sophia..." Jericho finally stepped closer and nestled her. At last, she was back into his arms again.

His voice was the finest music to Sophia. His words were the greatest poetry. And as he tightened his hug, she found it impossible to move. She couldn't think. Her nerve impulses merely refused to cooperate, and were powerfully dictating to hug him back. Tighter and tighter.

Finally, it was like there was a sanctuary for both of them. Like the best elixir for the most fatal potion that used to kill them.

Gallantly, Jericho released her and touched her face, clearing away the tears and the hair strands that covered her face.

"I've been missing you, you know that?" Jericho cried and looked her in the eye. And then, there was an aching for a loving kiss. He didn't care if there were too many people in the shop.

Sophia closed her eyes as Jericho leaned forward to kiss her. His mouth was hard. His body was hard too. Hard enough with the plea of possession. But it was all genuine. And timeless. Like the glittering _antiques_ around them.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't able to visit you in prison," Sophia cried too, just after they shared passionate kisses.

"I understand..." Jericho held her hands, still gazing through her ocean-blue eyes, as if he was plunging into the depths of their young love, once more. Everything from their past was on fire again. So fresh and gentle. Rewarding and beautiful.

Sophia, too, felt like drowning in euphoria at that moment. Every heartache was gone. She felt safe again—with Jericho—her forever-heaven-on-earth.

The times they were apart were only a matter of days but for them, it was like an eternity. And at this moment, it felt like they were gaining back the times they lost.

As she leaned into the strength of his arms, Jericho was yearning to ask her out. "I'd like to take you out for dinner," he said, with great eagerness in his voice.

In an instant, Sophia was caught in a pause, thinking. She should be home by six. And she couldn't decide right away.

"I..." She was faltering.

Jericho halted to read her mind and withdrew his offer, with dawning knowledge. "I almost forgot, you must be grounded."

The sadness in his voice depressed Sophia. She wanted it, too. She ached so much for more moments with him, but it was like asking for the sun to settle in the east.

"I'll take you home, now. My car is in the parking lot." Jericho then offered, noticing that the surrounding was turning dark. "Don't worry, I'll make sure your parents won't see me," he reassured, and Sophia nodded in agreement.

To Sophia's shock, Jericho's new car was burning red, and it was the one she saw last night. It wasn't a hallucination, after all.

"Were you watching me last night?" Sophia asked him. "I saw the same car outside the house."

Jericho breathed in heavily and admitted, "Yes, Sophia. The moment I left jail, I decided to follow you again." He breathed deeply again and continued, "For you, I'm going to the break all the rules. And if I'm going back to jail, I will face it with all bravery. Being with you is the only thing that matters to me now..." The way he delivered those words was full of majesty, chivalry, and desire. And it moved her deeper.

Sophia had no energy to object to him, and only a heart to thank him. Though she knew both of them were breaking the agreement, she was choosing to be with him, too. The two of them went foolish, for each other. They were foolish for love.

The next morning, Sophia felt like chains had just been removed from every part of her body. It was another season to blossom. She checked her cell phone, and it was already swarming with love-and-reassurance-messages—all from Jericho.

Then, she prepared for school and went downstairs to join her family for breakfast. The following day, she would turn seventeen.

"Oh, there she is, our birthday girl," her grandparents, who extended their stay in the house, and announced in a lively voice, as everyone on the table gawked at her.

Sophia displayed a wide smile and sat down on her chair. She was glowing. Pleased and lively. For her, all the family misunderstandings had finally been washed off.

"Advance happy birthday, sweetie." Her mother arose from her chair to kiss her on the cheeks, and everyone else followed.

Sophia accepted everyone's kisses and absorbed herself with their loving, early greetings. She wished she could stay in that moment, endlessly. It felt like things were falling back into place now.

Then, she managed to consume a quick bowl of cereal and then hurried to school with Alex.

Arriving in school, now with Zarah, Anne went to them and excitedly announced the upcoming student body elections. It was a fast talk kind of thing that ended with convincing Alex to run for presidency, then they parted ways for their respective classes.

Sophia and Zarah had some small talk as they headed to their Economics class, when they met Enzo at the staircase. Its wooden steps, as everyone believed, was haunted since the place served as refuge during the Spanish-American War (and as a graveyard for the Philipdomian female slaves who were abused during the Japanese occupation in World War II). And this was what Zarah used to scorn, during their small talk, when Enzo approached.

"Right, I think I'm having some goose bumps." Zarah excused herself to go to the lady's room, and at this, Sophia had to apologize.

Faking a smile, Enzo sustained and attempted to greet Sophia a _Happy Birthday_ in advance.

"Thank you." Sophia tried to sound casual, but she was caught up with surprise. She didn't expect that Enzo would come to her, especially when she was with Zarah. The two were each other's greatest nemesis.

Her shock and Zarah's walk-out scene gave Enzo the courage to continue speaking. "You are aware you're turning seventeen, right?" The usual Enzo tried to act cool. He had to play nice with this before the return of the _terrorist-best friend_. Zarah.

"Yes, everyone has been telling me." Sophia was looking gratified. "Thank you. But I'm not sure though if I'm throwing a party. It's up to the people around me to decide." Sophia shrugged and accompanied it with a modest laugh.

"Like they are the ones in control?" Enzo laughed, too, and dismissed it quickly upon Zarah's return.

Sophia grabbed her cellphone from her leather sling bag to read some more of Jericho's messages. It was the last class of the day. Aside from the warm messages she'd received from him earlier, there were also cautions of not telling _it_ to her parents. Just for now, while everything else was fresh and he was still searching for solutions to the problem.

A drum roll played in Sophia's heart when the last message from him read,

I'd like to see you later. After class.

Face afire, Sophia struggled to breathe. A part of her was aching for it but the whole of her was objecting it. Of course, she got excited—a lot—but was held up when she remembered her parents. They were sweet to her this morning, and this was tearing her apart.

I'm sorry, I can't.

Her response was complemented with a sting of regrets... and hopes that he might be demanding in asking her. She was also thinking of the possibilities.

Why not?

It was now pushing Sophia to the edge. Good heavens, how could she ever say _no_ to the man she loved the most? But this was not what she bargained for. Not this way.

In the middle of her pause to answer Jericho, Sophia didn't realize that Zarah was watching silently, beside her, so she shoved her cell phone back to her bag and pretended to listen to the lecture.

"Is Alex taking you home? Or you're going on a cab?" Zarah asked Sophia, after the class.

The questions made Sophia brood over. If she would take a cab, there was a bigger chance she would meet Jericho. So she picked the second one.

"I'll probably go on a cab," Sophia said. "You and Alex need more time together," she added and kissed her best friend goodbye. Outside, as she exited the school grounds alone, a call put her to a stop. It was from Jericho, and she was too fast in answering it.

"Turn to your right," he said, as if he was watching her.

In total wonder, Sophia followed his order and to her massive surprise, Jericho was standing at the parking lot, leaning against his shining red Camaro car. He was wearing a black leather jacket and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, and he was undeniably... gorgeous. Way too gorgeous. Like a Divinity of Charm or something.

Sophia's jaw almost dropped. She didn't know how to react, then. But there was this urge to run fast to him and hug him oh so tightly and indulge herself.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still on the phone, and was distracted when the rest of the high school girls were starting to scrutinize Jericho, as though he was a movie star.

"Tomorrow's your birthday. I wanna make sure I can take you to a dinner before anyone else can," he said, sounding very sweet and hypnotic.

That tad of flirtation had already turned Sophia completely red. And weak. There was no way out to be in denial now and she walked over to him slowly, like in those romantic movies.

To Jericho, it wasn't night time yet but he was already witnessing the stars of the night. Sophia appeared majestic, glowing under the golden rays of the setting sun.

She rested herself to him, and Jericho was accepting enough to receive her. She found her asylum again. For a while, she immersed herself into him, and so did he.

Their bodies shared the same warmth, and exchanged energies. He became her strength, as she became his weakness.

Jericho bestowed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and wrapped her further. They could feel each other's breath. And every heartbeat never failed to prove their love for each other.

"Please, do me some favor, Sophia." Gallantly, he spoke to her and unleashed her, still looking in her eyes. "Please, go to dinner with me. I've found a perfect place for you."

The look in his eyes was impossible to refuse. She nodded agreeably and entered his car gracefully.

Jericho took her to the last place they had a date: the open garden restaurant by the sea cliff, the ever perfect place to remind them of Bo Lake in Forest Green, where they were always secretly playing when they were younger. But this time, the place was surrounded with neon lights, enhanced by the romantic version of their childhood favorite song: Heaven by Bryan Adams.

"I know I'm not allowed in your birthday party tomorrow so I thought that we can celebrate it earlier," Jericho whispered to Sophia, right after the waiters served them exclusively. They were seated beside each other.

Sophia turned motionless and even more when Jericho brought out a small jewelry box, wrapped with a perfectly laced red ribbon. "Happy birthday, My Love." Jericho brought himself closer and asked her not to open it tonight but on the day of her birthday itself.

_My Love_. It was the first time he called her that, but Sophia was brimming with too much mixed emotions she couldn't thank him enough. Or express back her loving too. Yes, she did feel excited to know what was in the small box, but she had to follow his instruction.

"You've always loved me, haven't you?" Jericho, out of the blue, asked her as though his question was intended to challenge her. "Even though... you lost your memory." The despair in the last part made his voice sound low and sensitive.

Sophia was staring at him for a while and then she said, "It's because my love for you is not a memory, Jericho. It has been encoded deep into every fiber of my being."

The loveliness of it all made him suddenly clasp her. "I love you, Sophia." He gathered her into his arms as if she were some personal property, never to be stolen, and held her tight. "And I beg of you to always remember that." He almost cried after finishing the statement.

"Jericho..." Sophia's eyes could almost reveal the stinging tears, too. Her voice was so soft and small that Jericho could barely hear her.

"Seventeen, huh?" Jericho spoke again, so delicately, like it was a sign of relief and... more. "One more year and I can marry you." He locked his eyes into hers and wished for her to have the same hope, hope as big as his.

Strength suddenly escaped Sophia's body, and she had nothing to do but return a loving stare. Those words of his were beyond blissful. And he appeared as though a young lad before a princess, asking for a _happily ever after in a_ _kingdom faraway_. But without the king's approval.

Silence vanquished Sophia for a moment, except for the pounding of her heart. She did feel pleased he had always wanted no one but her. She knew Jericho could be so much more than a friend and lover, and she didn't care of other things, just now. She turned fragile as a bubble.

"Let me kiss you," he asked as his lips were almost on Sophia's.

His kiss was tender, more magical than the heavens or the enchanting sea-breeze of the Pacific Ocean.

The burning passion lingered for a moment. He touched her in little ways, and she could almost cry with the loveliness of it all.

Bit by bit, Sophia opened her eyes. She hated to ruin a wonderful moment but he couldn't help but see her check her wrist watch. It was too dark to come home now.

"Please, spend more time with me," Jericho pleaded. He couldn't get enough of her. "Only just for now..." He attempted to stop her worries by stealing another kiss. But this time, on the forehead.

Sophia shot a forced smile and nodded silently.

"Your parents are really controlling." He managed to say.

"You. Have. No. Idea." The way she delivered those four words sounded like the longest prose to Jericho. "And sometimes..." she sighed, "Sometimes, I feel like," she heaved another sigh, "Sometimes, I feel like I'm a prisoner, and I get tired of it." At last, she'd finished saying it.

"Like you're Rapunzel or something?" Unexpectedly, Jericho threw a not-so-good gag at her. He didn't want to see her gloomy. He wanted her to smile. But playing the comedian was just not his strong point.

It was quite fruitful, though. Sophia smiled. And she also prodded him in the chest—light-heartedly—and she was now on the move to kiss him. She wanted to feel the same passion again, and she clung to him powerfully.

In return, Jericho held her body even closer and kissed her in the most luscious way he could. They fed on one another. And he did a thorough job biting her lips. Fireworks might have been around but then...

"Unbelievable! This is so unbelievable! I knew it!" A familiar, cold voice suddenly distracted them. It was Elizabeth's, and she was with Philippe!

Fireworks turned into a bomb! And exploded, just as Jericho and Sophia almost died of shock and fear!

"So, this is the reason why you did not come home early today, huh?" Elizabeth stepped forward to challenge them, looking lethal at Sophia. "Just in case you two, are wondering how we found you here... well, there's a thing called GPS these days." Elizabeth's eyes were on fire as though Sophia could burn at any moment. "And your father made sure it was working on your cell phone, honey."

The two were still motionless. If a while ago they were melting on each other, this time they had become solidified.

"I guess we should act educated here." Elizabeth then slowed down, still sounding very daring. "Do you mind if we join you, Dr. Leivinhyde?" She was now sending Jericho some red light signals. If they were in a trial court, Jericho could be found _guilty_ already. Sentenced to death. Effective immediately. Before a firing squad. And he would be gone! Forever! Problem solved for Sophia's parents, especially for Elizabeth! And for Grandma Lucy, too.

But in spite of it, Jericho managed to regain his thoughts and gather himself together, even though he didn't know how to start apologizing. He totally looked undignified; all blame was upon him.

Sophia couldn't move a muscle, could not even dare to breathe. She was trembling and knew she was judged guilty too.

"Honey, why don't we join them?" Elizabeth asked Philippe, quite sarcastic with her grin, and saw the small gift in her daughter's hand. Her fright went up thinking it was something, so he could get Sophia to hook up, like a ring, so she acted even colder.

Philippe agreed, but he managed to be easy with the situation.

"So, Dr. Leivinhyde... I thought you're in Forest Green, behind bars!" Elizabeth was not careful with her mouth. She was too straightforward. "You have the nerve to come back here and play dirty with my..." she paused searching for the words, "with my disobedient and sexually-motivated daughter!" Elizabeth made sure she stressed it hard on her daughter, disappointed by how Sophia climbed Jericho, as if she was a stripper.

It shrunk Sophia to the smallest bit. She felt she was more undignified than Jericho.

"I think you two have forgotten the agreement." Elizabeth leaned forward to remind them, her eyes rolling like hell. "That you, Sophia," she pointed to Sophia, "will go back here, to Orlando, and you, Jericho," she shifted to Jericho, passing the stare of a killer, "will stay in Forest Green and forget Sophia! As simple as that!"

Still, there were no words from the two. Even Philippe was silent. It seemed that the whole confrontation was only directed by Elizabeth.

"So, after this... where? Could it be in a hotel," Elizabeth was playing the insulting role, "a resort...or perhaps, a motel?"

It was too much. And that was the time when Philippe butted in.

"We're going home now," he said. His head was bowed down, but not bowed as low, compared to the two.

Sophia felt too damaged to face her father and explain herself to him. She had completely failed him. Again. And it was crushing her.

CHAPTER 13

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

sophia's birthday

"Happy Birthday!" Sophia was hearing Jericho's weary voice through the phone. It was still three o'clock in the morning, and she was still up, sank crying onto the edge of her bed, her life hanging in the balance. Later, she was about to make the biggest regret of her life.

"Thank you." It was ages before she whispered back these words. Aside from the most painful punishments she'd received from her mom earlier, Grandma Lucy had also visited her for her seventeenth birthday. And the latter, knowing about her disobedience to the agreement, could put her and Jericho to peril.

"I'm so sorry, Sophia..." Jericho had been crying, too.

For a while, they listened to each other's silent sobbing, but Sophia had to keep on. There was another mission for her, the same mission actually, and most likely the last of those repeats. Her mom and grandma had been watching her closely, as if a pair of assassins right before her eyes.

"I'm so sorry too..." Sophia managed to whisper to Jericho.

"Please stop crying. I can no longer bear it," he pleaded.

"I can't. I can't help it..."

The sound of Sophia's weeping was a constant dagger to Jericho's heart. She was going to kill him again.

"I love you, Jericho. I always do but you..." Sophia almost didn't say it. Her words were already faltering but she had to surpass this. "I really am sorry but..." Her tears over her lips stung so badly she almost didn't say, "But you need to... let go of me now."

It felt like a gunshot had just been fired! Jericho, down on the ground!

Those were Sophia's last words to Jericho when Grandma Lucy suddenly grabbed the phone from her ear.

"I can't believe this is still happening!" Grandma Lucy then stressed, disbelieving the same mess that was served before her. "How could you disobey every one of us, Sophia? How could you?" Then she paused, looking hard on her granddaughter, who had now sunk her head into her pillow, gripping it, looking as if her world was tearing apart.

"He's going to hate me forever now..." Sophia was bawling to herself. And no one from the adults even cared. All that mattered to them was to separate the two again. Over and over. For always.

"I think we should all go to bed now." Elizabeth then put forward, wishing it could be the last of the many break-ups. For goodness' sake, she was tired, drained by Sophia's actions.

But it wasn't over yet for Sophia. She struggled to stand up and asked bravely, "Why do you hate him so much," appearing like a lioness about to attack. "He has not done anything wrong to you! Why?!" An odd wrath flashed in her eyes, and this defied Grandma Lucy to the limit.

"Because he is a tramp!" Grandma Lucy then shouted, her eyes looking very fatal. "And we don't want you to end up with a tramp! How many times do I have to tell you that?" Then Grandma Lucy stepped closer to stress it hard on Sophia. "His mother is insane, and it is probably in his blood! Do you think we want you to end up with an insane family?" Grandma Lucy roared louder. This time, to Sophia's face.

"By then, I'll probably be insane, too," Sophia, to their surprise, answered back.

"You just turned seventeen, Sophia! You are at the peak of your fragility! Your _lust_ for this guy must be stopped! Do you get that?"

Sophia was undeniably hurt, and she was now too out of herself to return a gracious response. "Your heart is hard as stone that you don't know even how to love." She defied, and this provoked Grandma Lucy's ire.

In a shockwave of both insult and anger, Grandma Lucy lost her soundness, too. "Do you really want to know why I'm against your relationship with him?" Grandma Lucy's blood had raised up to the peak.

"Mom, please..." Philippe, joining in, dashed to stop his mother.

With a venomous stare at Sophia, Grandma Lucy lost control and yelled recklessly, "Because Jericho is your cousin!"

There was a moment of terrifying silence!

Too late, Grandma Lucy wished she could take those words back.

"What?" Sophia, plunging in shock and confusion, was able to ask.

"How come?" Elizabeth, too, was staggered to the revelation.

Grandma Lucy then nodded in regret and shame. It was incredibly easy, now, to conclude how wrong she was. How thoughtless she was. And that she lamented for it so badly.

"I'm sorry..." Grandma Lucy sniffled, and realized she ought to explain the term _cousin_. For a moment, she endeavored fighting her guilt, the dark monster that had been dwelling inside of her over the years. It was waiting to be unleashed. "I guess it's about time to tell everyone of you now. You deserve to know the truth." Bound with infinite disgrace, Grandma Lucy said and directed her gawk on her son, wishing he could ever forgive her once he knew.

"Mom?" Philippe, returning the same look, was shut up suddenly. His mother's eyes seemed to be whispering something. Something that echoed with woe and apologies.

"Phil..." Grandma Lucy paused and stooped her head down. She was finding for strength of will. She had to make this right this time. "Jericho is a son of yours," she finally admitted and splattered into one sob after another.

Philippe's eyes failed to blink and his lungs seemed about to faint. His thoughts rushed momentously in his head. He had never felt alienated like this, before. He was angry, so angry that he couldn't look at his mother again.

Elizabeth, moreover, was unmoving, as the urge to freak out was raging within her. She, too, couldn't take a second look at Grandma Lucy. They despised her.

"I'm sorry, My son." Grandma Lucy groaned for another moment as she tried to direct her gaze to Philippe. She was looking mortified. "You were in Switzerland the year you just finished med. school when I learned Diana was pregnant."

The initial explanation didn't register in Philippe's mind right away. He was unspeaking, gathering himself together, but all the while, his conscience was pulsating, asking why his mother hadn't told him for more than two decades. He had a child! A son! His very own first son!

"Who's Diana?" Elizabeth, at least, managed to ask. But she was evidently near the breaking point.

Not a single word came from Grandma Lucy, for a long while. If there were only ways she could do to simply upload everything to everyone's mind, she would, without a shred of doubt. She ran out of words that would give her less prejudice. And when she finally had her voice back, she made amends for her silence by stating some of the details. But evidently, she couldn't look them in the eye. It was so like her.

"She was Phil's high school sweetheart. And I didn't want that opportunistic whore destroying my son's life. A bright future was coming ahead of him," Grandma Lucy was vacillating, "that is why I had done all the evil ways, just to give Phil a better future. And that is you, Eliz." The moment she'd said her daughter-in-law's name, Grandma Lucy directed her eyes on Elizabeth as she put her own hands over her chest, as if to save her heart from the sudden jolt of pain. She suddenly missed Benjamin. Her dearest younger son, Benjamin. And she couldn't look at Sophia every time she remembered him. It was like a hook, ripping her apart.

Oh heavens, the moment became too heavy for everyone, particularly for Sophia. If only they could look into each other's eyes at that very moment...

"How could you?" Philippe, at last, found the strength to retaliate as he turned to his look at his mother. He had never appeared to be as mad as this. "Why didn't you tell me I've fathered a son? Why?!"

His voice was cold as ice and sharp as a blade. He was seeking for immediate answers. For clarity! Countless emotions flooded wildly inside of him—separation, solitude, frustration, and rage—all going in various directions.

Every son needed a father, and damn, if he ever knew, he could have spared Jericho and Sophia from falling in love with each other. From getting into this dungeon of secrets and lies!

They were all victims here...

Elizabeth, on the other hand, went beyond her understanding to getting through this, but such circumstances were too much to handle. She'd seen Jericho many times, and the whole time she'd always been distant to him. She'd always looked down on him, as if he was only a disgusting insect in Sophia's Garden of Eden. Too bad the guy she'd always offended was actually her husband's son. His first child to be exact, and it was dawning now, deep within her. Yet she wondered how Grandma Lucy had the guts to treat Jericho so badly. He was Philippe's son, her first grandson, for goodness' sake! How could she even bear to hatch all those evil plots against him?

But that wasn't the only thing that disturbed Elizabeth. She was far more worried for Sophia, now that Grandma Lucy had slipped her tongue with the mistaken reference to "cousin." Her daughter might now begin to wonder, and she got scarier than ever. Sophia might get close to the door of Elizabeth's own secrets, about her true identity.

Sophia, in her shock at all the disclosures, was mystified, too. Though it was a fast turn of events, she had caught something wrong in her grandma's statements: the word _cousin_.

"Cousin?" she wondered, fighting the confusion of it all.

Then Elizabeth shared an eye-to-eye with Grandma Lucy. The time had finally arrived. The constant fear that clutched at them day and night for seventeen years had finally arrived, and it was arriving at unbelievable timing, too overpowering than a cyclone.

"Sophia, honey, listen to me..." Now, Elizabeth was the one to do the explaining. And Philippe too, even though both were still in the aftershock of all the revelations. They also had a revelation to expose, now that Sophia was looking and probing them.

"Why "cousin," Mom?" Sophia writhed as she turned to face her mother. The look in her was more fragile than glass. She could break at any moment.

"Sophia, listen to me," Elizabeth pleaded and held Sophia's face with both shaky hands. She had always been brave in tough situations like this. But, right now, she didn't feel the least bit of bravery. She was scared to lose her daughter. "Your grandma committed a mistake, okay? He is your half-brother." Elizabeth endeavored to encircle Sophia in her arms, refusing her to let go, but her daughter was now more hysterical and defiant, than ever.

"This is just a nightmare!" Sophia cried in denial and turned her back away from them. It was hard for her to identify the feelings clamoring inside of her. But anger, for sure, had conquered her.

"Since we already began truth telling, Eliz, let your daughter know..." Grandma Lucy faced Elizabeth with a dare, strong enough with the situation, despite her sloppiness. "Let Sophia know the truth," she said and slid her stare back to Sophia.

"What truth?" Sophia turned to look at them again and rolled her eyes back to her mother, looking very penetrating and distressed, all at once.

"Sophia, honey, I love you. You know that." Elizabeth was struggling to speak out. It seemed, Sophia would never forgive her once she knew.

"Tell her, Elizabeth!" Grandma Lucy's voice turned very dictating, and this forced Elizabeth to unleash another bullet of shocking admission.

"Sophia, I'm not..." Oh help, Elizabeth was faltering but Grandma Lucy continued to become a dictator which made Elizabeth admit, "I—I'm not your real... mother."

Just like that.

Another lightning had just struck, and Sophia was shocked by the voltage of it all!

"No, you're lying! Please stop lying to me! Stop manipulating me!" Sophia then turned outrageous. "Stop it!" She grew fragile, trying to convince herself that it was all part of a lengthy nightmare.

She cried oceans.

Elizabeth drew near Sophia. It was hard for her to do so, knowing she had failed her, and it would never be easy to beg for her forgiveness.

Philippe, across the room, stood still but his knees were breaking down.

It was a moment of repercussions! All fell into silence and became downcast!

Everything was in devastation...

*****

"You were abandoned, Sophia. You were unwanted." The whisper was accompanied by something close to danger, when Sophia's eyes suddenly flickered, open. She had been hearing the same feminine voice in her sleep, and she wished it wouldn't resound anymore. Too much ache from last night was already depleting her.

She got up from the bed and almost forgot—it was her birthday and damn, she wasn't her parents' real daughter! She had plenty of shocks last night and she was so hurt.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she prepared herself and went downstairs for a sip of water.

The worst wasn't over yet. Her entire family was there in the living room, all set to indulge her in a huge birthday greeting, as if everything was still the same. Grandma Lucy was there, too. They were all bestowing her a great smile.

This pressed Sophia to burst with tension. Why in the world could they ever pretend that it was all fine? As if it was all still the same? Didn't they care about her emotions? How about those shocking revelations? About her real mom? About Jericho as the new member of the family?

The rattle of Sophia's emotions left her to freeze in silence and anger. She didn't know the words to say: either to thank them for their surprise or hate them forever for all the secrets, regarding her true identity and Jericho's.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Her mom stepped forward to kiss her on the cheeks. But such act made Sophia turn her face away, in rejection. She seemed really mad at her mother and then, she paced toward her Grandma Lucy, her eyes alight with fury.

"About Jericho..." Sophia initiated. "Tell me, it's not true."

Grandma Lucy only stared at her for a moment, but she didn't seem bothered at all. Indeed, she appeared confident and prepared for all the questions her granddaughter would ask her.

Elizabeth looked helpless as she watched them, in confrontation. And Philippe, who was still conquered by anguish and rage, sat down on the couch and attempted to sidetrack Nadine and Alex, who were clueless about what was happening. No matter where the blame lay, the one person who mattered most to him right now was his son, Jericho.

"How could you hide everything? You knew..." Sophia's gawk at Grandma Lucy was direct and probing. And although her grandma was already bestowing her with the sincerest of apologies through her looks, she didn't stop asking. "Why then?"

"I'm so sorry, My Dear Sophia..." Grandma Lucy said then, and couldn't meet her angry gaze, as if a fox humbled before a kitten. "It's hard to explain now. Sometimes, we do the wrong things for the right reasons."

The explanation felt so empty for the series of questions from Sophia. To her dismay, Grandma Lucy seemed to be unperturbed, as if she was already vindicated from all her actions. Sophia longed so much for another protest, but it only ended in cries. Grief consumed her.

"Now, I have to feel disgust for the person who means all the world to me." She was moaning, trembling, and turning weak. "And I disgust myself, too."

Her voice was low, on the last part. Thinking that she loved Jericho more than anyone else, she felt nothing but tremendous loathing. And more, every time she remembered their intimate kisses.

Grandma Lucy, for the very first time in an argument, paused with lengthy silence. She knew she was responsible for all these.

Then Sophia realized she had to deal with another matter, regarding her mom. She was determined for one more thing, and she went back to her mother. "You said you're not my real mother..." She tried hard to say it, without sharing any eye contact. It seemed she couldn't look at her mother in the same way, anymore.

Her cold approach shook Elizabeth to the ground. The moment that scared her the most had finally arrived. She was now about to lose Sophia, her dearest Sophia! And it was even scarier than a black hole.

"Sophia..." Elizabeth vacillated, to whisper. Her heartbeat thumped so loud it was even louder than her own voice.

"If you're not my real mom... then who?"

Elizabeth had no strength to answer her. No face to show to her daughter. She couldn't even provide a single word. She only wished she could explain to Sophia. Without the nagging thought that she would lose her.

"Did she give me away? Is she still alive? Tell me!" Sophia was unable to control herself. Only clear and immediate answers could put her to rest but damn, she wasn't receiving them.

The silence extended, and this enraged Sophia badly. The responses to her demand fell short, and this infuriated her.

"Why are you not answering me...?"

"Sophia, honey, listen to me..." The look in Sophia's eyes shredded Elizabeth's heart. She couldn't bear seeing Sophia this way. She'd always wanted to see her smile or laugh. And not this way. She was on the move to explain when Grandma Lucy spoke before she could utter the first word.

"Francheska. Francheska is your real mother!" Grandma Lucy hastened to reveal as Elizabeth lost her own way of retaining her adopted daughter's affections.

Silence! Silence wasn't silent enough in that moment. There were vibrations of shock. Disbelief. And even wrath!

Words died out in Sophia. Her sanity almost did, too.

Elizabeth soothed Sophia and held her tight. Sophia could rupture at any moment, and she made sure she was there to lessen the pressure. The minute Sophia had pulled through, Elizabeth led her to the couch. Grandma Lucy was also there to offer her a glass of water.

When everything else settled into place and Sophia was back to her full senses, Grandma Lucy began to tell the story of Ben and Francheska.

Sophia tried to listen as well as everybody else, including Alex and Nadine. Although the two were entirely naïve about what was happening in the house lately, the adults decided for them to know of the underlying family secrets. They didn't want any more secrets to control their lives. It was time for amendments, now.

Then Grandma Lucy began the telling. "The night after Phil's and Eliz's wedding in Forest Green, my son Ben asked Francheska for a post-party at the lake house. They were young, then. Francheska was fifteen and Ben... he was eighteen."

Grandma Lucy's head was slanted as these words escaped her shaky lips. The age eighteen, in the country, was subject to imprisonment if proven guilty of any crime. And Ben had just reached that age only a few weeks before the incident.

The moment she'd recovered, Grandma Lucy kept on. "Everyone at the party said Francheska was taking too much alcohol. And my son, Ben, had been drinking, too, and had probably popped some drugs." Grandma Lucy didn't hesitate to admit. She knew Ben was experimenting on drugs at some point in his teenage years, and she, herself, was the one who'd been sending him to rehab. Although it had worked for quite some time, Ben had been back to drugs. He'd been hooked to _pot_ and _angel dust_.

"Somehow, that was how you existed." Grandma Lucy persisted, her heart racing with her lungs. Then she glued her eyes on Sophia, who now appeared enlightened with all the details. But Grandma Lucy wasn't done yet. "Francheska claimed she was raped in the woods. But my son," Grandma Lucy took a pause and squeezed her eyes shut, "he never remembered anything! And now, Ben's still missing, after all these years..."

The statement ended with a careful rush of tears and stillness.

Sophia, learning of how she was probably conceived, looked down and steadied herself. It was incredibly easy now to realize why her grandma had always treated her so badly. She lost a son because of her.

"Francheska was fifteen," Elizabeth slipped in, after a while. "Instead of an abortion, Francheska...we... all decided to keep you," she said as she gazed at Sophia. "But after you were born, she went missing, too..."

An unidentified emotion suddenly swallowed Sophia up. She was rapt with the thought that if she hadn't existed, everyone could have been just fine.

Then unexpectedly, she stood up and ran to her room. It was all clear to her now, Jericho could really be related to her by blood and it wasn't that easy for her to accept it. It was now forbidden. Everything she felt for him must now be put to the grave. But knowing that her real father was actually her father's brother and her real mother was her mother's sister, she ached to know some other things. Where are they and why were they missing after she was born?

On mid-afternoon, Sophia decided not to join her family for lunch, and instead, kept to her room.

It was still hard for her to process everything. As she laid in bed, her tears pouring endlessly, by coincidence, she saw Jericho's birthday present in her leather bag underneath her study desk. Though she remembered he'd asked her to open it on the day of her birthday, she couldn't bear another look at it, and she realized it was best to throw it away. It would only bring her nothing but heartache.

But down deep, something was whispering to keep it. It was so powerful she made up her mind to lock it in her jewelry closet and forget about it, as she would also do for him. Then a sudden vibration of her phone distracted her—a call from Enzo.

"Hey, happy birthday!"

Sophia took too long to respond. She wasn't expecting Enzo would bother to greet her again, after yesterday. Why did he call this time?

"Thank you." Her voice was halfway between curiosity and delight.

"Are you surprised?"

Yes, she did feel surprised and grateful, but some questions clamored her to wonder. Instead of asking him, she skipped the usual _so_ _what's up?_ preludes and realized he could be a remedy for her doomed birthday. Doomed life even, and this pressed her to ask him out.

"I'm not having a happy birthday, and I was thinking if—" She was saying when she became conscious she was too confident and abusive for his kindness.

"Uh, what?"

The voice at the end of the line turned vague, as her own thoughts did too. This wasn't her. She knew it wasn't her thing to use people but... obviously, he was the one offering. Only indirectly as it seemed.

"You were wondering if... what?" Enzo repeated.

Sophia wanted to say _never mind_ but a part of her promptly made her say, "I was wondering if you wanna get out, with me?"

Right there and then, Enzo felt elated. "You mean you want to have a drink or something?" he asked, trying to pretend he wasn't that interested. But somewhere in the back of his mind, anticipations were starting to unfold.

"Yeah, I need a drink. Like a lot. Can you help me?"

Sophia closed her eyes the moment she said the last part. She sounded helpless. Desperate. She felt regretful, thinking she couldn't trust herself at this point of her life. Her own self was betraying her.

But for Enzo, something was alive again. This was now the old Sophia he knew. She was back! The deserted, stubborn girl from Forest Green was now back, only this time with a memory loss.

"Sure, so where do you want to meet with me?"

"Somewhere I used to be happy, where I felt so free." Her voice was hanging in the air as she spoke.

This was something else. He could sense sadness, and an on-the-run tendency. But this didn't come as a shock to him. Sophia had always been an escapist. He knew Sophia very well, especially the other side of her, something that was not quite familiar to everyone. He'd been watching her skip school with Daniella as they ran somewhere else to try some _weed_. Yet, Sophia's parents were able to drag their daughter out of that dusky phase of her life. At the same time, Giovanni had slipped in, and had everyone's support. And Zarah too, as Alex's new girlfriend.

Unfortunately for Enzo, that was also the time when everyone had stigmatized him. Little did they know he'd only shared the same thing. He was also in the pursuit of wanting to belonging in the family, and all he ever wanted was to be at the right place, with the right people.

"Yes, I know a place," Enzo then said, and they agreed to meet at The Portico at one o'clock.

They saw each other on a small table outside the diner. The Portico was a high end place in the city, where people in ties and sparkling dresses meet mostly. The sun was blazing hot, and Sophia found him too sexy in those dark shades and fitted gray shirt. Unlike any guy in her life, Enzo was an average. His tone and manner of talking though were godly, and every girl would melt just by listening to him.

"You look great." Enzo eyed her. She was wearing a yellow skirt above her knee, paired with a perfectly tucked-in white top. It was complimented with a leather belt and a pair of beige sandals, making her two inches higher. And this brought her some regrets. She was obviously taller than him.

"Thank you." She managed a smile and a lively stare.

Beside them were fellow youngsters, sharing gossips and raising glasses as they sat in a large blissful circle.

"I wonder why our special person is spending her birthday with someone strange to her," he said as he pulled a chair for both of them and ordered for some limes and lemons.

Sophia was hushed for a moment, and couldn't help but feel haunted for involving Enzo in this terrible misfortune of her life.

"I'm sorry. I should haven't asked you out. I'm really sorry," she was lamenting, but to her surprise, he was smiling.

"Do you wanna go somewhere else?" he offered, displaying a look that was difficult to resist. Somehow, he knew a way out of this mess if Sophia couldn't handle herself. "Come on, it's a good place." He then winked, tempting, brought out a cash from his wallet, and paid the waitress who was coming to serve them.

They headed west and to Sophia's disbelief, it was a civic beach, and fortunately for them, there were no people surfing. Only a few couples were there, dating, walking by the seaside with a pair of flip-flops in their hands as flocks of seabirds passed them by. And offshore there were yachts disappearing slowly as they sailed into the fading sun.

"You and Daniella used to hang out here," he said as they drove through palm trees and sunflowers to the car park.

"You really know a lot of things about me, huh?" She tried to smile, as if it was a compliment, and hurled her gaze back to the shore. The sight was bracing, along with the cool wind coming from the ocean.

Her worries went away for that short moment and it made sense to her to know that Enzo was a good company. And it was something she could use, to trust him.

"But there is one thing you don't know though," she spoke again, after a while, and it sounded as though it was a challenge.

"And what is that?"

"I'm adopted!"

"What?" Enzo almost lost control of the wheels looking at her.

"Yeah, kind of adopted. And I just learned of that this morning," she admitted with a modest laugh, and this left Enzo guessing.

"But you look like your mom. There's no doubt about that."

"My real mother is actually my mom's sister and my real father is actually my dad's brother. How cool is that, right?" She wished sarcasm would be more soothing than the salty whiff of corals and blossoming flowers by the driveway.

"I'm sorry about that."

"How about you? Any shocking revelations too?"

"Not today." Enzo swayed his head and finally parked the truck.

Together, they looked out to the sea and watched the sun melt into the dimming water. He left her for a jiffy and went to buy coconut water which they called _buko_ in the nearby coastal café. Unlike Sophia, he had expectations, knowing the ship that she and Giovanni had sailed ages ago.

From afar, he studied her as the airstream played with her hair. And even though he did fight the escalating impulse, he wished he could touch her at that very moment and tuck the suspended hair strands behind her ears.

"I want to come here as often as I can," Sophia told him the moment he'd returned. In his hands was a shell of coconut with an accessory of a small umbrella and a striped straw.

"Here," he said. "Give yourself a plunge. The sun went too hot today."

Astonished, she couldn't thank him enough. And throwing some funny lines might probably be a huge help. "Merci _buko_ ," she laughed in place of the French word _beaucoup_ , for expressing her gratitude.

Enzo laughed so hard at her attempt, especially when she tossed the _buko_ in the mid-air. "That's so clever of you." His laugh extended, and he decided to go for a swim.

In a sudden tension, Sophia switched her look the moment he stripped off his shirt and pair of jeans. She didn't expect that Enzo could possess such a masculine build-up. He always appeared frail and thin.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm off for a swim, Sophia! Come on... let's get to the seashore." He offered as he dragged her to the shore.

"I can't. It's really cold." Sophia tried to step back.

"Are you scared?" He put a challenge on. "It's not like a Jaw movie that a shark would come to bite you."

"No! It's not that..."

"Come on!" Enzo, in his trunks, began to duck himself into the water and asked Sophia once more.

Sophia had no choice but to follow him. She took off her clothes too, and joined him. "The water is cold," she said as she drifted with the waves, one after another. And when the bigger waves came, they scuffled her and led her straight into Enzo's arms.

Enzo was helpful enough in grasping her, and this left his arms wrapped all around her. "I'm sorry," he immediately apologized. And for a while, they shared the same awkward but refreshing tension.

"I think, we should go..." Sophia began to move but Enzo was watching her closely. He volunteered in picking up their clothes and turned around the moment she began wearing them back as he, too, put on his own clothes.

When they arrived at Sophia's, her parents were already outside the gate, raring to get an explanation from their daughter. It was too dark for a young woman to come home now. Enzo knew he was somehow liable for the situation and he couldn't stop the nervy feeling creeping inside of him.

"Where have you been?" Elizabeth confronted them, quite uneasy with their wet appearance as they glided out of the truck.

Sophia ignored her mom and rather, said her thanks and goodbye to Enzo.

"Wait. Enzo, right?" Elizabeth stopped Enzo from restarting his truck. "We're not yet having our dinner. Do you mind if you join us? I mean, it's Sophia's birthday." Elizabeth adorned it with a very inviting smile, trying to cover up her disappointment at Sophia.

"If you're up to something, do not include him." Sophia warned her mom, as if it was a threat. Her rage at her for keeping a secret was still fresh and kicking.

"I'm just trying to be polite with your new friend, Sophia," Elizabeth defended herself, making sure her facial expression was at ease. She didn't want Enzo think they were having some cat fight.

"Let's get inside the house then," Philippe, appearing fine, intruded.

Sophia felt how Enzo got nervous as they stepped into the front porch. "Hey, it's okay. You've been inside the house before." She tried to comfort him.

When the door slid open, a bunch of teens popped in before them. A huge birthday surprise was actually waiting ahead and the person behind it was Zarah. But she dropped into dead silence upon seeing her best friend with Enzo. And Alex felt even worse. it was a party for everyone but them!

"Am I really seeing this? You're with him?" Zarah went to ask her, right after Sophia accepted everyone's greetings and Enzo went his way to chat with the guys he knew at the event.

"Zarah, please..."

"No, you tell me about it," Zarah demanded, as Alex meddled in, to interrogate her also.

"Happy birthday, sis!" Alex's tone was round and joyful. At some point, both of them were uneasy with the term _sis_. "So, what's with him?" Alex was referring to Enzo.

Sighing, Sophia implored, "Just be nice to him, okay?" Then she excused herself and rushed outside, to the backyard, to clear her thoughts. She was starting to feel uncomfortable with everything, and with how she was using Enzo as her ticket to leaving her past with Jericho, behind.

She could barely breathe. She looked up at the tiny glittering stars, and cried for Jericho, as the dew of her own tears seemed to reflect the stars. The stars deepened her longing for him. And she wished he was there with her on her birthday. Wasn't that too selfish to ask? Her love for Jericho was always there. And unlike the stars, it would never die.

Then she felt someone behind her and saw her mother's silhouette. Her mother told her to change her clothes, and to try out the red dress that Nadine bought for her, as a present.

Sophia's lips failed to provide a response. She looked almost stoned, her life shining, but faintly, like the crescent moon over the cloudy sky.

"Happy birthday, Sophia." Elizabeth managed to whisper, trying to look her in the eye. She was obviously feeling guilty and scared. "And I'm so sorry for everything."

"I'm dying right now, Mom." Sophia was catching her breath. The burden in her chest was just too much, so that it seemed to block her lungs from getting enough air. "I'm dying inside, trying to accept that you're not my real parents and that my real parents ran away and left me." She bawled even more. "And the worst of all is that Jericho is my... own brother...."

Oh heavens! If only the past and the present could be altered! And then the future time could come out differently, and much better, too.

"There's nothing I can say right now, but I give you my sincerest apologies, Sophia." Elizabeth struggled to face her daughter. "I am really, really sorry for everything..." Elizabeth tried to clasp her but Sophia didn't hug her back. And the moment she'd released her, Sophia galloped back inside, forcing herself to stay calm up to the end of the celebration.

CHAPTER 14

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

enzo

"I can't believe you're adopted!" Zarah was surprised as she and Sophia made conversation in the latter's bedroom, early the next morning. After the party last night, Sophia asked for a sleep-over in the hope of disclosing the recent happenings to her best friend. She didn't want to get stuck with talking about other things—school stuff, mostly. This morning, her guts had finally kicked in, and she began sharing her story to Zarah.

It was gut-wrenching for Sophia. She knew Zarah was accepting enough, but she remembered she hadn't told Zarah yet about Abanir, and Sophia didn't know where to start. It seemed she needed another occasion to talk of the outlandish creature.

"Yes, I am adopted." Sophia attempted to utter a laugh. Somewhere deep down, she knew she was pitiful, and she wished sarcasm would be kind enough to comfort her. The reality was too fresh yet, and she was still at the stage of accepting.

"And you said your real dad is your dad's brother and your real mom is your mom's sister...?" Zarah's forehead was in furrows as she got confused about the interlaced details. "Seriously, that's kinda weird."

"But that's not the biggest surprise I have for you..." Sophia couldn't help the smug look that spread across her face. It felt good to fake her own feelings, well, at least for one moment only.

"What do you mean?"

Sophia glanced toward the windows and left Zarah waiting in the bed. Through the drapes that were parted in the middle, she said, "It's about Jericho." Then she paused, took a deep breath, and went back to Zarah who moved closer to hear her, suddenly attentive to the words she was about to spill. Sophia didn't know how to position her words, this time, thinking this second blow would put more impact on Zarah because it involved Alex. And her too, because of Jericho. "D—Dad has a son besides Alex..." She closed her eyes the moment she said it.

Zarah's face pulled in bewilderment then. "What?!"

"Jericho. He's the other son." Then, Sophia lifted up her head to the ceiling, her heart seemingly racing with her lungs. And seeing the chandelier sparkle with the golden sunbeams, so vibrant, she wished her life would be just as vibrant, too. Oh God, how she needed the strength!

"I can't believe this is happening to you. To your family." Zarah muttered, and started patting Sophia's back. "I understand you don't want to feel the pain, Sophia, who doesn't?" She paused, and then she gave Sophia another light pat. "Everything will be just fine, okay?" It wasn't Zarah's strong point to console anybody, but somehow, she was good with Sophia. She thought: one must be strong at the time the other one gets weak.

For Sophia, there were many other things that she wanted to share. Hatred, anger, wonder—for the whole time, thinking, why they hid such secrets from her. And disgust too—disgust at herself for falling in love with someone who was actually so closely related to her. But she was a victim here. Just like everyone else. Surely.

In the afternoon, Sophia lay in bed with a million things clamoring for attention. She wished to have her element—that tower of strength that would thrust her through everything, especially in her tough times. Desperately for her, she hadn't grasped it yet. She was still that girl who couldn't find her way out from the shell of emotional vulnerability. She knew it to herself. It was her weakness, her frustration. But she was fighting for it.

The urge to leave hit her. She needed to keep herself away from things and people who had been causing her too much burden and sorrow. She needed tranquility, some place where she could not think of things too hard, and the subdivision's park was the first thing she could think of. It was green and quiet—the best spot to loosen up a bit, and it was only a walk away. Just for a while.

The park was crowded, which she never expected. Olympus Heights was picked by some non-government organizations to conduct their monthly fund-raising program because it was free and wide enough to accommodate a pile of ice cream trucks and other business vehicles, in line. And foreign visitors, too.

"Want a ride?" A boy distracted Sophia as she was walking down the narrow sidewalk.

"No, thanks." Sophia gave the boy a smile. It seemed he was reaching puberty.

"Oh, pardon my son, miss!" A female voice resonated somewhere, and Sophia saw a red-headed woman in a large t-shirt.

"Oh, no problem about it." Sophia beamed, in return.

"Mike, come on. Let's go." The woman asked his son to step on the pedal and gazed back at Sophia. "Tina, by the way!"

Straightaway, Sophia extended her hand but the woman's hand was somewhat wet. "Sophia. My name's Sophia."

"Pleasure to meet you, Sophia. I'm from Block 20."

"Me too, ma'am. I'm from Block 1," Sophia said, and she realized she ought not to reveal her address. It might seem demeaning.

There was hierarchy in their village. Just like every place in the country—most likely a practice that originated since the Spanish regime in the archipelago, although it was reformed when the Americans took over. The location of blocks in the heights separated the high-income earners from the low-income earners, having Block 1 as the starting point for the richest.

At this, Sophia felt sorry the moment she had said it. But to her surprise, it wasn't a big deal for the woman. And she was, in fact, bestowing her a wide smile.

"Are you waiting for your boyfriend?" The woman then asked, as she noticed some teenage guys walking around the park.

"Oh, no! I'm not here for a date or something. I'm here for fresh air."

"I see. Well, then. I guess we have to leave now." She nodded and left with her boy.

Sophia was gracious and continued walking, watching the other little boys playing soccer and the hyperactive girls being chased by their moms across the green lawn. Then she felt her stomach turn sour, and a Japanese eating place grabbed her senses. It looked red and white, just like the colors of the said country's flag.

She went over the listed meals and they seemed to be very affordable. _Katsudon, cha soba, sushi, onigiri furukake_ , Sophia read them in mind.

"Hello! Your order, please," the vendor asked and obviously, he was Japanese.

Sophia didn't expect that a real Japanese guy would be the one selling, but he seemed nice and accommodating so she played along. "Um, can I have this oni...giri furu...kake?" Sophia was evidently careful in saying the dish's name. "And sushi please..." But with the second one, she was absolutely assured and confident.

"Sure, ma'am!" The vendor responded in pleasure. "And your drinks?"

Sophia went through the list again. "Um, just some iced red tea, please."

While paying, Sophia looked at the other customers enjoying their every bite. They were seated in plastic stalls and they seemed quite happy with their meal.

"Here's your onigiri and sushi, ma'am!" The vendor handed her a couple of Styrofoam packs and placed them in a brown bag.

Sophia received it with one hand, and with her other hand, she clasped her paper cup with red tea. Quickly she went looking for a seat but the benches nearby were already occupied. The Japanese eatery must have been a blockbuster. Then she made her way to the other benches in the park, about a hundred feet away, and found one vacant spot.

The sushi stirred her palate first, and she was on her way for her first bite, when a guy suddenly shadowed her.

"Can I have a taste of that?" he asked.

Sophia paused long enough, then she tilted her chin to face him. She knew, right away, that the voice was Enzo's. Seeing him, she almost dropped her pair of chopsticks. He had a new haircut and he looked charismatic this time.

"Enzo! How...?"

He didn't wait for her to complete her words and said, "Actually, I just spent an hour looking for you. You were not answering my phone calls." Then he joined her on the bench, uninvited.

"How did you know I'm here?" Sophia tried not to look disappointed. She liked Enzo, but at this point, she needed to be alone. And he was here now. What choice did she have? She wasn't a snob, after all.

"I went to your house. Your dad told me you went out and then I asked around." Enzo was speaking with too much confidence that prompted Sophia act more accommodating, especially with the thought that he went looking for her.

"Ah!" She was stunned. "Why don't you join me then?" she said, and Enzo volunteered to feed her, trying to be romantic.

"Take a big bite, Sophia!" He demanded when her bites became too small and too slow.

Somehow, Sophia couldn't afford to look straight into his eyes, for too many reasons. Surely, guilt was one of them, for she was using him to get Jericho out of her thoughts.

"Hey, everything's all right?" Enzo elbowed her, and Sophia plainly noticed the huge difference between him and Jericho. Jericho had never elbowed her like that before. He was usually careful about touching her. But this Enzo, he seemed to be that kind of always-on-the-go guy, an extrovert—Jericho's exact opposite.

"I think I should go home." Sophia then pushed forward, feeling something was truly wrong. She knew Enzo was a good guy. He deserved better than this.

"Come on. We're not yet done eating." Enzo held her arm to stop her.

Sophia leaned back again, with the impulse to speak the truth, but she was caught up in a series of doubts and attempts.

"Can we take a walk?" she said, after a while. Enzo knew then she was about to open something like a Pandora's box.

"No problem."

As they walked along the pile of blue Passion flowers, Sophia was starting to assemble her sentence.

"Is this about your ex?" Enzo advanced.

Sophia knew he was pertaining to Giovanni. He was clueless yet, about Jericho. "Apparently, no." Sophia made an effort in saying it.

"Well, what is it all about?" He paused to face her.

Sophia also went to a halt and avoided his stare. "Remember what I told you that I'm kind of adopted?" she spoke, still not looking at him. "I think you ought to know that Giovanni is not my first boyfriend."

Enzo's face reddened. He was obviously showing displeasure, but Sophia had to keep on.

"It happened that my first boyfriend is actually a half-brother, a cousin to be exact." Teardrops suddenly streamed down her face. She didn't want him to see her that way, but it was unavoidable.

Enzo lingered, standing silent and completely surprised. He didn't know how to react.

"I'm so sorry, Enzo. I hope you can forgive me." Sophia was more than regretful but she felt clean, now that she had told him.

"It's okay. None of it is your fault." To Sophia's dismay, it seemed it wasn't that much of a big deal to him.

"No, you don't get it!" She retaliated, as if she was one of the little girls in the park.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, God..." Sophia pressed her forehead as if it would lessen the tension. "Yesterday, after I knew everything, I didn't know what to do. And then, you called." Sophia was shaking now.

As for Enzo, he still seemed clueless. "That was why you wanted to have a drink...?" At least he was starting to connect the details.

"Can't you see? I'm very selfish!" Sophia now faced him with a dare. "I asked you yesterday to see me because I didn't know how to handle everything. Can't you see that I used you?" Sophia felt embarrassed the second she'd finished.

For a moment or two, he was still. Then he said, "Don't you see that I'm madly in love with you?"

Oh heavens, he was making a mess out of this. His feedback staggered her. He was supposed to be hating her, but it was the other way around.

"You make me the happiest guy, Sophia. And I don't care if you're using me. After all, romance has ruined more lives than wars."

"What?" Sophia was puzzled, even more.

"I mean I don't care, Sophia. And what I ask from you right now is... for you to learn to love me back." Enzo steadied his eyes on her. "Let's give it a try, shall we?"

Frozen, Sophia's mind turned blank. Enzo was now the one offering her a ticket to leave her past with Jericho. He could be her friend... and her lover, too.

CHAPTER 15

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

thE welcome FOR jericho

I _t's your fault. You gave him the chance to enter your life, now you have to pay the price_ , Sophia's conscience was scolding her, as she was seated beside Enzo in his truck. He was taking her home now, after the stroll in the park, and Sophia was still wondering how she and Enzo became officially lovers. She was, by now, trapped in Enzo's seeming appetite to own her.

"Whose truck is that?" Enzo asked her when he saw the black Ford truck in the driveway.

"I don't know." Sophia wondered too, looking at the strange vehicle. It seemed totally new.

"You must have a visitor," he said.

Sophia didn't provide him with any response, and she couldn't wait to imprison herself in her bedroom and to regret all the things she'd been doing.

The moment Enzo stopped the engine, Sophia didn't glance at him. She was still in shock... and full of regrets.

Minutes passed, and there were still no words from her, and this tempted Enzo to play the nasty roles.

"Aren't you gonna invite me in for at least a glass of water?" he challenged her.

Sophia turned even more quiet, nodding half-heartedly. She seemed under his spell and she couldn't say no. She felt helpless.

They walked through the quiet pavement with their strides resounding. And Sophia... if only she could read Enzo's plans once they get inside the house. Certainly she was scared. Scared he would announce to everyone that they got hitched. How would they react? Especially her brother Alex? She knew great walls were bordering each of them.

When they got to the main door, Sophia dropped in, bursting with shock upon seeing Jericho in the living room, talking with every member of her family, including Grandma Lucy.

Philippe and the rest of the family were disconcerted, but they seemed to have adjusted themselves for the situation.

Seeing Jericho with her entire family nearly made Sophia's heart leap out from her body. Jericho's face was poised. It seemed they just had a warm and welcoming conversation.

"Hello. Are you Enzo?" Grandma Lucy paced fast, towards them. She acted way too hospitable to Sophia's new companion.

Sophia gazed at every member of the family, full of questions, trying hard to ask silently with her hard, intense gaze. She wanted to begin asking, why was Jericho there. But how silly of her to inquire—knowing he was actually a son of her father. The scene was far too disturbing. And heartbreaking.

"Sophia, honey, I believe you haven't introduced your new friend yet." Grandma Lucy chirped.

Apparently, Sophia's gaze was focused on Jericho, and soon, she felt she would pass out. She wasn't ready for this, a fast turn of events. And each time, she'd drawn a blank.

"Sophia!" Grandma Lucy repeated.

At last Sophia was alerted and shook her head, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Yes!" she responded, just from the aftermath of realizing Jericho was, indeed, inside the house. "Grandma, this is Enzo. Enzo, meet grandma." Undeniably, Sophia was in emotional turmoil. It turned out worse when Enzo had called her _peaches_ , a nickname she didn't find sweet, rather she found it sickening.

Everyone was not surprised, and this shocked Sophia. It was as if everyone liked Enzo for her. _What is this? A planned move?_ She asked herself silently, while at the paramount of pretending everything was acceptable... and normal.

But, it was Jericho's confident display of himself that horrified Sophia tremendously. _Did he just get over from everything we had? Why didn't he react about Enzo? Am I nothing to him now?_ Sophia shut her eyes close, so tight, and forced herself to calm down for the situation, while Enzo was there. She didn't want, of course, to be impolite. Somehow, he was still a visitor and oh heaven help, her new boyfriend. She couldn't even look at him whenever the word popped into her head.

"Oh! Enzo, sweetheart, would you like to join us for dinner?" Grandma Lucy then offered, looking strangely at Sophia, and it added more stress to her. It was like the living room only revolved around Sophia, Enzo, Jericho, and Grandma Lucy, and the rest served as secondary characters.

Enzo agreed to the offer, as his own portrayal of nobility. Having a pleasing personality was now mandatory, to make good impressions.

Face afire, Sophia was silently refusing, her stomach rebelling against all that was happening. If only Jericho wasn't in the house, she could play cool with this, but his unexpected appearance seemed to be her very poison ivy. She couldn't react, and what's more was... Enzo was still not in good terms with Alex.

_What is this? A festivity for the lost, unknown son?_ Sophia thought while she was now seated beside Enzo in a table full of people. And Jericho got his own chair, facing them.

"So Enzo, why don't you tell us something about you?" Grandma Lucy commenced as everyone began serving themselves. It seemed the diverse culinary menu captured everyone's eye, except Sophia's. Her head was drifting somewhere else, wondering how Jericho could pretend to be calm about all of this. And everyone, as well.

"Well, I..." Enzo was clearing his throat for the right words. He had to blend in. One unpleasant talk, and he would be out. Out of Sophia's life.

"Call me Lucy, by the way." Grandma Lucy slanted a friendly smile at him.

"Tell us something about your parents," Philippe intervened as though Enzo was on a hot seat.

"My parents are into business, sir. We're into managing hotels and restaurants." Enzo fairly knew the details to share so as to keep along with the Vabuerettis.

"That's very interesting!" Grandma Lucy looked at him as if it was great news.

"And his family owns that Filipino restaurant we stopped by at the Eighth Avenue," Elizabeth told Philippe, and this turned Enzo's ego a notch higher, even as it irritated Alex.

"Yes, ma'am. My father is a Filipino," he said.

"But you don't look Asian?" Nadine snooped, attempting to intersect with the older people's boulevards of chatter, but this made the adults feel bumpy with her frankness.

A wide smile was Enzo's initial and ensuing response. He simply stared at everyone and said, "I'm adopted."

Sophia nearly choked in disbelief. So he was adopted too, and he hadn't told her, beforehand. She risked a look into Enzo's eyes. She felt really disappointed and mad but it was childish of her to question him, knowing they'd only known each other in a few days.

"All right, who wants some cake? I just made it this morning," Elizabeth then offered and headed to the kitchen. It was too early for a dessert, but everybody seemed in need of something sweet anyway, especially now that the situation was turning bitter.

As the talk lingered, with Enzo as the center of attention, Sophia couldn't, by far, avoid taking a look at Jericho, who seemed quite interested in listening to Enzo. Watching everyone, it seemed they had moved on and had been forgiving towards the secrets and lies of yesteryears. And as she watched her siblings, seated in a row opposite her—Nadine seated between Alex and Jericho—it was suddenly clear to her, now, that she was the real outsider. She couldn't wait for the dinner to end so that she could run to her bedroom and weep and weep.

"Sophia, honey, are you on a diet? Your plate seems untouched." Grandma Lucy stirred her, and Enzo rescued her by putting at least a piece of fresh lettuce and a few pieces of tomatoes on her plate.

"I assume you're a vegan," he whispered, trying to be caring.

"Oh, so sweet. Is this some kind of romantic movie or something?" Again, Nadine rolled some comments but she was genuinely pleased for her sister.

Sophia couldn't help but feel embarrassed. It was too much, now that Jericho was smiling mysteriously from across the table. This wasn't what she asked for. Anyhow, she was able to thank Enzo in the lowest tone she could muster.

"By the way, Jericho will start working in our hospital this Monday," Philippe announced, with some visible excitement in his eyes but with some sense of woe for Sophia. Too bad Jericho would now be linked to her like the lace to the shoe.

"Is he gonna live with us here?" Nadine asked her parents in anticipation.

"Oh, no! I'll be staying in my house." Finally, Jericho broke his silence and winked at Nadine after saying it.

"Really? You have a house here, bro?" At last, Alex spoke too, facing Jericho. Certainly, Sophia got questions of her own, too, but she couldn't ask Jericho.

Now, Enzo couldn't help himself, any longer, from speculating that Jericho might be the one Sophia was referring to, in the park. He could guess, though, each time Sophia looked at Jericho. Then, from that moment on, he'd followed Sophia's eyes and they never failed to confirm so. But, he wasn't the only one noticing it. The rest of the family did, too, and this made Enzo want to grab Sophia's hand and place it in his lap, gripping it so tight that she could feel the pain. She could pretend it wasn't hurting, though, and she would manage a quick smile.

When the dinner was over, Sophia quickly stood up and went to the front porch as Enzo expressed his appreciation for the wonderful meal.

"Why in a hurry?" Enzo hurried, chasing her.

"Because you were hurting me back there."

"Hurting you? Sophia, I wasn't hurting you."

"Really?"

"I was just touching your hand. That's all." Then Enzo eyed her with a flash of realization. "He's the one you were telling me about, right?"

For ages, Sophia did not provide any response, and she hoped he would just leave right now.

"This isn't about the tight grip of your hand, isn't it?" Enzo now dared her. "This is about him!"

"What are you talking about?" Sophia turned to him, wooden.

"You still love him?" Enzo approached her with a sharpening look, like a wolf attacking a puppy. "I won't leave unless we settle this tonight!" He tried hard to tone down his ragged voice.

"There's nothing to settle." Sophia also sent him a fierce look, and turned even braver when she saw the frustration in his eyes. "I want you to leave now. I'm tired."

Incalculably, he was hurt, and he suddenly left in both rage and disappointment, which was too bad for the first day of their relationship.

It was the worst moment for Sophia. Crying wasn't sufficient to get rid of all the emotions plaguing her. She spun away from the house and walked without a sense of direction. She couldn't be seen crying. She made her way through the sidewalks, with several people still out at night, then a truck harshly pulled over beside her. Jericho, who was on his way home, saw her and came toward her. He was cold.

"What's with those tears? Did your boyfriend just dump you?" His unusual conduct was not expected by Sophia, and she was provoked. He was obviously using this opportunity for a payback, for replacing him that fast.

Frozen in disbelief, Sophia only looked at him. "How could you say that to me?" she said, her tone low, almost like a whisper. "How could you, after all of the things that happened between us? It would be easier for me to forget you if you hadn't come back! I was trying to move on."

Despite all the bitterness, he couldn't help feeling sorry with the way she cried out at him, because of how he had hurt her. It was too late to draw back his words now; they'd already escaped his cold lips. He was shushed into realizing how much of an idiot he was. Then he lifted his head to look at her again and caught the way she squeezed her eyes in pain and sorrow. God forbid, he was madly in love with her again.

"Here," he said under his breath and handed her a handkerchief from his pocket, still perfectly folded and unused. Too bad, for Sophia shook her head in rejection. And too late, he knew he'd been a complete ass.

Sophia slid a mournful glance at him and left, having in mind that the engaging Jericho she used to know and had come to love had utterly changed.

CHAPTER 16

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

when the road that lies ahead

seems right

Francheska remembered the first time she felt Sophia's kick in her belly. She was fifteen then, such a blossoming flower in the green meadows, with bees and butterflies all around. She had the world at her feet, with her face and voice of a country singer _wanna_ - _be_. She had the biggest dreams of all. And the wildest dreams, even.

There'd been so much anger raging inside her that she doubted she could ever accept her own daughter.

But, right now, what wiped out the anger was an aching guilt. As Francheska emptied her glass of Mojito that midnight, it was so clear to her now she'd been wrong in leaving Sophia. She was the worst of all mothers, she thought, and she was now desperate to make up for Sophia—her dearest, forsaken daughter.

*****

When Tuesday morning emerged in Sophia's gray flashes of previous happenings, she hurried early for school to avoid additional family conversations involving Jericho. She knew they'd been planning things for him. Fortunately for her, yesterday—Monday—was a holiday, and this gave her more time to mull things over.

Enzo had not been calling her nor sending her messages. The house had been too absorbed by the entry of a new family member, and now, Jericho had treated her as if she were debris in his newly-erected empire of vengeance.

Sophia couldn't handle her own emotions and she drove her own car without asking her parents. She had always been like this, as though leaving was always the best way out of every dilemma.

The school grounds were empty as she parked her red mini Cooper. She turned the radio on and switched from one station into another until she found comfort in the company of mellow rock tracks. And as she closed her eyes and pacified herself, there suddenly played Jason Mraz's _I Won't Give Up_. Its stream and message moved her to cry even more. She was back there again, to that exact moment when she had her first kiss with Jericho, after the accident. And that last moment—last night—when she wasn't sure Jericho had completely given up on her.

It was all raw, and stinging. She was falling into this dungeon with no known depths and limits.

Then a knock on her window swept her floating thoughts away. There was Enzo, waiting outside her car with a sign of relief in his eyes. He must have been searching for her.

Sophia opened her window with doubts and wondered if she was already forgiven. She knew she was rude to him, the last time.

"Hey," Enzo greeted, his appearance alight with glee. At this, Sophia didn't know if she ought to feel embarrassed or privileged. She knew Enzo deserved so much more than what she was giving him. "I'm sorry I was a jerk last time." To her surprise, he was the one apologizing, and she worked hard to meet his eyes.

"No, I should be the one apologizing." Sophia stretched all her nerves in saying it, but Enzo asked her to step out for breakfast.

"It's too early for our first class. Let's grab some pancakes, shall we?" Enzo invited her and closed the car for her. Sophia couldn't help but feel shy and agree.

Enzo took her to The Metro Vent, just across their school, as the hutch for well-off students. Sophia was astonished when the receptionists greeted Enzo as if they knew him for a long time. And as she watched him exchange words with the waiters, she realized the restaurant could be Enzo's.

"Is this place yours?" She asked him as a waiter pulled a chair for both of them.

"Yes." He was meek.

"Have I been here before?"

"Aha, in fact this used to be your favorite classroom." Enzo was starting to give her some clues. "Back in freshman year."

"Oh." She didn't need any effort to order because Enzo had already settled everything for her.

"I wished to surprise you," he smiled at her, and she could only utter an _oh_. She looked around and watched customers come to the balcony. Beside them there was a line of men in black suits, browsing today's newspaper. Sophia tried to snoop and read the headline: _US President Obama's first visit to the country_. She guessed the heavy traffic in the city would be much worse tonight, and their school was near the government offices and The Domian Fortress. (The country's presidential mansion was named after _Domya_ , now spelled as _Domia_ , the native chief who killed the earliest set of Spanish invaders in the country, and it was also the name by which Philipdomia was named, after combining his name with King Philip II's of Spain).

"I guess, I should really start calling you _peaches_." Enzo then uttered, and looked at Sophia's blushing cheeks.

"What?" Sophia reacted, disagreeing. "It sounds—old—like we're in the 90's or something."

"Oh, you don't like it! I'll call you Kat then, because you really have a long name. Sophia Alessandra Katarina Vabueritti." Enzo was giggling, as he said her exceptionally lengthy name. His face looked too self-indulgent and suddenly, she felt edgy.

Sophia looked at him, dumbfounded, and was distracted by a burst of laughs from fellow costumers, who were seated at the table behind her.

"Who named you that long, by the way? You must be exhausted just by writing your name." Enzo was grinning from ear to ear.

Again, Sophia was speechless, disregarding the thought that Enzo could be this exasperating. She'd barely touched the Egg Benedict that they were served, although it was complemented by other dishes ...dish-names she couldn't remember. But there was no doubt there was the whiff of mushroom soup and pepper salsa.

Enzo was looking fondly at her as he flapped his spoon and fork over his own plate, and each time, she didn't know how to react. There was still that feeling she wasn't at ease yet with him. Her mind raced, thinking if her letting Enzo into her life was even sensible.

The second they'd finished, Sophia excused herself to go to the lady's room and calmed herself. If she'd let this go on, she had to pay the price. She worried so much for school, knowing her friends and her brother didn't like Enzo.

She washed her face and fixed her hair in a high twist, then headed back to him. Enzo was already waiting, with this grin that turned sunnier. He grabbed her waist as they crossed the street, and Sophia had to put his hand away every single time.

"What?" Enzo retaliated. "Come on, you're the prettiest girl in school. Let me feel the moment of winning the trophy!" he added, way too serious, which finally upset her.

"You mean, I'm just a trophy to you that you can flaunt to everyone?" Sophia frowned and had the thought of leaving him.

"No, Kat! It's not like—" Enzo tried to stop her.

"You know what? I don't—" She squeezed her eyes with disappointment. "I should hurry. It's almost time for our first class."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean what I said," Enzo persisted. "Look, it's not what you think."

"I have to go." Sophia finally hurried to leave him, and the other students seeing them, poked fun at Enzo. But Enzo didn't mind, for his focus was only on Sophia.

"If you truly care for me, please leave me alone. Just for today. You hurt me," Sophia told Enzo, when he kept on delaying her.

Sophia was half an hour late for her Social Science class, after spending some time in the lady's room. She knew Mrs. Matthews was really strict with punctuality but it could not be helped.

"I'm sorry, I'm late," she apologized as she entered the class, but to her surprise, Mrs. Matthews called her for a recitation.

"Ms. Vabueretti, what is your point of view regarding teenage pregnancy? It became such a huge social issue in the country today and it needs to be addressed..." Mrs. Matthews was trying to smile, and Sophia knew she was just playing it nice. Mrs. Matthews was always known for her sarcastic facial expressions.

And as she remained standing, adjacent to her chair, Sophia straightened to her full height, manifesting her sensual figure, and answered the question without further ado. "Teenage pregnancy destroys people's lives, not only the teenagers themselves but also everyone around them, especially their family. It creates stigma..." As she turned her head, she noticed everyone's interest, "... this stigma that leads some teenage moms to a traumatized phase of their lives, so they don't go to school anymore. The shame and judgments of an unforgiving society... of course, who would not be destroyed at such a loss of dignity?" Then she sat down immediately, quite uncomfortable with the burst of her words, but her answer connected with Daniella. After running through her diaries again last night, Sophia got to know her old friend better.

A march of applauses and whistles filled the air for a moment.

"I wanna "teenage pregnancy" you, Sophia." A male voice came from the back. "I swear you'll be the hottest mama!" Someone added. It was Roderick, their too-self-possessed-classmate who thought that sunrise on earth was impossible without him.

"Eww! In your dreams, Roderick!" Zarah defended Sophia, who was now flushing hot and cold in her seat. As much as possible, she didn't want any attention centered upon her, especially from the guys. Some girls might turn against her, again.

Mrs. Matthews fell in silence with a smattering smile. Perhaps, she was, at some point, impressed.

"Look, Mrs. Matthews just smiled." Zarah elbowed Sophia, who was still red as blood with her face. "I guess you just impressed her."

"Well, how about you, Mr. Lopez?" Mrs. Matthews referred to Enzo, who arrived in class in the middle of Sophia's recitation.

"Oh! Teenage pregnancy!" Enzo let his breath in a hiss and scratched his head, thinking. "Well, I agree with Sophia. It creates this stigma but my point is more on the teenage dads," he paused, and shared a look with Sophia. Then he continued, "Teenage dads must also be responsible for what they've done. I mean, it takes two to dance the tango, right? So both must be responsible and brave enough to face the consequences of their actions." Enzo was gesturing as he spoke, to fight the tense reactions from the guys.

"Oh, yeah! Are you sure about that, Enzo? Do you even have a girlfriend?" Roderick, once again, hurled some ridicule in the air.

Enzo was about to strike back when Mrs. Matthews warned them. "Mr. Roderick Guttenberg, one more inane word and I'll send you to the detention room."

The class, in one fell swoop, turned quiet.

"All right, let's proceed!" Mrs. Matthews now made sure she got all ears listening.

During the class, Enzo's answer troubled Sophia. _Responsible and brave_ enough _to face the consequence of their actions? Wow!_ Sophia couldn't help but admire his answer. Then suddenly, she felt guilty for not defending him at the attack—his having no girlfriend. _He has a girlfriend_ now _. It's you, Sophia! How come you remained silent as he was mocked by everyone?_ Her sense of right and wrong struck her now.

From moment to moment, Sophia gazed at Enzo. He did the same thing. Their eyes kept locking and they couldn't wait for the class to finally come to an end so they could apologize to each other.

In their last class, PE, Zarah felt sudden PMS as they grabbed their gym uniforms from their lockers. It was time for the indoor games.

"You want me to take you to the clinic?" Sophia saw how Zarah howled to release the pain.

"No, I can do this!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Zarah tilted her chin and straightened her back. "You're ready?"

"Yeah, just as long as you're ready, too."

"All right! Let's go and kick some ass."

They gathered their hair in a ponytail and wore their blue volleyball uniform stitched with the image of an eagle, their school's animal symbol. And as they crossed the floorboards of the gymnasium, Sophia kept asking her best friend to be nice to Enzo.

"All right, I'll give him a chance." Zarah tried to be supportive.

"Thank you." Sophia was speaking when Enzo came near. He was in his basketball uniform.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Sophia replied, nervous, and got saved when Zarah bestowed Enzo a nice approach.

"Hello there, pal," Zarah said and left them for a while. Somehow, this gave them a moment to be forgiving to each other until Coach Ramirez blew his whistle and called everyone's attention.

"Listen up, people! There are changes," he announced. "The ladies will be divided into two today and will compete with each other for volleyball. And then, there's basketball later, for the boys."

The crowd sounded agreeable, and the boys finger-hooted, as this gave them a chance to watch their girl-bets.

"You know what? I think I should suggest to the admin to change the school's female gym uniform," Enzo told Sophia, right after Coach Ramirez made the announcement.

"Why is that so?" Zarah, joining them, raised an eyebrow. Too bad for her, Alex belonged to a different class, and so, she had no partner.

"Guys can't help but stare. Your pants reveal your legs too much," Enzo defended himself and then proved it when Roderickacross the floorboardeyed every girl he saw.

"What are you? A pastor now?" Zarah almost laughed.

"I'm just saying..."

"You know what? I think you should join your team now." Zarah then suggested, seeing the other boys were in a circle to cheer the girls on.

Coach Ramirez divided the ladies into two teams. It happened that Sophia and Zarah belonged to the same. But Sophia seemed in torment—she was not that good in volleyball. She knew it herself.

"Thank God we're on the same team. Rescue me just in case I don't hit the ball," Sophia expressed, giggling to Zarah.

The boys, as the audience, finally settled down, then found themselves a seat and placed their bets. Some began cheering for their girlfriends just as Enzo hooted for Sophia. After the tossing of coin, it happened that Sophia's team was the first to serve.

"Sophia, you first!" Janna, their selected team captain, ordered.

"What? Why me?" Sophia disagreed, looking too desperate.

"You can do it! Go girl!" Janna insisted, as Zarah shouted approval for her.

Sophia's skin evidently blushed. Her face showed she would fail the first serve, yet she hoped for the best. Her teammates seemed ready and watchful, and the moment she heard the whistle, she wished for a successful serve.

The ball crossed the net but the opponent bounced it back towards them. Janna was able to save the ball but when it came back to them again, it was coming towards Sophia. The opponent knew Sophia was the weakest link, and so the ball was dead.

"I'm so sorry!" Sophia apologized.

"It's just a game. It's okay, Sophia." Sophia's team cheered and turned vigilant again, for the ball.

Now, the opponent got themselves a big clue. Cleverly, Sophia became their target.

When the opponent's serve was successful, Zarah ran fast to hit the ball. She was able to throw it back but the opponent captain targeted Sophia. Janna hurried to save the ball for her but so strong was the impact that Janna's much broader body bumped into Sophia's.

Both fell to the floor. But Sophia wasn't moving, and that was the time when they hastened to her aid.

"Shall we bring her to the clinic?" They asked each other.

Zarah, who ran to her first, tried her best to wake her up. Enzo dashed to the scene.

Coach Ramirez, discerning that Sophia was totally unconscious, warned everyone to move away.

"Shall we call the emergency hotline?" The girls asked each other.

"Let's bring her to the clinic. She'll be fine there." Coach Ramirez said and carried her carefully. Enzo and Zarah accompanied him and the game temporarily came to a halt.

Sophia, waking up and realizing she was lying on a stretcher with white curtains around her, asked Enzo what happened. He was there watching her in the wee hours of her unconsciousness.

"You fell to the floor when Janna accidentally collided into you," he explained. "How's your head now? Still in a haze?" He examined her.

Sophia inclined forward and began massaging her head. It felt a bit heavy but there was no ache at all.

"You know, when Dr. Romulo checked you a moment ago, he mentioned you were kind of anemic." Enzo helped her get up.

"Anemic?"

"Yup. Have you not been eating right, lately?"

The question didn't interest Sophia. Her head was back to the game. The last thing she remembered, she was watching the ball in the air as it rushed to her direction.

"How's the game now?" She asked.

"The game's over. It's now five and our classes are over." Enzo tried to smile, and palmed Sophia's forehead, acting more than a physician.

In a short while, the school nurse came to them, saying Sophia wasn't that critical and they could now go home.

"Have you called mom and dad?" Sophia talked to the school nurse.

"Yes, it's mandatory because you're a minor, but your dad entrusted you to Dr. Romulo. They're close colleagues." The nurse glared at them for a moment and then continued, "Anyway, Dr. Romulo asked me to hand over your prescription."

"What's that?" Enzo suddenly intervened.

"Some iron supplement. Ms. Vabueretti turned out to be anemic," the nurse concluded and went back to her previous activity.

"Where's Alex and Zarah?" Sophia asked Enzo as she glided away from the stretcher.

"They've just left but they stayed here for hours. And by the way, here's your bag and school uniform. Zarah got all of these for you."

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know, but I told them that I will take you home."

Sophia nodded quietly and went to change her PE uniform in the restroom. Before Enzo brought her home, they had stopped by a pharmacy for her prescription.

CHAPTER 17

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

teMPTATION

At home, Sophia climbed up the stairs to her room, then she took the first pill of iron supplement. Enzo had been too caring, paying all the pharmacy charges, and bringing her a take-out order from McDonald's.

Massaging her neck, she burst with shock to see Jericho leaving Nadine's room. Deep-rooted, Sophia's breath came out in a rush. She shook her head to make believe it wasn't real but Jericho was, indeed, standing right before her. He was staring at her straight to the eyes, then passed a dirty look from her head down to her toes.

She hurried inside her room, avoiding him, but Jericho, on impulse, chased her, and was strong enough to stop her from closing her door.

"Avoiding me?" Jericho dared as he made her lean against the wall—shaking—not facing him. He was acting strange, far too strange as he moved his body closer to her. "Just so you know, I picked Nadine in school today. But she fell asleep in my car so I carried her to her room."

_Where's mom and dad? Where's everyone?_ Sophia was asking herself, still avoiding those look daggers of him.

"So, your boyfriend brought you home, huh?" Jericho talked again. He saw the two in the pavement a while ago and couldn't admit he was excruciatingly jealous. But watching Sophia closely, he was back to the perilous thought that he was madly in love with her, after all this time. He slid a childish look at her, who was about to cry, and then he rested his head over her chest, a surprising thing that startled Sophia. "Why did this happen to us, Sophia?" He cried and held her tighter, refusing to let go of her as she tried to stop him.

Watching a man turn into a boy, Sophia did not know, then, what to do. "Jericho, stop," she said, after what seemed like ages. Although she struggled to push him away, her heartbeat said she loved him, too.

"Sophia..."

"What...?" Sophia caught her breath, and moreover, when he narrowed his eyes, she felt him pass this sharp look like a lion about to attack.

"You are irresistibly, undeniably, and dangerously in love with me, Sophia!" Jericho pressed her harder against the wall, and rushed to catch her lips. It was too fast so Sophia had no chance to, at least, even react. But his kiss was so good.

Buried under him, Sophia felt some refuge again.

Jericho lay her on the bed. Her skin flushed hot and cold, yet he appeared very attractive, and there was this aching for his touch. A dense intake of breath came from her as he knelt over her, intensely, and began scattering those warm kisses over her neck down to her breasts.

"Jericho..." A stream of hormones seemed to control Sophia now, who couldn't help but yearn to climb into his manliness and melt him down into her feminine softness.

Then, a sudden outflow of tears came from her, as her face was pressed unto his broad masculine shoulders, dampening his navy blue polo. Her emotions poured out more and more, and she suddenly clung to him powerfully, not knowing where to hold tight to liberate the fulfilling sensation caused by his touch.

They tasted each other's tears as they almost lost control, while holding each. Now, Jericho leaned back and fixed his eyes between her legs, driven to make his way inside of her, as Sophia struggled to catch her breath. He started loosening her blue-striped miniskirt when a roar suddenly cracked through Sophia's ears, (was it her conscience?), and she sobbed while peeling his hands off her thighs and immediately ran to the bathroomshe felt like she would throw up.

Watching her bend over the sink with on-and-off retching, at that spur of the moment, Jericho now realized how wrong they were, particularly himself.

Then, Sophia fell to the floor, disgusted with herself. Another cry broke from her, and Jericho was wrapped with boundless guilt.

A punch on the wall was all he could do to silence the dragons inside of him. "I'm sorry, Sophia! I'm sorry!" Jericho cried too, not knowing what to do next. It was a pleasure turned into suffering, and he grew weaker and weaker, as he felt like tearing his hair out.

Nothing but the sound of weeping echoed from the two of them. "Oh, God!" Jericho yelled. "Why?" He yelled harder, as he was blinded by his own tears. He kept apologizing to Sophia who seemed frozen on the floor. Jericho couldn't leave her. He was scared of what she could do to herself. Then he looked up at the ceiling and let out another groan. "God, I'm sorry. Forgive us." His tone was low and trembling.

A sound of a car came from the outside, and they knew the rest were home now. Right awaycome what mayJericho would admit his mistakes and he already prepared himself to be condemned by everyone.

Philippe and Elizabeth, who escorted Grandma Lucy to the airport back to Forest Green, were talking as they walked along the corridor to Nadine's bedroom.

"Nad, sweetie," Elizabeth was calling. "Where are you?"

"Jericho, son! Why are you there?" Philippe was calling, too.

As for Jericho, he put his hands on his nape and waited for the door to be opened.

The lengthy silence made Philippe and Elizabeth wonder, and they hurriedly went to Sophia's room. Although they were avoiding all negative thoughts, they just couldn't help themselves...

There stood Jericho, looking untidy, his hair a complete mess, and they were terrified for Sophia.

"What are you doing in my daughter's room?" On the dot, Elizabeth freaked out and rushed to check Sophia's room. And as she looked over the bathroom, she saw her daughter lying on the floor, shuddering, with tears and an unbuttoned blouse.

The couple panicked even more, and Philippe impulsively gripped Jericho's polo and interrogated him. "What did you do?" His eyes clouding with tears.

Jericho manned up. "I'm sorry!" He couldn't look at his father straight.

"How dare you?" Elizabeth rushed to slap him in the face.

"How could you? She's your sister!" Philippe couldn't help himself no longer but thump Jericho in the face, and then do it repeatedly to his gut.

Then, Elizabeth ran to Sophia as Jericho willingly received those physical hits from Philippe.

Moments of shock passed. Philippe couldn't believe his own negligence. But Elizabeth came back to slap Jericho over and over.

Jericho shut his eyes and ignored the blood pouring from his nose. "Forgive me! I was tempted." He was down on his knees. "I tried to fight it!"

"If something bad happens to my daughter..." Elizabeth was quivering with fury and fear. It was the scariest moment of her life.

"No, that won't happen!" Jericho tried to reassure them.

Somehow, it relieved Elizabeth, for otherwise, it would be a repeat of history. Just like what happened to Francheska.

"But still she's your sister!" Philippe shouted.

"I can't let go of her! I can't forget her... I can't! Because she's my everything!" Jericho lost control of himself, too. "You can't blame us! You can't blame me! You can't blame her!" Jericho yelled louder, with a howl. "We are victims here, victims of your lies and secrets!"

A flash of pity went through Philippe and Elizabeth. With seemingly impossible effort, they listened to him. He had a point, and he was undeniably right.

"It's not that easy to let go..." Jericho continued. Silence met him. No single muscle moved. Then in a flash, he approached Sophia and kissed her on the forehead, not caring if Philippe and Elizabeth were watching him. "I love you so much, and I'm sorry." He whispered into Sophia's ear, and left rapidly.

CHAPTER 18

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

thE vangkekan treaty

Datu Ilak had been hectic for many days—relaying all his proposals to the Tribe of Asuldan and Kumanggi about a peaceful covenant.

However, the two tribes, as much as possible, wanted to distance themselves from whatever was happening among the other tribes.

Datu Intal of Asuldan had remained unyielding in the fear that his tribe would be in peril. To remain quiet was his top option while Datu Uliman of Kumanggi extended his hand to Datu Ilak of Kravena. He was clever enough to understand all of Banaak's wicked plans and Uliman's urge to stop him made him honor Datu Ilak's noble terms.

For the meantime, while Datu Ilak was in the course of convincing Datu Intal, there had been secret assemblies between the Kravenas and the Kumanggis with one aim only: to put an end to greed, which began with the ambitious Banaak.

Days became months, and Datu Intal was finally persuaded. Yet he asked for a bloodless and diplomatic treaty. He couldn't risk his fighters' lives, especially when he saw that the Kravenas were no longer as numerous as an army because of the endless battles.

Abanir was called to join the last assembly of the three spearheads—Datu Ilak, Datu Uliman, and Datu Intal—in preparation for facing the Sulabuns and Fegratus. They agreed to send secret messages to Datu Saak of Fegratu, the only ally of Datu Banaak, to let him know of the growing alliance and at the same time, to issue an invitation to join.

The scripts were written in symbols that only the five original datus could read and understand. This was to ensure Banaak wouldn't be able to understand them. The messages to Datu Saak contained explanations of Banaak's wicked plan of enforcing the subjugation of all the five tribes to him, and that Banaak was only using him, Saak.

Fairly swayed, Datu Saak wrote his approval of the treaty and vowed that there would be no bloodshed. Also, an act of contrition was addressed to Datu Ilak, for helping Banaak in invading Ilak's territory, and he explained he was only misled because the latter said the Kravenas were actually the ones planning to expand their territory.

Now that the four tribes had united and were amenable to the treaty, they went to the Tribe of Sulabun to set out their terms and conditions.

Datu Banaak was not surprised. He had already been warned that Datu Saak would be unfaithful to him. But none of the terms mentioned in the treaty were agreeable to him. He was not threatened by the joined forces. He stood at his realm, self-assured and proud.

An insult ruptured from him, addressed to the four datus, yet no blood was shed.

Datu Saak of Fegratu fearlessly came within Datu Banaak's reach. Bargains and amendments began to pour out when suddenly, the other three spearheads shadowed them.

"Your terrain is your terrain! Ours is ours!" Datu Uliman stressed to Datu Banaak.

"Remember, you are standing in my territory and a single sign from me would mean that you would be hit, to the ground." Datu Banaak warned Datu Uliman.

"Remember also that we are in greater numbers, Datu Banaak!" The insulted Datu Uliman said, in response.

Sensing now the numbers of the four tribes that quickly came out from the tall trees and surrounded his domain, Datu Ilak stepped back, all of a sudden. He didn't expect the numbers. He might lose his entire tribe if he continued to be openly uncooperative.

"So what do you propose?" He then asked the four, attempting to tilt his head up, and to borrow some time.

"The range of our own territories remains the same but all the weapons dipped in the secreted hot spring shall be destroyed," Datu Ilak said.

"Moreover, the entrance to the hot spring will be hidden. If we all agree to create a monument to hide its entrance permanently... then safety for everyone is secured!" Datu Saak continued for Datu Ilak.

"Let us not be greedy but rather, we should unite!" Datu Uliman stressed, and the other datus concurred.

"In any case, humans are our enemies now," Datu Banaak then agreed, seemingly humbled.

"They are not enemies!" Datu Ilak counteracted, shortly thereafter. Then, a hard look came from the other datus.

"How did you know? You did not even have an encounter with them!" Datu Banaak questioned him, for he had encountered some before, the people who conducted a scientific quest in the forest led by Sophia's doctor-grandfather. "They are death-defying invaders," Datu Banaak said, using the lines that he once used in an attempt to dethrone Datu Ilak.

"They are not enemies. I also had an encounter with one, before," Datu Ilak defended himself, and this worried the rest, except Datu Banaak.

"I guarantee, from that encounter that not every human is an enemy. What we should ascertain is that humans can never enter our premises again. That is all." Datu Ilak shifted his gaze from one datu to another. "At the moment, we are our own enemies. Let us unite together to restore our race's honor."

"Yes!" A yell of friendship and unity erupted from the four datus and every warrior witnessing it, joined the shouts of harmony.

Datu Ilak and Datu Uliman had an eye-to-eye, discerning if everything was, in fact, truthful.

"Festivity for every Vangkekan!" Datu Banaak finally screamed, seemingly jubilant.

"Aye!" Everyone yelled back in approval, and their ecstatic noise was heard throughout the forest.

Abanir, who had just witnessed the treaty, flew away, not quite convinced by the bearings of Datu Banaak.

Rabel joined him, and they left the gathering in haste.

CHAPTER 19

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

betrayal's Price

Friday morning made Sophia the earliest bird in school. She had not come to school for the past two days and her parents had been to the principal's office during that time. Like the past few days, she had been avoiding any meal with her family, to desist from any conversation that would remind her of Jericho. The last moments with him were treacherously sweet, a temporary pleasure but now, forever an anguish.

Sitting alone in her first class, Enzo found her, with a face that seemed to have gone through mourning. Sophia, the very instant she saw him, felt her shoulders grow cold. She was scared to see him, had no face to show to him after her infidelity. Even though Enzo had no idea of the damage she'd done with Jericho, she felt already in flames.

Enzo joined her and waited with longing for her to speak, or at least for her to utter a single word. "You never answered my calls nor texted me back. What's happening to you lately?" Enzo said, yearning for explanations that might not come.

Sophia's mind was her enemy. She had no idea how to tell him.

"Hey, tell me what's going on." Enzo asked again. His voice was demanding now, but if she spoke up, she'd die of disgrace.

She blinked back a tear and decided to tell the truth. "I'm sorry, Enzo. But, I'm not worthy of you."

"We're not going through this again, Sophia. Don't! Please!" Enzo was refusing like a kid and stopped her from leaving her chair.

Sophia hardly moved. "You will feel disgust for me. Just like I feel disgusted with myself right now." She forced her heart to turn to stone.

"What do you mean?" Enzo gazed long and hard at her.

Her nose clogged up, and she reached for tissue paper from her shoulder bag. "I'm so sorry. I really am." It was difficult, she didn't want to hurt him this way.

With his queries unanswered, Enzo demanded harder, his mind in a rainstorm, and glared at her again. Then slowly, her looks gave him a hint. "This is about that Jericho again..." He mind leaped from one theory into another.

Sophia bowed down her head quickly, a sign hinting that he was right, and her eyes were filled with tears again.

"We're back there, again...?" Enzo was given another clue, just as he saw the guilt in her eyes. "Did you sleep with him?" The very instant he said it, Sophia almost fell to her knees.

On impulse, Enzo spurned the thought. "Damn it!" He squeezed her arm so hard it left a red mark, and dragged her into the nearest women's room. It was empty. He banged the door, and judging by his movements, Sophia knew he was going to hurt her. He had this lack of anger management.

Oh heavens, she was dying. Not from fear of him. But from the agony of her mistakes.

Enzo wanted to hurt her so badly, but somehow, he was able to hold it in. It was hard, for the only girl he'd been loyal to for many, many years had been disloyal to him in an instant. And as he watched her face awash with tears, he pressed her harder against the wall and mollified himself, thinking... She was just as agonized as he was.

"I revolved around your world, clinging to the hope that I can offer you light. But you just took away that light," he said, not looking her in the eye anymore, and then for the last time, he looked at her. Once. Then he left, with no regrets. He despised her.

*****

Francheska was determined to get her daughter back. But considering Elizabeth's sacrifices for Sophia, she felt herself tearing apart.

"Mom, Dad, I want Sophia in my life..." Francheska confessed to her parents when they visited Elizabeth. Somehow, it pricked Elizabeth's heart upon hearing it. She couldn't identify if it was her own jealousy or worry—worry that Francheska would steal Sophia away. She was acting like a fool.

"Cheska, she's my daughter too. You can't just decide to take her after leaving me with no choice." Her response embarrassed Francheska. "Sophia is not an overnight rental, that you can decide to borrow and return when you're done."

Seeing their daughters in a serious argument, Randy and Emily made up their minds to intercede.

"Cheska, your sister's right," Randy said to Francheska and then looked at Elizabeth, "but Eliz, Cheska is already sorry and she's now willing to shoulder her mistakes." It wasn't easy for Randy to show tenderness, but he had done it for everyone's sake.

"And Cheska's very determined to make up for everything, especially for Sophia," Emily added, supporting her husband. "Let's give her a chance..."

Elizabeth was non-verbal for a moment, silently refusing their point. She didn't want to lose Sophia like this.

"Please, give me the chance," Francheska responded and came towards Elizabeth, cautious about touching her.

"If that happens, are you taking her to New York?" Elizabeth rejoined, at last. There was too much trouble already, and she doubted whether her sister was trustworthy.

"No, I already quit my job but I earned a lot. And I want to buy a house. If possible, I will stay nearby so Sophia can always drop by."

Those words were very soothing to everyone and most especially to Elizabeth. It was an agreement they were all at ease with.

CHAPTER 20

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

a mother's song

"Sophia." Lilly found her niece in her car, some place in the outskirts of the city. She was there right away, after Sophia's call to come and get her. "Hey."

It seemed Sophia had been out of sorts, for hours, with her window rolled open. Nothing would do to change the fact that she'd just been damaged by her own self-inflicted mess. Circumstances demanded her to feel it. But in spite of it all, she felt no bitterness, merely some need to make good on her apologies.

"What happened?" Lilly leaned in to check on her, her voice lighter than air. She was too mortified, for Sophia's sake, to worry about the unsigned papers, back at work. Only a week ago, she had grabbed Elizabeth's offer to be the new marketing head of the family hospital, and the back-load staggered her.

"Let's find some place to eat," Lilly talked again, very carefully, after her wrist watch pointed to eleven in the morning. "I can tell that you haven't had your breakfast yet. Your mom said you've been avoiding meals." She hadn't heard any response, and this frustrated her. She didn't know her niece was actually wedged in-between myriad contemplations.

Sophia wanted to tell Lilly about this morning but she worried much more for Enzo. Although he had her hurt, too, she didn't want another humiliation for him. The _Sadist-boyfriend_ _reputation_ had no more space for the erstwhile _stalker_ _status_ he'd received from everyone. He didn't have to live with those labels. Most especially when he had just "suffered" from being an adoptee, all his life.

"All right then. Let's get out of here," Lilly stirred again and straightened her spine, tapped her fingers on the car roof, and asked Sophia to transfer to the other seat. "Give me your keys. I'll drive your car," she said.

At last Sophia stirred. "You always manage to smile, Aunt. What's your secret?" She faced Lilly, as though half-dead, hanging on to the tiniest bit of life.

Lilly only concentrated on the steering wheel and said, "We all have problems, Sophie. Some just have the ability to cope better."

Sophia almost laughed at the thought, amazed. And oh, how she wished she could do the same! Then she asked where they were heading.

"To my apartment." Lilly roared the engine into action and drove recklessly, making Sophia's back arch with some pain, after Enzo had hauled her back to the wall, inside the women's room. "And stop asking too many questions, okay?"

"Okay." Sophia nodded and attempted to bear the back-ache.

"Something wrong with your back?" Lilly had noticed, especially when Sophia tightened her hold on her back.

"I'm fine." Sophia was bad at pretending. She folded her arms across her chest and rubbernecked at the side of the road, watching big billboards after another. She was determined not to tip out any detail.

Somehow, Lilly wasn't convinced as she looked at her for another moment. It must have been linked as to why she wasn't in school today.

"Where's Francheska now?" Sophia then asked suddenly, her throat rippling when she mentioned the name.

It was something Lilly hadn't expected. When she heard the news from Elizabeth, that Sophia had already known, they thought Sophia would never care about her real mom. It was a surprise to Lilly that Sophia had shown some interest, now. "She's at your house." Lilly then slowed down her driving and avoided Sophia's look. She tensed when Sophia started asking questions about Francheska, and she couldn't find the right words to say.

"Is that why you're not taking me home?"

"Sort of, but the main reason is, I want to show you something."

Sophia shifted her look to her aunt and got energized, revealing copious interest. "What is it?"

"Um, you'll see."

A heavy sigh escaped Sophia. She was longing for another question, no longer about her mom but about her real dad. She gazed at her aunt again and asked, "About my father Benjamin, where's he?"

Sophia's consecutive questions were pressing Lilly to the verge. How could she ever ask her to understand that her parents were young once, who made real mistakes and wrong decisions, too? "When it happened, our parents wanted Benjamin behind bars because he was already eighteen at the time, but your Grandma Lucy protested heavily. She insisted it wasn't rape." Lilly could easily recall those horrible days, and she slowed down her driving. "There had been lawyers, and too many cases were filed. And Francheska, oh God, she was a complete mess. She was suicidal. It was a complete nightmare for a dreamy fifteen-year-old girl. Life was good to her, you know. But in one snap-second, everything's gone. Just like that."

Sophia looked at Lilly, and started thinking how Francheska had been the best of the best, before she had her. But the urge to know more about her real parents compelled her to persevere in asking. "And...?"

"Ben escaped." Lilly made sure she met Sophia's eyes when she said it and shunted her stare back on the road. "Until now, there are no words about his whereabouts," she said.

Sophia dropped her gaze and leaned back against the seat. "Gran hates me. I've always known," she referred to Grandma Lucy. "She lost a son because of me."

Lilly immediately vetoed. "No, Sophia. You're wrong."

"No." Sophia swayed her head like a child and fought back her moans. "She's never looked me in the eye with fondness. It has always been hatred and cruelty, and..."

And then, it was out.

A moment passed, and Sophia spoke again, "I want to know more about Francheska. Why did she leave after I was born?" Sophia stiffened her spine after asking it.

It was another tormenting question for Lilly. Surely she wasn't the best one to entertain such a difficult question but, she knew she was, somehow, liable to share a handful of answers, especially with this one. "When you were born, she got depressed. Post-partum depression, I heard. On the spur of the moment, she wanted you away from her." Lilly paused to check Sophia's reaction and continued, when her niece seemed to listen more. "It happened that your Grandma Lucy was there in the hospital. I guess she swallowed her pride. There had been so many settlements, but eventually, Elizabeth took you to Forest Green."

"How about gramps and granny," Sophia was referring to Randy and Emily, "did they not offer to take me?"

"That I can't tell. I guess, for sure, they wanted you desperately."

They arrived at Lilly's flat at way past lunch-time. A pant escaped Sophia's lips as she followed her aunt into the room in shades of pastel pink, with a small crystal chandelier that splintered thousands of prisms of light in every direction. But it was not the room that made her pant—it was her aunt's lack of cleanliness. Her clothes were scattered all over the floor, the telephone was nowhere to be found, the laundry was undone, and the kitchen... nobody would ever dare to take a second glimpse of it.

"Oh! Never mind the orderliness of my apartment, by the way." Lilly sent a look her way, and went to the kitchen to cook something she called _From Verona With Love_.

Sophia got captivated by the peculiar dish description, and volunteered to help her—at least with the cutting of fruits and vegetables, if there were any.

"You know, back in London," Lilly was saying as she brought out tomatoes and basil leaves from the fridge, "I met an Italian guy, from Verona, who's such a good cook," then halted when Sophia realized the dish was named after the place.

"So I know now why it's called _From Verona With Love_ ," she said.

"Uh-huh. His name's Alfonso, by the way. And he's hot, okay?"

"Okay," Sophia cackled, sat down on the kitchen table, and listened more to her aunt's promising romantic story...

"But he went away, leaving me with unsettled bills and bank accounts," Lilly admitted, nodding in shame.

"Oh, tragic." Sophia tried to perk her up. "But you said he's a good cook?"

"Yeah, he was." Lilly was gesturing as she spoke but she frowned as she suddenly remembered something. "I guess, he had to leave."

Sophia pulled out her lively mood when she saw the grimace in her aunt's face. "I'm sorry about that." She wanted to add some comforting words but couldn't come up with any.

For Lilly, she hated to admit it was all her fault. That was one of the darkest phases of her life, as a hooker. She tried to tell Sophia, but how could she ever find the guts to tell her? Certainly she wasn't a good example, and she didn't want her niece to know. She dismissed her thoughts and asked Sophia if she wanted Spaghetti with meatballs.

"Spaghetti's very typical. I was kind of expecting something... different."

A syllable of _oh_ came from Lilly, disappointed with herself, too. She was not a good cook, never had been, and she couldn't afford to make another mess out of this. "Go get the phone. We're ordering pizza, then."

"No, I was only kidding," Sophia immediately reacted, handing down her sweetest smile. "Besides, I'm up for meatballs today," she spiced up, which got Lilly to giggle in amazement.

"All right, I'll make Morconitos too," Lilly said, just when she recovered from her big laugh and went to the sink to wash her hands.

"What's that again?"

"Morconitos. It's easy to prepare. It's more of boneless chicken thigh with cheese, carrots, and raisins."

"Nice. I like the sound of that." Sophia's grin widened and she remembered that her aunt wanted to show her something. "And what was that again that you wished to show me?" She reminded Lilly.

"Oh, about that..." Lilly stopped washing the chicken meat and carrots, then led Sophia to her bedroom.

Sophia simply watched her in motion. Lilly brought out something from the dresser and handed a piece of linen paper that used to be crumpled. Sophia took time examining it, then the lyrics and guitar chords promptly showed. Sophia began reading the front page, silently, displaying the title of the song, _Dreams_.

Dreams

Em-C-G-D

I used to be a happy girl;

filled with many dreams

that someday, somehow,

I will be there living those dreams

Refrain 1: Em-C-Am-C-D

But my world changed and I tumbled down

I got nowhere to go; thought it was the end

Chorus: C-G-Am-F

But as I cried with my guitar

I realized that someday I'll catch them all

With my faith to myself

there ain't anything that stops me

from reaching those dreams

II. Em-C-G-D

Though right now I feel like I failed

Still, I keep on believing

This is the road of life

and I know it has ups and downs

Refrain 2: Em-C-Am-C-D

Now I'm changing my world

No more tumbling down

And I found my way

No more thinking that it is the end

(Repeat chorus)

Sophia's thoughts came to a halt, and she asked herself, _Is this Francheska's?_

As for Lilly, she merely observed Sophia, waiting for her words.

Now, Sophia was about to speak. "This is Francheska's. She wrote this when she was at the peak of her dreams. And it ended because," Sophia's voice turned shaky, struggling to carry on, "because I came along."

Lilly was silent for a bit. "Take a look at the back page," she then requested and wished for a positive feedback from her niece.

Angel Inside

I. G9-C9

You know that can't I'm not gonna

let you down, mama

But it happened, but it happened

Suddenly, sadly

It was my mistake

Didn't mean to hurt you

Didn't mean to make you cry, cry...

Chorus: G9-C9

But I'm gonna let this angel

This angel inside live

Cause I know

She has life, she's innocent,

she's mine...

II. G9-C9

Don't get mad, please I'm begging now

Why don't you take me as I am was?

People please, don't judge me that way

' Cause I'm hurt It's unbearable

(Chorus)

Coda: Now, please understand me.

Sophia, the moment she read the last word, fell to her knees crying. She knew Francheska, at some point, wanted to keep her. The lines _angel inside, she has_ _life, she's innocent, and she's mine_ were truly moving her. She knew now—she was loved by her real mother!

"Yes, Sophia! Francheska wanted you," Lilly said softly, and offered her shoulder for her niece to cry on. "Forgive her, for she had gone through a lot of things that no words could ever tell." Lilly steadied herself for her niece.

Sophia lingered at her aunt's bedroom. The look of her was deeply troubled. Yet Lilly surmised that this new, tender truth would be good for Sophia.

Lilly went back to the kitchen to finish her cooking, leaving Sophia to her thoughts.

Sophia held up the paper once more and a light feeling suddenly glowed inside of her. It seemed she was now ready to forgive Francheska. The longing inside her intensified. She approached her aunt and admitted she wanted to see Francheska.

Lilly hesitated and bequeathed her a quick smile.

"I want to see her. Can you help me?" Sophia asked, as eager as a baby learning to crawl.

Lilly's grin turned brighter. "No need, Sophia," she said, which almost made Sophia frown in disappointment.

"But why...?"

"Because Francheska is already here."

CHAPTER 21

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

a mother's love

"Francheska. She's already here," Lilly repeated. "She's outside, waiting."

A sudden radiance emanated from Sophia, and this made Lilly dash, to reach for the door. The door swung open and presented Francheska, standing on the hallway, waiting. Praying for things to be all right.

"Mom..." Sophia quivered, straining to address the word, as tears crossed through her flaring cheeks. Mom. She repeated it to herself.

A feeling of euphoria struck Francheska. What did she ever do to deserve this quick forgiveness from a forsaken daughter? The word _mom_ felt like it both slayed her yet sent her to heaven, all-at-once.

"Sophia... my daughter!" Francheska suddenly clasped her. At last! Thank Heaven! Sophia was finally in her arms, and they prayed it would never end.

Francheska caressed her daughter, wishing the sun would continue to shine on them. What she did earlier, to agree to Lilly's offer to come and see her daughter, was her wisest decision ever, after all the greatest mistakes of the past! "I'm so sorry, Sophia." She cried. In her arms was her daughter, who moaned softly like a kitten. Oh heavens, if only there were words more expressive than _sorry_.

Sophia cried even harder. It was the best thing she'd ever felt, after all the solitude she had endured.

"I'm so sorry," Francheska implored again. They could barely move, and even Lilly was stilled by the glorious view before her eyes. All her efforts to unite the two were rewarded, finally. In helping them, she felt she was finally making sense of her own life, too.

Lilly joined in their embrace, and they were absorbed in the moment. Time was in their favor, because it seemed to be right timing. Sophia had pardoned her mom quite easily. Then Lilly stepped back and laughed, thinking she would burn the entire building if she kept on cuddling them. "Come on, now! Let's get inside. My cooking's almost done." She lobbed some British accent, adding bliss to Francheska and Sophia.

Francheska couldn't let go of her daughter. All the pain, since the day she conceived her, down to her most painful labor—though it all seemed a long time ago—all paid off, now, all at once. She couldn't care about the other things that might be happening around. She could only stare down, in awe, at her baby. Her grown-up girl.

Lilly complemented the moment with some music and began serving them. "Meal's ready," she said and heard no response. The two were still engrossed with each other, and she couldn't believe the magnificent picture they made. To rest on her mother's soft bosom seemed like nirvana to Sophia. And it felt the same for Francheska. Yet, somehow, there was this nagging worry, in Francheska, that her many secrets of the past could catch up on her daughter.

"Cheska, tell Sophia your stories of New York." Lilly wanted to expand their conversation, after they'd finished eating.

"Well..." Francheska paused, thinking. "Back there, I performed in Broadway, and I also had two other jobs! Life there is too expensive but I managed to save more than I expected. For eight years, I've been doing the same routines every day."

There was this desire for Sophia to ask her mother something. Something too personal. "You're thirty two and how come you never got married?" She fixed her gaze on the floor when she asked it.

"I guess, this is what God planned for me. To stay unmarried until I finally have my daughter back."

The light in Sophia's eyes manifested. Then and there, she loved her mother all the more. It was riveting and moving—seemingly a tale of human loss and human gain, all at the same moment.

Late in the afternoon, Francheska had been watching her daughter sit on the couch and turn over some pages of her memoirs of New York.

She flashed back to the night she'd given birth to Sophia and remembered clearly the sensation—as if some big slimy fish were being drawn out of her. The lights overhead, as she lay on the stretcher, pierced her eyes but she could see the doctor holding up what looked like a skinned rabbit. "It's a beautiful girl," he said as he looked at the clock for the baby's time of birth. Then all at once, its cry burst out—angry and ferocious. Francheska could recall clearly and then... the doctor and nurses panicked for another moment. "There's another one," they yelled distressingly. "Call Dr. Phil Vabueretti now!" And then Francheska was out.

"She needs to go home to Eliz," Lilly spoke to Francheska carefully, and that distracted her. She'd been watching Sophia, too, who seemed fascinated by Francheska's minor roles on Andrew Lloyd Weber's musicals.

"Yes," Francheska agreed, setting aside her thoughts and memories, but she longed to think them over, again. "I want more time with Sophia. Do you think it's too selfish of me to ask her not to go home tonight?" The hope bounded in Francheska, and she noticed the way Sophia grabbed her back as though she was in pain. "Is there something wrong with her back?"

"I don't know. It's like she's in pain."

Francheska inched her way toward her daughter, to probe her. She was wary, knowing she hadn't done this before. She had no experience as a mother, but Sophia was already giving her a lovely look so she was stimulated to keep on.

"You're so great back there," Sophia praised her as she received her mom's kiss on the forehead, then frowned when Francheska said she'd no longer return to her old life in New York, so she could be with Sophia. "You really are willing to quit all these for me...?" Sophia rejected the idea and was shushed when her mother began studying her back. It seemed her mother noticed.

"No spotlights are brighter than the moments I am with you now, sweetheart." Francheska shifted her gaze to her. "You are far more fulfilling and rewarding than the sparkling life New York could ever offer."

It shook Sophia to the edge. Something wonderful bloomed within her, profound and potent. She was grateful, anticipating what the future could bring them, but her mother delved into her back again and lifted her chemise, leaving her frozen.

Nothing seemed to be wrong at first, but when Francheska sharpened her vision, she noticed a spot that started to darken. "What happened? Were you beaten?"

"Mom..." Sophia didn't know how to react then. She began to feel tense.

"Who did this to you?"

Still, Sophia refused to tell. She wanted no one to know of the almost-being-beaten episode. One way or another, she still cared for Enzo, and wanted to protect his dignity.

"Sophia, I'm asking you. Who did this to you?" Now, Francheska's voice sounded very serious.

"Mom, it's just a back-ache." Sophia tried to speak convincingly but Francheska still doubted. And Lilly, who stood there at the kitchen watching them, wasn't also convinced.

"Tell me about it." Francheska made sure her voice was mellow now, not to frighten her daughter.

"I..." Sophia's tongue was sliding back, her eyes unsteady. "It is my fault..." And judging through Sophia's movements, Lilly had finally gotten a clue. "Did that Enzo guy do that to you?" She asked, not considering any other thoughts, making Sophia's terror worsen.

"What?" Francheska reacted tremendously and began to get mad. "Who's that guy? Tell me!"

Sheer silence was Sophia's only response. Francheska demanded heavily and Sophia was thrown into a tight corner. "I don't blame Enzo for doing this to me. I was selfish. I hurt him," she shuddered, while speaking.

"I can't believe Enzo has the nerve to hurt you." Lilly turned angry, too.

Francheska was in a total shock. Her daughter didn't deserve this. She deserved no less than care and good treatment.

"I—I deserve this!" Sophia blinked back her tears, still in a nod. "This is nothing, compared to everything I've done to him," she broke into another cry, her nose entirely clogged.

"No, no matter what this reason was, Sophia, this is not okay!" Lilly protested, and that roused Francheska. Though Lilly told her things about the men in Sophia's life, she just did not know how to take this, in hand. If only it was a stage play, she could have shoved it like a piece of cake.

"I cheated on him and I deserve nothing but this," Sophia insisted which made the two ice up in muffled objection.

"Cheated?" They shivered at the word. For them, given the fact that Sophia had done so, still it wasn't a warranty to hurt her. Women are very fragile creatures. Physically, at least.

"Yes, I cheated on him," Sophia then admitted with bravery. "Please, stop now. It's done. Enzo and I are over."

With night came peace. Sophia and Francheska shared the same bed with Lilly, after Elizabeth's approval of Sophia's overnight there but in return, Sophia would go to Forest Green the next morning, for Grandma Lucy's birthday.

Francheska couldn't fall asleep as she went back to the daunting night of her delivery. What did the doctor and nurses mean _there's another one_? Even up to now, she didn't understand what that panic was. Not even a small fragment of idea why they had to call Dr. Philippe Vabueretti. Was it because she gave birth in the Vabueretti family hospital? Or something mysterious was coming out of her belly?

She went to another memory and felt more of goose bumps. The night—the night she was with Ben at the lake house was the last thing she could recall after she woke up the following day in the middle of the forest. She was stripped naked, then, but she was sure she heard some flapping of wings before she fell unconscious, again, lying on a heap of dried leaves that she couldn't even identify. And with that thought, Francheska was brimming with mixed sentiments again. She needed to fight it, for Sophia who was lying next to her, whose arms were wrapped around her belly.

Sophia couldn't go to asleep, too. As she got wedged between the two adults, there were a handful of questions that she longed to ask her mom.

"Mom," she talked softly and faced Francheska, who was then hardened into silence.

"Yes...?"

"You know I have amnesia, right?"

For a while, Francheska was wordless, feeling all the sorry, for her daughter and for herself too, because she wasn't there when Sophia had the accident.

"Mom," Sophia repeated, uncertain if her mother had heard it.

"Yes, Sophia. And I'm _so, so_ sorry." Thanks to the lights they were now turned off, and Francheska's rushing tears were invisible.

"You guys, let's just go to sleep, okay?" Lilly then meddled, just when she got distracted by their careful voices.

"Yes," Francheska then consented and held her daughter in fondness. It was their first night together, and Francheska never let go of her, the whole night.

CHAPTER 22

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

return to forest green

"Sophia, honey, wake up now." Francheska shook her daughter in bed. "You're going to Forest Green today."

In a flash, Sophia became completely conscious and realized it wasn't Elizabeth waking her up this time. She suddenly remembered, she'd got another mom, too. "Good morning, Mom." She slid a smile and got up from bed.

"Good morning, too, sweetheart." Francheska sat down on the edge of the bed, and once more, cuddled her.

For Francheska, the situation was odd, as well, for she'd always been used to being alone. She, too, had to adjust, to the reality that she could no longer live the life of a single woman. This time she had to embrace the fact that Sophia would be linked to her, all her life. She needed to unchain the shackles of the past and take on the new role of a mom.

"I better hurry," Sophia carefully said. "Mom will freak out if I'm not home early," Sophia pertained to Elizabeth and noticed the twinge in Francheska's eyes.

Though Francheska tried, she couldn't hide the envy she felt the moment Sophia called Elizabeth _mom_. She knew she didn't have to feel that way but... it was inevitable.

"Yes, of course." Francheska tried to smile and touched her daughter's face, absorbing herself with the fact that she had nothing to worry about, for Sophia was always in good hands—in Elizabeth's care.

"I don't want to go to Forest Green today," Sophia confessed, with a pout. "But I guess, I have no choice."

Despite her disapproval, too, Francheska widened her smile. "Everyone wants you there. So go, sweetheart." She looked beyond her daughter's head and fought back the haunting memories of Forest Green. She wasn't healed yet. But she had to calm down for her daughter's sake.

In a hurry, Sophia prepared herself and joined her mom in the kitchen. She could smell garlic, omelet, and bacon.

"Honey," Francheska called, and in her hands were a cup and a glass. She cleaned her throat and asked, "Coffee? Hot chocolate? Or orange juice?" While asking, Francheska felt overwhelmed with self-pity; she knew nothing about her daughter's palate, and suddenly she was overcome with more maternal feelings.

"Orange juice would be the best, Mom," Sophia chirped.

Francheska exhaled with relief. She had the right guess—not bad, after all. "Okay, right away, princess." She returned a bouncier reaction, put aside the cup, then pulled a tetra pack out of the fridge.

Sophia sat down and checked her cell phone that had been in silent mode. Surprisingly, there were over a hundred missed callsall from Enzo, since yesterday. Zarah, too, was sending her messages.

"Sophia, honey..." Francheska noticed how her daughter put so much time on her cell phone. Sophia was then gazing at Enzo's stream of messages (of apologies and regrets). "Here's your juice. And you have to hurry. Eliz is already texting," she said, and volunteered to pour down the drink in Sophia's glass. "And take good care of yourself there, okay?"

"I will, Mom." Sophia finally put down her cell phone, set aside the thoughts of Enzo, and began her first bite. It was their first breakfast together. Both felt so much at home, as though it had been their daily routine. Beside them was a pile of bread, and to their surprise, they picked the same bottle of blueberry jam.

"I adore berries," Sophia smirked, amused by the unanticipated likeness they shared. "Strawberry, cranberry..." she was saying and gawked longer at her mom, her eyes sparkling with too much bliss.

And not only that, they were also stunned by the fact that they both sipped food through their fingertips, such as the droopy jam skimming out of the bread, as they took a big bite.

Francheska ogled dotingly and smiled in-between-mouthfuls. She was seeing her youth all over again in Sophia. Her daughter reminded her so much of herself when she was younger. Along with her smile was the wonder: did Sophia play music too? Although, she had heard her daughter was into painting, Francheska thought that Sophia could be the realization of her own frustration, as a country singer.

"Do you play any musical instrument?" she asked.

Sophia put down the bread knife and heaved a sigh. "No, I don't. But Alex and Nadine do." She rolled her eyes to the side and started on the omelet. She knew then it was the only field they didn't share. She was into the visual arts while her mom was into performing.

As Sophia drifted into those thoughts, Francheska reached for her hands and held them tight, sensing how her daughter felt, exactly. "You're gonna be a great painter someday," she forced a sweet smile, at the heights of wishing she'd already seen one of Sophia's artworks, even a scrap one. Until then, she wouldn't feel any better.

Sophia returned the same lovely smile, also at the pinnacle of wishing she was as great as her mom was, at stage performances. Little did they know they were wishing hard for each other's welfare.

"But," Sophia grimaced, looking in her hands. "I can't paint the same as before anymore, Mom. I lost it, with the accident."

"No one can make an omelet without breaking some eggs, sweetie. You've got to work hard again until it'll have you back. Then you will be surprised that you have even made a cake."

Sophia smiled genuinely at the thought, getting it exactly. New genes of wisdom. From her real mom. For a while, they shared a brief silence and were stirred when Lilly, who just roused from bed, joined them. She handed back to Sophia her car keys and wished her _bon voyage_ to Forest Green, along with a slimy kiss in the cheeks.

When the quick meal ended, Francheska's cheer faded from her face and she accompanied Sophia to her red mini Cooper, holding herself together to whip out the emptiness that was swiftly progressing. "I want you to have this," she said and took off the gold necklace from her neck. The pendant was heart-shaped. "This was given to me by mom and it was given to her by your great grandma. I want you to have it."

Sophia was clearly swamped with delight. She did not know how to thank her, then, but she felt more than privileged that she was the one receiving a family treasure, now, especially when her mom put it on for her.

Sensing her mother's hands glide over her neck, Sophia felt there was no need for mutiny now. All the missing pieces in the past fit together, now. And it was the sweetest thing, ever. Gracefully, she took hold of the pendant and cuddled Francheska once more. "Thank you, Mom." She tightened her hug and thanked her—and Francheska laughed, gasping for air.

Then Francheska held Sophia's cheeks in both hands, looked her in the eye, and honed in on her motherly instinct. "I can feel your heart is wounded, sweetie, but know this: love isn't easy. But choose that person who's worth suffering for, someone who's worth every pain."

Sophia was caught by surprise, and was shaken all the more when Jericho was the first one that came to mind. At this, she had to stop herself and realized she owed her mom a response. "Thank you, Mom," she said, and clasped her mom for one last time.

Watching Sophia get into her car, Francheska felt some heaviness of heart. Her longing for her child was the hardest but she worked hard to convince herself that it would only be for a while, and that her daughter would be back with her, shortly.

*****

"Here she comes!" Alex announced as he saw Sophia's car coming. The family was waiting for her at the front porch, all dressed up and ready to embark on a long trip.

Alex's and Nadine's light-headed treatment of Sophia never changed although they had known now her real identity. But for Elizabeth, anxiety began to emerge. She couldn't help but feel that Francheska might eventually take her daughter away from her. She hated that feeling, and she always wanted the best for her younger sister, so such thoughts just made herself her own worst enemy.

Sophia drew near, waving and trying to give them a normal smile. She, too, felt awkward silently, especially with Elizabeth. It seemed Forest Green wasn't the only thing causing her a burden. Her ex-mother's sudden odd treatment made her tense, as she noticed that Elizabeth avoided her look and the latter had asked Alex and Nadine to get inside the car quickly.

"Your mom already volunteered to pack your clothes, honey," Philippe informed Sophia. "She seems such an _eager beaver_ wanting to leave for Forest Green."

Sophia nodded and gazed at her mother's direction. "Thanks, Mom." She was laid-back but she suddenly shut off, when Elizabeth didn't provide any response. It appeared Elizabeth was mad for something Sophia couldn't figure out, herself.

In the face of it, Sophia quickly got her stuff upstairs. But she was bothered that she wasn't able to, at least, buy a simple gift for her grandma's birthday.

There were some troubles on the way to Forest Green. A heavy rain came upon them and made the roads wet and slippery. They stopped over at some Walmart, from one city to another, until the weather was finally in their favor.

Sophia hated the rain. The evening dew and cold gust sent a chill down her spine and reminded her of the forest, of Abanir, and the night they'd spent marvelously, at the falls.

As she sat in the rear and watched the droplets run down the car window and create a smog, she disregarded the fact she missed Jericho, too. She knew he was already in Forest Green today. Nadine had a slip of the tongue, mentioning it, when they had already exited Orlando a moment ago.

She rested her eyes and sensed that Elizabeth was watching her through the rear-view mirror. The car slowed as soon as Philippe had successfully overtaken the white sedan before them, and this made Sophia dwell on some things silently until she finally fell asleep in the midst of her siblings' enthusiasm for Forest Green.

It was evening when they arrived at Forest Green, and to their surprise, the air there wasn't humid at all. The land was dry, and it hadn't rained.

Straight ahead to her room, Sophia greeted no one, not even her Auntie Bea. It was as if she had no face to show to everybody. She already assumed that the gossip about her and Jericho had already come to them, ahead of time.

"I'm not hungry." Sophia was solid in her decision when Auntie Bea came to her room and reminded her of dinner. Irritation churned to the surface despite her efforts to contain it to herself.

"Sophia..." Bea begged, her expression looking fretful each time Sophia would isolate herself. Then and now.

"Please, Auntie Bea." Sophia's face creased even more and she began looking for a pair of pajamas from her luggage. "Tell them I'm going to sleep now." Then she sighed heavily the moment she couldn't find one, hating to admit her mother had forgotten to pack her nighties.

"Your other luggage is still downstairs," Bea said. "Your mom asked me not to bring it to you. She wants you to carry it for yourself."

Another sigh came out from Sophia. She didn't know there was another one. "Right," she said, thinking her mother intended it so she could go downstairs and be forced to join dinner. "I'll get it later, after dinner time."

"All right then. But are you sure you're skipping dinner?" Bea, once again, attempted.

"Yes, Auntie. And thank you for tonight." Sophia didn't fail to bequeath her a simple smile.

"Good night then."

Sophia lay down on the bed, with a spinning vision at the ceiling. The aching to see Jericho did not help her feel at-rest. And there was Abanir, too. And later on, another knock on the door jarred her.

Grandma Lucy entered her room, uninvited. "Hello, dear." Her smile was mysterious, and to Grandma Lucy's dismay, Sophia said nothing. Now that every secret had been leaked out, Sophia couldn't look at her grandma the same way, anymore. Things were becoming cold and uneasy.

Grandma Lucy joined her in bed and blew her a kiss, then began asking about their long trip today.

Sophia appeared distant. She knew it was only her grandma's introduction, and the main speech was to reprimand her and remind her of things that would only lead to misery. And she already knew of the conclusion—that was to remind her to avoid Jericho.

Yet Sophia was wrong. Her grandma was exposing other things. Shocking disclosures, in fact, that churned her emotions, further. "Jericho's getting married, by the way," Grandma Lucy, without any warning, said. Sophia's heart felt like it was squeezed into bits. Her eyes almost oozed with tears of blood. She felt like she was being cut inside with a burning knife.

"He's marrying Dr. Lee. She also works at the town's hospital." Stony-faced now, Grandma Lucy added the last words.

Sophia bled to the last drop. If only she could vanish like smoke at that moment. "Why do you keep on hurting me? Why?" she suddenly asked, as fast as sound waves and as cold as ice. "I'm tired of all of these! Can you not be gentle enough?" Then she paced away from her grandma and pulled herself together. But each time she tried, she could only burst out: "You're so good at manipulating people..." She was shaking, as tears continuously welled up in her eyes. "You're so good at playing with my emotions."

Watching her, Grandma Lucy remained standing, unbending. For her, the news needed to arrive early, before Sophia would find it out from other sources. She wanted Sophia to know the truth already and deal with it. This was not the time for preludes. Then to her shock, Sophia rejected the news.

Sophia shuddered, swaying her head in disbelief and flashed back to her last kiss with Jericho. It was dangerously sweet but the sweetness had faded away the moment she felt the sting of some guilt.

Grandma Lucy's fears grew worse. She couldn't stand the sight of Sophia, and how she was reacting to it. "For goodness' sake, Sophia! Have you forgotten?" Grandma Lucy hurled towards her, and almost said the words, "He's your brother."

Oh help, it was too much. Sophia almost felt she just took her last breath, and she rushed to leave the house, draining with tears. It was the first time she had ever felt such kind of jealousy, and it was an ordeal for her.

Dark and spooky, she didn't know where the street would lead her. The moonshine was the only source of light, away from her grandma's. Around her, there were the sounds of crickets and frogs coming out, from the side streets. She looked back and the manor was already undetected.

Rage won out and crushed fear! She kept on walking, regardless of the danger before her. Her own silhouette was her only companion that night. Life was cruel to her. She was fading. Lost and empty. She was back there again. Tonight, she prayed she wouldn't die of pain and sorrow.

Soon, a car was rushing toward her. It was her father, after he learned of her escape from Grandma Lucy. "Sophia, honey, please get in the car," he pleaded, slowing down in his driving so as to get into her weary pace.

Sophia zipped her mouth. She needed nobody to talk to her tonight. No word could ever mollify the uproars inside of her, not even her father's. If only she had known beforehand, she could have stayed with her mom, Francheska, in Orlando. She could have sobbed in her mother's chest, and said that the only man she had ever truly loved was already in the arms of another woman. And with this, her body failed her. She could not walk on.

"Let's talk about it at home. It's too dangerous in here," Philippe persisted.

Still, Sophia followed her own way.

"Sophia, it's dangerous here!" Now, Philippe's voice had increased.

"I don't want to go back there, Dad. I'm leaving." Sophia seemed a little girl again, refusing to go to bed early. For her, home felt more tormenting than any other place she could go.

"If you keep on walking, where do you think this road will lead you, huh?" Philippe then challenged her, unsuccessful because Sophia had resumed her walk.

"I don't even care about it anymore..."

Her feedback disheartened Philippe more than her unwillingness to cooperate. He tried to understand her, and convinced himself that his adopted daughter was still in shock and he had some fault, too, for not telling her. But it was the type of fault that was made in good faith, with the best of intentions, like any good father would do, to protect his daughter from being hurt, swiftly. Too bad this had hurt her more. It wasn't what he expected.

Now, Philippe got out of the car and stopped Sophia from her stride. "Honey, please get in the car," he pleaded, and his approach was softer now. He worried too much. Sophia might be harmed, especially at this hour. A dark and empty road was never safe for a young woman like her.

"Dad, I don't want to go back there! I hate that place. Please, you must understand," Sophia asserted, now with a plea that softened her father's heart.

"Fine." Philippe eased himself with a sigh. "If you don't want to get back there, just get in the car, then. I will take you downtown, to a diner. I'm sure you're starving."

Sophia doubted him. Neither of them moved for a second. Then, quickly realizing she was indeed hungry, she nodded and entered the car without a word. Philippe had never felt dread, before. That deal with Sophia was the hardest negotiation he had ever made, for a man who did business for most of his life.

"Why didn't you tell me he's getting married?" Sophia asked, right after a few moments of silence in the car. "I could have decided to skip grandma's birthday."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you..." There was no certainty in Philippe's voice.

"You should have told me before we left. I'm old enough to deal with it."

"I'm sorry..."

"And right now, Dad, I just wanna go back to Orlando tonight."

Although Sophia was already lashing at Philippe, driving him to the edge, himself, Philippe tried to be more of a caring father. "I can't just let you leave, Sophia. I feel better if you're here with us."

"Then, what do you want me to do, Dad? Stay here and snivel, or wait to die? I can't take any more pain, Dad."

To Philippe's surprise, Sophia had never been too expressive of her feelings, like this, especially regarding Jericho. He didn't know what to say anymore. This was not what he had asked for. When Grandma Lucy talked to him about Jericho's sudden decision to marry, he was in shock too, but he knew it was the best for Jericho. And for Sophia, as well. For the two of them to finally set off and be emancipated from all the ploys of the past.

Still, _no_ was his answer to Sophia's plea.

CHAPTER 23

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

A night at forest grill

Downtown, Philippe tried to remember where _Forest Grill_ was. The streets and street names had changed throughout the decade, and it took him a while to find it. _Forest Grill_ was the town's centerpiece for the best dining experience, and it was also Jericho's spot when he wanted to forget.

When Philippe and Sophia reached the place, everyone remembered Sophia, and they went from one whisper to another as they saw Philippe, on her side. People of Forest Green knew the Vabuerettis very well. No single drop of information about the family had ever skipped their ears.

The diner appeared to be the gathering area where townspeople exchanged gossips, and it was a stop-over after a bad day. The rock music was too loud, and this was not how Philippe remembered the place.

A gasp escaped Sophia as he followed her father into the secluded dining room in the back. She hated how every eye was following them as though they were celebrities. She could no longer wait to ease herself with grilled hamburgers, potato fries, and a sip of Pepsi soda.

As for Philippe, since he left the town for many years now, only a few faces were familiar to him. He was asking Sophia to sit down when...

"Phil, is that you?" Someone from the corner yelled. "My man, what brings you back here?" he repeated as Philippe now crumpled his forehead in silent wonder. The guy was sitting in a rectangular table with two other middle-aged guys, with a bottle of beer in their hands. It seemed they were there after office work, with their white shirts and loose ties, and just like Philippe, they had aged very nicely.

A broad smile broke across Philippe's face as he finally settled his eyes on the three. "Jake! Sam! Mark! Hey, you guys!" He motioned fast to meet them and slapped a hefty hand on each one's shoulder. He couldn't believe he was seeing his childhood peers again, after decades.

Standing still, Sophia simply stared at them, amazed at the magnificent mini-reunion right before her eyes. She loved watching them, yet she couldn't help but wish she had the same circle of pals, but she had been deprived of this, in Forest Green. Then shortly, she tried to get acquainted with the new place and the new faces in the diner.

"Is that Sophia now?" One of the three took a look at Sophia and asked Philippe, who had just realized he needed to go back to her, for her meal.

"Yup." Philippe felt some pride and excused himself temporarily, for Sophia.

"Don't mind me, Dad," Sophia already said before her father could make an excuse. She knew her father needed some time, like this; he'd always been eaten by work. "I can find a new friend here," she added, and it just came to reality when a teenage guy, who happened to be working in the place, approached Sophia.

"Hey, Sophie! I'm glad you're back in town."

Sophia held up for silence. She was absolutely clueless at who he was. And Philippe was, too.

"Excuse me?" Philippe raised an eyebrow, feeling he needed to protect his daughter from this _creep_.

"I'm sorry. I believe I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Michael," he said and offered a hand-shake to Philippe. "Sophia and I went to the same grammar-school," he added but to his dismay, Sophia wasn't giving him any response, as though she wasn't thrilled to see him at all.

"I'm Phil. Sophia's father." Philippe granted the hand-shake and felt he needed to tell him of Sophia's condition. "Well, my daughter here has lost her memory. You need to introduce yourself, I suppose."

Michael wondered at the news, and made amends as soon as his mind finally understood the fact. "Nice to finally meet you, sir," he said and looked back at Sophia, displaying a mixture of sympathy and wonder—wonder at how an overly-protected girl who had a mind of her own can lose something so precious: her memory. "I'm sorry," he said in empathy.

"Well," Philippe scratched on his arm. "I'll leave you two, then, so you could talk," he said, and was glad when Sophia's eyes lighted up at the suggestion. "And as for me, I'll get back to my buddies. But hey," he looked at Michael, "I'm watching you, okay?" He concluded with a friendly smash on the latter's shoulder, and left them.

"I'm sorry for that," Sophia apologized, when Philippe had turned his back at them.

"I understand," Michael grinned. "I suppose you're here for dinner. So why don't you sit down, first? I'm working here, by the way. I was about to go home when I thought you looked familiar."

She let him stare some more. And in spite of the alienation she felt, she indulged in a little staring, too.

"Are you still a big fan of cow?" He then asked, as they both took their seats.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I mean, meat!"

Now Sophia almost laughed. "Why do you say that?"

"Oh, you don't remember it, too?" He was trying to sound hilarious this time. "You were a big fan of beef."

"Really?" Sophia finally let out a giggle. To her amazement, this Michael had known her better than herself.

"Wait here for a jiffy," he asked. "I'll get you something." Then he hastened to the pantry so that Sophia had no time to say no.

In his absence, Sophia had only rolled her eyes around, wishing she had grabbed her cell phone with her. Already, she missed her mom, Francheska, and wished she was talking to her right now. She was badly in need of somebody to listen to her sentiments, about Jericho. Sophia's heart pulled in and caved at the thought of his coming marriage.

At last, thank Heavens, Michael came back to her, with Korean beef stew and steamed fish laden in a tray. They were the diner's top specialties. Beside these there was a garden salad, topped with numerous slices of tomatoes and black olives.

Although Sophia's stomach was already programmed for the usual burgers and fries, just the whiff of these specialties made her snatch the silverware on the tray.

"Mind if I join you and help you finish all of these?" He asked. His smile was the warmest, and Sophia couldn't help but return a gracious response.

"Of course," she beamed, to boot. Not only was the food was invigorating, his presence was, as well. And she could admit she liked him already.

"So, what's up with you now living in the city?" Michael asked as they began a mouthful.

"The city's fine," she smiled, but there was this sudden urge to know more about this Michael.

"So, what exactly happened to you? Why do you have this amnesia thing?" Michael was careful in asking it as he forked a cut of beef on his plate. His voice seemed so neutral, so Sophia didn't hesitate to share the details.

"I had a car accident." She stared past him, when she said it. She couldn't look at him. But when she did turn to look at him, his face was so worried she had to shut her eyes.

His eyes dimmed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Then he drank from his bottle of beer, while Sophia sipped her glass of soda.

The rest of their conversation was more careful and selective. Michael now talked of their grammar-school days and he shared how he had helped Jericho to save her from the water, one day at summer camp. Unknown to him, the very mention of Jericho made Sophia ache, again. Michael was unaware that the two were back together and had split up again.

Sophia staggered at the info, her eyes unsteady. Knowing that she had almost lost her life and that Jericho had saved her, her emotions went to war again. Her face reddened and Michael was alarmed.

"Hey, are you all right?" Michael rushed to ask and leaned forward to examine her. He thought it was the food that made her sick, and he was about to call her dad when Sophia held his arm, to stop him.

"I'm fine," she said. "I think I'm allergic to one of the ingredients." She hoped the lie would spare her but she was wrong.

Somehow, Michael had a hint it was because of Jericho. He knew they were once an item, and he regretted being reckless and insensitive. He was clueless about what was happening between the two, lately.

To Sophia, it was clear now that the town and its people would never put her to rest. They would always be linked to Jericho. And if she wanted to go by, unhurt... she would be better off never making any visits nor contacting anybody. But it was here where everyone she loved, belonged. And in a way, she belonged here, as well.

A thousand things raced through Sophia's thoughts as she got seated in Michael's hoary truck. She was there after she accepted his offer to take her home, under Philippe's approval at the bistro, earlier.

They passed through backstreets and main roads, and the brief silence they shared pushed Sophia to ask Michael about random things.

"What's love to you?" she said, taking him completely by surprise, and when he finally took in the question, he laughed.

"Love is a game. It's either you win or you lose." He exclaimed, sounding as though no one had ever asked him the same kind of question before. "And love," he was grumbling, "oh, there is no such thing as love at first sight."

Sophia giggled at the idea. "What makes you say that?" She looked at him, full of questions, wondering why he was defying such an old notion that got everyone believing.

"I've been in love once, Sophia." Michael's face turned serious for an instant. "And believe me, it was lust at first sight." He broke into a loud laugh that got her laughing, too.

"So you are saying," she paused when he couldn't stop laughing, and then continued when he finally did, "so you are saying that people mistake lust for love?" She laughed, too.

"Yeah, I believe true love arises only when two people are completely in sync with each other's music. And dance with them." He was explaining seriously, and that left her amazed. She couldn't believe she was hearing this from a free-spirited guy, who didn't even look at life seriously. He was refreshing. And thank goodness, she unlocked such a random topic when all she wanted was to kill the awkward silence.

"How about you?" He returned his gaze to her. "What is love to you?"

"Love?" she sighed and fell into a sudden silence, thinking. Now she had to answer the same question that she, herself, wasn't sure of. "Love is... elusive. It has the power that only few can handle," she said, and was saddened by the fact that she didn't handle it well, herself.

"Deep," he bellowed. "But you think love is eternal?" He chuckled as though it were some form of mockery or irony.

Sophia was mute for a moment. It was now a harder question, and she said, "To many, eternal love lasts forever. But for me, _eternal love_ is not about duration. It is about a divine something which puts this life into something way beyond what is physical, what is timed, and what is measured."

Michael was silent, afterward. He was stunned and wondered where Sophia got all these? It was a comprehensive exchange of ideas for them, and they were hushed into pondering over such insights. They loved each other's acumen. It felt inspiring.

As they continued to pass through narrow and dark streets, Sophia wished to ask a few more things. Things that she knew she could never get from anyone else but this guy could give them, because he seemed to be so seasoned, and yet so understanding.

"I wonder if you know where Jericho's mom is..." Though uncertain, she stiffened her spine while asking it.

"Oh, Aunt Diana! She's in a mental hospital, or didn't you know?"

_Mental hospital?_ Sophia was shocked. Information had been coming in, unexpectedly, but this one knocked her out more than anything else did.

"Mental?"

"Shocking, huh?" He looked at her for a bit, and then concentrated on the driving, again.

Sophia squeezed her eyes shut and asked again. "How did she turn out that way?" She looked at him, and pretended she was cool with it.

"They said, she had this psychotic break while being pregnant with Jericho. It became even worse when she already gave birth to him."

Sophia, strong-willed, turned, and wanted to test some things. "Who's Jericho's father?" She looked straight at Michael's eyes.

"Uncle Chris." Michael was now wondering why she was asking unlikely questions.

"So, they got married?"

"Of course, Sophia! Uncle Chris is, in fact, still alive." Michael wondered again. "Your questions are too personal, you know?"

"Yeah, I know but..."

"What?"

"Nothing." Sophia then slid her gaze downwards, thinking she was pushing him too much. But, to her, the gate to the unfamiliar stories was now open; it would be better if she got the most out of it, so she asked again. "Where's that Chris, by the way?"

"You'll never stop, do you?" Michael put in a silly laugh and willingly responded to all her queries. "He's in town. Drinking Jack Daniel's all day and night." He tried not to say it with enough condemnation, though, and disclosed that Jericho's father was, indeed, loathed by the entire town for burning his own house down, upon Diana's diagnosis, and for replacing her with a prostitute, and Jericho was only a toddler then.

Learning all these, it was clear to Sophia now why the people treated Jericho and his family differently. Even her Grandma Lucy did so.

"It was good Jericho's grandpa had sold their mountain to a mining company," Michael added. "At least, they got to feed their mouths and Jericho was able to go to med. school."

Sophia was quiet for a matter of seconds, taking in everything she learned. When she noticed he'd been waiting for her feedback, she longed for another question. "Does Jericho still live with him?"

"Not anymore. Since Jericho became a doctor, he moved to his own house."

She nodded and went to another pause.

As for Michael, he'd only watched her through the tips of his eyes and debated with himself, and then said: "I know you two were love birds but... I suppose you know Jericho is already tying the knot."

Sophia then bowed her head with shame. "Yeah." She was gripping her own hands when she admitted it, couldn't wait for the truck to reach her grandma's and to sleep everything away but then...

"Jericho's not the son of your dad." Michael, out of nowhere, revealed. "The rumors aren't true, I'm sure."

"What?!" Sophia was absolutely blown away. Did he just say Jericho's not the son of her dad? And how come he knew all of these? It was supposed to be a family secret!

"My mom's a midwife. She was the one who helped Diana deliver her first child, the one the townspeople had been alleging was your father's love-child." He was still speaking when Sophia began freaking out, and he temporarily stopped to search for a brown bag so she could breathe into it. When he finally found one and Sophia was already stabilizing, he asked if he could continue.

Sophia was only silent for a moment, catching up her lost breaths. And when she was calmed, she begged him to continue.

"It was stillborn. And after a year later, Uncle Chris married her. They had a child and it was Jericho."

"What?!" Sophia was panicking again, but this time she was filled with anger, hatred, among other emotions she couldn't identify at that moment. She couldn't believe that she was actually fooled by all of it.

"I don't know if you would believe me but..." Michael ensued, tangled in hesitation if he still had to carry on.

"What...?"

"Your Grandma Lucy knew it was stillborn. In fact, I don't know why your grandma is still exclaiming Jericho is your father's son. Maybe she made it all up."

It was another blow to Sophia, and she could almost curse her grandma. She wanted to know if other family members were involved. But, somehow, she also had doubts if what Michael exposed was actually true. Yet...even so... Jericho was already getting married—by his own volition and everyone's support. What else she could do? It was the dead end. For both of them. And she got tired pondering over it until they reached the manor, right after the lights were turned off.

CHAPTER 24

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

grandma lucy's birthday

Grandma Lucy's seventy-sixth birthday was the longest day for Sophia's life. And a doomed day. Everyone was bursting with enthusiasm for tonight's occasion, and Sophia could almost pretend she was all right. Everything that happened, happened too quickly, too badly—she didn't even know what to believe anymore. And who to trust anymore. It seemed everyone had been having fun in this circus of lies and manipulation.

She stayed in the balcony and reflected for a while when she saw something glistening in the spaces of the designed concrete wall. To her surprise, it was a feather, white as the clouds at day and much finer compared to a typical avian feather.

She refused to think that it was from Abanir or from someone of his race. Why would someone like him be ever in that place anyway, considering that the forest was quite isolated from the town?

Downstairs, there had been too many people setting up elongated tables and marvelous decorations. It was one of the most anticipated events of the town. She wanted to leave but where can she go, except to the lake house?

The celebrating hour arrived, and everything was all done in Spanish design, to indicate the Spanish ancestry in the family. Above was a majestic gemstone chandelier that scattered light in every direction across the magnificently furnished living room (that the family had taken good care of for centuries since the arrival of Giancarlo Ruy Vabueretti, who was one of the explorers that King Charles I of Spain had sent to sail the Pacific, after Juan Sebastian Elcano's return from the Spice Islands). As everyone knew, he was the first gobernadorcillo (town mayor) of Quiño, Forest Green's former name, when he married a beautiful native woman.

Sophia worried too much at the prospect of bumping into Jericho again. She didn't know if what scared her the most was to feel the same feeling of desire upon seeing him again, or the jealousy she would feel when she'd see his wife-to-be.

The latter feeling came to reality the moment she saw Jericho with a woman in her late 20's. This blonde-haired gorgeous woman was exactly the way she pictured her. This must be the famous Dr. Lee everyone was whispering about—tall and fair-skinned, just like her, but a medical professional and a non-government organization volunteer while she was the shy-type dreamy artist with a lot of personal issues.

They were polar opposites.

She and Jericho looked good together, and Sophia had no choice but to destroy her romantic memories of him and bury them deep, to a place where they could not be resurrected.

It was too much torment for Sophia, and the fear compelled her to hide quickly. She ached to call Francheska, but found out that there was a weak reception. "Why?" Her heart screamed out. "Why, now that I need to talk to her?"

Outside, underneath the frail flicker of stars, was the heart of a vanishing soul. Sophia struggled to breathe. To think. To refuse to acknowledge everything that she witnessed. Oh heaven, help! It was too late now for anything but prayers. Prayers to restore her sanity.

Seeing one of the workers help the caterers in and out of the manor, she decided to approach him and ask for the delivery truck's keys. She needed to leave or else she would die of pain!

In his shock, Pedro was of two minds, at first. But how come he could ever refuse, when it seemed this fragile girl was now about to crack into pieces? Sophia was looking so desolate, and handing her what she asked for could probably lighten things up, a little.

"Sure, but may I know where you're going?" Pedro asked her.

Sophia didn't give a response, and so he restarted his wagon. The lake house was the best place, to soothe her. She arrived there and sat down at the veranda and was hurled back to the night she and Jericho tried to elope. She was sitting at the spot where he used to console her, when she was having second thoughts at running away.

For not too long, she heard a flop of wings. And it sounded as though it was only a footstep away. Then out of the blue, Abanir came into sight. She shook her head in hesitation, supposing it was all in her mind, but the presumption became real the second he moved closer to her, bearing a more masculine and stronger figure, and touched her in the most careful manner he could.

His presence was hypnotic. Sophia could almost feel she had a personal narcotic. She could hear his heartbeat and the rush of blood in his veins. What seemed to be impossible had taken place again.

Sparks heated and electrified on Abanir. But, to Sophia, she couldn't go through with this new state of events knowing she had unsettled matters. It was hard, for the circumstances had been fooling around with her feelings. But watching Abanir's eager bearing and majestic pair of wings, a thrill of joy shot through her.

Carefully, he began to hug her to his chest and he sprinkled kisses on her forehead. Her warmth made him doubt that he could ever let go of her. He'd been missing her for ages.

And somehow, she'd been missing him, too. Earlier, sadness was upon her. But right now, happiness descended. Yet it felt mean not to think of Jericho. And the things that Michael had said... What if it turned out that, indeed, she wasn't related to Jericho? How about their young love, then? Their promises to each other?

Abanir finally released her and she could only respond with a vague _hello_. And his stare, so sharp that seemed to see past her physical body and delve straight to her soul. "I thought I lost you forever," he whispered gently, though she couldn't understand his words. But they were undeniably tinged with pining. And a touch of unspoken plea.

Sophia listened to them and sensed they were uttered only from the depths of his love.

He lingered, his eyes searching her eyes. He felt utterly weak, and realized she had always been his flaw. He seized her and flew with her in the air, their emotions heating up the misty air. They landed at Harem Falls, the very place where their affection for each other first began.

The plain kubot was still there. Gallantly, Abanir asked her to wait there, and he rubbed two stones to create a fire. He saw the moon climbing over the eastern clouds, almost a full moon. The night was not yet old, and underneath the starry sky were two young souls alight with pure innocence that this world cannot understand.

Beneath the full moon, as Sophia watched him tend to the fire, she realized his worth to her. At last, her heart seemed to beat of its own accord. Again.

CHAPTER 25

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

return to the Forest

When Sophia woke up the following day, Abanir wasn't around anymore. She was flustered but the reassurance of last night pacified her. He'd been too caring towards her, providing his chest as her pillow as he let no insect land on her skin, except for his lips on her hair, and only on her hair.

He returned to her quickly. In his hand was a basket of food that he slid from his back when he visited the tribe very early, this morning. He wanted her to experience Kravena's top delicacies, prepared by the finest chefs in the palace. There was roasted fish meat splattered with various herbs and spices, fresh grains delicately heated in a bamboo tube, and a root crop cake baked with coconut husk, to give aroma.

He was smiling at her as a shaft of light passing through the giant trees glistened behind her. She seemed the fairest of all fairies. To him, no supernatural being in the wilderness was a match for her. He neared her and gathered her in his arms and squeezed her with tenderness.

"Abanir?" Sophia murmured to him, sleepily. She wanted to know what he was thinking at that very moment.

"Mmm...?" It was all he could answer, his look gentle enough to shut her up for the moment.

Together, as they finished their meal, they listened to the songs of birds nearby. The heavenly symphony wasn't new to Sophia, and it felt like she'd only been away from the forest, for a while. They watched the bees and butterflies kiss flowers all around and were spell-bound by the splendid aromas of the _dama-dama_ flower. Not only did it remind them of their last moments there together but... it symbolized their unity, as well.

Abanir left her to pick one flower and returned quickly, the moment he was done. The four elongated petals and heart-shaped leaves were healthier this time. And the fragrance, oh heavens, it was the sweetest!

In a distance, someone was coming to join them, and Sophia was certain it was an old friend—Rabel. Out of thrill, she immediately stood up to meet him and bequeathed him her earnest hug, as Abanir went along with her.

"I'm glad you're here!" She could almost cry of excitement, and both winged creatures could simply feel her warm-heartedness, her humane gesture.

All the same, Rabel tried to understand her words. He showered her his warmest welcome too, and shortly after, turned to his raha.

"Datu Ilak has been looking for you," he said. "The tribe needs you."

The message saddened Abanir. His nostalgia for Sophia hadn't subsided yet and he wanted more time with her. He didn't want to leave her nor let her be seen by the tribe. He didn't have a choice...

"So, my suspicions were true!" A voice suddenly sounded from nowhere. But Abanir and Rabel were pretty sure they were accustomed to the voice. The resonance of its might could make every Vangkekan bow down, in reverence.

They looked around until they saw the wings of Datu Ilak. Unknown to them, he followed Rabel stealthily.

Sophia, although she was clueless about what the spearheaded one was saying, bowed down in awe of his highness. But, she could sense he did not like her presence and acquaintance with his son.

"Why are you with the human?" Datu Ilak detested to see how his son had become a prisoner inside himself, but Abanir wanted only to make sure Sophia was right behind him. "She is a human, can't you see? You don't exist for this. A Vangkekan is not for a human!"

"But I'm your son!" Abanir defended. "Can't you see I feel alive, with her?"

"This is madness, My son!"

Although Sophia was clueless about what they were arguing about, she could tell he was against their dalliance.

Rabel, as he listened to the dispute, tried to calm Datu Ilak. And Datu Ilak could only sit down now on the large stone nearby, and massage his head out of distress.

"Abanir, My son," he said. "Your youth is distracting you. Don't you understand?"

"I will leave, then..." Abanir dared his father and held Sophia's hand, a sigh he was choosing her over his father. Over his tribe. His race. Everything.

"What?" Datu Ilak quickly stood up to stop him. "You can't do this to me." Then he mellowed down when he saw his son's tight grip on the human's hand and decided to accept things. "All right, what else can I do?" He was looking desolate.

Abanir's eyes ignited, then. "Thank you, Father," he said and passed Sophia a positive look.

"You're my only son now. And I can no longer afford to lose another one." Datu Ilak admitted the memory of Karan. Until now, he was still in mourning for his death. And each time Abanir would disappoint him, the twinge deep down was only mounting. "But this must stay among the four of us until I settle things." Datu Ilak added and signed to Rabel to go back to the tribe, and Sophia could only look at them with shame. She knew she was the reason behind all these.

CHAPTER 26

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

when choosing is the only choice

The next day, there came no dawn for the Vabueretti Family. Darkness had been luring around for hours since they discovered of Sophia's unforeseen disappearance.

"Where is Sophia?" The shout of Grandma Lucy resounded against the high ceiling of the manor as Philippe and Elizabeth queried the police men of Sophia's whereabouts. They had been searching for her since last night.

"We found a truck at the lake house and we think it belongs to one of your helpers," Sheriff Sanchez relayed to the Vabuerettis.

"What's the color of the truck?" Grandma Lucy asked impulsively.

"Red."

"I think it's Pedro's!" Grandma Lucy said and ordered one helper nearby to confirm the matter.

"I can't believe this is happening again!" Elizabeth's fears grew worse and recklessly, she announced she was going to the lake house to look for her daughter. Her voice revealed, though, that she would faint at any moment.

"Honey, we have to leave it to the sheriffs," Philippe responded, not to offend the then-grimacing sheriff. "They're doing everything to find her."

"I'm going alone!" Elizabeth was determined. Philippe didn't have the chance to refuse.

Away from the corner of the family room, Nadine was eavesdropping. When she heard that Sophia was still gone, she couldn't stop herself from meddling with the adults.

"Mom, where's Sophie?" Her voice, although slow and tiny, seemed piercing as it hit the couple, hard. To see their little child more sorrowful than them was a scorching blade to Philippe and Elizabeth. If only their own gloomy eyes could speak for them and cheer Nadine up, and tell her everything would be all right... but the pressure had kicked in instead.

"Sweetie..." Elizabeth bent down and cupped her daughter's chin. "We will find her, okay?" She tried to smile, and was relieved the moment she saw her daughter's emerging smile. "We will find her," she repeated, now in a whisper, and took Nadine in her arms.

Philippe joined them.

"You have to stay with Auntie Bea now, okay?" Elizabeth then looked at Bea. In her eyes was a message, asking to take good care of Nadine while they were away. They needed to find Sophia now, before the worst could happen.

Bea, who stood there with the family, offered a careful hand to Nadine and led her upstairs to her room as the adults exited the manor for the lake house.

"Are you insensitive enough, not knowing that bringing Dr. Lee to the party would only hurt our daughter?" Elizabeth didn't hesitate to say it to Philippe as they drove to the lake house. "You see what happened now?"

"Trust me, Eliz! I had no idea about it. It was probably mom's plan."

Elizabeth hated the reason, now. It burned in her. So Grandma Lucy had always been a big player in Sophia's irresponsible escapes and misadventures.

When they reached the lake, they were teeming with shock to see Jericho seated on the timber doorsteps, his bowtie loosened, hanging on his neck, and his face looking old and rotten, in grim exhaustion.

Philippe dashed toward him. "Son, I thought you're—" he was saying when Jericho already spoke, before he could finish.

"I followed her," Jericho said, his voice so weak, the couple almost didn't hear him.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth demanded, passing a condemnatory stare, thinking Jericho was involved in this mess again, but Jericho talked more.

"I'll wait until Sophia returns," Jericho griped and broke off, to give himself a moment to breathe. That tangled the two in a series of speculations. What was he talking about? Could this mean he knew where Sophia was?

"What? Son, what exactly are you saying?" Philippe drew nearer, looking way too troubled than earlier. And just like Elizabeth, he also wondered if Jericho was involved in Sophia's sudden disappearance.

"You don't know what I saw." Jericho now skewed his jaw to face them. As much as he wanted them to know, he just didn't know which way to start. It was all too hefty and complex. He might sound crazy once he dropped the details.

"What did you see?" Elizabeth attempted again, her look less fatal this time, but with a growing weight on her chest.

Jericho turned mute. His mind flashed back to the moment he saw Sophia hug back the winged creature and wondered how the hell did it happen. How she came to know one? And even be fond of _it_?

"Answer me!" Elizabeth demanded again, her angry voice crushing down Jericho's reminiscing, that left him look hopeless. Lifeless, even.

Then Jericho responded when he finally found the strength. "Last night, when I saw Sophia asking for Pedro's keys," he moved away from them temporarily and continued between breaths, "I got curious and I tried to ignore it. But something bothered me throughout the celebration and I felt like I had to go to the lake house." His speaking was sluggish, but Elizabeth pressed for fast explanations. She would shatter at any moment now, and there was no more room for delay.

Jericho tilted his chin to carry on. "When I got here with my motor bike, I didn't know I arrived first, before Sophia. And when I saw her coming, I hid through the trees."

The moment Elizabeth learned Sophia visited the lake house, she began spying around and noticed the main door was never opened, and turned to Jericho again.

"Watching Sophia at the front porch, I didn't expect something would appear in front of her," Jericho added.

"What was it, son?" Philippe leaned closer.

"The legend is true. They truly exist."

"You mean the strange creatures?" Philippe was taken aback. "Did that creature take Sophia?" He gripped Jericho's shirt while asking. "Did he take her?" he repeated, his eyes admitting that it could be impossible to get her back if it did actually happen.

Jericho only nodded, as though a zombie about to fade. "No, he kissed Sophia first..."

And then it was out. No single muscle moved even as Philippe then Elizabeth hovered between feelings of madness and confusion. What did Jericho mean—the creature kissed Sophia?

Jericho was also flabbergasted. What did they mean strange creatures?

"It seemed, Sophia knows him," Jericho said, further. "I didn't believe it, at first."

"Honey, what is he saying?" Elizabeth probed, but got ignored when Philippe confirmed the matter first.

"It was real. I wasn't hallucinating," Jericho claimed. "He took Sophia into the forest. I tried to follow them. I was at the forest all night, looking for her."

Philippe was devastated but he must outdo this. He had a daughter missing and a wife about to lose her mind if they couldn't pull this off.

"We will get her back." He tried to deliver it with certainty though he, himself, was more than afraid of the possibilities. He had to be brave.

The darkest part of the evening shadowed Abanir and Sophia as they tried to comfort each other at Harem Falls. But their emotional state was even darker than any hour of the night. They were filled with despair ever since Datu Ilak confronted them.

Rabel came back to them before dusk. "Don't you think she needs to go back to the lake house now?" He told Abanir.

The misery manifested in Abanir's eyes. His hakaro was right, but he didn't want her gone. Then, the flute that slung at Rabel's back reminded Abanir to play music, and he asked him to hand it over to him.

He examined the flute for a short while and tried to recall the loveliest melody he had ever played, an escalating one, rich with too much gushes and passions.

Sophia closed her eyes as she began listening to the harmony, the sound so mellow it could calm down the rush of the falling water nearby. Abanir wasn't only heavenly while singing but also heavenly while playing the musical instrument. Slowly, she opened her eyes and caught the way Abanir drifted with his own music. Both sank into the loveliness of it all and coasted away for a moment until they heard the flop of wings coming toward them.

"So this is what you've been busy with?" Reyna Kaya said, that put the three to a halt. Another grueling time came, and they were not ready for Reyna Kaya.

"Mother!" Abanir pulled Sophia in his back and made sure she was standing firm.

"Your father told me about this. I am very worried, My son!" Worry raged in Reyna Kaya. "This is peril!" she said, as though she already knew of the daunting things that could happen in the forthcoming days.

"My Reyna..." Rabel tried to speak for the two but Reyna Kaya persisted to talk.

"Your father couldn't accompany me. He is with his advisers at the moment, but he's far too worried of your stay here, with this human." Then she shifted her look to Sophia, sharp and uninviting.

Sophia sustained being wordless, shaking, uncertain what to utter to make up for the grim situation.

"I was alarmed so I came without further ado. This must stop before the entire tribe knows..."

As much as he wanted to answer his mother, Abanir found no words to say. He found no courage, either. This condition with his mother was much different and more consuming. He loved the two females standing beside him, and he couldn't afford to lose either one of them.

"This is a mistake, My son! Return her now to where she belongs!" Reyna Kaya was not mellow anymore. And this prompted Abanir to answer her.

"No, this is not a mistake, Mother. This will never be a mistake!" Abanir declared. "And this is where she belongs."

Reyna Kaya ignored the way his son had answered her. Sending the human away was much more important for her, at the moment.

"She is a threat to our tribe, can't you see? If the humans know about us, they will search for her here, and this will put us all in danger!" Reyna Kaya's look was sharper this time and her voice broke as she suddenly sobbed. "Now, if you don't return her to where she comes from, I will do it myself!"

"Mother..." Abanir griped and held his mother's hand, imploring ,as much as he knew how. "Please, don't do this."

Sophia oozed with tears as the scene seemed to punish her. She might not understand their language but she knew his mother wanted them apart.

"My son, you have drifted away from us because of love, you have forgotten your responsibility to our tribe."

"What do you want me to do?" Abanir then moaned. "I can't just let her go."

"Yes, you can. You are stronger than this. Don't be a fool, My son."

Then Sophia began blaming herself. She made a step back, and strode away from them, but Abanir saw him.

"Sophia..." Abanir stopped her but Reyna Kaya followed them. So did Rabel.

"Human!" Reyna Kaya surprisingly took hold of Sophia's arm, stopping her. "Have no fear of me. I admire you, you see, but your world does not fit into my son's world. And he does not fit yours. So go and forget all of these."

The strange words seemed clear to Sophia. It was easy to feel them. Her heart was shattering and so was Abanir's, but it was for everyone's sake that she had to leave now.

"I know this is hard but it's for the best of us, all," Reyna Kaya told the two and patted her son's shoulder as comfortingly as she could.

Although Sophia was only a couple of inches away, Abanir already felt the inches had widened into leaps and bounds. He had to make the right choice now. Or regret, forever.

"All right!" Abanir grumbled. "I will return her but it doesn't mean that I can't see her again." Abanir collected his fist as he uttered the words, then shifted his look quickly to Sophia, his eyes saying he already missed her. Then a lone feather from his back fell off the ground, as if a sign that he was weakening inside, too.

Sophia watched it dance in the air and frowned. She didn't feel good about it. To her, it was bad luck, and she could only pretend she was strong with this. Little did Abanir know she was also waning, within.

Abanir joined her in watching until it hit the ground. Then he picked it up, opened Sophia's hand, and handed it to her. Smiling, he said, "A part of me wants to be with you. Take it. Take good care of it, and think of me, only me, when you see it. This isn't goodbye, My Love. This is just the beginning of what is yet to come... for us." Then he bestowed her with the longest and sweetest kiss, on her forehead.

Sophia knew nothing but the softness of his kiss, and as she looked over the sole white feather in her hand, she saw there the purity of his love, too.

"I will always be at the lake house every night, waiting until dawn." Abanir looked her in the eyes and reassured her. "I will always keep you here in my heart, Sophia." Abanir pointed to his chest and looked at her with brimming tenderness.

Sophia could only stare down in awe at the loveliness of it all. She was smiling. Hoping. And for one more moment, she came within his reach and was flown away by his majestic wings.

EPILOGUE

________________________________________________________ † ________________________________________________________

Bright as the sky

Sophia looked through the bright sky from the balcony of the manor. It was a glorious sunrise. The sun could easily glisten on her vibrant skin. The mountains reminded her so much of the forest.

She looked down, and her family was almost done putting their suitcases into the trunk, all set for Orlando. Although the sun was out, she was wearing her white shawl—the one that Abanir gave her once, when she got lost in the wilderness. But, with everything that happened, she knew she was lost no more. The direction was clear to her now and it pointed toward Abanir.

At her palm was his fine feather. She could think of him, and only him. She could imagine him around her, breathing in the scent of her skin, their smiles merging in the harmony of their mutual adoration. But her daydreaming was suddenly broken the moment Bea went to check on her.

"They want me to ask you if you're ready for Orlando." Bea's soft voice was cautious.

Sophia smiled, nodding, and glimpsed at the mountains once again, with a stare as though she was seeing Abanir there.

"I'm glad you're wearing that shawl again," Bea praised as she joined her musing over. "The last time I saw you wearing that was the night we were at the lake house, when we had a bonfire and played a charade." Bea was beaming, and turned gloomy when she also remembered, "But... that was before... you had the amnesia, Sophia."

Sophia was caught in a pause, and couldn't believe that the shawl originally belonged to her. Then she remembered what she read in her diaries before. The bonfire was on the same night she saw the strange creature in the lake house.

_Did I drop the shawl when I saw him?_ Sophia wondered to herself as her mysterious smile bewildered Bea. _How did Abanir get it?_ Sophia asked herself again. Then she realized that since then, Abanir had always been at the lake house since they had their first unexpected encounter.

"Oh, Abanir! You always amaze me. I think I love you..." Sophia whispered to herself, and her love for him grew stronger thereafter. On and on, she would think of him.

The family already left Forest Green but Sophia lingered by her car window while staring beyond the mountains. She knew a bigger world waited for her in the city, but there would always be that special place, that place where her heart would always belong tothe Forest of Evergreen.

Appendix A

About The Great Archipelago of Philipdomia

(Excerpt from Book 1)

The Great Arhipelago of Philipdomia is a mythical democratic country in the North Pacific Ocean, between Guam and Hawaii. The archipelago is made up of four major islands known as Eser, Mindo, Palulu, and Sador. Several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts also compose the country, which all contribute to its world famous beauty and richness. Its capital city is Orlando while its most populous city is Isset, both situated at Sador, the largest major island followed by Eser, Mindo, and Palulu.

The Great Archipelago of Philipdomia's tropical splendor includes colorful plant life, beautiful beaches and waterfalls, and extinct volcanoes. The cool Pacific winds keep the archipelago pleasantly mild all year around, making the country a perfect tourist destination and the ultimate surfing spot.

For more than three centuries, Philipdomia had been controlled by Spain when King Charles I sent explorers to sail the Pacific from Mexico to establish a permanent foothold in the East Indies, which was near the Line of Demarcation between Spain and Portugal under the Treaty of Zaragoza in 1529.

Resembling the Philippines, Ruy López de Villalobos gave Philipdomia its name, after calling the four islands Novas Islas Filipinas (while Las Islas Filipinas was used for the Philippines) in honor of the Infante of Asturias at the time, Philip II of Spain. The country ultimately turned Philipdomia after adjoining _Domia_ , the name of the native chief who killed the earliest set of Spanish invaders.

It has been said, although no historical record as to its veracity exists, that the country is originally discovered in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer under the sovereignty of Spain in search of a westward route to Moluccas or the "Spice Islands," before he reached the Philippines and was killed in the Battle of Mactan.

The islands, primarily Sador, were important stopovers for the Spanish Manila Galleons that crossed the Pacific until the Mexican War of Independence ended Spanish access to Mexican ports. No records in the archives, however, confirm this. Akin to Fort Nuestra Señora de la Soledad in Umatac, Guam, the Spaniards built a number of garrisons such as Fort Aquilina to guard these Pacific fleets. These forts are still standing today and considered to be Philipdomia's one of the main tourist attractions.

The archipelago was an exile-site for the revolutionists under the Spanish Crown in the Philippines, including Cuban revolutionists during Little War from 1879 to 1880. Filipino deportation here was extended until 1901 following the Philippine-American War. But unknown to the world, it was also here where some Puerto Ricans who protested against the American territorial acquisition of Puerto Rico were deported.

The year 1898 marks as the end of the lengthy and vicious Spanish rule in Philipdomia, when it was surrendered to the United States of America during the Spanish-American War and later formally ceded as part of the Treaty of Paris. But during World War II, it was captured by the Japanese, just the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing, the archipelago was subject to fierce fighting with the help of the American troops.

Identical to the Philippines, the country was offered by the United States of America to be one of its states but Sebastian Ignacio, then the country's leader, declined.

Today, the Great Archipelago of Philipdomia is one of the first-world and English-speaking countries in the Pacific Ocean that is not under the US territory, having oil industry and glorious tourism as its major sources of income.

Appendix B

About The Vangkekans

(Excerpt from Book 1)

Five hundred kilometers north of Orlando City is the Province of Orstia. In Orstia, a remote town known as Forest Green is renowned for its remarkably rich Spanish heritage.

However, by the mountainous northeast of Forest Green, there is a mystic wilderness they called the forbidden Forest of Evergreen. The people, at one point in the distant past, believed that creatures of utmost peculiarity existed there. They have heard of the stories from their forefathers, stories of terrifying deeds and darkness. But as the lengthy years went by, such stories became mere folktales and went unheeded as time embraced modernity, and such anecdotes are, by now, deemed of no account.

There in the vastness and thickness of the dark forest was the world of the Vangkekans.

The Vangkekans were outlandish creatures, fractioned into five tribes: the Kravena, the Fegratu, the Sulabun, the Asuldan, and the Kumanggi.

The Kravenas were distinguished by their gigantic and bright feathered wings; the Fegratus, their lustrous and reddish wings; the Sulabuns, their frail yet fear-provoking dusky ones; the Asuldans, their serene olive greens; and the Kumanggis, their velvety browns.

The Kravena Tribe was the realm of Datu Ilak. The Kravenas lived in the foothills of Yandal near the Pacific Ocean, and to their west is the deep River of Samo that passes through the other tribes and ends as estuary. North of the tribe lies the magnificent Falls of Harem.

Up north was the Sulabun Tribe, led by Datu Karok. They had smaller wings than the Kravenas and they preferred to dwell in flat lands rather than highlands.

Across the Samo River was the Fegratu Tribe, headed by Datu Saak. They were smaller ones but fast and vigilant. They lingered by the banks of the river, and fishing became their primary source of food.

Not too distant from the Fegratus was the Asuldan Tribe, ruled by Datu Intal. The Asuldans were friendly Vangkekans and were fond of hunting wild animals. Their wings had the same size as the Sulabuns but appeared to be much weaker. They were lovers of woodlands and they preferred to live in the highlands.

Right next to the Asuldan was the Kumanggi Tribe, guided by Datu Uliman. The Kumanggis had the smallest size of wings but they were the tallest Vangkekans. They were lovers of trees and woodlands, and the hillsides became their habitation.

The Vangkekans were once immortals. However, it was discovered that they could be killed by the strike of an arrow dipped in the hot spring secreted by the Mountains of Yandal. But only those who were brave enough could go through it. At the other side of Yandal Mountains lies the magical Falls of Ovaweh in which water served as the antidote for the deadly arrows.

The Vangkekans' immortality vanished when Ovaweh Falls ran out of water.

To represent ideas and sounds, the Vangkekans used picture symbols. Primarily, they used stone monuments but sometimes, banana leaves were used as writing sheets and permanent plant pigments as ink. The inscriptions were written or carved by highly trained ones called suratos, but as time passed by, every Vangkekan learned to write and read them.

The male Vangkekans wore wide and thick breechclothes, or wang-gis. These were made from flayed tree bark, brown in color with red ocher, but some were woven of cotton thread by the female Vangkekans. Likewise, the male Vangkekans were topless to reveal their masculine bodies.

On the other hand, the female Vangkekans wore bark-fiber skirts called kul-pas, which were worn after putting on a tight girdle. Their skirts were also brownish but with red stripes down each side and through the middle. Their skirts were extended from below the navel to near the knees which opened on the sides, and were frequently so scant and narrow that one leg was exposed when walking. Also, a series of woven bands of about five inches wide—passing through beneath their wings at the back—were wrapped around their bodies to cover their breasts.

To make a distinction from an ordinary Vangkekan, the five tribe datus wore a basket-work hat known as sukdalang. It was worn on the back of the head that was held in place by a cord attached at both sides and passing across the forehead. More prominently, the spearheads had tattoos on their upper left arms based on the heavenly body that first fascinated them: the bright sun for Datu Ilak, the twinkling star for Datu Saak, the half-moon for Datu Karok, the C-shaped moon for Datu Intal, and the full moon for Datu Uliman.

When it came to hair, male Vangkekans only possessed a hair cut just above their ears. It was indecent for them to have a long one. But for the females, long hair was necessary.

The five Vangkekan tribes co-existed peacefully until the Battle of Yandal was fought when the Kravena tribe went to war. It was all started by the ambitious Banaak.

Banaak was the sagigilid of the Kravena Tribe and now, the ruler of Sulabun Tribe, after he succeeded Datu Karok (who passed away mysteriously). Banaak married Datu Karok's only descendant, Sesa Ebasa, and had a son with her. They named him, Kalib.

Appendix C

Definition of Terms

(Excerpt from Book 1)

Bandoryon. It is a group of musicians in Kravena.

Bunjao. He is a well-trained warrior.

Dama-dama. It is a flowering shrub that has a strong scent especially at night.

Datu. He is a tribe's leader.

Dulsabang. It is a box where Kravenas could put their belongings. It is made up of woven rattan.

Hakara. She is a servant to the tribe's leader and his family.

Hakaro. He is a servant to the tribe's leader and his family.

Hala-hala. It is a magical shrub in Kravena used in treating wounds.

Hayan. It is a candle stick of different aromatic herbs believed to send a relaxing effect in the nostrils.

Ila. It is how Vangkekans call their mother.

Ilo. It is how Vangkekans call their father.

Kansilo. He is a wise Kravena responsible in guiding the datu's decisions.

Kubot. It is a dwelling of the Kravenas; made up of bamboo walls and large dried grasses as rooftop.

Kul-pas. It is the female Vangkekans' bark-fiber skirt.

Lapey. It is a Vangkekan kind of liquor, prepared from coconut.

Mang-aani. He/she is a tribe peasant responsible for planting sinapoy, the Vangkekans' staple food.

Ogbo Tree. It is a tree in Kravena that is believed to have a pain-relieving property.

Palasyon. It is the dwelling of a datu and his family. It is much larger than any kubot and it is located at the center of the tribe.

Pasindol. Kravena Tribe's annual contest to spot the most excellent in archery.

Pluta. It is a musical instrument that sounds and looks like a flute.

Pugad. It is a hiding place of the Kravenas. It is located underground, covered with wild grasses. It has a secret way leading towards the Samo River.

Raha. He is a datu's first son and successor.

Reyna. She is a datu's wife.

Sagigilid. He is a brave and skilled Vangkekan assigned by the tribe's leader to head their forces.

Sayang. It pertains to a sister.

Sayong. It pertains to a brother.

Sepe. He is a datu's son.

Sesa. She is a datu's daughter.

Sinapoy. It is a form of grain that is the staple food of Vangkekans. It is boiled along with various aromatic leaves to enhance its savor.

Sukdalang. It is the datu's basket-work hat placed on the back of the head.

Surato. He/she is a trained Vangkekan in writing or carving inscriptions.

Taga-siklaw. He is assigned to investigate the tribe's anomalies.

Taga-sumalas. It is a group of dancers performing for every Vangkekan festivity.

Tambuling. It is a musical instrument resembling a drum.

Ula-ula. It is a magical shrub (like hala-hala shrub) in Kravena used in treating wounds.

Wang-gis. It is the male Vangkekans' wide and thick breechclothes.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My foremost and unending gratitude goes to the Almighty Father for giving me a life so full of mishaps and adventures, and these earned me the wisdom and enthusiasm to keep on writing. Lord, you are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. All humankind rejoice in Your name, and we can hardly wait for Your return. All glory, honor, and power are Yours, Lord, forever!

My lovely parents—for being always there. I love you.

My amazing brothers—Paul John and Dominic for always understanding me despite my weirdness and limitations.

Erika Grace "Four" Yunson—for inspiring me, always. After Book One, I got so much in touch with you, and I realized you are the artist Sophia in real life. You resemble so much of her—the same amazing artist—but she was taller and you are braver and more mature, I guess (laughs). I feel blessed that I met you. For the past few months, you've taught me so many things in life. You always call me "your mommy in the making" but hey, I am already a mother to you. You showed me the true value of trust and friendship. You rekindled my love for dogs, and I should also thank Hachi for that. Thank you and I will always cherish the moment you called me "mommy."

Glaiza Ignacio—for being the best friend that everybody is wishing to have. There are too many things I want to thank you for, especially your tolerance of my weirdness, but this page won't be enough. So let me just say "thank you." It's simple as it may seem but I mean it from the depths of my hypothalamus, and you already know what I mean, partner. (Laughs)

My editor, Maria Evelyn Diaz Vergara, Ph.D.—for being an editor, a life coach, and a friend. I give you my deepest gratitude for the unconditional friendship.

Artist Renee Grace Vergara Juliano for her review and artistic inputs.

Lastly, I thank all the students and people working at OLFU-COP and NU-COP.

To our HEAVENLY FATHER and JESUS CHRIST

OUR SAVIOR be the glory, honor, and power

FOREVER AND EVER.

