Stop wishing about turning back the hands of time. You're just wasting your wish. -jazlykdat

Aubrey

The Filan's are wealthy, no doubt. Halatang ginastusan nila ang debut ng panganay na apo.

May miniature pink castle na bahagyang nakaangat sa gitna ng swimming pool. It serves as a stage. Mukha itong lumulutang. The spotlights make it look like it is glowing. Doon nakalagay ang malaking upuan kung saan nakapuwesto ang debutant. May tulay ito sa magkabilang gilid at gitna kung saan puwedeng dumaan papunta doon.

Desiry's really stunning in her baby blue gown that matches the pink decorations.

The entire lawn is decorated with sparkling balloons and pink roses. May mga LED lights yata sa loob ng mga balloons at sa gitna mismo ng mga rose buds kaya kumikislap ang mga ito. Their vastness lights up the wide lawn.

There are round tables around. Everyone's in gown and formal suits.

Dirran looks so handsome in his black suit. Ngayon lang ito nagsuot ng gano'n. Mabuti at hindi nito tinatanggal ang damit. Ayaw na ayaw kasi nito ang long sleeves. Masaya itong inililibot ang paningin sa mga ilaw. Nakadaop pa ang mga palad nito at patawa-tawa. Ayder is also seated next to Dirran. Binata na talaga ito. Baka nga may girlfriend na rin ito. Sila nga noon ni Vander kinse anyos lang nang sagutin niya ito.

Ang bunsong anak naman ay naiwan sa loob ng bahay kasama ng yaya nito. She felt a twinge of pain. Vander's really keeping his distance. Ni hindi kasi lumalapit sa table nila. Kapag wala ito sa tabi ng dalagang anak ay may mga bisita itong kausap. Pero kahit ganoon ay nag-focus na lamang siya sa debut ng anak.

Nakikita niya ang kasiyahan ni Desiry habang ginaganap ang seremonya. Masaya naman ito kahit ang 18 roses ay puro mga kamag-anak lang. Ni wala yatang chance ang mga classmates nitong lalaki na isayaw ito. Ayder was the first rose and Vander's the eighteenth.

Nakaramdam siya ng kaunting lungkot nang maalala ang sariling debut.

Vander was her 18th rose. Ito pa ang mismong tumulong sa parents niya para maidaos ang debut niya noon. Malamang ito pa siguro ang gumastos. Doon kasi mismo nito ginawa ang wedding proposal.

Nakaalis na noon ang mga bisita at sila na lang dalawa ang naiwan sa venue.

She thought Vander just wants to dance with her without anyone watching pero balak pala nitong mag-propose na agad naman niyang sinagot ng oo.

If she could only turn back the hands of time. Things would have been different.

Umalis siya sa kumpol ng mga bisita at nagpunta sa may garden. She felt at peace with the little noise. Umupo siya sa isang bench.

"Ginugulo ka pa rin ba ni Vander?"

Agad siyang napatingin si nagsalita. Vanna is walking towards her direction.

"Hindi naman ate," tugon niya rito.

"Remember, if ever Vander does something nasty again or even attempts to. I-dial mo lang ang 21 sa phone mo. I'll come in split second."

Napatawa siya ng mahina sa sinabi ng hipag. Na-imagine niya kasi literally ang pagsulpot nito. But of course, she knows she doesn't mean it literally.

"Ate? Iba na ang phone ko." tugon na lamang. She knows that before she just had to dial 21 and it will directly connect to her sister-in-law's phone.

"Kahit na anong phone mo. Puwede yan." Natatawa nitong tugon.

Her forehead creased while Vanna grinned.

"I'll tell you a secret. But it's just between us." Tumingin ito sa paligid at lumapit sa kanya. Umupo ito sa tabi niya.

"Lahat ng family members natin may microchip sa katawan. I had it implanted para alam ko kung nasaan kayo plus if you dial 21 on any calling device. It will automatically connect to this?" Itinaas nito ang sariling phone.

Tiningnan niya kung nagbibiro ito pero mukha naman itong seryoso.

"Saan yung microchip ko?" tanong niya nang mahinuhang mayhimig katotohanan ang sinabi nito.

"Secret. Baka ipatanggal mo." Natatawa nitong tugon.

"Lahat kami meron?" Hindi pa rin talaga siya kumbinsido sa sinasabi nito.

"Yes, I will also put something on Dirran and Deshima. Para kapag nakidnap sila alam ko agad kung saan sila hahanapin." Seryoso nitong saad.

Napaisip siya. Kaya ba alam agad nito noon kung nasaan si Vander dahil sa microchip na 'yon?

"Joke!" natatawa nitong bulalas nang makita ang seryoso niyang mukha.

"Masyado kang seryoso. Halika na nga bumalik na tayo doon." Saad nito at tumayo na. Hinawakan pa siya nito sa kamay. Nagpatianod na lamang siya.

They both went back to the lawn kung saan ginaganap ang party.

"Remember 21, okay?" bulong nito sa kanya bago tuluyang humiwalay.

Hindi tuloy niya alam kung seryoso ang hipag o hindi sa mga sinabi. She'll probably try if it will work some time.

She was busy looking around when her eyes landed on Vander. Nag-init ang pisngi niya nang makitang may dinala itong babae sa dancefloor at isinayaw.

She averted her gaze but she just can't.

Nagulat pa siya nang lumapit sa kanya sina Desiry at Ayder. They also look at their father's direction.

"That's Dr. Sienna Watson." Desiry informed.

"She's dad's girlfriend." / "She's dad's businesspartner." Halos magkasabay na sambit ng dalawa. Napatingin siya sa mga ito na nagkatinginan din.

"Your dad's what?" tanong niya sa dalawa.

"Business partner I think." Ayder answered.

"Naniwala ka naman? They've been dating like for a year. I think girlfriend na niya." Desiry disagreed with her brother.

"But dad claim's she's only a business partner." Depensa naman ng isa.

"C'mon Dr. Sienna's businesses are derma clinics and beauty care products. So you think Dad's her business partner?" sarkastikong tanong ng dalaga.

Napatingin siya sa anak na lalaki. She was hoping he'd disagree further.

"Well, ate knows more of dad's activities. So maybe, she really is dad's girlfriend."

"Why would your dad hide it?" She asked trying to hide whatever she's feeling.

"Well, Mee said dad might be protecting her from gossips because your marriage wasn't annulled yet." Desiry fired right away.

"Dr. Watson is quite popular y'know." She added at ibinalik ang tingin sa dalawang nagsasayaw.

She saw how the girl laughs while Vander's whispering something in her ear. She tried so hard not to be affected with the scene but she just can't.

"I'll just go up. Titingnan ko ang mga kapatid niyo." paalam niya sa dalawang anak.

Nasapo niya ang dibdib pagkapasok ng bahay. She doesn't know why she felt bad seeing Vander with another woman. Nasanay kasi siyang wala itong ibang babaeng tinitingnan at kinakausap ng gano'n.

Now she wonders if Vander felt the same when he learned about her relationship with Charlie before kaya ganoon na lamang ang galit nito.

She tried hard not to overthink about what she saw.

Walang katao-tao sa living room nang makapasok siya. She went to the kitchen and took a glass of water.

She breathed heavily to stabilize the beating of her heart. She stood there for quite some time.

Nagulat siya nang pagtalikod ay nakatayo na sa bukana ng kitchen si Vander. Ngumiti ito ng tipid. Nagbigay-daan siya nang kukuha din ito ng tubig.

She stood frozen. Hindi niya alam kung lalabas ba siya o pauunahin itong umalis. Parang gusto niyang itanong kung totoong girlfriend nito ang kasayaw kanina pero iniisip niya kung may karapatan pa ba siyang magtanong pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari.

Napayuko siya nang tumitig ito sa kanya matapos lagukin ang tubig. Her heart beats started racing. Napailing siya sa sariling nararamdaman. She's not scared anymore unlike before.

"You and Desiry already got one thing in common," Vander uttered. Napatingin siya sa asawa. Ngumiti ito ng tipid.

"Our faces?" she asked trying to act normal. Vander looked down on his feet and smiled.

"No," sagot nito at muling ibinalik ang tingin sa kanya.

"I was both your eighteenth rose." Dagdag nito.

Napangiti siya. Naalala din pala nito ang debut niya noon. Her heart beats skipped realizing they actually remembered the same thing.

"I didn't want any boy to be her eighteenth rose. Baka yayain din siyang magpakasal." Vander added chuckling.

The memory is just so nostalgic for her to laugh.

There was a long silence before Vander spoke again.

"If there is one thing I regret in life that is rushing." Vander murmured that made her heart sank.

"I was so eager to marry you. Look where it got us?"

She couldn't utter any word to refute his statement. Gusto niyang sabihin na kung hindi iyon nangyari wala rin ngayon ang apat nilang anak pero hindi niya magawang ibuka ang bibig niya.

"But you know what? Of all the things said and done, there is one thing I would never ever regret, Aubrey," dagdag nito. She remained static. Her heart beats erratically fast.

"–loving you." He added with a smile.

She felt like the world stopped turning.

She doesn't know what to say.

"But there are really things which are not meant holding on." He uttered before turning away.

There are really things which are not meant holding on.

There are really things which are not meant holding on.

There are really things which are not meant holding on.

It took a while before the words sinks in her head. She had to repeat it in her head to grasp what he meant.

She shuddered in tears. Ang dami niyang gustong sabihin pero nakaalis na ito at ni hindi siya binigyan ng pagkakataong magsalita.