CHAPTER 21: The Space Between Us
1896 Words
The ferry horn sounded across the port.
I stood frozen.
“Sofia.”
The name echoed in my head.
Again.
And again.
The little girl had already disappeared into the crowd.
I looked around desperately.
Nothing.
No woman with the silver necklace.
No little girl with the red balloon.
Nothing.
Just people carrying bags, families saying goodbye, vendors shouting over one another, and the endless noise of the port.
But I couldn't hear any of it.
All I could hear was my heartbeat.
“Thea.”
Dave touched my shoulder.
I flinched.
“Sorry.”
“It's okay.”
He looked around.
“You saw her?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“I saw someone.”
“The woman?”
I nodded.
“She looked like Sofia.”
Dave's expression tightened.
“Then where did she go?”
“I don't know.”
He looked toward the ferry.
“We should go.”
I stared at him.
“What if it's a trap?”
“Then we'll deal with it.”
“You make it sound easy.”
He smiled faintly.
“It isn't.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“Because you're still here.”
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Everything.”
I looked away.
There it was again.
That stupid feeling.
The one I couldn't name.
The one I refused to name.
---
We boarded the ferry.
Our group settled in the passenger area.
Lara sat with Amara.
Elena stayed near Maria.
Mama was speaking quietly with someone on the phone.
And Dave?
He sat beside me.
Of course.
He placed his bag underneath the seat.
Then looked at me.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You've said that three times.”
“Because I'm okay.”
“You're lying.”
I glared at him.
“Why do you always know?”
“Because you're terrible at lying.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“I am not.”
He smiled.
“You tap your fingers when you're nervous.”
I stopped tapping.
His smile widened.
“And you just stopped.”
I stared at him.
“You're annoying.”
“I know.”
I looked out the window.
The sea was dark.
The lights from the port slowly disappeared behind us.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
Then the ferry moved farther into the sea.
I suddenly felt the weight of everything.
My father.
My mother.
Sofia.
The inheritance.
The secrets.
And Dave.
Especially Dave.
I looked at him.
“Dave.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you scared?”
He looked at me.
“Of Cebu?”
“Of me.”
He frowned.
“Why would I be scared of you?”
“Because…”
I hesitated.
“Because everything around me is dangerous.”
He smiled.
“You're not dangerous.”
“I am.”
“You once threatened to punch a delivery rider because he gave you the wrong order.”
“He deserved it.”
“You see?”
I laughed.
He smiled.
Then his expression softened.
“But seriously…”
He looked at me.
“I don't think you're dangerous.”
“What do you think I am?”
He thought for a second.
“Lonely.”
I looked away.
He continued.
“Even when you're surrounded by people.”
I didn't answer.
Because he was right.
And I hated that he was right.
“That's why you don't let people get close.”
I swallowed.
“Maybe.”
“And when someone does…”
He paused.
“You push them away.”
I looked at him.
“Are you saying I should push you away?”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“I'm saying I'm not going anywhere just because you're scared.”
I stared at him.
“Dave…”
“You don't have to say anything.”
He looked out at the sea.
“Just sit here.”
So I did.
And somehow, that was enough.
---
Around midnight, the ferry became quieter.
Most passengers were asleep.
I couldn't.
I was sitting by the window.
Dave was beside me.
His head had slowly fallen against the seat.
His eyes were closed.
He looked peaceful.
It was strange.
I had seen him laughing.
Teasing.
Arguing.
Being stupid.
But I rarely saw him like this.
Quiet.
Vulnerable.
Human.
I looked away.
Stop staring.
I looked back.
Seriously, Thea.
I sighed.
Dave suddenly opened one eye.
“Are you staring at me?”
I nearly jumped.
“No!”
He smiled without opening his other eye.
“You were.”
“I was looking outside.”
“Outside is behind me.”
I froze.
“Shut up.”
He laughed quietly.
“Go to sleep.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Too much thinking.”
He sat up.
“About what?”
“Everything.”
He nodded.
“Fair.”
Then he took off his jacket.
“Here.”
I looked at it.
“What?”
“Put it on.”
“I'm not cold.”
“You're literally shaking.”
“I am not.”
He put the jacket over my shoulders anyway.
“Dave.”
“Just wear it.”
I looked down.
His jacket smelled faintly like his perfume.
I hated that I noticed.
“Thanks.”
“Welcome.”
He leaned back.
Then, after a few minutes, he said—
“You can sleep.”
“What if I do?”
“I'll wake you up.”
“What if you fall asleep too?”
“I won't.”
“You're already half asleep.”
“I'm talented.”
I laughed.
“Idiot.”
He smiled.
“Sleep.”
I eventually closed my eyes.
I don't know when I fell asleep.
But I remember the last thing I felt—
Dave's hand gently holding mine.
---
I woke up because someone was calling my name.
“Thea.”
I opened my eyes.
Dave was beside me.
“Wake up.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“We're almost there.”
I sat up.
His jacket was still around my shoulders.
I looked at our hands.
We were still holding each other.
I immediately let go.
Dave noticed.
He smiled.
“Good morning.”
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Smile like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you know something.”
“I know you held my hand while sleeping.”
My eyes widened.
“I did not!”
“You did.”
“You're lying.”
“Maybe.”
I hit his shoulder.
He laughed.
“You're impossible.”
“You're cute when you're embarrassed.”
I stared at him.
“Dave.”
“Okay, okay.”
He raised his hands.
“I'll stop.”
I looked away.
My cheeks were burning.
I hated him.
Maybe.
---
We arrived in Cebu just before sunrise.
The sky was turning orange.
We got off the ferry.
Everyone was tired.
Everyone except Dave.
He looked annoyingly awake.
“How are you still alive?”
“Good genes.”
“Unfortunately.”
He laughed.
We walked toward the parking area.
Then I stopped.
“Wait.”
Dave turned.
“What?”
I looked at the ground.
There was a red balloon tied to the railing.
The same kind the little girl at the port had.
Attached to it was a small white envelope.
My name.
Again.
THEA.
Dave sighed.
“Here we go.”
I opened it.
Inside was a piece of paper.
Only one sentence.
«You have twelve hours.»
Below it was an address.
I showed Dave.
He read it.
“That's far.”
“Do you know the place?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“Then let's go.”
He stared.
“You're not even going to think about it?”
“I've been thinking my entire life.”
I folded the paper.
“I'm tired of thinking.”
He smiled.
“That's my girl.”
I stopped.
“What?”
He looked at me.
“Nothing.”
“Did you just call me your girl?”
He shrugged.
“Maybe.”
“Dave.”
He laughed and started walking.
I followed him.
“You can't just say things like that!”
“I already did.”
“Come back!”
He kept walking.
I smiled despite myself.
And maybe—
that was what frightened me most.
Even with everything falling apart around me…
he could still make me smile.
---
We rented a small car and followed the address.
The city slowly disappeared behind us.
Buildings became houses.
Houses became trees.
The road became narrower.
Eventually, we reached an old road surrounded by mountains.
I looked out the window.
“Are you sure this is right?”
Dave checked the address again.
“Yes.”
“Looks like we're going to die.”
“Optimistic.”
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
He glanced at me.
“Still want to go?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Okay.”
After another twenty minutes, we saw an old house.
Abandoned.
Overgrown.
The gate was half broken.
We stopped.
I looked at it.
“This is it.”
Dave turned off the engine.
Neither of us moved.
Then he looked at me.
“Ready?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
He opened the door.
“Let's go.”
We walked toward the house.
I stayed beside him.
Not behind.
Not ahead.
Beside him.
The door was unlocked.
Dave pushed it open.
Dust filled the air.
The house smelled old.
Forgotten.
There were photographs on the walls.
I walked closer.
My father.
My mother.
Elena.
Dave's father.
And—
four children.
I froze.
The photograph was old.
But the children were unmistakable.
Me.
Amara.
Lara.
And Sofia.
All four of us.
Standing together.
I touched the photograph.
“How?”
Dave stood beside me.
“I don't know.”
I looked closer.
Something was written at the bottom.
A date.
August 14, 2011.
My stomach dropped.
The same night we were born.
But there was something else.
A handwritten sentence.
«Four girls. One secret. One exception.»
I stared at it.
Dave leaned closer.
“What's the exception?”
I shook my head.
“I don't know.”
Then—
we heard footsteps upstairs.
Both of us froze.
Dave immediately moved in front of me.
“Stay behind me.”
I whispered—
“Dave.”
“Hmm?”
“I'm scared.”
He looked at me.
Then reached for my hand.
“Then be scared.”
He squeezed it.
“But don't be scared alone.”
My eyes softened.
I nodded.
We slowly walked toward the stairs.
One step.
Then another.
The footsteps stopped.
Dave looked at me.
“Ready?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Because I'm not ready either.”
And together—
we climbed the stairs.
Neither of us knew what was waiting for us upstairs.
But for the first time—
I wasn't afraid of facing it.
Because Dave was beside me.
And maybe that was becoming my biggest weakness.
Or perhaps—
my greatest strength.
- Writer
