It might have been as week since that party had happened. The news about Ace’s and Czarina’s engagement spread like wildfire. There was a press conference the morning after that night to issue an official statement about what happened. It wasn’t to deny the whole thing but to answer the questions of the press about the engagement. The whole week they were busy about that, Zwei and Czarina haven’t talked since because of how busy it was for people.

Czarina held her palms onto her face as the last press conference ended. Ace looked at her with guilt. “I’m sorry” she murmured and so Czarina brought her head up.

“What?” she asked since she didn’t hear what Ace said.

“I said I’m sorry” she said again but Czarina smiled at her gently.

“Hey, it’s okay Ace. You just did it to help me” she assured her.

“But still..” Ace trailed.

“We’ve known Shaun since we were in high school. We know how unpredictable he could get” Czarina said further.

Ace looked at her, “But we could’ve denied everything?” she asked.

Czarina hummed, “Like I said, Shaun can be so unpredictable. He’s got guts to do whatever he wants just to get what he wants. He doesn’t like you, If we were to deny what you just announced that night. He might use it against you.” She claimed making Ace guilty of what she’s feeling right now.

She pities herself for thinking that Czarina actually picked her, that Czarina was going to marry her at the end of the year. But now that she had heard Czarina’s side that she did that because it was for her own sake. She contained the bitter smile that was about to come out of her lips and looked at Czarina looking down at her phone looking like she’s hoping something to come.

“Are you waiting for something?” Ace then asked but Czarina was in a trance that she might not have heard Ace ask her a question. “Czar?” Ace called for her again.

Czarina then looked at her, “Huh?”

Ace then pointed her phone, “I was asking if you were waiting for something” she said.

Czarina then looked at her phone, “Oh..” she trailed and looked at Ace like she’s feeling guilty. “Zwei” she murmured and Ace stared at her making the empty feel emptier than it was originally.

Ace looked elsewhere and cleared using that imaginary courage she have to ask the question she’s not ready to know the answer to but before she could even say a word Czarina beat her to it. “We are dating. Zwei and I” she said looking at her in the eye making it more hurtful than how it should have been. The fact that Czarina could tell her that one statement head on without blinking an eye means they weren’t meaning to hide it.

“Oh” was the only word she could say.

“I’m sorry” said Czarina. Now it was her turn to say sorry.

And now it’s Ace’s to say, “it’s okay” and sadly smiled at her. “Seems like I’m already late” she added. Czarina just kept mum. Sometimes silence is better than spouting phrases that the other person doesn’t even need. “But thank you for telling me” she added, and Czarina nodded her head and smiled at her.

And as if the world was helping Ace handle the situation, her phone rang saving her from the atmosphere any of them can fix at the moment. She laughed at herself inwardly, she never could have imagined she’d love working more as much as she does already just to escape something. She then raised her phone and waived it, “seems like I have to go, Czar” she said, thanking what happened in her mind to skip the part where she has to lie about having something to do. Again, Czarina nodded her head. But before she left, she said “I’ll look for something that can’t us away from this, don’t worry” and kissed Czarina’s forehead like usual. She then tapped Czarina’s head before leaving the room. Czarina just sadly looked at her bestfriend’s slowly diminishing figure.

She looked down again at her phone showing Zwei’s smiley face she shot secretly. “So much for I don’t want to hurt my bestfriend” she murmured to herself.

But then again, she got to have a grip since there’s not only one thing she has to think about at the moment. Sometimes, it’s right to put some problems at the back of your head. Not the best solution but then again, It works. Czarina then stood up and put her phone inside her purse and went her way.

Her dad told her not to be present at work since there might be hungry reporters outside their company so what she did was go at the usual café she and Zwei would be at meaning the one near the Aragon’s. She wasn’t sure if it was a good choice at first since there maybe reporters near there but the area was clean and like the usual. Czarina huffed and said, “nothing new, just the Aragon’s having a powerful background”

The cashier smiled at her when she saw her and so Czarina smiled back. “The usual miss?” the one at the cashier asked. Czarina smiled and nodded. She then paid for it before going at their usual table. She was used to this, going alone at this café but then it feels a lot different than how she feels about it usually. This was her usual hangout for years already but Zwei’s influence just had to change everything else. Zwei being around when she least expects, Zwei’s unusual traits that she adores and Zwei’s rare eye smiles she loves. Her thoughts were then brought back to reality when her order arrived.  She played her drink the once in front of her and wasn’t showing intentions at drinking it.

“I thought I saw wrong but guess who’s playing with her drink. Isn’t this the person who caught my bestfriend’s heart?” she heard someone say and so she turned around and saw Riley showing her cheeky smile at her.

“Riley” said Czarina.

Riley waived her hand, “May I sit?” she asked and Czarina nodded.

Riley then clicked her tongue, “So how are you?” she asked but before Czarina can even open to answer Riley already said, “and before you could lie and say you’re fine. I already know you’re not. I just asked that for us to have a topic” she said that Czarina caught off guard that she has started to chuckle afterwards.  

Riley hummed, “Zwei would love to see that right now” Riley blurted out that made Czarina look at her. “The bestfriend is busy right now since all of Ace’s were passed to her by her dad. If it wasn’t for Ace she would’ve gotten mad at their Dad again.” She immediately said since she knows Zwei haven’t had any contact with Czarina just yet.

Czarina sighed and played with her phone. “I didn’t have the courage to contact her since that night” she said.

Riley then chuckled, “You fit right exactly with Zwei. She’s good at understanding people without them having to say anything. Zwei’s understands you Czarina and I think a simple text from you could do a lot for her” Riley then said.

Czarina then looked at Riley, “How are you so sure” she then asked.

Riley smiled at her, “Let’s just say, I can read Zwei well than anyone could” she said, “I also have a good nose, that’s how I found out something was fishy between the two of you” she said then smiled wildly as if she was a little kid happy about finding out about it.

“She didn’t tell you?” Now, Czarina’s just curious.

Riley snickered, “It’s only because she knew that I already knew. She was just waiting for me to talk since she wouldn’t. That girl values her privacy and obviously your privacy too. That principle is for everyone else”

“Even with you? Her bestfriend?” Czarina asked.

Riley nodded, “Even me, her bestfriend” she said again

“Aren’t you a bit sad about that?” she asked again.

Riley pouted, “Of course not. I understand her and yeah she values her privacy but she’s honest. All I have to do is ask and since I’m shameless I ask everything I want to” Czarina chuckled at how proud Riley was at calling herself shameless.

Czarina then bit her lips, “Now I’m just wishing I’ve met her earlier than I did” she said her intentions not literally but more on about them meeting like this earlier than now.  

“You did though, you met her much earlier than I did” Riley blurted out.

“huh?” Czarina blurted out confused.

But Riley wanted to remain mysterious so she didn’t say anything further. “Although I’m kind of curious about what’ll happen from now on, I’ll keep my mouth shut and not ask any further questions” Riley really has the mouth of someone from the entertainment industry that you just want to listen until she does stop talking.

Now Czarina’s just watching Riley stretch as if she’s getting ready onto doing something. “Cha, I have all the time in the world so let me quench that Zwei deprived feeling of yours” she then said and started to tell stories again like before.

…

Riley kept Czarina company for the whole afternoon just telling stories and whatnots about Zwei. It was actually Zwei’s favor since she doesn’t have the time to accompany Czarina at the moment since she’s out of town. Riley agreed immediately to the favor she had asked and just told Riley where she might see Czarina and Riley just was amused at the fact that even if they weren’t talking to each other Zwei knew where Czarina would be at the moment.

“How sure are you she’d even be there?” Riley asked though the phone call.

She then heard Zwei chuckle. Riley raised her brow for the fact that she’s still not used Zwei express happiness. She then heard Zwei hum, “I’m just taking my chances but I’m sure she’s there. If she’s not then I’ll give you whatever you want” she said taunting.

Riley clicked her tongue, “Heh, I wouldn’t even expect when you’re that confident” she said then she heard Zwei chuckle again.

She was about to point out Zwei’s unusual happiness but then she heard something about meeting and such from a voice away from the phone. “Hey, I have to go. Take care!” Zwei then ended the phone call.

 “Riley!” Czarina called for the nth time. She was busy thinking she didn’t notice.

Riley cleared , “Sorry, I was busy daydreaming” then grinned at Czarina who chuckled and since she just had thought of Zwei’s chuckles she had to point out Czarina’s by saying, “You look real happy” she blurted out that Czarina had to stare at her for a moment until a smile broke out from her lips.

“Because I am” and stared at her phone’s lock screen that Riley got to see too when she followed Czarina’s sight. Riley had to stare at the photo for a long time too. It’s not the usual Zwei she knows that she had to stare at it. “Do you want me to send you this photo?” Czarina then said as she noticed Riley’s long stare at it.

Riley raised her eyes back to Czarina when she heard her talk. Riley blinked and now she looks like she’s about to cry or something. “Is that even real?” she had asked.

Czarina surely was amused by Riley’s reaction from the photo but surely people would pay a lot just to see Zwei Uriel Aragon with that level of facial expression. Zwei’s known at someone who’d have the same ones even if she’d felt a lot of emotions inside since it was Zwei’s intention for everyone not to see any of it. She smiled at Riley, “It is”

Riley looking teary eyed then that she had to wipe her eyes for them not to flow. “Sorry. It’s just that I haven’t seen her like that” she said and now she’s laughing looking like a weirdo.

Now, Czarina’s just looking at Riley with heartwarming feelings. “I’d kill to have someone like you in my life” she muttered.

Riley stopped wiping her eyes and looked at Czarina again. “What? Do both of you intend to make me cry when I don’t usually or something?” pouting the way out of the situation.

Czarina then realized something. Riley’s different from any of the other people around Zwei and that’s the reason why’d she’d kept Riley for a friend. Not that Zwei has any other friends besides Riley. “I’m just saying, Riley”

Riley breathed from since her nose is clogged at the moment, “I’m just doing my best to keep up with her. That girl’s not some usual person you meet on the streets or something. Others might say why do I have a girl like her as my bestfriend but Nah, she’s my bestfriend and she’s my greatest trophy…” Riley stopped and grimaced, “Am I even making sense?” she blurted out.  

Czarina smiled and nodded, “Again, I’d kill to have someone like you in my life”

“Ace would get jealous if she hears that” Riley said.

Now Czarina sadly smiled, “She sure will” and that faint wistful eyes didn’t escape Riley’s eyes.

“I don’t know Ace that well, but there’s a common trait between the twins” Riley smiled, “They don’t just let go just because. The people in their life stayed long just because they intended them to have them stay long and I think you know what I’m talking about”

Czarina does know that, but it’s normal for people to feel things. She feels those things because it’s what her thoughts making her feel. It’s a humanly function that makes someone human. This is just how we humans are.

Riley stretched her arms “Should we just be bestfriends and leave those twins?” Riley winked while joking to brighten the atmosphere and she was successful since she just saw Czarina’s lips lift.

“Thank you, Riley” she said while smiling.

Riley smiled back, “I got you girl” and winked.

…

Riley then had to leave for a meeting and so they bid their goodbyes. Czarina stayed for a little bit longer before leaving to another place and to hangout for a bit before heading home arguably later of the evening.

Czarina was kind of tired that she yawned after she got outside her car. She’s too tired that she just left it in front of their house. Her yawn was midway cut because a certain figure caught her attention.

“Hi” She spoke.

With that just one simple word, Czarina went running to her. That person had her arms stretched ready to catch her. Czarina then jumped into her and hugged her tightly gripping Zwei’s hoodie as if she’s going to leave. Zwei smiled to herself and hugged her back just as much.

“I missed you baby” and as if on cue. Czarina’s held back tears flowed from her eyes like those were the magic words.

Hello hello!

Peace!