Careless Whisper

My life was once perfect. I was born lucky: being part of the 'platinum spoon' family, I got everything I wanted. Extravagant birthday parties. Expensive toys. Maids. Luxurious clothes. People bow down for me. I could have everything that an average person can only dream of affording in their entire life. I considered myself lucky since I was pretty smart academically. Everyone liked me. I was my father's favorite. I was the face of the family... Then I almost married a guy. He's smart... He's tall... He's handsome... He's hardworking... He's the perfect guy that a woman could ever ask for... We're perfect for each other... He has his own company and I have mine... We're the ideal couple in the eyes of the public... My life is perfect... Or so I thought. My very own fiance cheated on me with a low-ranking woman. I was cast away by my own father after the scandal. Forced to live in the Philippines all alone. But I was proven wrong. Jezreel Archyls Ybañez, a young caretaker who always seemed to be in her own little world. The only person who made me wonder if aliens are real... Because she's peculiar... She never smiles... She never laughs... She distances herself from everyone... She's so... Odd. She's the first person who challenged me. I am well-known as a people pleaser. But this woman... I find it so hard to please her. It made me wonder what happened to her. Why did she become so... cold? So I started digging... Getting to know her better... Digging into something I wasn't supposed to but needed to. Dig more... Further... And further... And further... And further... I think I dug enough... Too much, in fact. "I love her... So much..." "And she loved you too." I thought everything was going to be perfect... But I assumed wrong. My life can never be perfect or normal... I wasn't born lucky... I was born to be cursed. - Never pleased anyone, f**k 'em all and live your life to the fullest. _________________________________________________ "Seriously though, thank you for your help. I'll do everything I can to repay you, whether you like it or not. That's the only selfless act of yours that I will accept." I added with a hint of sincerity, my voice carrying an undertone of emotion that even I couldn’t quite grasp. As I spoke, I could feel my heart softening, almost imperceptibly, for reasons I couldn't yet explain. But despite the uncertainty swirling within me, I knew one thing for sure—I was serious about what I had said, and I was prepared to stand by it, come what may. Samantha had shown me a kindness that I had never experienced before, a genuine, unfiltered compassion that left me feeling exposed yet deeply grateful. It was as though she had reached into the depths of my soul and offered something pure, something real, something I hadn't realized I needed until it was given. And in that moment, I felt like a fool for not having expressed my gratitude sooner, for not recognizing the weight of her gesture. The silence that settled between us was thick with unspoken words, but it was also unexpectedly comforting. It wrapped around us like a warm blanket, soothing my restless mind and calming my usually racing thoughts. Yet, despite the peace it brought, I couldn’t ignore the erratic rhythm of my heart, pounding away in my chest as if trying to escape its confines. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Samantha watching me, her gaze intense and unwavering, as if she were trying to see through the walls I had built around myself. Her eyes, even in my peripheral vision, held a warmth and softness that contrasted sharply with the turmoil inside me. And though I wasn’t looking directly at her, I could feel her beauty radiating, drawing me in like the moonlight on a dark night. She was like the moon in the sky—a solitary beacon of light amidst a sea of stars. No matter how many stars glittered in the vast expanse above, it was the moon that held my attention, the moon that captivated me. Just like Samantha. She was the one I couldn’t look away from, the one I would choose to gaze upon even if it took me months, years, or even a lifetime to reach her. She was the one who shone brightest in my world. "The moon's beautiful, isn't it?" I murmured, the words slipping out before I could stop them. I knew the meaning behind those words, the hidden confession they carried, and yet, for some reason, it felt so right to say them in that moment. There was no hesitation, no fear, no regret—only a sense of inevitability, as though my heart had been waiting for this moment for a long time. "As always," I heard her whisper in response, her voice barely audible but full of meaning. I turned to look at her, and in that instant, I noticed the way her pupils had dilated, a subtle but undeniable sign of the emotions swirling within her. It made me wonder—was she unaware that I was staring at her now, or was she fully aware, choosing to meet my gaze with equal intensity? Regardless, this moment felt incredibly right. It wasn’t just about the words we exchanged or the subtle compliments hidden in them. It was about the connection we shared, the unspoken understanding that seemed to pass between us with every glance, every breath. Just having her by my side, sharing this silent yet profound moment, felt like everything I had ever wanted, everything I had ever needed to say but never found the courage to utter. And in this quiet, fleeting exchange, it felt as though I had finally voiced what my heart had been yearning to say all along. It felt good—so good, in fact, that I knew this moment would linger with me long after it had passed, a memory I would carry with me always. "Let's go back, shall we? You don't want to miss the fun, right?" I asked, my voice light and teasing as I tried to coax her back to where the others were. "But I'm having fun with you right now." Her response was so unexpected that it caught me off guard. I turned to her, confusion written all over my face, trying to process what she had just said. The moment she realized the weight of her words, her eyes widened, and a deep blush crept up her cheeks as she quickly looked away, clearly embarrassed by her slip. She’s so cute. I couldn’t help but be utterly charmed by her in that moment. There was something so innocent and sincere about her that it made me want to keep her close, protect her from the world, and treat her with all the care she deserved. I wanted to tuck her away in my pocket, like a precious little secret, where she would always be safe and cherished. "What did you say?" I asked again, this time with a playful tone, pretending as if I hadn’t heard her the first time. What she didn’t know was that I had heard every word clearly, and those words were like a spark that ignited something within me, making my heart pound wildly in my chest. It felt as though it was about to explode from the sheer joy and excitement of hearing her say she was having fun with me. "I said there's no fun here... Let's go, before I push you down there," she replied, trying to cover up her previous statement by putting on a tough act. She turned on her heel and started to walk away, but I could tell she was flustered, her earlier confidence slipping away. As I watched her walk off, I felt a grin slowly spreading across my face. It wasn’t just any smile—it was a smile that I didn’t even know I was capable of. It was wide, genuine, and full of a sweetness that seemed to radiate from deep within me. It wasn’t just my lips that were smiling; even my eyes seemed to be laughing, sparkling with an unfamiliar joy that I couldn’t quite place. I placed my hand over my chest, feeling the rapid thudding of my heart against my ribs. I tapped it a few times as if that would somehow calm it down. The beating was so strong and fast that it almost scared me, making me worry that it might actually burst from the intensity of the moment. "Beat still, heart... Just calm down," I whispered softly to myself, trying to regain some control over my emotions. I took a deep breath, attempting to wipe the smile off my face, but it was impossible. The happiness bubbling inside me was too overwhelming to suppress. In the end, I gave up trying to hide it and followed after her, pressing my lips together in a futile attempt to keep from grinning too much. But even as I tried to compose myself, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. Her words, though simple, had stirred something in me, something that made me want to hold on to this moment, to this feeling, for as long as I could.