Monday, February 15, 2010

Paper Stars - Chapter Three

Chapter 3 – Intertwined Lives


He, who does not believe in love...
She, who could not let go of the past...

--

“Mark...” the girl called. The man turned his back on her, not wanting to see her. “Just go, Ada...” he said firmly. Tears rolled down the girls eyes as she reached to him. “Mark... I... I chose you! I love you!” she shouted at him in between her tears. “Just go!” the man told her. The girl turned her back, and walks away with tears on her eyes. What she didn't know is that after she left, tears began to cascade in the man's eyes.

This is just one of the scenes in “Forever and a day”, the hit Taiwanese drama in the Philippines. It was Thursday afternoon, and Angelo is watching this series. His eyes were glued on the TV as he anticipates the next scene. Meanwhile, Nadine was busy cleaning the den when she noticed her brother being too glued on the TV. She swear she could hear him sniffing as he's watching. “Weird, he's not like this, not unless it's his favorite cartoon...” she thought. She stopped sweeping the floor, and then came up to him. Angelo is too absorbed with what he is watching, that he didn't notice his sister sneaking up to him. Nadine looked at the TV, and the scene shows a man crying while the girl turns around to leave him. “A drama series?” she thought. She looked at her brother, and wondered to herself since when Angelo have started watching drama series. “Why are you watching this drama?” she asked. Angelo looks back at her with a shocked look on his face. “Wha- sis! You don;t sneak up on people just like that! You'll give me a heart attack!” he shouted at her. Nadine just laughed at her brother at his reaction, and Angelo tuned in back to the television.

“So, what's the title of this show?” Nadine asked him. “It's called 'Forever and a day'.” Angelo answered. “So what's the story all about?”
“It's about this guy and that girl... the guy is in love with the girl but he have to give way to his dying brother.”
“And since when did you start watching these kind of drama series?”
“It's a fad. All girls in school are into that guy.”
“So, all girls nowadays are into those Chinese guys?”
Angelo threw his sister an are-you-kidding-me look. “Don't you watch TV at home?” he asked. Nadine shook her head. “To answer your question, yes. Most of them are into Asian guys nowadays. Especially that Taiwanese actor.” Angelo said. “So, who is that guy?” Nadine asked. “His name is Jason Yu, Taiwan's top actor and superstar. He not only acts, he also sings well.” he said. Nadine smiled at her brother. “Seems like you know a lot about that guy, huh?” she asked. “I have to. You see, my crush, Lindsay, is so into that guy. So, I researched everything about my rival.”
“Oh come on, even if you find that guy's weaknesses, you still don't stand a chance with the girl you like.”
“The only advantage I had over him is that I am here in the Philippines, while he is so out of reach.”

Nadine let out laugh, and shook her head. “You know what, you're insane. You still don't stand a chance with that guy because he is more handsome than you.” she said. With that, Angelo threw his sister dagger looks. “I hate you.” he hissed. Nadine smiled and winked at her. “I love you too.” she said. Then, she took her broom and went back to cleaning the room.

--

Jiang Wei entered his favorite bar, and went straight to his favorite seat. He smiled at the bartender as he made his order. “Vodka please.” he said. The bartender nodded his head, and then he went to mix his drink. Just then, a petite lady in her little black dress walked up to him, and sat beside him. “Jiang Wei...” she muttered seductively. Jiang Wei looked back at the girl, and as he recognized him, his expression changed to disgust. “Pei Pei...” he said monotonously. Pei Pei let out a seductive smile. She reached up for him to kiss him on the lips, but Jiang Wei looked away from her. “Why are you so being cold to me, Jiang Wei?” she asked. “We're over, Pei Pei.”
“I don't think so...”
“We already broke up.”
“I didn't agree to it yet.”

Jiang Wei could only glare at the girl beside him. Pei Pei have been a nuisance for him, since the day they had an affair. “Stop this, Pei Pei.” he said firmly. “Whatever we had before, just forget it. And go find some other guy to play with... I'm through with you.” he added. As the glass of vodka was placed before him, he took and finished it in one gulp. Pei Pei, on the other hand, could only look at him, pleading for him to come back into her life. “I love you, Jiang Wei...” she said with her voice trembling. She is already in the verge of tears, and she was trying her best not to break down in front of him. Jiang Wei was remained unmoved by this, and he did not dare to look into her eyes. “You know my rules. You fall for me, we're through. You ask for commitment, then I'm done with you. We had a great time together, Pei Pei. Sex have always been great, why should you ruin it by asking me to love you back?” he said.

Pei Pei just stared at the man before her. He have changed since the day she told him that she wanted more than sex, when she asked him to love her in the same way that she loves him. “Jiang Wei...” she said in a low voice. “You know what I'm just after, Pei Pei. I just want to play. I don't want to get tied down with anyone... so please, stop stalking me around. It gives me the creeps. Just get on with your life and forget what we had.” he said to her. Then, he took out his wallet, and put some money on the counter. “Some way to ruin one's night...” he said to her. Then, he stood up, and left Pei Pei alone.

Pei Pei was left with no other choice but to watch him leave. As he disappeared from her sight, she lowered her head and let the tears she was trying to fight back flow from her eyes. “Why can't you love me?” she asked herself in despair. Maybe for him, she is not enough, and she will never be enough.

Jiang Wei. He is the only man she loves, and she will do everything to make him love her back.

--

As soon as he heard the knock on the door, Ah Ren immediately got out of his room. “Coming!” he shouted. As he opened the door, he saw Jiang Wei standing and smiling at him. “Jiang Wei, what are you doing here?” he asked. Jiang Wei smiled at him, and lifted up a bottle of martini for him to see. “Care for a drink?” he asked.

Ah Ren came back with their glass and a bucket full of ice. “So what brought you here?” he asked as he sat beside Jiang Wei. “I was chilling at my favorite bar, when someone came and ruined my mood.” Jiang Wei answered. “Let me guess, one of your crazy ex-girlfriends?” Ah Ren asked. Jiang Wei nodded his head. He put some ice on his glass and poured himself a drink. “Pei Pei. You know her, right? She was one of Chen Yi's friend back in college.” Jiang Wei said. Ah Ren let out a sigh. He knew Pei Pei very well. Jiang Wei started dating her when he met her at Chen Yi's birthday party. Everything was going well between them until the girl asked him for a commitment. And Jiang Wei, being allergic to such word, decided to break it off with her. Since then, Pei Pei have been stalking him, and asking him back.

“I guess Pei Pei won't end up like that if you just gave in to what she is asking...” Ah Ren said. He took his glass, and sipped his drink. Jiang Wei let out a chuckle, then he gulped down his drink. “Are you kidding me? You know that I've always hated being in a long-term relationship. This world is filled with many girls that I could play along with.” Jiang Wei said. “I don't know about you, Jiang Wei. Why is it that you hate being committed?”
“I just don't feel like it.”
“Don't you know it's bad to play with a girl's heart?”
“I am not playing with their feelings. I tell them right from the beginning what I am capable of giving them. They accept it.”
“But the problem is, in the end, they ask you for something you can't give.”
“Right. And when that happens, I have to break it off with her.”

Jiang Wei put his glass down, and then turned to face Ah Ren. “Why ruin a perfect, no-strings-attached affair by asking for a commitment?” he asked. “Because aside from sex, girls needs love as well.” Ah Ren said. Jiang Wei let out a smirk, and poured himself another drink. “Don't you believe in love, Jiang Wei?” Ah Ren asked. “I guess it will never be in my vocabulary until the day I meet the girl who will change my world...” he said. Ah Ren could only smile at his best friend. “For a playboy like you, you still believe in those things...” Ah Ren commented. Jiang Wei let out a faint laugh. “Of course, I still do. It's just that at this moment, I know I am not ready to give all my love... because you know why? I knew that in the end, the girl I will love and me will never be together. One day, I will have to marry the girl dad has arranged me to marry. I don't want to hurt that girl because of our tradition...” he said sadly. He let out a sigh, and then downed his drink.

“But what if you meet her one day? What will you do?” Ah Ren asked. Jiang Wei just shrugged his shoulder. “I don't know... that's why I've been controlling myself from falling in love. I can't fall in love, not in this moment when everything have been set for me. You know very well that I don't want to see a girl cry because of me...” he said. “So, that's why when you break it off with a girl, you don't face her. Instead, you always turn your back on her!” Ah Ren said. Both of them laughed at what he said. “Yeah... and so that it's easier for me to walk away.” Jiang Wei said.

“Enough about me. How about you, Ah Ren? Dating someone?” Jiang Wei asked. Ah Ren just shook his head. “Oh, come on! You're not dating anyone? With your good looks and status in the society, girls must be begging you to date them!” Jiang Wei said. “I am not like you, Jiang Wei. And I only have eyes on one girl.” Ah Ren said. Jiang Wei simply smiled at his friend. “So, when can I meet this mystery girl? I've been hearing about her since college, and you have not introduced us to each other.” Jiang Wei said. Ah Ren paused, and stared at him. “You... you have met her.” he said. Ah Ren turned away from him and drank. Jiang Wei could only give his best friend a confused look. “I did?” he asked. Ah Ren let out a sigh, and then turned to Jiang Wei and smiled again. “Yes, you did. You just don't remember her at all.” he said. With that, Jiang Wei just shook his head. Then, he poured themselves another glass of martini. “Well, let's make a toast. For all the girls we love, and will love in the future.” he said, raising his glass. Ah Ren raised his glass, and smiled at his friend. “Cheers.” he said.

--

Sunday.

Nadine decided to take some time off to clean up her room. As she opened the cabinet, she saw an old shoe box. She took it, and then she sat on her bed and opened it. The first thing that caught her eyes is a picture of her and a guy by the shore. She could still remember the time that picture was taken. She was fifteen back then, and it was summer. Suddenly, all of the memories of that summer came back to her.

“Promise me...” he said to her. “Promise me that no matter what happens, you will wait for me.” She smiled at him, and nodded her head. “I will wait for you, Vanz...” she said. “I'll come back for you, Nadine. I'll come back for you. Next summer, we'll see each other again.” he said. Nadine bit her lips, trying her best not to cry in front of him. “I'll look forward to the day you'll come back for me, Vanz.” she said. With that, Vanz hugged her tight. “I will miss you, Nadine. I will think of you always...” he said. As he let her go, he lifted her chin, and then gave her a loving kiss on the lips. It was her first kiss, and he is her first love.

She was a fool to believe that summer love lasts forever, that there will always be him and Vanz. Vanz is her first love, and the last, she thought. She met him one summer, he was a guest at their resort. He and his friends were playing at the beach, when he bumped into her. He never dared to apologize to her when he bumped into her, and instead, he ran off with his friends. After a while, she saw him drowning, and she rushed up to the sea to save him. Since then, the two of them became close. She found out that he is here in Ilocos to visit his sick grandmother. The whole summer, the two of were inseparable, with her showing him around. They fell in love, and before he left, he confessed his love for her. She told him that he felt the same way. Before he left, he promised that he will comeback for her, but then, he never did.

She waited for the next summer to come, hoping that Vanz will keep his promise. She is used to receiving letters from him almost everyday. But as the next summer came, the letter became fewer and fewer until she does not receive any letters from him anymore. Summer came and go, but he never came back for her. Although she was brokenhearted with it, she continued to wait for him until the next summer. But then again, Vanz never came back for her.

The day finally came when she had to go to Manila to study. One day, at the university, she bumped into him.

“Vanz!” she said happily upon seeing her. She walked up to him, and smiled. Vanz, on the other hand, seems surprised to see her again. “N-nadine! W-what are you doing here?” he asked. “I study here. Are you studying here as well?” she asked. Vanz just nodded his head. “I'm happy to see you again, Vanz. You don't know how much I've prayed to see you once again. I waited for you...”
“N-nadine... about that...”
“I know you have your reasons why you were not able to come back for me...”
“Yes, there is Nadine.”

Just then, a girl came and held onto Vanz's arms. “Honey, sorry to keep you waiting.” the girl said. Nadine was devastated at what she found out. The girl looked at her, and smiled. “Hon, is she your friend?” she asked. Vanz just nodded his head. “Steph, this is Nadine... and old friend. Nadine, this is Stephanie. My girlfriend.” he said. She felt her heart breaking into a million pieces at what he said. All the time that she is waiting for him, he is already in the arms of someone else. “It... it was nice to meet you, Steph. I.... I'm sorry... I... I have to go...” she said. She turned her back on them, and ran away from them. “Nadine! Wait!” she heard Vanz call. But she never heed his call. All she wanted to do was to run away from him.

She found herself inside the university's chapel, crying because of a broken heart. “Nadine...” she heard a familiar voice call. She looked up, and saw Vanz standing beside her. She looked away from him, not wanting him to see the tears and the pain in her eyes. “I'm sorry...” he said. She was just silent. “Please don't think that I didn't love you. I did, Nadine. I really did. But... while we're apart, I met Steph and she was the one who filled your place...” he said. “You said you'll come back to me. Vanz, I waited for you... I wished you never promised me anything, because... because you don't know how much it hurts to expect for something that will not happen.” she said in between tears. “I'm really sorry, Nadine... I didn't mean to break your heart.” he said. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and then turned to face him. “Do you love her more than you love me?” she asked. Vanz paused, and stared at her. “Please tell me the truth, Vanz. Don't hurt me with another lie...” she said. Vanz closed her eyes, and then opened his mouth to answer. “Yes.” he said.

It was a painful answer. Nadine closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling. Vanz reached to her and consoled her. “I'm sorry, Nadine...” he whispered. Nadine opened her eyes and let out a sad smile. “Does she... does she make you happy?” she asked again. Vanz slowly nodded his head to answer. “Thank you for telling me the truth, Vanz. I... I wish for you and Steph's happiness. Don't... don't worry... I'm going to be OK. But... can... can I hug you even for the last time?” she asked. Again, Vanz nodded his head. She reached up to him, and embrace him. “I hope that you will always be happy, Vanz. I... wish you happiness even if I am not part of it..” she said. Then, she let him go, stood up and left Vanz alone. How she really wished that she will be OK after her first heartache.

“Still thinking of him?”

Nadine's thoughts were interrupted as her mom went inside her room. She immediately wiped the tears from her eyes and closed the shoe ox. Her mom walked up to her and sat beside her. “No, mom. I just saw these stuffs. I am going to throw them anyway...” she said. “You can never lie to me, Nadine. I am your mother, and I know how you really feel...” she said. Nadine could only give her mom a confused look. “When I think of your dad, and our happy memories together, I couldn't help but cry as well. It's really hard to let go of the one you love and then hold on to the memories...”
“I have let go of Vanz the day he left me...”
“But you're still holding on to his memories, Nadine.”

Her mom smiled at her, and then she brushed her hair. “They say that the greatest irony of love is letting go when you need to hold on, and holding on when you need to let go. We lose someone we love only when we are destined to find someone else who can us even more than we can love ourselves...” Nadine looked up at her mom, and smiled. Whenever she is feeling sad, it was her mom that gives her words of wisdom. “I hope I could find that someone...” she told her mom. Her mom smiled at her, and nodded her head. “One day, you will find him, Nadine. One day...”

--

Ah Ren and Xue entered the restaurant that night. Xue promised him that she will treat him for dinner after he showed her around the office the other day. “Do you really have to, Xue? It would be ungentleman of me if I let you pay for our dinner tonight...” Ah Ren asked as he was reading through the menu. Xue smiled at him. “I don't mind at all, Ah Ren. Besides, you always pay for our dinner whenever we go out. Let's just say that this is your prize for being such a good friend.” she said. Ah Ren gave her a playful smile as he leaned on the table. “So, this means that I can order anything and everything I want for tonight?” he asked. Xue giggled as she nodded her head.

Ah Ren called the waiter, and began to tell him their orders. “I'll take a lam stake and chocolate truffle cake for dessert, and salmon stake and fruit bowl for the lady.” he said. He looked at Xue and winked at her. “Thank you for ordering my favorites, Ah Ren...” she said as soon as the waiter left. “Of course, I will order your favorite. You might not pay for my dinner if I didn't.” he said. Xue let out another giggle. “Anyway, thank you for the treat, Ms. Fang... or should I say Mrs. Yu?” he teased. “Aiyo, stop teasing me, Ah Ren. Besides, I'm not sure if he would like me. It seems like he doesn't want to get married yet... as I've heard from his interviews.” Xue said. “Even if he doesn't want to get married, he will one day. And it's you. You're lucky because the guy you really like turns out to be the one you're supposed to marry.” Ah Ren told her.

As soon as their food arrived, he tunred away from Xue, and stared into his plate. “I guess I am lucky. I liked Jiang Wei since college, and he never even took notice of me once. I'm scared that if his family meets my family and we talk about our marriage, he will be mad at me.” Xue said worriedly. “Nonsense. Judging by the way he looked at you that day you met, I can tell that he was smitten by you...” he said. He looked up at her, and smiled. “And besides, you're not that shy and nerdy Fang Li Xue who used to be the living wallpaper of Dong Han University, remember?” he said. Xue let out a smile at him. “I really hope he would like me. I will be the happiest girl if that happens.” she said.

Ah Ren let out a faint smile and turned his attention again to his food. “He will like you, don't worry.” he said softly. He could feel his own heart breaking because of Xue. God knows that he have been in love with her since that day they bumped into each other at the university. Back then, she was clumsy, shy and nerdy. That day, they became instant friends, and he is the only friend she had in the university. It's known to him that Xue have a huge crush with Jiang Wei that time. Jiang Wei was still a model back then, and was trying his luck with showbiz, and it's not surprising that Xue will fall for him. He envies Jiang Wei a lot, because without even trying, he got the heart of the only girl he loves. Somehow, he wished that he is in his shoes, so that Xue will love him too.

After their dinner, Ah Ren drove Xue home. “Well, here we are in your palace, Princess Xue. Thank you for a wonderful night.” he said. Xue smiled back at him. “Xie xie, Ah Ren ge.” she replied. Then, she took his hand, and held it tight. “Isn't it great? Who would have thought Yu Jiang Wei will be my future husband? I mean, I am in love with him since college...” she said dreamily. “You are a lucky girl, Xue.” Ah Ren said. Xue hugged his arm, and rested her head on his shoulder. “Ah Ren, thank you for always being there for me. Promise me that you will be the best man on our wedding all right?” she said. Ah Ren paused, and let out a fake smile at her. “I'd be honored to be your best man.” he said. With that, Xue smiled at him again, and reached up to him and kissed him on the cheek. “Wan an. Good night.” she said.

Ah Ren could only watch as Xue retreat into her home. He touched that part of his cheek that she kissed, wishing that it is not a friendly or a brotherly kiss. If only he had the courage to tell Xu how he feels for her...

Labels: original story, Paper Stars