A/N: First story ever. Kindly share your thoughts?
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. But Glaiza De Castro and Rhian Ramos own my heart. Hati sila ;)
"Who is that?" Althea Guevarra nudged her best friend Batchi, a fascinated look briefly crossing her beautiful features.
It was the night two days before the wedding between the future Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Tanchingco. Pearl, a doctor at the hospital Athea's father was confined in had asked her to coordinate her wedding with the scion of a wealthy Chinese-Filipino family. From top to bottom, the dark haired Guevarra had organized the upcoming event. The entirety of it; including the wedding dinner rehearsal. Suffice to say, she knew every important member of the said family.
So it's no wonder Althea was confused when a young woman, who was about her age, was elegantly gliding through the normally uptight Tanchingco clan. Yes, gliding. There was no other word that could describe the way the mystery woman was gracefully playing up the crowd. She could run Grace Kelly for her money, the femme dazedly thought. Never mind the fact that she was dolled up to the nines, yet still giving an innocent and casual aura around her.
"Hm?" Batchi Luna looked up from the seating arrangement she was working with and noticed the newcomer. "Oh, her." A sly smirk played along the man-trapped-in-a-woman's-body, or so Batchi kept insisting, and touched the frame of her glasses.
"Yes, her. And don't get any ideas." Althea hissed under her breath. It took her more than a moment to finally take her gaze off of the woman now enveloped in John Tanchingco's arms. Huh. A relative, perhaps? The wedding coordinator busied herself with a
"Heh." Batchi's smirk widened, dragging the suspense. A particular sharp look was her reward from Althea and then the butch shrugged. "She's Jade Tanchingco. Took a vacation, or so Mrs. Amanda told me." The short haired lesbian even pointed the name on the seating chart in her hand with the tip of her ballpen; just across from the name Paul Tanchingco. "Wait, is it just me or is your gaydar pinging like crazy whenever you see that Paul guy? I swear he's gay."
"Batchi, you think everyone's gay." Althea deadpanned before leaving her highly amused friend to do her job― fulfilling everyone's fairytale but hers.
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Jade Dionisio Tanchingco felt eyes on her the moment she stepped into the function hall. That was nothing unusual. Her mom seemed set to have her on the spotlight, even as a babe. Still, there was something peculiar in the air. Maybe it's because of the wedding. Epic was the right word for it, if she wasn't mistaken. Something monumental was bound to happen tonight, she was sure of it. With a background like hers, raised where fortune and Fate ran rampant in their culture, Jade firmly believed in her guts.
Mocha eyes briefly caught sight of dark hues before the woman who owned them walked away.
"Jade, hija!" A frantic voice called out to her, pulling her away from her Angkong's arms and was met by a regal looking woman. Clearly, Ama had aged well. But from what Amanda had hurriedly whispered in her ear earlier, the grandmother she had idolized since childhood had suffered from the terrible fate of Alzheimer's. Now knowing that her Ama recognized her, Jade smoothly stepped away from the Tanchingco's patriarch and engulfed the vulnerable Cecilia in a fierce embrace.
"Ama," Jade whispered mainly to herself.
"Jade." Cecilia repeated, fragile hands cupped Jade's face. "Rescue me. Help me, my apo. I do not know these people.
"Oh, Ama." The family's unica hija lamented. "They are your family, just like I am."
"No no no. I don't know them. And he's smelly." The older woman pointed quite bluntly at John, to which he only smiled at his wife lovingly and indulgently. Through the years, Jade noticed that despite their arranged marriage, the patriarch truly loved her Ama. A help quickly ushered Cecila from the newly arrived young woman.
A discreet look around, perhaps to get a glimpse of the woman she had seen earlier, and was met by Paul's cold eyes. Her shoulders slumped almost unnoticeably.
He still hated her.
Tears prickeled at the corner of her eyes and Jade tried to fight them away. Her saviour from an emotional breakdown came in the form of her long-time boyfriend.
David.
An affectionate smile was automatically plastered on her gentle features. David was her male best friend, even when they were in their nappies. She welcomed his hug; though for some reason, her frame was coiled in tension.
Wrong. David's arms felt wrong around her.
Jade blinked in confusion and before she could muse on it any further, a melodic voice came from behind them.
"Pearl," the voice called out to her soon-to-be sister-in-law.
Breath didn't seem to come naturally as it did moment's ago when she finally got what she secretly wished earlier. The woman from before was casually chatting with Pearl and for the first time in her entire life, she felt an emotion she only heard in passing:
Envy.
Jade wanted to have that easy smile directed at her. Those dark eyes fixated on her, as if this Althea girl would listen to each and every word she'd say. The strange woman was attentive enough to Pearl.
She's probably a great.. friend. Jade thought.
"Jade!"
It was David.
She turned her attention back to her boyfriend, missing a pair of inquisitive eyes on her.
"Yes, David?" Jade asked almost defensively. She didn't know why; she didn't do anything wrong.
Right?
David smiled at her, though concern was palpable in his handsome face. "I was just asking how your trip was? You barely called these past couple of weeks. Of course it could also be my fault, I was.."
Jade felt herself slipping away from the conversation, nodding almost mechanically to whatever David was saying as he guided her towards their seats. Good ol' David, always asking how she was and every inane things.
Not inane. He's your boyfriend. She berated herself, settling down across from Paul.
Paul who still hated her.
Jade fought an internal battle to hang her head in shame and continue sneaking glances at Althea.
Three guesses which won.
"...Oh, you've noticed Althea. Quite the looker, right? Such a shame."
David's words jolted her out of her reverie, and she also could feel her brother's smirk aimed at her. Jade jutted her chin, as if defying Paul's thoughts. Whatever they were.
"Shame? And why is she here anyways?" She asked, careful not to sound eager for her boyfriend's´answer. Why would she be eager, anyway? She was just curious as to why a stranger was comfortably weaving from a family member to one another, like they were all well-acquainted with her.
Well, everyone except me.
Jade found herself wanting to pout but withheld her childish action to listen to David. In turn, he leaned in almost giddily to whisper close to her ear― such act used to send shivers down her spine. Ten years ago. "She's a lesbian. Insanely hot, right?" Jade's subconscious self couldn't help but agree with him. What, it's not like she didn't know how to appreciate a woman's beauty. Nothing wrong with that, right?
….
"And she's the wedding coordinator. Good friend of Pearl."
Of course. Jade was closed to palming her face in exasperation. She knew most of her family's friends. So of course this Althea was a wedding coordinator. An amused smile and a shake of her head was her answer to David then steadfastly avoiding to look at Althea and her brother
Dinner was about to start anyway.
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"Stop looking at her! Geez, you look like a cat in heat. Wait, you aren't right?" Batchi stopped in her tracks, looking at Althea like she had grown another head. "I mean, wedding coordinator and the bridesmaid? Talk about a trope."
"She's the bridesmaid?" were the only words that left Althea's lips. She picked up a lipstick from the marbled floor and absentmindedly tucked it into her bag. If the owner came looking for it, she'd give it back. Doubtful but still. Their crew were just about done packing and had call it a night. The guests left the vicinity as well, and the young woman called Jade was retreating with her family.
"Yes." Batchi sighed exasperatedly and heaved her backpack, impatiently waiting for her friend. "C'mon, let's go. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner you'll see her again."
"You know what," Althea paused momentarily, eying the piano the orchestra the Tanchingco clan had hired brought, then turned back to Batchi. "Why don't you go ahead. I need to.. check on something first."
The butch rolled her eyes. "Here you go again and your music. Fine. Take care, and don't stay up too late at the hospital, alright?" She chided Althea before walking away with a lazy wave at the short haired woman.
When Althea was sure Batchi was out of hearing range, she grabbed her bag from the table and headed to the instrument. A giddy feeling washed over her being, and suddenly her mind was filled with thoughts of the heiress who caught her eye. From the moment Jade Tanchingco entered the function hall, her heart seemed to beat in another rhythm. Althea was a romantic at heart― hopelessly and helplessly so, if Batchi had any say about it. She believed in soul mates and the grand schemes of Fate.
Seeing Jade, she knew Fate had laid a hand for her tonight.
Carefully sitting on the piano bench and reverently running the tip of her fingers on the engraved Baldwin, she smiled softly to herself. Words started to pour out of her lips and her digits automatically caught up to play a melody that went well with them.
Let me sleep even just for tonight
'Cause I can't keep you from wanderin' 'round my mind
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Jade felt like there's something missing. She stopped in her tracks and checked her purse, ignoring David's confused look, and found her favourite lipstick was gone. "David, would you mind if you go ahead? I brought a car with me anyway. Go on, I'm sure your mom's fretting; it's late." It took little convincing for her boyfriend to go before she hurried back to the hall.
It was empty.
Or she thought it was empty, when an angelic voice rang throughout the room. For the nth time that night, she found her breath knocked out of her lungs. Only one person had evoked this reaction from her. She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and cautiously approached the slender figure by the piano.
Only a couple of steps away.
Longing. Jade longed to be closer to her.
How could I possibly go on
When all I have in my mind's together we belong
I stopped believin' til you came along
Her eyes shut as she let Althea's voice wash over her. Take her to the tides and sweep her away from everything. From Paul's hatred. From her family's pedestal. From David.
David.
Her boyfriend.
Jade was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the music stop. Her hands were curled into tiny fists, wanting to anchor herself to reality. When she opened her eyes, Jade found a pair of piercing dark eyes boring through her soul.
She swallowed nervously.
"Can I help you?"