Nang makita ni Carter kung paano sila mag-usap, para bang binuhusan siya ng malamig na tubig.

Maya was the person Rook was supposed to talk to. It wasn't even a wrong number purposely given. Sadyang... human error lang sa parte ni Rook. And that fact made it hard to swallow.

She thought the stormy clouds that filled that sea was blown away by the sudden tide. She thought his presence was the switch... that it was the static sound, the wave, that would finally change her stillness for good.

And now, she's slapped with the fact that it wasn't even supposed to be hers.

He wasn't even supposed to be hers.

Carter stole this light conversation and smiles from them. At first, she was hesitant because of her scars, but now, just when she got ahead of herself and thought about how happy they would be together, this happens.

She couldn't stand it.

Not with how heavy her heart is.

Not when she deluded herself with a happy ending.

Not when her pitiful boat is full of holes that she's starting to sink into the ocean again.

Carter feels like a fool. So she left the house and ran for the waves, stopping when the cool water touched her feet, and falling on the sand as the gentle breeze whispered her comfort.

Ipinikit niya ang mga mata at parang bumalik siya limang taon ang nakaraan, kung saan pagkatapos ng gabing 'yon ay dito din siya tumakbo. Na pagkatapos niyang malaman ang ginawa nila, ay dito siya nagtago at umiyak. Back then, she went deeper than her knees, thinking that maybe if she falls with the moonlight watching, she'll forget everything.

That all her tears would be erased by the waves.

Back then, it was also because only the ocean could touch her. Back then, her only solace was the water. Because it scrubbed her body clean. It erased the bastard's touch. It erased everythingㅡ

Back then wasn't like now, but it hurts all the same. Carter cries all the same.

She felt her phone vibrate but she didn't pay it any attention. Hindi niya alam kung ilang minuto o oras na siyang nandoon. Naramdaman na lang niya ang yakap at boses ni Natalie.

She pulled her out of the water, putting a coat above Carter's shivering shoulders.

"Carter! W-What happened? Why are you here? And why are you... D-Did something happen? You know, if-if you get sad again like last time, pwede mo akong tawagan. 'Diba? Sasagot ako sa unang ring lang-"

"Natalie, I was right."

"H-Huh?"

"I knew..." a sad smile appeared on her face. "I knew I don't deserve him... Someone like me... Someone tainted... Rook deserves more than someone who's been touched. He deserves someone who won't give him problems. Someone without scars, someone-"

Mabilis na tinakpan ni Natalie ang bibig ng kaibigan at sinamaan ng tingin. "Sinabi niya ba sa'yo?"

Now it was Carter's turn to be surprised. "H-Huh?"

"Iyang pinagsasabi mo. Sinabi niya ba kako sa'yo?"

Iniwas ni Carter ang tingin. "It's just that-"

"So hindi niya sinabi, 'diba?" Natalie crossed her arms and flicked her friend's forehead. Kahit gusto niya nang sabayan si Carter sa pag-iyak ay pinanatili niyang maging matapang. "Kung hindi niya 'yan sinabi sa'yo, e'di huwag mo 'yang i-assume! Only if he says that... do'n ka lang iiyak! Tapos bubugbugin namin siya!"

"Nat... Maya was the girl Rook met at the club..."

"Ha?! Don't tell me, nagcheat sa'yo si Rook? Nagclub siya at nameet si Maya kahit nag-uusap at nakikipaglandian siya sa'yo- aray!" reklamo nito nang mahinang hampasin ni Carter ang pisngi niya.

"Before everything. They met at the club and exchanged numbers, but Rook read it wrong and texted me instead. Hindi ko alam na magkalapit pala number naming dalawa."

"Gaga. Nakalimutan mo bang 'yan nga ang rason bakit natin naging kaibigan ang ibon na 'yan? Dahil namali din ako ng message noon?"

Carter glared at her friend, pouting. "Maka-gaga naman 'to."

"Huwag mo 'kong idaan-daan sa nguso! O, tapos, anong nangyari? Nagkita ba sila?"

Carter softly nodded. "Maya came to give us some present-"

"Tapos?! Huwag mo sabihing naglandian sila-!"

"Patapusin mo nga ako." reklamo din ni Carter. "It's just, they recognize each other, and I guess... maybe, I'm just insecure, Nat. I know that Maya is a wonderful woman. Kung lalaki lang ako, hindi ko siya aayawan. And if Rook tried to hit on her before then... he was attracted. And if she gave the right number, nagustuhan niya rin si Rook. Nat, it's just that, it feels like I stole something from them. Na ako itong third-party, na wala naman dapat sa original na picture, pero bigla lang sumulpot. If it wasn't for a wrong digit, they would be happily together."

"Carter..." huminga ng malalim si Natalie. "Maybe Rook did accidentally got-"

"That's right." Carter's lower lip trembled. "That's the right word. It's all just an accident and it's because of me."

"Patapusin mo din ako!" malakas na reklamo ni Natalie. "Carter, it wasn't just some simple accident, maybe it was fate. Destiny."

Carter stared at her blankly. "Alam mong hindi ako naniniwala diyan."

Natalie tried to stop herself from sighing. Carter may look like a cool-headed woman to others, but she's as fragile as a glass inside. She overthinks. She gets anxious. She's too afraid to take a risk, all because she doesn't want her past from repeating.

Natalie sees it as Carter being cautious. She once took a risk and jumped, but landed on the ocean floor, and now that she's back on peaceful waters, she doesn't want any dangerous waves to sink her again.

But it's because of this fear that Carter fails to see how Rook would always, willingly, cushion her fall.

At this point, it's not even a risk. Carter just needs to have the courage to jump into Rook's open arms.

Umilaw ang phone ni Carter kaya mabilis itong inagaw ni Natalie. Lumitaw ang walang-katapusang texts ni Rook, and Natalie decided to open her friend's eyes by showing her the latest messages.

"He went after you." paliwanag niya. "Nandoon na dapat ang dating nagustuhan niya, ang babaeng dapat kausap niya, pero tingnan mo. Iniwan niya at hinanap ka. Basahin mo nga 'to." halos isampal na ni Natalie ang cellphone sa mukha ni Carter. "Look. Carter... why don't you try to talk to him before deciding to end everything?"

Natalie felt happy when Carter followed her advice. Tinawagan nga nito si Rook. Mas lalo siyang sumaya nang sabihin ni Carter ang nararamdaman. Titili na sana siya sa kilig nang magpatuloy ang kaibigan.

"When I watched you and Maya, I realized how we're not suitable for each other. You deserve someone who won't give you problems."

Nanlaki ang mata ni Natalie. She was about to complain when Carter stifling her sob made her stop.

"I'm sorry."

Pinatay nito ang tawag at tuluyang humikbi. Natalie bit her lower lip, holding Carter for a hug.

"You dumb idiot." mahinang tugon ni Natalie. "Ba't 'yon sinabi mo?"

Carter's silent sobs wracked her body and Natalie listened to it, just like she did back when she arrived at the hospital, crying when she found out Carter tried to drown herself. That was also the time they learned what happened to Carter and that bastard of a professor.

She didn't want it to happen again. Lalo na ngayon na wala siyang mapagbuntungan ng galit. Because all Carter was feeling... it's all self-inflicted pain.

Then, as if hearing Natalie's prayers, Rook's figure appeared. Gulong-gulo ang damit at buhok nito, desperado ang mukha pero nabuhayan nang makita si Carter. He approached them quietly, watching Carter with a careful gaze.

"Bossmam." he almost whispered.

Carter stiffened.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin? Akala ko ba gusto mo 'ko, kaya ba't ka nagso-sorry?"

Slowly, Carter turned to him, a stunned expression on her tear-streaked face. Palihim namang umalis si Natalie para bigyan ang dalawa ng privacy, but she didn't completely leave, observing the two from afar.

"Kasi, Carter, ako hindi ako magso-sorry. Pero sasabihin ko na gustong-gusto kita. Hindi nga- a-actually higit pa."

Pulang-pula ang mukha ni Rook nang magpatuloy siya, "K-Kasi, ano, uh..." napalunok siya. "I... I've already fallen for you, Carolina Therese."