Suddenly, the rain poured with Naomi sitting in the rooftop’s floor. Her tears were mixed with raindrops. JL slowly went down the stairs with shoulders falling. He glanced up once again and eventually left the building after a lot of convincing he did for himself. He leaned to a wall and closed his eyes shut. He keeps on punching his own head because of his extreme emotions. He hurts himself because he cannot fight for the one he loves.
His tears stopped from flowing. For a second thought he realized that maybe his and Naomi’s separation just brought him away from the dangers coming ahead. He chose to be understanding because he is afraid to be a fool in love. His sorrowed eyes from earlier’ s closure turned into something dark and unexplainable once again. He made his way to the school’s exit; Fonsi handed him a car key. He curiously asked, “Where should I use this?”. Fonsi pout – pointed to a vehicle in front of them. He answered, “You were so slow to break ties so your parents tasked me to give that to you”.
JL’s eyebrows raised, “Are you sure this is mine?” he surprisingly asked while glancing at a limo - like car, a '09 Chevy malibu long rangers that is a latest model. Fonsi simply nodded and handed him the car keys. He excitingly opened the car and examined its insides. For a while, he forgot about the breakup and about Naomi who’s still in the rooftop drenched in rainwater. Fonsi leaned his elbow in the car’s roof and said, “Care to drive me home, JL Tiueco slash class valedictorian?” he asked. JL smirked, “Sure thing, bully who punched my face in the locker room” he answered. They both chuckled as they reminisced how Fonsi teamed up with Luke before.
On the other hand, Naomi stood up with shaking knees. She is all wet from the rain pouring from the sky. She hugged herself and tried to leave the building. She wants JL back; she acted all tough but when things already got into the actual scene, she never thought that she would be the one to wish for him to come back and hug her more. To her surprise, she saw Luke standing in the stairs while blowing up a cigarette stick in between his fingers. He sighed while facing her. He handed her a cigarette stick. Naomi received it and made him light it.
“That’s right. Smoke to calm yourself” Luke said. She stood beside him and leaned her head in his shoulders. She coldly uttered while wiping her tears, “It is over between me and JL”. She blew smoke from the cigarette stick. Luke evilly smirked; for him, it is a victory he fought for so long. He hugged Naomi tight and caged him in his chest. Naomi didn’t even bulge; she is still longing for JL’s warmth to heat up her cooling body. Luke replied romantically but Naomi found it creepy all of a sudden. “From now on, you will be mine… and only mine” he said.
JL safely arrived at Fonsi’s place. He dropped him off and decided to return back home quickly. The rain started to get weaker to drizzles. He looked up to the sky, the sun is peeking through the light gray clouds. He is worried about Naomi whom he left alone in the rooftop. His conscience is killing him but his mindset killed him more. He thinks that once it is over, it is also over for him to care for her even in the smallest situation. He looked at his new car’s passenger seat; memories of them singing along with random love songs in the radio popped to his mind. He reminisced how they kissed every time he buckled and unbuckled Naomi’s seatbelt.
He also misses her smells and her curly hairs close to him whenever he buries his head in her nape when they hug each other. He also misses how she blabbered about make up prices increasing, making it hard for her to buy using her school allowance. JL just shrugged and decided to shake those thoughts away. He took his way home; from afar, he can see the party set – up for him and his family to enjoy. The moment he stepped out from the car, greetings of congratulations already faced him. He is full of gratefulness as he received gifts of words and gifts of materialism including his new car.
Lorenzia gave him a glance. They haven’t had any serious conversation since the accident happened. In fact, they barely conversed with each other since JL refused to talk to her regarding Naomi and their company’s issues. JL felt so guilty of accusing his cousin with negative and offensive suspicions. He walked to reach where she is standing. Her eyes rolled the moment he saw JL coming. She crossed her arms and annoyingly asked, “What?”.
JL tsked, “Come on, I’m sorry” he said. He looked away and felt awkward in that setup. Lorenzia gasped, “So, you’re admitting that I am right and you are guilty? And now you are asking for apologies but in a not sincere manner?” she replied. JL exhaled deeply, “Fine. I am sorry; I really am. Should’ve I listened to you, maybe things didn’t go as far as like that” he answered. Lorenzia faced him with an annoyed look, “Yeah right, whatever. I just knew from Fonsi that you and my ex - friend already had a closure. What’s your plan?” she asked.
JL sat down in their backyard’s swing and answered, “It feels crazily unusual. She did the courting, and I did the closure. Maybe I will let things go with how it supposed to flow. Moreover, I just thought that maybe things will be easier for the both of us if we set aside our love for each other. In that case, it is a win – win situation”. Lorenzia sat in the bench close to the swing. “You sounded like you really wanted that breakup to happen” she replied.
JL shook his head and looked below. The charm in the bracelet she gave is swaying with the wind. He still kept it; he even made the investigators to find where it dropped from the accident scene. He caressed it as he uttered, “I still love her. I honestly can’t let her go but I chose to be practical. Actually, she is right; our love for each other cannot solve the problems we have”. Their conversation was interrupted by Maj. Cevino Peredo’s abrupt entrance.
“I was looking for the both of you. I need you two to come with me in the meeting area. I need your signatures for Prideus Mite’s contact of agreement” he said. The two stood up and did what they are commanded to do. Without reading the contract, JL straightly grabbed the pen and scribbled his signature to every sheet of paper that needs it. Maj. Peredo looked at him viciously, “Aren’t you going to read the contract first before signing up, JL?” he asked. JL didn’t manage to give a single glance at his senior but he answered, “I’ve been doing this for the third time already. I am already familiar with the conditions”.
Maj. Cevino nodded with contentment. This time, JL is double the extra. He proposes on performing in their legacy greater than the previous two years. He closed the folder’s lid and presented it in front of his senior – Maj. Peredo. He commended his cousin, “Very well, Juan Leon. Now, I want the both of you to adjust in the new environment after Lorenzia’s recognition program tomorrow. We will start training right away” he said.
Naomi entered Luke’s car. Her body is shivering from the cold air conditioner cooling off her wet dress from the rain. Luke removed his long – sleeved polo and placed it to her body the moment he her uncomfortable. They made their way to Naomi’s house; their parents’ amigos and amigas are already present there to acknowledge Luke’s and Naomi’s achievements, at the same time the plan on elevating Naomi and her parents’ company – The New Empire International.
Luke and Naomi are both greeted by the housekeepers. They handed Naomi a warm towel and proceeded to changing her wet dress into a more formal and presentable one. Luke changed his maroon polo to something much lighter. He folded the sleeves up to his elbow and wore his expensive perfume to drive away the cigarette smoke’s odor he got from smoking in the rooftop’s stairs. He held Naomi’s hand as she carefully walks down the stairs with a pair of ribboned flat sandals. She wore baby pink backless dress with a new dried curly hair.
They both presented themselves with holding hands in the living room. Festive themes and buffet of foods are presented in that specific area of Naomi and her parents’ house. Their parents’ friends and acquaintances eyed at them with so much adoration. Many of them also said that Luke and Naomi would make a good pair and with a successful bloodline. Naomi’s face got sore from faking a smile; she can’t let her parents down now that they are one step closer to success.
They all sat down in the dining area to have the lunch. One of their acquaintances and also an investor of Borderless Media raised a toast, “To a beautiful and well cherished relationship between New Empire International and Borderless Media”. Wine glasses clanked with everyone drinking up their shots. A middle - aged lady approached the two and asked, “What will be your plan after high school?”. Luke fake smiled; he held nervous Naomi’s shaking hand from under the table and answered. “We will wait for Naomi to finish her high school here and once it is done, we will migrate to Australia to manage Borderless’ Media’s new branch”.
The others wowed; they are impressed of how Luke talked out their plan for the future. Naomi just kept herself busy on answering their parents’ acquaintances in the dining area. Her emotions are full of lies; she is fed up of things she was not about to say but eventually needed to utter just to save her family’s dignity. Tomorrow is her recognition day; she’s not on top of the class but she gathered awards for her academic efforts. For a bit, she imagined JL coming to the event. She still loves him. She loves him more than anything and anyone else she has.
She didn’t enjoy the steak presented to her. She barely ate a piece while still feeling the heartbreak from the closure JL presented few moments ago. Luke held her hand tightly under the long table. He can sense that Naomi kept on zoning out. She leaned back and still tried to absorb every question the visitors threw on her. She breathed heavily and answered the most intimidating question, “Do you love Luke?”. She faked a smile, held Luke’s hand also, and looked at him with beautiful eyes. She answered, “I do. I love Luke. Why would I go this far if I don’t love him? Right, love?”.
She realized what she just said; for a moment she felt like she is shouting out hers and JL’s relationship. Their endearment was accidentally said by her but unfortunately, it pertained to Luke. It’s Luke whom she doesn’t love. It is Luke who caused the imperfection of her ex – JL. Luke glanced at her with surprise; he had his smile widened in wonder. It is Naomi’s first time to call Luke with the endearment she used with JL. Luke is filled with love at that moment but Naomi does not feel the same. If only she could return back to that moment, she would have been careful with what she said.
The visitors awed in romance. Their support for the two companies’ shared bond is priceless. Naomi just kept silent the whole meal. Luke asked her, “Didn’t you like the food? I’ll ask the cook to change it for you”. Naomi shook her head, “No, I just feel like I am not hungry” she answered as she swirls the fork in the vegetable salad. She drank her wine and pardoned to step out of the celebration first. She sat down in a chair in her room’s veranda. She poured tea in her cup and started sipping it. The calming vibe it gave made her less anxious from the moment.
She recalled every moment she had with him. The escapade, the things they did in his condo unit, and the presents he gives every morning. All of those got over in just a snap. A snap of their families who are not intentionally breaking their relationship. She went inside her room; she sat on the furry carpet and opened a box full of JL’s presents. She turned the box upside down to scatter those things everywhere. She collected every sticky note he gave from the morning presents.
One note said, “Sunflowers to brighten up the rainy day. Sunshine don’t be blue; I’ll see you at lunch – JL”. And she opened another one pasted on a sunglasses’ tag, “Can you see the sunlight outside? You need to wear this pair of shades because your future with me will be bright – JL”. She smiled to those cheesy notes not until she remembered that it is already over. It is over for her to receive such corny but romantic notes. One thing captured her eyes, and that is the flipbook he made for her in the peer - mentor activity. She didn’t have the chance to scan it since their breakup and the accident that happened.
She leaned back in a soft cushion while her eyes are glued on the flipbook she is holding. There are two pieces of them, each with a thick paged booklet set. She started to run the pages with her thumbs. She smiled on the way JL presented their romantic moments in a graphic and in a cartooned way. His drawings are so realistic and it turned her on. Not so long after that, her tears started to fall down to her cheeks again. Her mascara is quite messed but she didn’t care to fix it. She faced the mirror; she watched herself faking a smile. No one could ever notice how unneutral it was.
She remembered what JL said, “We all wear masks, Naomi”. And it just happened; she already understood what JL said the moment they both confronted each other. She wiped her tears away and started looking tough. She removed the messed mascara in her face and tied her hair in a bun. “Naomi, you did this for yourself. You chose to cut ties with your boyfriend because you love your family” she said while talking to herself. That moment she learned how the breakup became a milestone for her to help their company to get back on track.
She breathed heavily and whispered to the air, “Just wait ‘til the company gets stable again, self. I will return to you, my love”. She believes that love is not ending even without physical contact. She believes that even JL and her are already apart, she still knows that her heart is always with him. From the moment Naomi whispered to the air, Luke stood outside her room with arms crossed. He smiled darkly, “Just so you know, Naomi… you will forever be locked to me. If not, then I will make sure to take JL’s life in my own hands” he said in his mind and went back to the celebration he left downstairs.