You were the only one I wanted
You were the first one I fell for
You're the only one that I'm in need of
And I don't want to be lonely anymore

-Get Back by Demi Lovato

--

"Dito muna si Kier," Lena told her sister. "I'll go talk to Lacey."

"Okay!" Kenna readily answered. "Pero Ate, alam mo ba kung nasa'n si Ate Lacey?"

"No. Do you?"

"Ask Ate Ramona. She didn't tell us where Ate is exactly, but she guaranteed that she's somewhere safe. Hindi kasi pwedeng dumiretso sa unit ni Ate, e. Ang daming reporters do'n. Pati sa bahay ni Ate Ramona."

Tumango siya. "All right. I'll call her." Binalingan niya si Cyrus. "Can you check on Martin? Make sure he's okay. I don't want him to do anything stupid."

Cyrus nodded grimly. "I hope not."

She gave Bailey and Kier a kiss each and then they headed off to where Lacey was. Tinawagan niya si Ramona para itanong kung nasa'n ang kapatid. Ramonda texted the address.

Pagkahatid sa kanya ni Cyrus ay agad nitong pinuntahan si Martin. Naaawa siya sa kaibigan. Paskong-pasko pa naman ay ganoon ang nangyari. She hoped that he's okay. Martin's a grown man, but when it comes to Lacey... nawawala ang maturity nito sa katawan.

The house wasn't hard to find. Nasa pinakang-dulo kasi iyon. She called Ramona again to let her know that she arrived. The door opened right away. Ramona pulled her inside and locked the door immediately.

"Hindi ba kayo nasundan?" tanong nito.

"I don't think so," she answered. "Where's Lacey?"

"Upstairs."

"How is she?"

"Ayon... walang tigil sa pag-iyak. Hindi ko mapatahan, e. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. Kanina pa tawag nang tawag ang daddy mo sa 'kin. Ayaw naman ni Lacey na ipasabi kung nasa'n sya."

"Buti sinabi mo sa 'kin."

Ramona nodded. "I think you're the one who needs to talk to her. Feeling ko sa 'yo sya makikinig."

"Okay lang ba kung umakyat na 'ko?"

"Sige. Dito lang ako sa baba. Just call me if you need anything."

"All right. Thanks."

On her way upstairs, she thought of all the things that she wanted to say to her sister. Hurtful things. After seeing the video, she wanted to hurt Lacey in some way. She wants her sister to feel the pain she inflicted to the people around her. Kung mararamdaman lamang nito iyon, then maybe she won't be so hurtful and inconsiderate.

But hearing her cry was enough to soften her heart. She could hear her sister wailing even from where she was standing. It's been a while since she heard her sister cry like that. Iyong para bang katapusan na ng mundo.

She guessed Lacey's world ended the moment she ran away from Martin.

Lacey has been in love with him ever since she was 12. What she did earlier at the premiere made no sense to her. There must be something else, something more than what everyone's seeing that made her sister do what she did.

She opened the door of the room where Lacey's in and knocked to get her sister's attention. Bahagya itong tumunghay at nang makita siya'y kinuha ang kumot at nagtalukbong.

"Lace, let's talk."

"Go away!" garalgal nitong sigaw.

She was asked to go away, so of course, she went in. She pulled the blanket that's covering her sister. Agad siyang naawa sa hitsura nito. Gone were the glitz and glam of show business. All that's left now were the tears.

She sat down and pulled her sister for a hug. Lacey didn't resist. Maybe she's too weak to resist. Umiyak lamang ito nang umiyak sa balikat niya.

--

Nang sa wakas ay mahimasmasan si Lacey ay saka niya ito pinagalitan. But her sister's mind was somewhere else. Ilang beses na niya itong sinabihang 'tanga' pero hindi siya nito pinansin.

Tinapik niya ito ng malakas-lakas sa pisngi. That seemed to wake Lacey up. Umayos ito ng upo at pinahid ang luhang tumutulo pa rin.

Iniabot niya rito ang bottled water na inilagay ni Ramona kanina sa bedside table.

"Drink this. Madi-dehydrate ka na kaiiyak."

Lacey drank from the bottle absentmindedly. Well, at least she wasn't wailing anymore, she told herself. Her sister sounded like a dying pig earlier.

"If it's so hard for you, then why did you do it? Why did you leave him like that?"

Her sister looked sadly at the bottle and said with a sob, "He was going to propose to me."

"W-What?!"

Lacey bit her trembling lip as tears start to come out again.

"The flower petals... that was my dream proposal. 'Yong pauulanan ng flower petals while he's across the room holding a big bouquet. Sabi ko sa kanya, gano'ng klaseng proposal ang gusto ko." Tumingin ito sa kanya. "I got scared, Ate. I didn't know that he'd do it so soon."

"So that's why you ran away?"

Tumango ito. "I panicked. I didn't want to get married yet! Natakot ako na baka kapag hinayaan ko syang magtanong, baka hindi ako makatanggi. I'm still young. I still have so many things that I want to do."

"Oh, Lacey." Isinandal niya ang ulo nito sa balikat niya at saka hinagod ang likod nito. "Kung sinabi mo lang sa kanya, I'm sure he'll understand."

"He hates me now, doesn't he?"

"He can never hate you. But I'm sure he's suffering because of it."

"He's too good for me. I don't deserve him."

She cupped Lacey's face and wiped her tears. "Lace, it doesn't matter if you think that you don't deserve someone. What matters is that they chose to love you. It's their call if you deserve them or not. Martin loves you and you love him. That's all that matters."

"What if he gets tired of me, Ate? What if he realizes that he's better off without me?"

"He won't if you won't let him. Just talk to him and tell him that you're sorry." She held her hand and continued, "And please, if you ever doubt his love again, remember that he's willing to marry you just to prove that he's yours. What you heard from us meant nothing, okay? Hypothetical question 'yon kaya huwag mong seryosohin."

Yumakap ito sa kanya. "Hypothetical pero may hugot."

"Lacey..."

"He used to like you. I've seen the way he used to look at you. Hindi 'yon tingin na pangkaibigan lang."

"Okay, he used to like me. So what? He doesn't love me now. He didn't make a fool of himself just to prove it to me. He's not suffering right now, probably drinking himself to death because of me. He's doing it all for you. If you'll always look behind you, then you will miss what's in front of you. Martin loves you, Lacey. You. Not me. So stop being so goddamn insecure."

Lacey's eyes welled up again, and she cried for another ten minutes. Mugtong-mugto na ang mga mata nito pagkatapos. Hinagod niya ang likod nito habang nakapatong ang ulo nito sa kandungan niya. Siguro ay napagod din ito kaiiyak kaya maya-maya ay nakatulog na ito.

She took the chance to call Cyrus, to see how they're doing.

"He's passed out in the living room," he reported. "He was already drinking when I got here. Ayaw magpapigil kaya hinayaan ko na lang. How's Lacey?"

"Asleep." Hinaplos niya ang buhok ng kapatid. Lacey really looks tired. "She's been crying all night."

"Napaliwanagan mo ba?"

"I think so. Can you stay there tonight? Don't leave him alone please. Pupunta kami dyan bukas."

"All right. Matutulog na rin ako."

"You had a few drinks, didn't you?"

She heard him chuckle. "Yeah, a couple."

She can't help but smile. At least the two guys are okay. Bukas, sana magkausap na sina Martin at Lacey. Sort things out between them. Gusto niyang maayos na lahat mag-bagong taon.

"Sige na. Matulog ka na."

"Okay. Good night."

"Good night."

--

Kinabukasan, maagang-maaga pa lamang ay gising na si Lacey at handa nang umalis. Ayaw nitong masikatan pa ng araw dahil maraming makakakita paglabas nito. She also wants to be there when Martin wakes up (sinabi kasi niyang naglasing ito kagabi).

Tinawagan niya si Cyrus para ipaalam na darating sila. Ramona dropped them off at Martin's place.

Cyrus was already at the door when they arrived. Tinanguan lamang ito ni Lacey bago ito dumiretso sa kwarto ni Martin.

"I carried him all the way to his room. He's too heavy. Nanakit ang balikat ko," sumbong nito sa kanya.

"I'm sure one quick trip to the spa will make it okay," she told him.

"Hindi ba pwedeng ikaw na lang ang magmasahe sa 'kin?"

"Hindi ako marunong."

Cyrus sighed. Great. Now she'll add giving massages to the list of things that she needs to learn for him. Nakukunsensya rin kasi siya dahil alam niyang palaging sasakit ang braso nito sa kanya. If they cuddle again... which they haven't done in a while, his arm will surely hurt.

She missed cuddling with him. She looked away, hoping that she's not blushing at that moment. Why did she suddenly think about cuddling? Pervert!

Sinundan nila ang kapatid niya papunta sa kwarto. Lacey was already leaning over Martin. Kung humahalik o bumubulong ito sa binata ay hindi niya masabi. She caught her breath when Martin moved.

"Lace?" came his throaty voice.

Lacey's shoulders started shaking. Umiiyak ito habang paulit-ulit na nag-a-apologize.

Natigil ang panunuod niya nang isara ni Cyrus ang pinto.

"Let's leave them for now."

"Are they going to be okay?"

"I hope so."

"What do you think they'll do?"

"Kiss and make up," he answered. Then, with a glint in his eyes, added, "And probably make out."

She quickly retraced her steps and was so ready to barge in when he grabbed her by the arm, laughing.

"They can't do that! She's too young!"

"She's just a year younger than you."

"Kahit na!"

He pulled her close and kissed her hair. "She's old enough to know what she's doing, Lena. And they probably won't do it. They're too tired for that."

"They better not!"

Pinisil nito ang ilong niya. "You're so cute." Then he bent down and gave her a kiss.