Second Chance (JaDine Fanfiction)

Chapter 2: Like I Always Did

I head on towards the park during my biking routine. It is 4 in the afternoon. The day is almost over, the sun is setting just as the sky lit up in colors of auburn and gold.

I used to love this...we used to love this.

"Not anymore," I said to myself.

I breathe deeply and let out a sigh. I felt completely fine but somewhere deep in my lungs, there is coldness within the surface as the air pass through my throat and deeper. But after all these years, there stil was emotional confusion. Nothing is fine. I feel broken deep inside.

My afternoon routine paid off since I have kept myself fit for about a year now.

I can't help but smile, I've changed a lot.

But my thoughts came back to reality the moment I became exhausted from driving, as if being chased. Sweat have been trickling from all over my skin; my face was flushed, and my legs were almost glowing with sweat. Then I realize my hair is just as damaged as dust and wind blew on it along the ride.

It took me a few minutes to fix my hair. Then I noticed how it has grown long with its curls at the end. Like mermaid curls.

Someone has already taken the place where I should head over. But something felt wrong...unusual, that it made my nerves shrill as my heart beat faster. As I felt the difficulty of calming myself down, I breathed heavily.

"Hey, miss..." a slight husky voice suddenly came out from the man who sat down on a bench, not far from where I am standing.

I wanted to respond but I can hardly find my voice to utter something. Then he stood up and began walking towards my direction. Like a frightened thirteen year old, I grabbed my bike and walked as fast as I could. I felt stupid and frightened -- I could simply ride my bike and drive as fast as I can, but I cannot. My senses were far from reachable, like they were in a state of chaos.

Just when I thought I've lost him, a familiar silhouette of a man was just standing along the way. He grabbed my bike by his hands -- I was still dumbfounded, but those hands...they were so familiar, like I have known them for long.

Then it held me by the shoulders. My knees were shaking, and my heart was pounding.

"Nadine..." says he. I raised my head to see who it was when suddenly one hand grabbed me from my waist, and the other came at my nape. When I was about to scream, he shut my lips and kissed me. It sent erratic signals to my brain that I began to shiver down my spine.

Shocked but well-aware, and with rage flowing right through my veins, I slapped him. Pushing him from his chest, I now recognize who the hell he is.

All the bitterness and pain from the past came rushing again.

"Ano na naman ba'ng pumasok sa utak mo'ng gago ka?!" I almost shouted in anger. My face is flushed and my fists were clasped, ready to hit his face.

I swear to God, I hate you so much.

James POV

A hard slap hit my face, just as I think I deserved it. The sweet and gentle girl I once knew is gone. It seems that her heart of gold turned into stone; her eyes that were full of life has now gone cold. And her fists are closed and tight, like she wants to land it on my face. She's full of anger -- her actions are full of hatred.

I have been watching her as she rides her bike around the park hours ago, and then I decided to stop by the spot where we used to hang out. As the sun sets, I've had few flashbacks of how we used to be -- happy and safe with each other. We spent hours until evening just talking or else, she strums the guitar and sings beautifully. Guitars have always been my type of instrument and strumming it was my forte... until I met her. She strums incredibly good, like you cannot find anyone else that does it better than her.

It's no longer that way. Every little thing has changed -- the naive and innocent girl turned out to be this all grown up woman who came across my peripheral vision.

My sweet and beautiful Nadine... You have no idea how much I have missed you.

"I missed you. God, I have really missed you." those phrases slipped out of my mouth. I know how careless it is, knowing how she have to endure all the pain I've caused her. But I missed her so much, it hurts.

But from the look of it, things have changed. A lot about her has. She is now confidently wearing a black sando and a short pants that emphasized her well-developed curves and her behind. Her face is as angelic as it ever was -- petite but flawless, lips that are pinkish and a pair of bushy brows that gave boldness to her almond-shaped eyes.

A year has just passed but I cannot help but notice how much this girl has changed. Her long brown hair, they are no longer tucked tight in a bun. Instead, I can see how the curls of her hair just added emphasis at every end of its strand. Those hazel eyes...those damn beautiful eyes, they were more beautiful than before. But this time, they became seductive as her eyelashes and eye sockets made it look so smokey. God, she is still not into wearing makeup.

And her lips... The lips I've been dying to kiss again since the day I lost her. Those lips which spoke good things and ideas that are surely coming out from an intellectual mind.

Her voice that sang songs that made my heart skipped beats all at once. I will do everything to hear her sing again.

But it was her temperament that I've missed the most. Like one time she is so happy to tell you something, and when you seem to not care about it...she will suddenly stop talking, and will never talk to you again. It is just as she is -- cute.

"What the hell did you just do?", she said angrily while wiping her lips, her brows furrowed in disgust. Her gesture created a little pain somewhere in my chest. Then I realize, she is no longer the girl who has always been there for me.

I cannot find my voice to tell her. I just stared at her, wondering how will I make up from the horrible mistake I've made. But I wish to tell her this,
I kissed you...like I always wanted to do months ago, when I came back. And that, I am still in love with you all this time...like I always did.

I wanted to grab her again and hug her, but she pulled her wrist.

How did she gone this strong?

After I kissed her, there was barely no emotion painted on her face. Her expression was blunt, it gave a shiver down to my core. A fear that she is no longer there.

Without a word, she drove off without looking back.

What have I done to her that made her so cold?