Let Me Love You, Again

ARLENE MARIELLA's POV

"Who are you?" a simple question but broke my heart. My whole body went cold, as I watched the man in front of me now.

I feel like my heart has stopped beating, I can't hear anything. That repeated itself in my brain. I can't accept the fact that the person I love has forgotten me already in a blink of an eye.

"Why are you here? I don't even know you," he averted his eyes from me and withdrew his hand I had been holding before. I couldn't speak, because I knew with just one opening of my mouth, tears would immediately run down my cheeks.

I want to plead to you now, and let me tell you our past. But I still can't, I don't want to force you to love me again. I want you to feel it and remember it, without me... convincing you. Then you'll come back to me and say that you love me.

Why does this have to be the fate of the two of us?

Why does it have to be so painful if it's just a simple question?

Why get hurt if you'll just love?

Why did your brain forget about me even if your heart only beats for me?

We've spent two years together, my love.

I kept and sacrificed my own life just to hide our relationship to others.

But why can you easily forget me in that fucking easy way?

I already did all my best for you to remember me,

but it didn't work.

I failed.

My love wasn't enough for you,

Our memories weren't enough.

Everything is not enough.

Three years passed.

I thought I would never see you again,

but this fucking destiny let it happen again.

This time,

you don't know me.

You don't love me anymore.

I already signed off in your life but.

You gave me the guts to enter it again.

I am Arlene Mariella Soriano Apostol, signing in for being a pest in your life again. . .

Chapter 1

ARLENE MARIELLA's POV

"Did you guys hear that a student is moving today?" Blair.

"What grade? Grade 9 too?" Riana replied with a shudder. I stayed focused on what I was eating.

"Yes, they even said they were all men. They said they came from wealthy families,"

"Woah! Hopefully our classmates, Yipee!"

After we ate at the Cafeteria, the two of them hung out in the school garden, and I went up to the room to study.

Before the arrival of Professor. We arrived immediately. They were Riana and Blair. It's fun to watch that we've been together in this section for a few years, neither of us has moved to another section. We're the only ones, but maybe when we go to the tenth grade we'll be separated. Oh God, please don't.

It was a peaceful day. On the way home, I just played on PS4 with Riana. Her Mommy isn't here now so we can play. I also told our maids, they might report more sucking on it.

"Ma'am Arlene, here's your dinner with Ma'am Riana." Andeng's voice from outside my room. I released the controller before standing up and approaching the door to open it.

"This is what you requested from Grandma, a Pork steak, Ma'am." I just nodded and showed her the way to my coffee table.

The Tekken we were playing was paused today, so Riana's eyesight was focused on the cellphone. When Andeng came out, Riana suddenly screamed!

I covered my ears because of the silence of her voice. Suddenly she stood up and jumped like a child! Best, what is going on with this woman!

"What's going on, Riana! Just shut up and sit down! Your voice is so loud!" instead of moving, she became even eager to approach me, shaking my shoulder.

Irritated, I removed her hand. "What's wrong with you?! You look like a fool!"

"Because Blair allegedly saw the transferees! She was looking forward to their return earlier! Seriously, best! Handsome!" thrilled she said. My arm was even slapped!

"It's a pity because they didn't go to our section," she said to me when I sat down on the sofa again, I played the game but she continued to speak!

"Those men are also tall, thin but their bodies are quite handsome. but there was a man there, it was a little too noisy. From what he noticed, it was childish."

Tsk, I'm not interested. If that's him, maybe not either.

"Please, let's not talk about the guys. I'm not interested." I said rudely, I even stared at her. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she was pouting at what I said.

"I'm just saying, so you know something."

"Psh, I don't care." I just resumed playing and ignored her.

"Rude, hm!" she whispered.

"What is that! This controller is useless, I always lose because of you!" when she spoke to the controller she was holding. This is the third time I've lost to her here in the mortal kombat we played.

"You got it. You didn't focus on your game, you had something else on your mind," I smiled secretly, pretending to be serious.

"H-hey, whatnot. I'm so focused!" her defense is still stammering!

"Eh, why are you stuttering?"

"A-what? No! You look like a fool, Arlene!" she averts her eyes from me.

"Admit that you're as manly as you think, you won't lose anything." I mocked her.

"Who are you referring to? Maybe you're the one thinking about the man!"

I asked her before deciding to eat. Maybe the one I cooked was cold, too bad. Riana was about to scoop some rice, but I tapped her hand hard.

"Ouch! What!?" she threw a bad look at me.

"You won't eat until you admit who you thought before!" I challenged her.

Let's see now how much courage you have.

"You can't move on from him, ah?"

With him, I can't move on with you yet?

"Maybe, you'll just admit-"

"Yes, that's the man I was thinking of!"

Tsk, you'll just get hurt there.

"Okay," I spooned the rice and dish on my plate, she did the same. I let it go, it's a pity I might cry more!

After we ate rice, I served Andeng for dessert. She climbed on ice cream and donuts, I even bought them at the mall. As soon as the Ice cream landed on the table, Riana immediately touched it! I tapped her hand again, hehe. It's going to hurt, I'm sorry.

"What's up?" she complained immediately.

I smiled. "Just ask-"

"Eh, why didn't you ask earlier? I'll hang you?" she said sarcastically.

I immediately took the ice cream away from him. She stopped it immediately, but he did not succeed. "Are you moaning?"

"Ask me! Maybe the Ice cream will melt from what you're doing!"

"It's easy, you're in a hurry eh-"

"It's Ice Cream that's what I'm worried about!"

"What's the name of the man you're thinking of?" I asked as the Ice cream moved away from him. She was silent for a moment, wondering what name to say. "What is the name of the transferee?"

"I only remember what Blair said four, just last name," she said seriously.

"Hmm?" I'm interested in the question.

"Montenegro, Valejo, Tuazon ... And the latter, San Jose. I'm not sure," she scratched her cheek so hard.

I couldn't speak right away.

I let go of the Ice cream I was holding, in shock. Fortunately, she was alert and caught it right away. She was surprised to face me. My whole body went cold, I didn't know why I had a bad feeling. There are many San Jose in the world, right? It's not him.

"Oh any more say?" she was pissed but I felt a mixture of concern.

"Nothing," I averted my eyes. She immediately opened the Ice cream and left it. She didn't bother to use a glass, she ate it straight with a spoon.

She noticed I wasn't eating so she kicked me. "Hey, eat that." I quickly took a spoon and ate Ice Cream.

The next day I didn't go with Riana, she might notice my silence. I don't want him to think anything bad.

When I arrived at the school, I accompanied Riana to the entrance. He was so excited now, maybe excited to see the transferees.

"Good Morning, World!" he greeted us as soon as we entered the room. The other woman is super excited now, just like her. The men, on the other hand, were frustrated.

"Good Morning, Earth!" the women greeted him.

I just went straight to my seat and ignored them. I took out my notebook and just read. I don't want to think about useless things, and it's over.

"Oh My God! They're already there!"

"I love them already!"

"Do you know their names?"

"Me, not yet! I'll try to ask them later!"

"You're so handsome, ack!"

I could hear shouting outside our room. I lost my attention to what I was reading! Annoyed, I stood up and walked towards the door. I want to suppress the noisy ones because the silence of their voices is disturbing.

I was about to open my mouth but we hit the sight of the man I forgot. The man never made a way for me to be remembered. I'm stupid to think that he will make a way to remember me, every time he sees me he just drives me away.

It will be hard for me to forget him now because I have to accept that we go to the same school. Tita didn't tell him about the two of us. I had to accept again the pain, sadness, and hardship that I had experienced before that suddenly came back without warning.

Even if I want to come and kneel in front of you now, beg like the women who have been crawling on you ever since. I can't repeat it because he's the one you chose, and I'm not. Even if I want to be desperate, I won't get anything out of it because you don't want someone like me anymore.

I don't want to waste my time with someone I don't love. If you had just said before that I am still the one you love, I would still be able to accept the hardship and pain just to stay by your side. But I know that won't happen because before you even remember me you love someone else.

My love for him is too strong and too bright to forget easily.

It happened to us because we couldn't be two and we weren't for each other.

I love you so much, but that's enough, Stewart.

ARLENE MARIELLA'S POV

"Hey, baby! Come back here!" Stewart shouted at me as I ran away with his cellphone.

I saw my name in the gallery. He would have kept the case before I caught it right away so he is chasing me now. The two of us are here in their village park. I ran away from our house again without Riana and Mama knowing.

Stewart San Jose is my boyfriend from a rich family. Their parents are the owners of this village. I heard that he has an older brother in case he can't introduce him to me because he is busy studying. We are both in Grade 7, but we go to different schools. He would only pick me up once when Riana didn't want to take me home with her.

I also just excused myself to the driver and went down there with a Mcdonald's near here so that I could just walk and not have to tricycle into the village.

I stopped running away from Stewart. I immediately looked at the album with my name, I was surprised to see that almost all the content was my picture. The others are pictures of me when I was a child with Riana, we don't have a cover there yet! That was the time we took a shower in the garage!

The next picture was when we hugged and both laughed at the pool. That was the time we both urinated in their pool, our parents were very angry with us! I was even beaten in the ass!

The other picture is now my age. He must have seen all this on Facebook because I used to love posting a picture of me and Riana. I felt Stewart's arm curl around my waist. Instead of getting angry with him, I just laughed because of the past. We were very young then and there was no mother in the world.

"I love you, Arlene Mariella San Jose," he whispered to me. He buried his face in my neck, I put his phone in my pocket and caressed his arms that wrapped around my waist.

"I love you more," I closed my eyes and just enjoyed our moment now.

We were in that position for a few minutes before I let go of him and faced him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why do I have a picture here without a cover?" I waved at him, pretending to be serious to beat him again.

He walked with his head towards me again but I backed away. "I just saw it on Facebook,"

"So what?"

"It's just a picture-"

"I don't care, I don't have a cover there!"

"You were still young then--"

"Even! Pervert!" I turned my back on him and went straight to my bag leaning under the tree.

"Baby, again-" he chased but I avoided it immediately.

"I hate you!" I said that with my back to him. Just save the picture without the cover! Animals!

I looked at my watch for the time.

5:30 PM?!

Oh shit! Shit! They've been home before Mom! Oh, fuck! I walked away even faster, took my cell phone out of my pocket, and read a lot of texts from Mama and my driver!

I stared at Stewart who was now gasping for breath as he stood in front of me.

"I need to go home, Mama's already at home. I might get scolded," I said sadly, he slowly looked up at me. Panting from running.

"Okay, I'll take you." He took my bag and he was the one carrying it. He did take me to the side of Mcdonald's, which's always the meeting place and he would take me so that my driver wouldn't see us so he wouldn't report it.

"Baby. Go home right away ah? Don't go anywhere." I remind him. I could feel his sadness but he forced a smile to relieve it.

"Okay, see you tomorrow then? Take care huh? Eat, it's like you've gained weight! You're skinny oh, just text me later." he playfully winked at me. We both laughed at that. I approached him a little and squatted down to kiss him on the cheek.

"Bye baby." He just messed up my hair before I walked to our car. When the driver saw me, he quickly opened the backseat door for me before he entered the driver's seat. I lowered the window to simply bamboo Stewart who was now sadly staring at me.

Arriving outside our gate I saw that Mama was immediately waiting outside the door, she stood up straight when she saw me. One of her eyebrows rose, and her expression was a little angry now. I bent down and scratched my cheek as I walked closer to her.

"Where are you from, Arlene? You come home late every day, your class ends early, doesn't it?" her tone of voice was mixed with anger as I approached.

"Yeah, I'm doing something-" she didn't let me finish right away.

"Projects? Groupings? Practice? What? What else are you going to excuse me for?! Every time I ask Riana if there are groupings, or what about you, she doesn't say anything! What are you going to do?! And you don't mind answering the call and text we sent to you!" she said nervously.

"Every time your Dad and I come home, you're always gone! I also asked your professors about your performance at school, you know what they said to me?! You're not very active anymore! Every time you're supposed to be asked something you can't answer! Every time there's a project, you're supposed to be late to submit! What are you always saying?"

"You said you have group projects and then that's what your teachers will tell me?! What are you doing to yourself, Arlene?! Even when you're studying, you're neglecting your studies because of that!"

I could no longer speak out of fear, last year I was doing well even though Stewart and I were together. They don't preach to me because of that. I haven't told them about the two of us yet because I'm scared. I knew we were young but I couldn't help how I felt for him. Even though I tried to avoid him then nothing happened, my liking for him only got worse.

He didn't stop flirting with me when we were in 6th grade. Both elementary. We went to school then so he met me, I didn't tell Riana so even now she doesn't know what's happening to me.

"Arlene, what's wrong with you? Mama is here. Oh, if you have a problem, I can tell you not to repeat what you're doing because it's not good for your studies." my mother's voice was full of pleading. When I looked up at her my whole body seemed to weaken because I saw tears forming in her eyes.

Though pitying and hurt I still forced myself not to speak. This is not the right time for them to know, my Mom might not be able to handle the weight. I'm too much of a burden to them so I don't want to add to it. I bent down and took a deep breath. Before looking up at her again.

"I'll rest first, Mama," I said tiredly, even though she was hesitant to let me go she was also forced to nod.

When I got to my room I immediately threw myself on the bed. I'm so emotionally exhausted, I know Stewart is having a hard time right now with the status of our relationship. We are both struggling. Only his parents knew about the two of us, his parents believed in us because they thought my parents knew that. I just did it so they wouldn't talk to them again.

I'm not ready to say yet but I love Stewart so I was able to break my promises to them. They always tell me that there is the right age and time for love but I don't believe that.

Age and time are just numbers. They can't control what I am feeling right now. They can't stop me from loving Stewart so much.

The next day I was tired of getting out of bed, I hadn't been able to change or take a bath last night. I feel so exhausted, I need time and space to let myself rest for a while.

After getting dressed, I went downstairs, walking straight to the main door. I thought Mama was gone but I heard them call me.

"Arlene! Aren't you going to eat?" said Papa in a low voice.

I immediately faced them and looked at them wearily. "No, Pa. I'm already in," I didn't hesitate to approach them instead I just walked straight to our car.

I was just an idiot the whole trip, when it came to school I tried to focus and listen to the teacher. Another easy question I can answer immediately even if sluggish. Riana noticed that but she hasn't talked to me about it yet.

When I got home, I took out my cellphone to text Stewart that I was coming home and he wouldn't let me pick him up. Fortunately, he immediately read and replied to it.

Stewart:

Okay, see you on weekends baby. Call me later okay? Take care, I love you.