Strings of Fate

Chapter 58

“Rhyler…” My voice cracked a little.

“Can I?” he asked, motioning to put it on me.

I nodded, still speechless.

He gently fastened the clasp behind my neck, his fingers brushing my skin. Nang matapos siya, he kissed the side of my head lightly, almost reverent.

I turned to him. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

“Then I’m doing this right,” he said, grinning a little. “Pero ‘wag mo na ‘kong asarin after nito ha.”

“Tsss. No promises.”

We both laughed, and after that, tahimik lang kami for a while. Holding hands. Watching the view. The city lights blinked below us, parang mga bituin na napalapit lang.

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Tahimik na ‘yung gabi. ‘Yung klase ng katahimikan na hindi nakakailang, kundi nakakagaan. I could hear the gentle rustle ng mga dahon sa paligid, halo sa soft instrumental music playing faintly in the background. Ilang metro lang ang layo namin sa edge ng hill, at mula rito, kita ang city lights—parang kumikislap na bituin sa lupa.

Nakahawak ako sa necklace na binigay ni Rhyler, habang nakatitig sa kanya.

He was just… looking at me. Hindi ‘yung nakatitig lang for the sake of it—he looked at me like I was something fragile and precious. Para bang kahit konting galaw, puwedeng mawala ‘yung buong moment na ‘to.

He reached for my hand. Malamig ‘yung kamay ko—nervous ako, oo—but his was warm, steady, grounding.

"Love," he said, voice low and soft, parang breeze lang. "Okay ka lang?"

I nodded, trying to find my voice. "Okay ako. Parang… sobra pa nga."

He smiled, that slow, boyish smile na lagi kong inaabangan. "Tingin mo ba, makakarating tayo rito?"

“Honestly?” I laughed a little. “No. Akala ko noon, you were just this mysterious, intimidating guy na puro top 1 and luxury pen. Tapos bigla mo na lang akong pinakialaman.”

He chuckled. “Pinakialaman talaga?”

“Well… look at us now.”

Napatingin siya saglit sa city lights, then bumalik ‘yung tingin sa akin. Mas seryoso na this time. “You changed a lot for me, Eli. Not just sa daily habits mo or sa priorities. Parang… you softened in places na hindi ko alam na guarded pala.”

My chest tightened. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa words niya, or dahil sa anticipation ng something I already knew was coming.

“I never thought I’d let someone in,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “Pero ikaw, pumasok ka lang ng kusa. Parang hindi na ako natakot.”

Rhyler gently tugged my hand, pulling me a little closer. Nakatayo pa rin kami near the edge, halos magkatapat na ang katawan namin. The air between us thinned.

He cupped the side of my face, his touch feather-light. “Alam mong hindi kita minamadali, ‘di ba?”

Tumango ako. “Alam ko.”

“Pero…” he whispered, inching closer, “gusto kitang halikan.”

My heart slammed in my chest. Literal na para akong binuhusan ng mainit at malamig na tubig sa loob ng sabay.

And instead of answering with words, I closed the gap between us.

The kiss was soft. Parang test muna, isang dulo ng damdamin na sinubukang i-explore. Lips brushing gently, like a question. Then his hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me just a bit closer.