"MARIUS AND LENA’S FRIENDSHIP"

"Wow," was all Calum could say, his eyes wide with surprise and his voice barely above a whisper, the word hanging in the air between them.

Lena nodded and gave a sweet, but wistful, smile. Deep inside, she felt the familiar ache of missing Marius gnawing at her heart. She knew it for sure now. In the past, her mind had been preoccupied with the singular intimate moment they had shared, a moment that had burned itself into her memory. But now, she realized that it was their deep and beautiful friendship she truly longed for, the connection that had been the bedrock of her happiness. That was the root of her frequent bouts of sadness. Perhaps it was too late for her to come to this realization. Honestly, she wouldn't have reached this epiphany if it weren't for what Calum did. If it weren't for this conversation.

"But he's gone," Lena confessed sadly, her voice tinged with melancholy as she turned to look at Calum. Her eyes, usually so vibrant, now seemed dull and distant, reflecting the depth of her sorrow.

She saw Calum's eyebrows knit together in confusion, his expression a mix of concern and bewilderment. "You mean, dead? Your best friend is dead?" he asked, his tone seeking clarification as if he couldn't quite grasp her meaning, the words coming out slowly, tentatively.

Lena shook her head repeatedly, then drew in a deep breath and let out a long, weary sigh that seemed to come from the depths of her soul.

No matter how many times she sighed, she knew she couldn't bring everything back. The past couldn't be repeated. Her happy youth, spent with the first boy who had shown her genuine care and affection, was gone forever. The laughter they shared, the secrets they whispered under the stars, the countless moments of pure, unadulterated joy—they were all memories now, fading with each passing day.

"No, the truth is, I ruined our friendship," she admitted bitterly, her voice cracking with emotion as she released another heavy sigh that seemed to carry the weight of her regret. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her heart aching with the pain of lost opportunities and the realization of her mistakes.

"What do you mean?" Calum asked, leaning in, his curiosity piqued and concern evident in his eyes. He reached out, gently placing a hand on her arm, offering silent support.

*****

“Is she beautiful?” Lena asked, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and a pang of something deeper, as Marius finished telling her about the girl he liked.

“Yes, she’s incredibly beautiful, and I really, really like her. I just hope she notices me. You know how it is with your best friend in Manila—always a bit of a player,” Marius said, laughing lightly, unaware of the turmoil his words stirred in Lena.

“That’s why you don’t see the things you should have seen a long time ago,” Lena blurted out, unable to hold back her frustration any longer.

Both Lena and Marius were heading into their senior year of high school. After graduating from elementary school, Marius had continued his studies in Manila, which was why they had grown apart. He only returned to the province during summer vacation, staying for just a month since the break was only two months long. The remaining month he spent preparing for the upcoming school year in Manila.

“There you go with your lectures again, Lena. What’s wrong with you? I’m sure Lana is the girl I want to marry. The only problem is she sees me as just a friend,” Marius explained, his tone a mix of exasperation and sincerity.

Lena sighed heavily. “That’s karma for you,” she said, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice.

Marius, who had been lying on the grass, sat up abruptly and faced her, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “What karma?” he asked, his tone demanding an explanation, his frustration evident.

BECAUSE YOU'RE INSENSITIVE! YOU DON’T SEE THAT I’VE LOVED YOU FOR A LONG TIME! YOU ONLY SEE ME AS A FRIEND! NOW YOU’RE JUST GETTING BACK WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING!

That was what Lena wanted to say to Marius, but she held back, worried that he might get angry. Besides, she wasn't ready to confess her true feelings for him yet.

"You love making girls cry. That’s why all the bad things you do are coming back to you!" she said instead.

Well, it was true. As Marius’s best friend, he often told her about the girls he played with and made cry. Many times, she had been mistaken for his girlfriend and had even been the cause of some of his breakups.

Yes, whenever Marius came back to the province, he had a summer romance. And most of his victims were not locals but vacationers from Manila.

“Oh, is it wrong to give them what they want? I’m just being generous with their desires,” he said, winking at her suggestively.

Lena understood what Marius meant by that. She also knew that her friend had plenty of experience with sex, as his girlfriends themselves had told her.

“You’re such a jerk! You’re not even embarrassed to talk about your flings with me!” she said, feeling a twinge of irritation. Or perhaps, it was more accurate to say it was jealousy, which she couldn’t express because it would seem out of place.

*****

"Meaning to say, you fell in love with your best friend?" Calum asked, his voice laced with curiosity and concern, as he pieced together more of Lena's story with Marius.

Lena responded with a slow nod, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, but Marius and I never became a couple. His attention was completely captivated by Lana Montes," she admitted, her tone tinged with a hint of resignation.

"Lana Montes, the actress married to Andrew Scott? The reason he decided to quit show business and focus on his business and family?" Calum probed, seeking clarity.

Again, Lena nodded, her gaze distant for a moment. "But she wasn't the true rival. Eventually, another girl entered the picture, stirring up feelings of intense jealousy," she confessed softly.

The weight of unspoken emotions hung in the air, their conversation weaving through past regrets and unresolved feelings, each word revealing layers of longing and missed opportunities.

*****

"Are you losing your mind, Marius? Why can't you accept that you and Lana aren't meant for each other?" Lena's words carried a tone of heartbreaking frustration as they echoed through the video call.

"No, Lena, I'll never accept that. You know how much I love Lana, don't you? I've been there for her since she was a child. Where was Andrew during all those years? Off in the spotlight, living it up with other women. And now suddenly, he wants to take everything from me? Take Lana and Andrea away from me?" Marius's voice rose in anger and disbelief, his emotions palpable.

As Lena listened, she couldn't help but feel the weight of her unspoken love for Marius. She was always there for him, offering advice and comfort, yet he never saw her as anything more than a friend. Even now, when her heart yearned for him to see her true feelings, she remained unseen.

It hurt her deeply. She wished Marius could see her as a woman deserving of love, not just a confidante in times of trouble. Now, with Andrew Scott's return stirring up old feelings, Lena found herself silently hoping that one day, Marius would notice her true worth and the beauty that attracted so many others.

But unable to confess her feelings, Lena kept her painful secrets to herself. She couldn't tell Marius about Celso, the boy from her past who had harassed her since elementary school. He was the first to make her feel vulnerable, yet she remained silent, burying her emotions beneath a facade of friendship and support.

As she sighed quietly, Lena wondered if Marius would ever understand the depth of her feelings or if she would forever be destined to watch him chase after others, oblivious to the love she silently held in her heart.

*****

"Seriously?" Calum's voice betrayed disbelief as he leaned forward slightly, his brow furrowing with confusion at Lena's revelation.

Turning to face him fully, Lena could see the disbelief etched on his features, mingled with a hint of concern.

"Are you surprised?" she asked, her tone tinged with a dry, bitter chuckle.

"Why wouldn't I be? Isn't he your childhood enemy?" Calum replied, his words laced with curiosity.

Lena nodded slowly, her expression solemn. "I was devastated back then. It was my college graduation, and Marius didn't show up, so I drowned my sorrows in alcohol. Celso was my drinking companion that night. And then, in my drunken state, things happened that should never have happened," she confessed, her voice trailing off with regret, as if she wished she could undo the past.

It was all true. If only she could turn back time, especially when it came to her and Marius' friendship, she would protect it from any harm. She would settle for whatever he could offer, even if it meant he no longer loved her. What mattered was preserving their friendship, being there for each other as they aged.

"But how does that tie into the girl you mentioned being jealous of? From what I gathered from your story, it wasn't Lana, was it?" Calum asked, seeking clarification.

"You're right, it wasn't Lana. It was Samantha Scott," Lena confirmed, her voice catching slightly as she spoke the name that had stirred up the familiar pang of jealousy within her.

As Lena mentioned Samantha Scott, she felt a pang in her chest. It was a name that had sparked jealousy

*****

"Becoming crazy, Marius? Don't you realize the danger you might put yourself in?" she asked him once again during their video call.

"I'm not thinking like that. All I want is to get back at the guy who took away my reason to live. You know how much I love Lana and Andrea, right? And now he just shows up to take away the two people I cared for when he wasn't around?"

Marius's voice carried deep resentment, and Lena understood. She couldn't fathom why, in an instant, her jealousy over Lana seemed to vanish like a bubble in her heart.

Perhaps it was because she knew deep down that Lana never reciprocated Marius's feelings. Among all the girls Marius had liked, Lana seemed out of reach. Secretly, Lena was thankful for that.

For reasons unknown, Lena wanted Marius to learn to appreciate women. To understand that girls like her weren't just toys he could discard when he got tired of them.

She was grateful that Lana came into his life. Lana seemed to be the right match for Marius.

"All this hurts you because it's the first time you haven't gotten the girl you wanted, Marius. I wish you were always the one being chased. No matter how beautiful a girl is, when it comes to you, they seem to just become ordinary. Maybe that's why you found your match," she said, unable to suppress a faint laugh.

"Is that so?" Marius chuckled back. "Are you really my best friend? Why do you seem so happy seeing me hurt?"

"Please don't take it the wrong way. The truth is, Marius, you've had your fair share too. You know, I really hope someday you experience true love. So you'll understand the feeling of being hurt and scared," she continued.

"It's happening to me right now, because of Lana," Marius insisted.

Lena shook her head. "No, it's your pride that's truly hurting from all this. But you know, the kind of love I'm talking about is different. Maybe when it happens to you, you'll understand what I mean."

"I wish you would love me instead, Marius. I wish you would see me."

The cry of Lena's heart and mind that she decided not to voice aloud.

Lena leaned back, her eyes fixed on the screen, watching Marius's expressions shift as he absorbed her words. She saw the furrow in his brow, the contemplative look in his eyes, and she knew he was processing her perspective.

In that moment, she felt a strange mix of emotions—longing, hope, and a touch of resignation. She wanted Marius to understand her, to see beyond their friendship into the depths of her feelings. But she also feared losing what they had if she revealed too much.

The video call continued quietly between them, the distance palpable yet somehow bridged by their shared history and unspoken sentiments. Lena held her breath, waiting for Marius's response, uncertain of what their conversation would bring next.

*****

"LENA, what was it again that your Aunt Lourdes mentioned to me about you going out with Celso? When did this happen?" Marius asked as he opened the conversation.

Due to surprise, Lena was initially unable to speak. She just stared at her friend, trying to gauge if the anger she saw in his eyes was serious. Afterwards, she felt joy in her heart as she confirmed that it was indeed true. She no longer paid much attention to her feeling of dismay because she did not see any jealousy in the guy's aura.

"It's been happening between Celso and me for a long time now, Marius. For your information, you are the reason why I am in this situation now!"

She didn't know if this was the right time to show Marius her true feelings for him.

"What do you mean?" he asked with knitted eyebrows.

Marius visited her home personally with his aunt. She was surprised by his sudden visit. It had been years since the boy's grandparents passed away, leaving only his aunt living in the large house that was bequeathed to Marius.

"Wait, why are you here? What's going on that made you come home all of a sudden?" she responded instead, and continued her interrupted task of watering the plants in the garden.

"That's not important. Just answer my question," Marius insisted.

Lena sighed and then decided to invite Marius inside their house for coffee.

"Sorry," she said to him after she confessed the truth. "And for that animal of a man—."

"What!" he scolded Marius, whom he immediately held onto to restrain. "He took advantage of your weakness!"

Lena shook her head. "I wanted it too, didn't I? That's why it kept happening over and over again," she confessed with her head bowed down.

"What?"

Lena nodded. "Marius, it's not just once that it happened between me and Celso. In fact, ever since then until now, we always do that. But he's not my boyfriend. And another thing," she said looking up tearfully at her friend. "Please promise me that you won't tell Aunt Lourdes about this. I mean about the things Celso and I do. Because I don't want her to get hurt," she said, almost pleading in the end.

"Lena, this can't continue. What if you get pregnant?" the young man's voice was full of concern as he held onto her shoulders.

"That won't happen because I'm careful. And besides, just let me be in this. After all, you're letting me do whatever I want too, right?" the girl honestly didn't know why she was saying that.

She didn't hear any more words from Marius. Because the truth is, when he hugged her, she was content with that. She was content with the message delivered to her through a simple gesture from the man she had secretly loved for a long time

*****

"Calum asked her, 'And how did Andrew Scott's sister come into the picture?'

Lena confessed, 'That day, Marius revealed his plan to me, which prompted him to return to the province. He wanted revenge on Andrew and intended to use Sam. He showed me a picture from Lana and Andrew's wedding. After our discussion, I couldn't bring myself to tell him, deliberately keeping my fear hidden.

“Fear? What for?”

“Because I had a hunch that among all the women in Marius's life, Samantha would be his match. And I wasn't wrong. To cut a long story short, I broke them apart. I told Sam about Marius's plan—that Lana was the one he truly loved, not her.”

As Calum remained silent, listening intently to her story, Lena continued.

“I was ecstatic then. I felt victorious. All I wanted was to break them apart, not necessarily win Marius. I did everything to make something happen between me and my best friend. And I succeeded, even though deep down, while he claimed me, he still called her. Then I found out his ex and their child were back. You see how awful I was? I didn't even think about their child. They were affected and born without their father by their side—all because of my greed.”

Lena's voice carried sadness and guilt as she confessed to Calum.

Whatever happened, Marius never spoke to me again. He only made me realize that he indulged my whims. After that, nothing more. Maybe that's why I got tired,' Lena continued.

“And you want your best friend back?” Calum asked.

With questions in her eyes, Lena looked at him.

“I know, even if you don't say it, I know. And I think it's never too late to start again. What do you think?”

Lena shook her head consecutively. “I'm scared,” she admitted.

That was the truth. She was genuinely scared.

“I'll be with you, don't be afraid,” Calum assured her, embracing her and drawing her closer.

Then Lena leaned her head on Calum's shoulder. “Will you be with me in fixing the mess I made?” she asked, looking up at him.

Calum smiled, bringing his face close to hers, and softly kissed her lips.

“I'll be right by your side. Let's fix your life,” he replied meaningfully before kissing her again, this time deeper and longer, reciprocated in the same passionate manner by Lena.