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DIANA'S POV

"And so are you. That's why you need to get yourself a boyfriend already," My brother brings the stupid topic again and I am near to losing my shit.

I so want to scream these words right now:

"I'm fucking gay for fuck's sake and I love my brother's girlfriend!" but I have to continue my best talent which is the art of self-control.

With a fake smile on my lips, I wipe some crumbs of food off of them with the table napkin before turning to David,

"Why don't you mind your own business, Dave?"

From the corner of my eye, I can see Franki leaning back on her chair, her face transparent of worry and frustration. She really hates seeing people arguing and fighting but it's her boyfriend who started it. He would always start it and then blame it on me...

"I second the motion!" Arvie raises her hand. "I mean, Diana needs to get a boyfriend A-S-A-P!"

 Ugh, here she goes again.

Arvie's actually my favorite cousin. She has the best fashion sense and style and I always love to hang out in her nail boutique and spa in town as they have the cutest designs and the coolest fake nails ever! But one thing that peeves me out about her is that she always loves to push me into having a boyfriend. She thinks I'm a sponge that she'll have to squeeze every time we see each other so I can pop out some intriguing news to her. She has always been intrigued with my love life which she labels as mysterious. She is my self-proclaimed cupid and she would usually match all the cute guys with me. Sometimes, she still pushes me with my ex-boyfriend of four years even though he's married now. 

Oh, please.

She's my closest cousin but I don't know why I'm scared to tell her that I'm actually gay. I think she's open naman but I'm worried that it might reach Mommy or Tita Kelly and all our relatives all over the world. 

It won't hurt to be cautious with the people around you. You all have the right to choose who you are gonna share your thoughts and secrets with anyway.

Arvie is also close to Veronica and Dean but she has no idea about what's actually going on... 

"Uhm, hello? I'm here!" Sky reminds us of his existence for the nth time. 

Oh my God, can he stop being so annoying even just for once?

"Shut your mouth, Bro. We're talking about a real boyfriend here." David surprisingly retaliates which made everyone turn to him in question. 

Wait lang... what was that all about?

"What do you mean by that?" Sky asks with both perfect eyebrows arched down. The palpable tension between David and I transfers between them, and they now got everyone's attention. I don't want to ruin Mommy's special day for these petty things so I have to do something.

"Well...if I'm not too focused on my career, Sky's actually not so bad..." I try my best to make it sound meaningful while demurely biting on a shanghai roll.

"Did you actually say that I have a chance on you?" Sky turns to me, his eyes seemingly and figuratively emitting red hearts.

He's really trying so hard, isn't he?

"Oh, please." David murmurs as he brings the glass of water into his lips and I heard that because I'm sitting across him.

 What's his problem this time?

"We'll see about that," I nonchalantly answer Sky.

"Sky's really the sweetest and you're really lucky with him, Diana," Mommy comments while reaching for Sky's hand across the table.

Jusko naman, Mommy.

"Aww... Love you, Tita!" Sky sweely claims while putting his other hand on top of hers. 

Feel na feel naman niya.

"Awww...they're so cute," Franki joins the conversation again, and I got even more alert this time. This woman's mouth has no filter sometimes so I have to be vigilant.

"Sky's kinda feminine and Diana's a little boyish so they compliment each other," she unexpectedly adds, to everyone's surprise. 

See? I was right about her. I glare at her across the table, but she just covers her mouth with a table napkin while obviously holding her laugh.

"Nothing beats the love story of childhood friends turning into lovers." Denise dreamily comments while clasping her hands together. 

My cousins are my greatest fans but sometimes, they can be really annoying.

Everyone is annoying to you except for Franki, Diana. Chill!

"Let's take things slowly then," I tell Sky with a forced smile, which immediately disappears when I met Franki's glare. I throw her a questioning look, but she just rolls her eyes and pretends that my mommy's spaghetti is the best one in the whole world.

"Whatever makes you two happy, then I'm happy." Mommy wholeheartedly says a little speech with her gaze lingering on me and then on David. 

"And the greatest gift that can you can give to her is an apo (grandchild)," Tita Kelly chimes in with a chuckle.

Tita Kelly, the more religious one between the two can be a real problem in this situation if we visit here often. I have a feeling that she's sensing something about me which makes me worry because she can easily influence Mommy. 

I am able to breathe normally again when the topic is then shifted to Nikko, my 18-year-old cousin and his varsity whereabouts.

I slightly flinch when my phone vibrates again with another text from Veronica. She's trying to invite me for a wine night tomorrow to catch up as soon as I get home as she's feeling lonely these past few days but I can't promise her. She has been insisting on me for the past hour. She wants to make sure that I'll come but I don't want Franki to be upset.

It always bothers me if she's upset.

Then why are you ignoring her?

I'm not ignoring her! I just...I just hate this complicated situation with her and my brother. I'm starting to hate him again. Nakakapikon.

He got Franki first so...

That's the part that I hate the most. The fact that he met her first. There would be no problem if she was mine first...

And how sure are you that she's gonna hit it off with you right away, given a different situation?

Haaay putangina this life.

After our lunch, Mommy, along with David starts touring Franki around the house and our properties. I hate seeing it because it should be me that's doing that.

I head to my room and purposely lock it so they won't be able to see it. 

I want to show her my room by myself...

...tonight.

****

It has been half an hour since Arvie pulled me here in their house in the same compound to do some girl things with Denise but I keep on thinking about Franki. I wonder what they're doing right now...

I excuse myself and head to the little garden where a swing is situated. Fuzzy childhood memories flood my mind the moment I sit on it.

I'm going to wait for another half an hour before coming inside the house because the sight of Franki acting like she's in love with David in front of my mom is enraging the hell out of me.

"There you are,"

Sky's familiar voice echoes from the distance. I watch him as he approaches me with a smile.

"Oh, Sky,"

He walks around and stands behind me.

"How long have you been in here?" he asks as he starts to push me to swing.

"Just now,"

"Do you remember those times when we use to do this?" he enthusiastically starts reminiscing our childhood which I can vaguely remember because of thinking about Franki.

What's new, Diana? You always think about her.

"I don't exactly remember," I answer while letting him push me. 

He falls silent for a moment as if digging something through his mind.

He then chuckles before recollecting a certain moment of ours right on this spot,

"You were crying then because David won't push you despite all your persistence. A week later, while I was standing on your gate, I saw you pushing yourself to swing using your feet. You were doing it so well because you got these long legs, until now, but you weren't smiling. I secretly made my way behind you and I remember the look in your face when someone finally push you to swing. You were taken aback at first but then that smile on your lips reappears again. You were so happy at that moment, D. I can still remember your laughter and giggles while I continuously pushed you."

The way he narrated his memories made me imagine it with a smile. For a second, I got confused about his feelings for me.

"I even urged you to push harder that you almost sent me flying out of the swing. It was too high I almost reached the Sky!" I add with a laugh.

"Nice pun right there, D!"

"Thanks for ruining it," I look back at him and playfully roll my eyes at him, to which he responded with an accepting chortle.

"Sorry if I'm too annoying sometimes,

He knows it naman pala.

"All the time, Sky," I tease him. I suddenly have the mood to be playful with him. The way he reminisced our childhood moments here made me realized how important he was to me before...

...but only as a friend. A special kind of friend.

"Do you want me to stop it?" he holds onto the chains on my either side to stop the swing from moving and leveled his face with mine.

"You're a great guy, Sky, and..." I turn to him, making our faces inches away from each other which made him visibly hold his breath.

"I have always liked you... as a friend," I suddenly decided to be honest with him this time.

He lets go of the swing and animatedly squeezes his chest as if he's in pain.

"Ouch. Friend-zoned, every time."

I get off from the swing and face him, "Who else friend-zoned you?"

"No one," he averts his gaze away from me and a longing look enters his eyes as he gazes on the fields from the distance. "Just some...friend. From Korea," 

A part of me is really intrigued with his love life, to be honest. I don't know why but I'm sensing something...colorful about it.

"My ears are all yours this time, Sky,"

He faces me once again with his facial expression softening down,

I suddenly heard a faint, echoing sound of some instrumental music that is seemingly coming from the living room. It seems like someone is playing the piano.

Franki...

"Well, I'm—"

"Just a sec, I need to go to the restroom," I immediately excuse myself before Sky could finally start opening up. We have a lot of other time for that.

I pass by in front of our house and found David, Nikko, and some other guys from our neighborhood drinking some beer in the cottage. They must be done with the house tour and stuff. 

Franki is nowhere to be seen so I have a feeling that she's the one playing the piano right now.

Passing from the kitchen, I head my way to the living through the hall and before turning from the corner, I lean my back against the wall and close my eyes as I let the instrumental tune warm my heart. 

That song is one of my favorites and I have been longing for someone that I can finally relate it with and coincidentally, Franki is all I can ever imagine playing the piano right now...

I mean, who else could it be? Dad used to play it and now, it serves as just a display in this house...

A/N: Listen to the piano version of the song from the video attached above as you read for a better reading experience, as usual. Just imagine Franki as the one playing the piano. I chose this song because Diana flexed a music box playing this song in her Instagram story like twice before and Franki has put Stitch as a sticker in her picture with Diana in one of her previous Instagram stories (This song is the soundtrack of Lilo&Stitch movie) so my delusional self thinks that it's their theme song. 😅✌)

🎵Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?🎶

I open my eyes and slowly turn my head to the side so I can take a peek on Franki.

And there she is...playing the old grand piano as if she was solely born for it.

Why does her side profile look even more beautiful next to it?

My heart starts skipping beats as I continue to secretly watch her from behind the wall. Everything else in the background disappears one by one as she continues playing that certain song...

🎵Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?🎶

The way her slender fingers move is so hypnotizing and the way her shoulders lead her body to move to the rhythm is so graceful and...just the mere sight of it makes me fall in love with her even more this time. 

The corner of her lips quirks up into a knowing grin as if she is fully aware of my presence, and it has put me into a temporary trance.

🎵Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you🎶

She's as graceful and as beautiful and as gorgeous as the song...

My vision starts to become cloudy as tears unexpectedly swell out of my eyes because of these overflowing emotions triggered by the beautiful version of the melody created by her fingers.

I sing the lyrics out in my head; every word and every message seemed to be based on my feelings for her...

I just can't help falling in love more and more with Franki Russell each day and that's the very fact that I am proud and afraid of at the same time.

As if in a trance, I approach the talented woman with my gazed lovingly fixed on her. 

🎵Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with you🎶

I step back the moment she glances at me and lays her eyes on mine. It was only for a moment, but the way that shy smile curved her lips up and brightens up her cute face has made me stop in my track for a split second and recovers with an even wider smile.

When I finally reach the piano, I bend my elbow and lean on the wooden hood with my lit-up eyes never leaving hers. She softly chuckles as she stops with humility and shyness passing on her eyes again.

"Just keep going, please." I urge her.

I then continue enjoying our moment in this little bubble of love of ours that I have created ever since I met her.

Moments passed by and I can no longer hear anything aside from the loud beating of my heart. I didn't realize that she has already finished the song and she is just looking up at me as if waiting for my reaction.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't know that you were this good. You're so good..." I compliment her.

"Did you like it?" she asks in her husky voice while shyly fiddling with her fingers.

"Very much. How can you play so well?" I am aware that she has studied some musical instruments when she was in high school and joined theatre classes as well but I am surprised about the way she handles the piano keys.

"Well, it helps that I can very much relate to the song now," she meaningfully says as she stares right up at me, and at this very second, I suddenly forget the art of breathing because of her expressive light-brown eyes that are comparable to a doll.

Silence just then falls between us. I am seriously out of words and all I want to do right now is to just stare at her all day and I'm good.

Feeling my chest becoming even fuller with all my love for her, I heave a sigh to let some of my feelings out as the back of my fingers reach for the smooth of her cheek.

"Please tell me that you'll always be mine...whatever happens," I express while caressing her cheek.

"Only if you'll stop ignoring me," she says while jutting her lower lip out.

I softly chuckle at her childish facial expression. "Why do you have to be so..." I lean down to gently pinch her cheeks and softly beam out, "...cuuute!"

"You always say I'm cute and never say I'm pretty or beautiful...or...or sexy,"

My face swells with a big, amused smile at her little complaint. If she only knew how much I fantasize about her each day.

"Ah, so cute!" I pinch her chin this time while trying my very best to stop myself from pulling her up to my bedroom to kiss and lick the every inch of her again.

She folds her arms in front of her chest as she rolls her eyes, and I'm again triggered.

"Stop it, Franki. Please. We have to behave here." I straighten up and skeptically look around to see if someone is watching us.

"Oh, let me see how far that self-control of yours can go in this house, hmm?" she naughtily grins up at me while biting on her lower lip and sweet Jesus, she looks fucking seductive right now.

"Stop challenging me, Boo. There are other things that I'm also capable of..." The thoughts of the naked her on my red bedsheets upstairs had me smirking right now.

To my surprise, she reaches for my shirt and pulls me down with such surprising force, and for a second, I am now sitting on sideways, facing her.

She grabs me by the collar this time and pulls me closer until our faces are just an inch apart,

"That smirk of yours always makes me wet every time, do you know that? Hmm?"

Oh fuck, someone should stop me from ravaging those luscious lips right now!

"Franki, I'm—"

"And what makes you wet again, Franki?"

With both of us gasping in surprise, we jerk away from each other upon hearing Mommy's question from behind us. 

*****To be continued*****

A/N:

Thanks for reading!

The year 2020 has been utter chaotic with all these natural and man-made disasters, the deadly pandemic which affected the world population and economy, the world, political, internet and race wars, the false prophets, and many more! I pray for everyone who has been affected (BLACK LIVES MATTER YA'LL) and for the rest of you to be safe. I hope and pray for world peace, the perfect vaccine as soon as possible, and HOPE for a better world for the rest of 2020. 

Also, it's pride month for all of the LGBTQIA+ out there (including me) so I'm greeting everyone a HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!  You (we) have been fighting and longing for equal rights so I hope for a day that you will all be finally living freely in peace.

Anyway, back to this story, to be honest, I have been feeling disconnected from this for the past few months thus the very slow update—writing in general, to be exact, and there are a lot of factors that caused it; distractions, problems, English as my third language, etc. I'm also writing another story aside from this, "Unraveling Her" so I've been juggling them both for the updates. 

I would understand if you'll just wait for this story to finish before you continue reading it because as a reader, I know how frustrating it is to read chapters with cliffhangers and wait for like a month and more for the next one. But if you are the most patient and understanding reader in the whole world, then I love you the most! 😍

Vomments ( Votes + Comments ) are greatly appreciated! ♥️