Chapter 20
The warm afternoon sun filtered through the windows of a quiet, hidden café—one of the few places where Celine and Arianne could be together without worrying about prying eyes. Their lunch had been peaceful so far, filled with quiet glances and small smiles, but Celine had something on her mind.
As Arianne picked at her food, deep in thought, Celine exhaled slowly, setting her utensils down. She looked at Arianne with intent, fingers tracing small circles on the table.
"Mahal”
Arianne, sensing the shift in Celine’s tone, glanced up. "Hmm? Ano ‘yon?"
Celine hesitated for a moment, then decided to just say it. "Gusto ko nang sabihin sa mga kaibigan ko tungkol sa atin."
Arianne stiffened slightly, her grip on her fork tightening. "Celine…"
Celine reached for Arianne’s hand across the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Alam ko, dahan-dahan tayo. Pero gusto ko lang na alam nila—kahit sila lang muna."
Arianne sighed, biting her lip. "Paano kung may makaalam? What if one of them slips up?"
Celine shook her head. "Kilala ko sila, Arianne. I am sure na hindi sila snitch. Lalo na sina Jamie at Skylar—matagal na nilang tinatanong kung may nagpapasaya sa’kin. And I want to tell them na ikaw ‘yon."
Arianne lowered her gaze, stirring the remnants of her soup absentmindedly. Her mind raced with what-ifs—what if it affected Celine’s career? What if people started noticing? What if their private moments got twisted into rumors?
But then, she felt the warmth of Celine’s palm against hers, grounding her.
Celine gave her a soft smile. "Hindi ko sinasabing ngayon na. Ayoko kang madaliin. Gusto ko lang malaman mo na handa na ‘ko. Kung kailan ka ready, susunod lang ako."
Arianne sighed, still hesitant but touched by Celine’s patience. After a moment, she nodded. "Okay. But give me more time. Gusto kong sabihin din sa members ko—ako mismo."
Celine’s expression brightened. "Talaga?"
Arianne let out a soft chuckle and nodd.
Arianne squeezed her hand, feeling a little more at ease. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t as terrifying as she thought. Maybe taking this step—no matter how small—was the right thing to do.
As they leave the café, Celine casually drapes an arm around Arianne’s waist, pulling her closer for a brief moment before letting go. No cameras, no fans—just them.
Arianne smiles to herself. Maybe soon, they won’t have to hide at all.
Celine and Arianne were still walking side by side, their fingers brushing occasionally, a quiet yet comforting presence between them. It felt peaceful—the kind of stolen moment that made Celine wish they didn’t have to hide.
But just as she was about to say something, Arianne’s phone buzzed.
She pulled it out, checking the caller ID. Her manager.
Arianne frowned before answering. “Hello?”
Celine watched as Arianne’s expression shifted—her relaxed demeanor suddenly replaced by something serious.
“Now?” Arianne asked, glancing at Celine for a second.
Celine didn’t say anything, just listening.
“Alright. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Arianne sighed before ending the call. She turned to Celine with an apologetic look. “May biglaang meeting. Kailangan kong umalis.”
Celine didn’t react much—she just nodded, her expression unreadable.
“Okay.”
Arianne hesitated. “Okay lang ba?”
Celine forced a small smile. “Trabaho mo ‘yan, diba? Go.”
Arianne studied her for a moment, as if trying to figure out if she was really okay with it. She knew Celine—knew that behind that calm expression was someone who hated sudden interruptions, especially when they were together like this.
But she also knew that Celine wouldn’t say anything to make her feel bad about it.
So, instead of arguing, Arianne just sighed and reached out, squeezing Celine’s hand gently. “Sorry.”
Celine shook her head. “Wala kang dapat i-sorry. Trabaho ‘yan, naiintindihan ko.”
Arianne gave her one last look before finally turning away, hailing a cab to take her to her company’s building.
Celine stood there for a moment, watching as the car disappeared down the road.
And just like that, the warmth of the moment they shared earlier faded into something emptier.
She let out a breath, shoving her hands into her pockets before pulling out her phone.
Scrolling through her messages, she found Jamie’s name.
Celine:Nasa condo ka?
A few seconds later, Jamie replied.
Jamie:Yeah, bakit?
Celine:Punta ako.
Jamie:Psh. Magdala ka ng pagkain kung ganyan.
Celine rolled her eyes but smiled a little. At least Jamie never changed.
She turned on her heels, hailing a ride to Jamie’s condo.
Celine knocked twice before Jamie opened the door, immediately eyeing her hands. “Asan yung pagkain?”
Celine held up a takeout bag. “Chill. May dala ako.”
Jamie smirked, stepping aside to let her in. “Dapat lang. Pag bibisitahin mo ‘ko ng biglaan, dapat may kapalit.”
Celine rolled her eyes, walking in and dropping onto the couch like it was her own place. She placed the food on the coffee table before stretching her arms behind her head.
Jamie sat beside her, opening the takeout container. "So? What happened? You look... I don't know, kinda off."
Celine sighed, grabbing a bottle of water before speaking. "I told Arianne I want to tell my friends about us."
Jamie, mid-bite, froze.
Slowly, she put her food down and turned to Celine, eyes wide. "Hold up. 'Us'?! Celine—what the hell? Are you saying what I think you're saying? Arrgh basta ayun!"
Celine smirked slightly, leaning back against the couch. "Yeah. Me and Arianne. We're... something again."
Jamie stared at her like she had grown a second head. "Wait, wait, wait. I thought you were done with all that?! You were devastated when she left you! And now, what? You're back together just like that?"
Celine chuckled. "It's not that simple. We're not officially together... yet. But we both know there's something real between us. And honestly, I don’t want to hide anymore."
Jamie exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Damn. This is insane. After all these years, you’re telling me you and Arianne are back in each other's orbit again?"
Celine nodded. "Crazy, right?"
Jamie scoffed. "Understatement of the year." She shook her head before narrowing her eyes. "And what about all the drama that comes with this? You do know that if you two go public, it’s not gonna be pretty, right?"
Celine shrugged. "I know. But it's worth it."
Jamie stared at her for a moment before groaning dramatically. "Ugh. You are such a hopeless case."
Celine laughed. "You love me anyway."
Jamie rolled her eyes but smirked. "Kadiri."
For a while, they ate in comfortable silence, Jamie occasionally sneaking glances at Celine, still processing everything. But knowing Jamie, she wasn’t going to let things slide that easily.
After a few minutes, Celine shifted on the couch, reaching for her phone, which had slipped between the cushions. But as she pulled it out, her fingers brushed against something soft.
Something fabric-like.
Frowning, she tugged at it—and froze.
It was a pair of underwear.
Pink. Lacy. And the worst part? It had a name embroidered on it.
Celine blinked, turning it slightly to read the name.
Skylar.
Silence.
Jamie was mid-bite when she noticed Celine wasn’t moving. "Anyare sayo?"
Celine slowly turned to her, holding up the underwear between two fingers.
"Jamie... why the hell is Skylar’s underwear under your couch?"
Jamie choked on her food so hard she nearly fell off the couch. "What the—PUT THAT DOWN!"
Celine gaped at her.
Jamie lunged to snatch the underwear, but Celine held it up, dodging.
"Wow. So you’re really living your best life, huh?" Celine teased, waving the underwear like a flag.
Jamie groaned, face in her hands. "Celine, shut up!"
"No, no, this is interesting." Celine smirked. "Care to explain why your girlfriend’s underwear is chilling under your sofa?"
Jamie grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. "Baka nahulog lang yan sa laundry"
Celine raised a brow. "Oh? So you’re doing each other’s laundry now? How domestic."
Jamie glared. "Celine. I swear, if you don’t drop this—"
Celine cackled.
Jamie groaned louder. "I hate you."
After an hour of teasing, laughing, and Jamie aggressively denying all accusations about Skylar’s underwear, the two finally settled down. Celine stretched out on the couch, her stomach full from all the takeout, while Jamie sat cross-legged on the floor, scrolling through her phone.
"You know what?" Jamie suddenly said, looking up. "Since nandito ka na rin naman, let’s call Skylar and Gale. We haven’t hung out in forever."
Celine raised a brow. "Oh? Now you suddenly wanna have a mini-reunion?"
Jamie shrugged. "Might as well. And besides…" She smirked. "I want them to hear what you just told me."
Celine rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. A bonding session with the whole gang actually sounded like a good idea.
The night felt lighter, like the kind of gathering they hadn’t had in a while. Between their packed schedules and endless commitments, it had been months since all four of them were in the same room without worrying about work.
Celine sat on Jamie’s couch, phone in hand, scrolling mindlessly through social media while waiting. Jamie was in the kitchen, setting out drinks and snacks, while they waited for Gale and Skylar to arrive.
"You think they’ll freak out?" Celine asked, glancing toward Jamie.
Jamie smirked. "Please. They’re gonna lose their minds."
Before Celine could respond, the doorbell rang.
Jamie practically sprinted to the door, throwing it open to reveal Gale and Skylar, both looking exhausted but excited.
"Finally!" Jamie grinned, pulling them both inside. "Akala ko hindi niyo na kami bibisitahin, ha!"
Skylar chuckled as she set her bag down. "You do realize we’re literally swamped with work, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, excuses." Jamie waved her off before dragging them toward the living room. "We have something important to talk about"
Gale raised a brow. "What now? Are you and skylar will getting married? Did you finally win an award?"
Jamie rolled her eyes. "No, you idiot. It’s about Celine."
Celine sighed. "You didn’t even give me a choice, huh?"
Jamie ignored her and clapped her hands together. "Okay, listen up. You guys know how everyone’s been shipping Celine and Mavis, right?"
Skylar and Gale exchanged a look before nodding.
"Yeah," Skylar said. "With the way Mavis acts around Celine, we honestly thought something was going on."
Gale crossed her arms. "Mavis looked like she wasn’t just doing fan service. We seriously thought she was into you, Celine."
Celine scoffed. "Please. That’s just Mavis being Mavis."
Jamie smirked. "And that’s exactly why we’re here tonight—because, surprise surprise, Celine is not into Mavis."
Skylar narrowed her eyes. "Then who—?"
Jamie grinned, dragging out the suspense for dramatic effect. Then, with the biggest smirk ever, she said, "It’s Arianne."
The room went silent.
Gale blinked. "Wait, what?"
Skylar sat up straighter. "Arianne? As in Arianne ng Lumina?”
Jamie threw her hands up. "Exactly!"
Gale and Skylar both gasped.
"T*! Are you serious?!"** Gale blurted out. "I thought that was over! You guys never even had closure!"
Celine sighed, rubbing her temple. "Yeah, well… now we do."
Skylar still looked stunned. "I don’t get it. How did this even happen? You two haven't talked in years!"
Jamie, clearly enjoying herself, sat cross-legged on the couch. "Okay, okay. Since I’m the best storyteller in the room, let me break it down for you."
Celine groaned. "Jamie, please."
Jamie ignored her and started dramatically. "So, as we all know, Arianne and Celine were basically inseparable back in college. Lovebirds, sweet as hell, all that crap. Then, boom! Arianne gets into that big P-pop company. But—plot twist!—there was a ‘no dating’ clause."
Gale winced. "Sh*t. I remember that."
"Right?" Jamie continued. "And guess what? That meant she had to cut off all connections—including Celine."
Skylar crossed her arms. "Pero hindi sila nag-break properly, ‘di ba? Arianne just… disappeared."
Celine exhaled sharply. "Yeah. No calls, no texts. One day, she was just gone."
Gale looked at her. "Damn, that must’ve hurt."
Celine gave a dry chuckle. "You have no idea."
Jamie leaned forward. "And now, years later… plot twist ulit! Fate said, ‘Let’s mess with Celine’s life!’ So Arianne comes back into the picture, and surprise, surprise—they’re back together."
Skylar still looked skeptical. "But what changed? Why now?"
Celine pursed her lips. "I don’t know. Maybe because we never really moved on from each other."
Gale sighed, shaking her head. "Wow. And here I thought you and Mavis were about to be a thing."
Celine rolled her eyes. "For the last time, Mavis and I are just friends."
Skylar smirked. "Tell that to the people on Twitter."
Jamie laughed. "Tell that to the fan edits."
Celine groaned. "I hate all of you."
Gale chuckled, leaning back against the couch. "So… what now? Are you guys going public?"
Celine hesitated for a moment before saying, "I want to. But Arianne—she still has a lot to lose."
Skylar nodded. "Yeah. It’s different for idols. Her company might not take it well."
Jamie scoffed. "Honestly? Fk her company. They already took so much from her. They can’t take away her happiness too."**
Celine smiled slightly. "Sana ganun lang kadali"
Gale sighed. "Well, no matter what happens, we got your back, Celine."
Skylar nodded. "Yeah. Always."
Jamie raised her glass. "To unexpected second chances, and to hoping this one doesn’t end in heartbreak."
Celine chuckled, clinking her glass against theirs. "Cheers to that."
The night continued with laughter and teasing, but the topic of Celine and Arianne remained the centerpiece of their conversation. After finishing their food, they all sprawled across Jamie’s living room, comfortably lounging with drinks in hand.
Gale was the first to break the silence. "So, since we’re talking about relationships tonight… do you guys already know about me and Sasha?"
Celine smirked. "Oh, please. Halatang halata”
Skylar chuckled. "You think we wouldn’t notice? You’re not exactly subtle, Gale."
Jamie rolled her eyes. "‘Di nga. Akala niyo siguro ang galing niyong magtago, pero ang lakas kaya ng tension between you two. Kahit sa public events, kita ‘yung tinginan niyo!"
Gale groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Okay, fine. Busted. But we’re keeping it lowkey, ha? Wala pang may alam sa management."
Skylar smirked. "Hmm. Sounds familiar." She shot a playful glance at Celine.
Celine just chuckled, shaking her head. Then her expression turned serious. "Actually, speaking of that… Gale, can I ask you for a favor?"
Gale raised a brow. "What is it?"
Celine sighed, shifting on the couch. "Don’t tell Sasha about me and Arianne. Let Arianne be the one to tell her members."
Gale blinked, caught off guard. "You don’t want Sasha to know yet?"
Celine nodded. "Hindi naman sa ganun. It’s just… this should come from Arianne. It’s her group, her career, and I don’t want her to feel pressured."
Skylar hummed in agreement. "Yeah. That makes sense. Arianne has more at stake than any of us. If word gets out too soon, things could get messy for her."
Gale frowned slightly, arms crossed. "But what if Sasha already suspects something? You know how observant she is. She might put two and two together."
Jamie snorted. "Let’s be real. If she hasn’t figured it out yet, Edi bulag siya."
Celine chuckled. "Maybe. But still, I’d rather let Arianne handle it on her own terms."
Gale nodded slowly, understanding. "Alright. I won’t say anything. But if Sasha asks me directly, I’m gonna have to lie, and I hate lying to her."
Celine gave her a small smile. "I know, and I appreciate that. But I think Arianne just needs a little more time. Pumayag naman na siya na sabihin sa members niya… she just needs to find the right moment."
Jamie leaned back, stretching her arms. "Honestly, I get why you’re being careful. Pero Celine, once this is out, there’s no turning back. You ready for that?"
Celine took a deep breath. "I am. More than ever."
Skylar smirked. "Damn. Love really changes people, huh?"
Gale chuckled. "Yeah. And it’s kinda nice to see Celine this serious about someone again."
Jamie grinned. "Well, here’s to hoping Arianne makes the right move this time." She lifted her drink again. "No more unfinished business, no more what-ifs."
Celine smiled as she clinked her glass against theirs. "No more what-ifs."
But deep down, she knew there were still a few uncertainties left.
And whether Arianne was truly ready to face them… that was something only time would tell.
The night had escalated—fast.
Empty bottles were scattered on Jamie’s coffee table, evidence of just how much they had been drinking. Jamie, Celine, and Gale were slumped over the couch, red-faced and giggling at the dumbest things. Meanwhile, Skylar sat on the armrest of a chair, completely sober, sipping water as she watched the chaos unfold.
"Guys, this is insane," Skylar muttered, shaking her head. "You’re all wasted."
Jamie, who was sprawled out with her head on Celine’s lap, lifted a finger dramatically. "Correction. We are legendary drunk. Ano pang sense ng bondig na to diba?"
Celine snorted, lazily running a hand through Jamie’s hair. "Yeah, yeah. Legendary. Whatever you say, Jam."
Gale, on the other hand, was hunched over the arm of the couch, eyes half-lidded. "Ugh, Bakit parang umiikot kayo. Who let me drink this much?"
Jamie perked up, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ooooh! Speaking of legendary, I have a dare!"
Skylar immediately tensed. "Jamie, no. Stop whatever you’re planning."
Jamie ignored her, turning to Gale with a devilish grin. "Gale, babe, since you’re already soooo in love with Sasha…" she wiggled her eyebrows, "why don’t you finally admit it to the world? Like, right now. Post it on X. ‘Me and Sasha are dating.’"
Celine burst into laughter, slapping Jamie’s arm. "Jamie, you’re evil!"
Skylar groaned. "Jamie, don’t encourage this! Lasing si Gale!"
But Gale, completely wasted, lifted her head and squinted. "Oo nga no.. That actually sounds like a great idea."
Skylar’s eyes widened. "No, it does not—"
Before she could stop her, Gale fumbled for her phone, fingers clumsy as she tapped on the screen. "Okay, okay… ‘Me… and… Sasha… are dating. Heart emoji.’ Done." She hit post with a dramatic flourish.
Jamie and Celine erupted into loud, drunken cheers.
"OH MY GOD, SHE ACTUALLY DID IT!" Jamie howled, clutching her stomach.
"GALE, YOU’RE INSANE!" Celine cackled, nearly falling off the couch.
Skylar, on the other hand, was about to lose her mind. "GALE! WHAT THE HELL?!" She lunged forward, grabbing Gale’s phone. "You just told the entire world—"
Gale giggled. "Oops. Too late now."
Jamie high-fived Celine. "This is the best night ever."
Skylar groaned, rubbing her temples. "I swear, I’m never letting you three drink this much again."
Meanwhile, Gale just grinned lazily. "Well… at least now, we don’t have to keep it a secret anymore."
Jamie smirked, raising her drink. "Cheers to reckless decisions!"
Celine clinked her glass against Jamie’s, still laughing.
Skylar, exhausted, just slumped back in her seat. "We’re so doomed."
Skylar could only watch in horror as her phone started buzzing like crazy.
"Oh my God," she muttered, staring at Gale’s X post. "It’s blowing up”
Celine, Jamie, and Gale—all incredibly drunk—were completely unfazed.
"Whaaat?" Gale slurred, blinking at Skylar. "What’s the worst that could happen? It’s just love, Sky."
"JUST LOVE?" Skylar looked like she was about to have a meltdown. "You literally just announced your relationship to the entire world, Gale! Ni wala kang consent ni Sasha!"
Celine, giggling, leaned her head against Jamie. "I think Sasha’s gonna be chill about it. Baka nga gusto niya rin"
Jamie grinned. "Exactly! Besides, Gale just saved her the trouble of keeping it a secret. I bet Sasha’s lowkey relieved"
Skylar groaned, pacing the room. "I can’t believe this. I can’t believe you guys. Hindi ko na kayo maintindihan, para kayong mga bata, para akong nagbe-babysitting ng bunch of drunk idiots."
Jamie gasped dramatically. "Excuse me, we are fun drunk idiots!"
Celine nodded, her eyes heavy with intoxication. "Yeah, Skye, stop being a killjoy. Look at Gale—she's happy."
Gale, lying sideways on the couch with a goofy smile, lazily raised her hand. "Hella happy."
Skylar exhaled sharply. "You know what? Fine. You all deal with this mess in the morning." She shook her head, turning her attention back to her phone. "Sasha’s probably losing her mind right now."
Suddenly, Jamie perked up, eyes widening as an idea formed in her drunken brain. "Wait, what if tawagan natin si Sasha now?"
Skylar nearly dropped her phone. "NO!"
Celine and Gale, however, loved the idea.
"YES!" Celine cheered, grabbing her own phone. "Let’s hear what she has to say! This is content!"
Skylar rushed to stop her. "Celine, I swear to—"
But she was too late. Celine had already tapped on Sasha’s contact and hit the call button.
Everyone held their breath as the ringing tone filled the room.
Then—
"…What the hell do you want?"
Sasha’s groggy voice came through the speaker.
Celine and Jamie immediately burst into laughter. "SASHA, WAKE UP! CHECK X!"
There was a pause. Then a rustling sound.
A second later, Sasha’s voice was sharper, more awake. "What did you guys do?!"
Gale, still grinning, lazily said, "Babe, I love you."
Silence.
Then Sasha sighed deeply. "Gale… please tell me you didn’t post anything dumb."
Jamie and Celine howled in the background. "OH, SHE DID! SHE REALLY DID!"
Skylar sat back, massaging her temples. "I give up. I really give up."
Sasha groaned on the other end. "You know what? I’ll deal with you tomorrow. Go sleep before you all do something even worse."
Then the call ended.
For a few seconds, there was silence.
Then Jamie burst out laughing again. "We’re so getting scolded tomorrow."
Celine, lying back on the couch, chuckled. "Totally worth it."
Gale just hummed, eyes already fluttering shut. "Mmm. Love you, Sasha."
Skylar, exhausted, stood up. "I’m done. You guys can pass out here. I’ll be in the guest room, pretending I don’t know any of you."
Jamie pouted. "Aww, Skye, don’t be mad—"
"Goodnight!" Skylar called over her shoulder as she walked away.
As the three drunken fools continued giggling to themselves, Skylar sighed, shaking her head.
Tomorrow was going to be chaos.