Her Memories

CHAPTER 14. Broken Hearted

Asia woke up the next morning feeling so weak, and before getting up the bed, the memories of last night kept flashing on her. She can't believe that the person she loves is her future stepbrother. She covers her face again with the pillow and starts crying again. She doesn't have the energy to start her day. She just wants to lock herself up inside her room.

Suddenly her door opens, and she immediately covers her whole body with the blanket to avoid seeing her condition.

"Annastasia," It was her father.

He sat on the bed next to his daughter. He caresses her head gently over the blanket. He felt sad about her daughter's heartbreak, even though Asia didn't talk about it. He is certain that it is about last night when her boyfriend didn't arrive.

"It's okay to cry for days or even weeks or months. Sometimes it even takes years before realizing that he's not worth it. But it is also part of the process for you to be stronger and smarter." He told her, but Asia still didn't move and just kept herself hidden.

"Thank goodness. I didn't get a chance to know him. I will surely crumple him like a thin paper and burn him after." He remarked and sighed.

"Stay here. It's already been two years since you turned eighteen and decided to live alone away from me in a small apartment. I think it's time for you to go back here. Besides, I missed my precious girl." And with that, Asia nodded under the blanket. She felt needing her dad's presence after a disastrous event in her life.

"Get up now, come on. Invite your friends over if you want to. Angel will be busy preparing for our wedding, but promise we'll be home early once we're done, and don't worry because Wacky will be accompanying you for the moment. Okay?" He told her, and Asia's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What!?" She whispered,

"I love you, my precious, always remember I will always be with you, no matter what happens," Albert said and gave her a kiss above the blanket before he got out of the room.

Asia can't believe that Joaquin is still in their house. She got up immediately when her father left and took a quick shower. She is now staring at her reflection in the mirror, and she can't believe her face was a mess. Her eyes are sore like a frog, and her nose is also red, just like Rudolph's. She tried putting some aloe vera gel to soothe her face, let it dry, and then wash her face again.

'I think it helped, thank goodness.' She thought.

She wore a loose shirt and shorts before getting out of the room. She saw Joaquin standing on the terrace but just ignored him and went downstairs straight to the kitchen.

She prepares herself a coffee and gets out from the glass door in the dining area that is connected to the garden so that Joaquin will not see her up from the terrace and makes herself comfortable on the steel chair and table placed at the center of the garden then starts dialing her friend's number.

Maggie refused because she has plans with her family. At the same time, Stephy, on the other hand, is excitedly agreed, especially when she told her that Joaquin is her future stepbrother and he is currently at their house.

"Asia, guess who's here." Lucy cheerfully announced while walking through the garden.

"Who?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Hi! Asia!" It's her cousin Bryan.

Bryan is her closest cousin but more like a brother to her. He is five years older, but they get along together more than their other relatives.

"Oh, God! Bryan! How are you?" She excitedly greeted and hugged him.

"I missed you." He whispered.

Lucy happily watches them being reunited again and gets inside the house to prepare something for Bryan. They sat together in the garden chatting a lot of things, laughing and giggling until Stephy arrived,

"Hi, Asia! Hi Bryan, it's nice to see you again. It's been so long." She greeted them.

"By the way, I brought some cupcakes." She said, lifting the box of cupcakes.

"Where is Joaquin?" She inquired.

"Who's Joaquin?" Bryan also asked, turning to Asia.

"He is aunt Angel's son," she explained while leading them inside the house.

"I've been here for almost an hour, and you didn't bother to tell me that he's here?" Bryan confusingly asked.

"It doesn't matter," she replied.

"Oh my God, I still can't believe you guys are going to be siblings! I almost thought that you guys are having a secret affair," Stephy said without a break.

Asia slightly elbowed her.

"What?" Bryan was shocked by her statement and asked confusingly.

"Well, you know, Joaquin is our schoolmate, and we have a shared subject with him, and they are kind of close to each other, but now it makes sense." She explained as they sat together in the living room.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Stephy inquired again.

"I just learned about it last night," Asia replied coldly and started feeling anxious about the topic, and so she stood up to help Lucy prepare the snacks in the kitchen.

When she returns, Joaquin is already sitting on the couch beside Stephy but immediately stands up when he sees Asia with a juice tray in her hand and helps her, while Bryan helps Lucy.

"Thank you," Asia whispered when she handed it to him and sat beside Bryan while Joaquin sat on a single couch.

"Why didn't you introduce me to your new brother?" Bryan whispered to Asia.

"Haven't you introduced yourself earlier?" She whispered bluntly at her cousin with annoyance, but he only slightly nudged her.

"Really?" She unbelievably cried, but he only smiled at her, and Asia sighed out of frustration and rolled her eyes at him.

"Bryan, this is Joaquin. Joaquin, this is my cousin Bryan. I hope next time you just introduced yourself instead." Asia said rudely, and everyone looks at her with shock on their faces.

"Nice meeting you Joaquin, I hope you don't mind the rudeness of your sister," Bryan said while offering a handshake to Joaquin.

"Of course not, never," Joaquin responded.

"Asia is just a bit upset, she never acted like this before, and maybe she was just shocked when she learned that Joaquin is going to be her brother." Stephy tried to explain.

"You're right, my friend. I am so upset! Because he lied, he should have told me earlier, right?" Asia said annoyingly while fighting the urge to cry.

'Last night is enough!' She thought.

"Hey, stop it! For sure, he has an explanation about it, or maybe he doesn't know how to say it? Right bro?" Bryan said, but Joaquin doesn't have any response.

"I'm sorry, guys, but I have to go now," Joaquin said and stood up.

"But I just arrived. Why don't you stay a little longer? Please?" Stephy pleads while giving her puppy eyes.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I have a meeting to attend to." He refused.

"Annastasia, I'm sorry. I hope you can give me a chance to talk with you." He said when he turned to Asia.

"Don't worry. She will talk with you soon." Bryan kindly responded to him.

When Joaquin is already gone, Stephy looks at Asia with a scowled face and crosses her arms on her chest.

"What?" Asia asked while munching the cupcake Stephy brought.

"You're enjoying that cupcake while he doesn't even take a bite!?" She annoyingly said.

"It wasn't my fault. Maybe he doesn't like sweets," Asia replied without looking at her friend while Bryan is watching them trying to analyze Asia's behavior.

"No, it is entirely your fault! You should have treated him nicely. He is going to be your brother!" Stephy continued to argue, but Asia only rolled her eyes unbelievably.

"Yes, Stephy is right. You should have treated him nicely because he will be part of the family. If your father finds out that you guys are not okay, he will be sad." Bryan told Asia.

"Guys, I'm sorry. Can we just not talk about it?" She said before she annoyingly stood up and went upstairs, locking herself again in her room.

When Stephy and Bryan notice that Asia doesn't plan to get out of her room, they decide to leave, but Bryan stays a little more to talk to her. He knocked on the door, and Asia let him come inside. He made himself comfortable beside her on the bed before starting his sermon.

"You know, I don't have any idea of what happened between you and Joaquin, but it is not like you, Annastasia being so upset for such a reason? I can feel that something is going on between you two aside from being stepbrother and sister. I saw it, the way he looks at you. You know you can always trust me, right? But I will not l force you to tell me what it is. I just want you to calm yourself first, and when you're ready, give him a chance and talk to him. Your father's marriage with Joaquin's mother will not be that pleasant because their children are not okay, and I know you don't want that." He said sincerely.

"I'm sorry," Asia whispered, looking down.

"Don't say sorry to me. Come on, just take a deep breath and relax." Bryan said while hugging her sideways.

"Can I ask you a favor?" Asia asked.

"What? To not tell your dad about it?"

"Exactly, please?"

"Of course, I'll be the last person to betray you." He started rubbing her shoulders to soothe her.

"Don't say that. I hate betrayals," Asia said with pouty lips.