CHAPTER 3

"Each tear that falls is a drop of blood from a wounded heart, mourning the loss of a love that once flourished like a rose under the sun."

- Roses and Blood

Trigger Warning: This chapter depicts graphic violence, including death, suicide, torture, and massacre. Reader discretion is advised

AUGUST 20, 2024

MOON PHASE: WANING GIBBOUS

🌔

🅞🅡🅘🅞🅝

"Hey, bro, you forgot something?"

I checked the rearview mirror, catching Penelope in the backseat. Her lips were slightly parted, that smirk playing on her face – I knew exactly what was coming. This called for some good-natured ribbing.

"Forgot what?" I asked, feigning ignorance. I was definitely in the mood to annoy her.

Don't get me wrong, this is our normal. It's our version of brotherly love.

My eyes flicked back to the road. Traffic was light, so we'd be there soon. I'd come to pick her up from the set of her new movie. Yep, my sister's an actress. I had a brief stint as a child actor myself, but books won out when I hit thirteen.

Today was her last day of filming, and I'd promised her a celebratory dinner.

"Kuya, you promised! I turned down Caleb—and my manager!—for this 'bonding' time, and now you're doing this…" Her voice dripped with mock-indignation.

I stayed silent, playing it cool. But honestly? I missed her getting all worked up. I stole another peek in the mirror. She was slumped back, arms crossed, staring out the window. Disappointment was practically written on her forehead.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! What did I forget?" I finally gave in, unable to keep the amusement from my voice.

She turned, a flicker of hope in her eyes.

"You forgot to tell me how incredibly amazing I am!"

I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Right, because that's a daily requirement."

"You even forgot to congratulate me," she pointed out, a touch of pettiness coloring her voice.

And because I'd missed her terribly, I couldn't resist teasing her further.

"Congratulate you on what? The movie's not even finished. How can you be so sure it'll be a hit?"

I felt her swivel around to face me.

"Of course it will! I'm the lead!" she declared, pride shining in her voice.

"Such arrogance..." I replied, barely suppressing my laughter as I watched her simmer with annoyance.

Silence hung in the air for a moment, thick with unspoken sibling rivalry.

"Pumpkin Spice Latte, or Iced Chai Latte?" I asked cheerfully, mentioning her two Starbucks favorites. I knew she couldn't resist. I felt a pang of guilt when I noticed her quiet simmering.

She didn't answer immediately, so I glanced at her again in the rearview mirror. She was rolling her eyes and pouting, still fuming, staring out the window. I let out a dramatic sigh, making sure she heard it.

"Okay, no Starbucks then—"

"Iced Chai Latte," she snapped, though her irritation was still clear. I shook my head, a chuckle escaping me. I had promised her Starbucks after her last day of filming. I had the time and the money, so who was I to argue?

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"They try to convince me to do a REAL kissing scene with Caleb, but I'm like, 'Hard pass! A kiss is a kiss, you know?' I want my first kiss to be with someone I actually like, not some random dude in a movie. So, we stick to the 'let's-just-pretend-we're-in-love' method, and let the camera work its magic."

She grumbles, pulling down her face mask to take a sip of her Iced Chai Latte. She's also sporting a hoodie and shades, full-on incognito mode. No bodyguards tonight, just me, her ever-reliable older brother. She's a huge star, you know? Seriously, I still can't believe that at nineteen, she's a major celebrity, and paired with the hottest leading man in the country, no less.

We are at Starbucks, one of Pene's favorites. Overrated, if you ask me... but hey, free drinks are free drinks.

Tonight, it's unusually quiet. Normally, this place is a caffeine-fueled zoo. The peace and quiet is actually kind of nice. It's almost eerily empty.

I take a sip of my drink, enjoying the chill before unleashing my teasing skills.

"Seriously? With all the 'sweet' scenes you two have on TV, you don't feel anything for him?"

She waves her hand dismissively, giving me a dramatic "are you kidding me?" look.

"Bro! absolutely not! And besides, he's totally not my type. If you only knew what he's really like off-screen…" She launches into a hilarious tale of Caleb's on-set antics.

But I'm already distracted. Two guys walk through the door, and my attention snags on the second one. There's something familiar about him, an almost magnetic pull.

He stops near the entrance, as if sensing my intense stare. It's like a scene from a cheesy rom-com – only, this time, I'm the one being stared at.

Time seems to slow as I study every detail of his face. He has fair skin, full lips, and a strong, straight nose. But it's his eyes that truly capture my attention.

Those eyes.

I don't know why, but a strange sadness washes over me as I look at them.

They're heading toward the counter.

Shit!

My heart skips a beat when he glances in my direction.

Damn it.

I quickly look away, forcing my attention back to Penelope, who's still mid-story.

And yeah, that's one of the worst pranks Caleb Uy ever pulled on me," she said, dramatically clutching her chest. "Truly, a crime against humanity."

I mumbled, "Good for you, congrats..." My mind was elsewhere, replaying that eye-lock like a cheesy rom-com montage. From behind her shades, I saw her eyebrow shoot up so high it threatened to disappear into her hairline.

"Good for me?!" she shrieked, her voice a hilarious blend of outrage and disbelief. "Kuya, I don't deserve this! He knows I'm obsessed with Coke, right? So, what does he do? Hands me a whole, ice-cold bottle! I'm gulping it down, thinking it's pure bliss… and then BAM! It's freakin' soy sauce!" She dramatically wiped a fake tear.

"Ohh..." I said, still completely spaced out. My inner monologue was a loop of: His eyes… his eyes… were they really that blue?

"Are you even listening?! A normal person can tell the difference between fizzy Coke and… soy sauce! You were too busy mooning over some guy to even check!" I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw my brain.

"Mooning? Me? Please! And even if I was, a pretty girl like me deserves better than a soy sauce ambush!" she huffed, crossing her arms. Her pout was almost adorable.

I rolled my eyes at her and took another sip of my drink. But I almost choked when I heard the barista's announcement.

"Snow! Your two blonde vanilla lattes are ready for take-out!"

I shot Penelope an incredulous look, my eyes wide with disbelief.

"Did you freakin' order another drink with my second name on it?!" I couldn't believe it.

Penelope just nodded, trying not to laugh. "Just get the drinks, it's for Aling Lorna and Lola… Snow." She emphasized my second name like it was the punchline of a terrible joke.

I sighed, shaking my head, and stood up to march toward the counter. As I walked, I felt a bunch of eyes on me. I glanced over at the table where the guys were seated, and guess what?

HE'S THE ONE LOOKING AT ME.

It was like he was studying my face, and I gave him a sheepish smile before turning my attention to the barista, who was holding the two drinks for Penelope.

With a grin, she handed me the drinks and said, "So, you must be Snow? I thought you were a girl!"

I felt my eyebrow twitch in annoyance. Despite being slightly miffed, I forced a smile and replied, "Well, you look pretty much like a dude yourself. Did I laugh at that?" Then I quickly walked away before my face could turn any redder.

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I love Daisy's voice – the way it sounds when she laughs, the little lilt when she talks. I've been courting her since our third year of college, and here we are, a few days into our fourth, and I still haven't gotten a "yes."

"I really want to invite you to a movie marathon tonight, but all my friends are going and I don't want you to feel awkward and left out," she confessed, her voice a tiny, adorable squeak.

I sat on our terrace, the cool night air a welcome contrast to the day's heat. The subdivision was quiet, just crickets chirping and the occasional dog barking in the distance.

"It's okay, Daisy. We can do it another time. I just got home from picking up Penelope, so I'm pretty tired too," I replied.

I heard her gasp, followed by a flurry of whispers I couldn't quite make out. Clearly, she was talking to her friends; I could hear their excited chatter.

"You know what, girls? Penelope Riveral is Orion's sister!" Daisy proudly announced. My sister, the actress, was a fan favorite even among Daisy's circle.

I shook my head and smiled. She'd even given me one of Penelope's posters to get signed – talk about fan girl status!

"Orion?" she called out again.

"Yes?"

"Can you go with me on Saturday? I saw an ad for the grand opening of a new apparel store in the city! I want to check it out. All my friends will be busy that day, so you're the only one I can ask."

I grinned. "Sure, sure. No problem. I'm free on Saturday."

"Aww, thank you so much, Snow! Now I need to end this call, gotta entertain my girls. Talk to you later, okay? Bye," she chirped.

"Bye, enjoy!" I replied, my happiness tinged with a slight cringe. Snow again.

I sighed and gazed at the night sky, where a bright waning gibbous moon hung like a pearl. It felt like only yesterday I was avoiding going out because it was a full moon.

And I still hate full moons.

I don't know why... It's just… a thing.

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It's early, just 7:30 a.m., but I'm already awake. Today's the day I'm taking Daisy to that apparel store. Sipping coffee and scrolling through Facebook, I suddenly hear Grandma's panicked cry.

"Oh my God! Forgive us, Lord! Protect us from harm!"

She rushes toward me, frantically tapping on her phone.

"Orion! My dear grandson, where's Penelope? Is she still asleep?" she asks, her voice laced with worry.

Intrigued, I set down my coffee and ask, "Why, Grandma? What's wrong?"

She holds out her phone, and there's Caleb's face on the screen, a black-and-white filter making it look ominous. Grandma scrolls down, revealing a blurry picture – a car, and what looks like a body on the floor, obscured by the sensor blur.

"Isn't this your sister's love team partner? Penelope's co-star, Orion?"

My eyes narrow as I scroll back up to check the post's source.

"Grandma, the source doesn't seem reliable. It's probably fake news; there are a lot of those going around, especially since Caleb is so famous," I say, trying to reassure her. A knot of unease, however, tightens in my stomach. Something about the blurry photo feels… off.

Grandma looks back down at her phone, adjusting her glasses as if trying to decipher the caption. She frowns at me.

"Son, I can't read the caption. You read it for me."

I sigh, taking the phone from her.

"I told you it's probably fake news, Grandma."

I start reading the caption:

Caleb Uy was found dead at 3 a.m. in the parking lot of the studio where he worked. Witnesses say the victim had two stab wounds to the neck.

Caleb is part of the popular love team CalPen, working with Penelope Riveral on numerous projects.

After reading, I look at Grandma with a nonchalant expression, though a knot of unease is tightening in my stomach.

"Grandma, let's wait for a more reliable source before—"

My breath catches in my throat as a video automatically starts playing. I look at the screen – it's my Facebook newsfeed, a video posted by BalitangUmaga. I realize I must have accidentally opened the app.

Grandma and I watch the news report together.

Gosh…

It's real…

Caleb is dead.

🎥

"In a shocking turn of events, early this morning, at 3 a.m. on August 24th, the body of renowned actor Caleb Uy was found in the parking lot of the studio where he worked. Caleb was found pale and lifeless, with no serious injuries except for two fresh stab wounds to his neck. This has left investigators with many questions and no evidence to help them track down the perpetrator.

Caleb Uy was known for his iconic roles and was one of the most beloved personalities in the entertainment industry. He was part of the currently popular love team CalPen, alongside his on-screen chemistry partner Penelope Riveral, who brought joy to the hearts of viewers and fans.

The case of Caleb Uy adds to the growing number of similar incidents in the country, where victims are found with two fresh stab wounds or punctures to their necks, pale and drained of blood. This raises deep questions and mysteries for investigators and even the government.

While the investigation continues, authorities are determined to find the cause of these killings. The actor's untimely death has brought sadness to the entertainment industry, especially since their new project had its final taping recently

Stay tuned for further updates - -"

I couldn't bear to watch the news any longer. I dropped my phone on the table and quickly ran up the stairs to the second floor, rushing toward Penelope's room. As I reached her door, I knocked, and it swung open almost instantly.

She stood there, clutching her phone, tears streaming down her face. I could hear the same news I had just watched blaring from her screen. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around me, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Bro, Caleb is gone," she choked out between her sobs.