Luz POV

I pick up Maria at the Fountain Garden at 7:00 in the evening, while we were walking on our way I look at the Young Lady, I can see the loneliness she is feeling inside. She is about to marry someone she doesn't even love. Even if I only work for their family she's been always good to me, She is my friend and like a sister and it makes me sad seeing her like this.

As we got nearer the house I feel worried for her "Your father is mad already faster" I told her because her father and their visitors had been waiting for her for for an hour now.

Upon entering I remove Senyorita Maria and she went directly to the dinning area, I can see from afar that all the eyes are on her as she enters the room.

Maria's father stand up and went in front of her "Maria where did you go?" with his high tone

"We've been waiting for you for a long time" her mother said dissapointedly as she stands up from her seat and face Maria

Gaston went beside Maria "The caretaker said you went to the church" he said with his dark eyes looking at Maria

"Why didn't you bring Luz with you?" her father again with now calmer voice

"Have you forgotten sweetheart? Today is the night for our pamamanhikan" Gaston said in low voice but still with fiery eyes

Maria look at the people sitting around the dinning table, everyone is looking at her in disappointment as if she did a very huge mistake.

Her father feeling the tension "Anyway lets eat. Our in laws may be hungry" he said with a smile as he go back to his sit to lessen the bad atmosphere

"Ah yeah"  Maria's mother seconded and turns her head to Maria "Ah Maria my daughter maybe you can get the soup" she then went to her sit with gaston and apologized for the delay of their agenda

While Maria walks her way to get the soup but as she turns around she saw Gaston looking at her full of Anger in his eyes.

All I can do is tap her shoulder as I look into her with mixed emotion of hurt, sadness and emptiness.

  * * * * * 

Maria POV

"Why did't you came" Ge-an words makes my blood boil

"What!!? You are the one who never came!" I said with a high tone 

"I am there, I went their early" she said with a calming voice

"I did not see you, I also went their early" I said as I recall the earlier event

FLASHBACK

I arrive at the Fountain Garden at exactly 5'o clock in the afternoon, I sit in a bench near the bridge looking in the lake with full of excitement and hapiness, I do not know know why but I'm really looking forward in seeing her.

I look at my watch it is almost 6'o clock, I can feel my heart beating louder and faster. I decided to walk around to look for that certain person.

I was passing by the bridge going to a bench when I saw a light from my behind and heard a footstep coming near me.

I can't help but smile as I turned around slowly "Ge-an..." As I fully saw whats behind me a while ago I frown due to my disappointment because its not the one I was expecting to come.

It was Luz, when she saw me she runs towards my direction "Senorita Maria" she said panting "You needed to come home, your Mother and Father are waiting for you for almost an hour now and I already lied. I told them i left you in the church. Let's go, we must hurry" Luz said worriedly

I turned my head left and right trying to to look around the area one more time to see anyone around us but there is no one. I look at my watch its 7:00 in the evening already.

"Lets go" Luz said and she grabs my wrist

I can't do anything but to follow it is late already, All I can do is make a deep sigh as we walk away from the garden.

"Maria!?" Ge-an said on the other line that makes me wake up from my thoughts

"Ah yes, what are you saying again?" I asked

"I waited for you in the Fountain Garden for 2 hours Maria" she said 

I take a deep breath to control my anger "Ge-an. Their is only one place called Fountain Garden in this area, and it is not that big for us not to see each other." I said while trying hard not to shout at her

"Well Maria I am not lying to you" I can hear her sincerity but what is she trying to say to me?

"What are you saying? I am the one lying to you?" I said as my eyebrow arch due to irritation

"No! No! No! Nooo" She said in a panicking voice which I find cute but No I am still mad because she stood me up

"I mean, may be we just missed each other or may be we waited in a wrong area" She explain calmly "Maria, tomorrow. lets meet again same time" with her persuading voice and it makes my heart melts

tears started to fill my eyes "Ge-an... 1 month from now and I will be getting married." I said as my tears started to fall.

- - - - -

Ge-an POV

"1 month from now and I will be getting married"  

"1 month from now and I will be getting married" 

"1 month from now and I will be getting married" 

"1 month from now and I will be getting married" 

"1 month from now and I will be getting married" 

"1 month from now and I will be getting married" 

This statement echo repeatedly in my mind for hours now, I feel my heart has been pressed very hard that I could still feel the heavy weight on it.

I have to see her, I have to save her. I know she doesn't want to marry that guy. It would burden her, It would hurt her and I don't want that.

"Tomorrow I must saw her..." I said it to my self until I finally fall as sleep

  * * * * * 

Marics POV

6'o clock I arrive in the Ancestral House Me and Ge-an will be going out today she invited me to have coffee with her, I smile with that thought...When I got in I saw a girl and introduce her name to be Anne. I asked her where Ge-an is then she accompanied me upstairs to meet Manang

"Granny, someone is looking for Mam Ge-an" Anne said as we reach the last step and saw the old woman

"Good evening, I am Marics Ge-an's friend"  I greeted her with a smile and she greeted me back with a shock face? I guess

but as she gain her composure she said "She left a little while ago, If you like you can wait for her here" with a welcoming face

"Sure, Thank you Manang" I said as i look around the hallway, Anne Excuse her self and went down

As I roam around my eyes caught a painting of a big house hanging on the wall "This house looks very familiar to me" but I can't recall where and when did I saw it.

Manang walks towards me with an amaze look in her face "Yes, you look familiar too. Are you from here?" she asked still her eyes fixed on me

"I'm not from here Manang, I live in Manila" I answered and she politely excuse her self to do some task.

I am already waiting for Ge-an for half an hour now and I am starting to get bored, I found myself walking towards the piano and started to play the song my grandmother thought me.

Forever and ever By Demis Roussos

You can play this Link while reading: https://youtu.be/_qwkmtPtwVs

after playing I turn my head towards the staircase and saw Manang comes towards me with a melancholic expression and she looks shaking a bit.

"Are you okay Manang?" I asked her worriedly

"Yes, I am fine. I just remembered somebody" she said

"Sorry if I used the piano" I said appologetically

"Its okay" she said and gave me a smile

"I am leaving now, looks like Ge-an forget we our going out tonight" I said feeling sulky, how can she stood me up. I sigh as I stand up from my sit and started to walk but before I could finish my first step Manang holds me in my right hand and said "Marics... please take good care of yourself" she said that gives me creep due to the way she says it, it like she wanted to tell me something with those words.

I leave the ancestral house and ride a taxi to go back at the hospital with a heavy feet, When I was I enter the room I saw my mother sitting in the couch. I immediately went beside her and rest my head on her shoulder.

At the Hospital

"Why is this happening Mom?" I sigh "When I first met Ge-an I can feel the connection between the two of us" I pause a little to control my self from crying "But now, lately this past days I was just in front of her but she doesn't see me" I said as I feel the heat coming to my eyes

"Are you starting to fall in love with her?" I turn my head and look at her with "continue look"

she smiles and continue "You know, your grandma tells me before that Love is so magical it is not the heart who will tell us who to love but our destiny" she said and hugs me 

 * * * * *

Same time 6'o clock

NO POV

Maria left there house sneakily but little did she knows that there is a set of eyes that is looking at her.

She went to the Fountain Garden with a lamp in her hands, She waited again in the bench near the bridge thinking about the person she's been wanting to see, What would she looks like she asked her self and started to draw in the floor with a stick in her hand and a smile.

After an hour she decided to  walk around for another hour she's lossing her hope now and its making her very sad thinking that she never came again.

She looks at her watch and it tells her 8:30pm, "Its late already" she said to herself and decided to go home, after taking 3 steps an idea comes into her mind. She went to the tree near the bridge and bench and started to carve something using her pin.

After finishing she turns around and shock to see someone standing behind her.

Someone she doesn't expect to see.

It was Gaston with a very Fiery eyes and a very dangerous Aura

He is looking into Maria "May I know who are you going to meet in here?" he asked with a control tone but anger can be seen in his eyes

"No one" Maria answered calmly but uninterested

Gaston jaw is moving  "What are you doing here?" He asked with a louder voice

she shrug "Nothing, I am just strolling around" and she turns his back to him but Gaston with his right hand, he holds Maria's left arm tightly and make her face him as he asked "In this late night?" with his harsh grating voice

"Senyorita" they turn their head toeard the voice and saw Luz runs towards their direction but before Luz can come beside Maria, Gaston holds her hair and pull her towards his left side.

"You do not interfere in here!" Gaston said with his high tone while Luz hold her hair that is being pulled

"Gaston, let her go" Maria said with authorization voice thinking she should not be weak in front of this man, she can see that Luz is hurting by the tweak that Gaston is making

Gaston turns his head to Maria "You two have secret" the he turn again to Luz "Your accomplice" he said holding her head tighter that makes Luz squel

"Gaston i said let her go!" Maria raises her voice "Do not involve her with this" she said firmly

Gaston let Luz go and push her away that makes her stumble towards the floor and gave the due a Glare full of Anger and can make you feel being killed.

The two went their way back to home feeling scared leaving Gaston behind.  

* * * * *  

On the other while

When I arrive home I saw Manang sitting in a Rocking chair in the veranda "Manang it is late already, while your still up?" I asked with a little smile trying to cover the sadness and the little disappointment i am feeling right now because of what happened awhile ago.

"I just needed some fresh Air, and you! why you look like that?" Manang asked me worriedly as she place her right hand to my left shoulder

I needed to lie "Nothing, I'm just tired" I said and look away from her because I'm not used to lying nor hiding

I saw Manang Nod in my peripheral view "Anyway" She said that makes me turn my head back to her "Ge-an someone came here, she is looking for you and waited for an hour she said her name is Marics"

"" I said to my self , I bit my lower lips as the guilt swallow my body after hearing that. I wasted her time, and make her wait for nothing.

"Okay" the only words that my mouth can say

Manang taps me on my shoulder "I will be sleeping now" I nod at her and went to my room.

- - - - - 

After a while I found myself walking my way to the Fountain Garden, I look at my watch it is almost 11 in the evening but I needed to go, I needed to be sure if the place that I waited is the same Maria waited for me.

Flashback

I was lying in my bed when i pick up the phone...

. . .

"Maria, I came and you stood me up again. Stop fooling around please." I said with all the emotions that I am feeling, I feel very sad and at the same time very disappointed to her because of what she did to me for the second time, I waited for her for 3 hours for nothing and to make it worst I also made someone wait for me for nothing.

"I came Ge-an. I promise you I really did came to our meeting place" Maria said to me firmly

"I was there, I carve my name on a tree near the bridge"

----

So thats it after hearing her last statement I immediately went my way here, I am walking now in the bridge with my flashlight. My heart is beating faster as I went near the tree that I assume Maria is talking about. I point my flashlight and checked every each of the tree as I made my way to the other side my heart seems to stop.

"No this cannot be" I said to my self

I saw the carving... It is clear and readable...

The carving says...

Author's Note: I promise you guys I will finish this ASAP! Sorry for the delay, may be I will make this short and make a new one :)