A/N: It's been a year when the people's campaign started. It was a movement. Probably my proudest moment 🥺💖

---

"How are you, Lex?" Irene cheered the moment she saw her niece entering their mansion. It's Sunday so they would go to family lunch. "Hindi ka man lang nagsabi na uuwi ka pala. My god! I've missed you so much."

Lexie hugged her aunt in return. "I've missed you too, Tita. I was actually planning to surprise everyone pero parang ako yata ang na surprise."

Irene giggled. "Naku, hayaan mo na parents mo. Malalaki na yang mga yan. Besides they explained naman diba?"

Lexie sighed. "Yeah."

The morning Lexie caught her parents in her mom's condo, she's actually expecting them to explain to her what is happening. Clearly, her parents slept together the night before because they were still in their pj's when she saw them. Also, she noticed how her mom made breakfast for her dad. Her mom simply told her that she's having a migraine that's why her dad went to her unit.

"Gusto mo bang pagalitan ko mom and dad mo?" Irene joked.

Lexie smirked. "Huwag na tita. Like what you said, malalaki na sila. Besides, sanay naman ako na hindi ako na-iinform about sa mga decisions nilang dalawa eh. If I know nagbabahay-bahayan na sila."

Irene just sighed and wrap her arms to Lexie's shoulder as they went to the dining area.

---

Leni went home from the office. She bought some sour dough from Lexie's favorite bake shop. She knew how Lexie loves bread. She also got some avocados, tomatoes, honey, and other ingredients for Lexie to experiment.

"Oh! You're here!" Leni gasped the moment she entered the unit. Lexie was already home from the get together she had with her dad's family. "Anong oras ka nakauwi? Hindi ka nag message saakin."

"Kanina pa ako nakauwi ma mga 5pm. Hinatid ako ni Papa." Lexie said. She's watching the season 2 of fate: winx saga on Netflix.

Leni nodded. "Kumusta naman lunch nyo kanina? For sure tuwang-tuwa ang lola mo kasi nandito ka."

Lexie looked at her mom as she unpacked the stuff she brought. "Okay naman po. Lola was so happy, next time magsabi ako na uuwi ako para makapag ready sya. I told her I was about to surprise everyone kaya lang ako yata ang na surprise." She hinted.

Leni looked at her. "Lex—"

Lexie cut her mom off. "It's okay, ma. Relasyon nyo naman yan ni Papa so hands off ako dyan."

Leni sighed. "I saw your tweet by the way."

Lexie frowned. "What tweet?"

Leni slightly rolled her eyes. "I went live on fb last week and I said miss ko na si Diego. Apparently, it was trending on Twitter then I saw your post, sabi mo it must've been so hard for Diego to be a child of divorced parents. You even mentioning me and your dad."

Lexie remembered that particular tweet. She also recalled how she told her mom and dad to just get back together, of course she's being sarcastic. "Totoo naman. Siguro mahirap for diego na pinagpapasa-pasahan nyo sya every week. Well, I know how it felt." She went upstairs leaving her mom.

"Alexandria Caroline Marcos!" Leni exclaimed but Lexie didn't bother to turn her back and just continue to take the stairs.

---

"Where are you going?" Leni frowned the moment she saw Lexie carrying her luggage. It was 7:00 in the morning, Leni was waiting for Lexie to wake up so that they could have some breakfast together.

"I'm going to Ilocos." Lexie said. She wore her sunglasses.

"Today?" Leni asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm with Tita Irene and Tito Greggy. We'll visit Lola there. Tita Aimee will be there too. Baka next week na ako bumalik." Lexie summarized.

"Kaya nga, wala naman problema saakin if you went there kaya lang sana sinabihan mo ako ng mas maaga hindi yung magpapaalam ka kung kailan aalis ka na. Besides, sobrang layo nun and ilang days kang mawawala." Leni argued.

Lexie sighed. "I will be back naman."

"Kaya nga but that's not my point—"

Lexie cut her mom off. "Ma, it's okay. I'm gonna be okay. Don't make it a big deal. Ikaw nga hindi ko rin naman alam ang mga lakad mo eh or should I say mga lakad nyo ni Papa."

Leni frowned. Her ears perked up. "Sumusobra ka na Alexandria ha!"

Lexie rolled her eyes and turned her back. "I'm going. I have a flight to catch."

---

Lexie has been drinking sangria since dinner. She's having too much fun with her dad's family. It's been a while since she saw her cousins. She always felt the love and acceptance whenever she's with them, but sometimes she's wondering what if her parents are still together. She couldn't even remember when was the last time she had both her parents to family gatherings.

"You've been drinking a lot." Irene uttered. Lexie gasped. They both sat down near the pool.

"Pampatulog lang, tita." Lexie smiled weakly.

Irene looked at her niece unconvincingly, "Do you want to talk about something? I'm listening."

Lexie smiled at her aunt. She's been by her side ever since she's a kid, even more so when her parents separated. She remembers how her Tita Irene would brought her to family day, she would never miss her swimming competition, and she would always teach her some piano pieces. "Mama and I fought."

Irene sighed, she knew every story of Lexie's life. She cannot blame her sometimes. "Why?"

"I forgot to tell her that I'm going here in Ilocos." Lexie said.

"Lexie naman. Magagalit talaga ang mom mo." Irene said.

"Yeah I know tita. I just find it so unfair that I need to let her know everything I do or every decision I have ever made, pero sya, sila ni papa hindi nga nila ako masabihan man lang kapag may mga gagawin silang major decisions eh. Remember when Papa ran for the presidency? I didn't know that. When mama decided to build her own foundation? I didn't know that. I didn't even know that papa got her a dog, Tita!" Lexie exclaimed. "Hindi man lang nila ako sinabihan na maghihiwalay na pala sila. I know I'm still a kid that time and I know that they're having a hard time when Addie died, pero sana man lang kinausap nila ako ng matino. Pinaintindi sana nila saakin ang sitwasyon, I was 10 that time for sure may maiintindihan naman ako kahit papano na maghihiwalay ang mga magulang ko kasi namatay yung kapatid ko." Lexie cried. She's been trying so hard not to broke down because of the pain and anger she's feeling ever since her parents separated and her younger sibling died.

Irene knew all of these and she promised Lexie to never tell it to anyone. It's their secret. Irene knew how hard it is for Leni and Bongbong when they lost Addie due to car accident when she was three. She saw how Leni and Bongbong fought and how miserable they became after that accident. She also saw how Lexie struggled to live with her parents arguing over the same matter all the time not to mention that she's also grieving. That's why she promised herself that she will be there for Lexie in every step of the way. She would bring her to family day at school, bring her to the mall with her kids, watch her swimming competitions, and she devoted a lot of her time giving her some piano lessons. She wanted to give Lexie her childhood back.

Lexie on the other hand decided to live abroad. She always dreamed of studying in Harvard that's why she worked hard for it. She just wanted to escape the life she has in the Philippines. She doesn't want the attention from the media nor netizens. She just wanted to live normally and independently. She wants to get away from her parents. She never grieved the death of her sister properly.

---

Bongbong woke up the next day earlier than usual. He cannot sleep anymore so he decided to just went downstairs and take a quick morning walk. He went out to their front yard, he saw their house helpers along the way greeting him. He was curious suddenly, he saw his three sisters helping their gardeners with the plants. He was happy to see them anyway.

He sat down to one of their patio furnitures. "What's going on?" He asked.

His three sisters turned their backs to see him. They all glared at him making him frowned. "What?" He asked.

Imee, Irene, and Aimee walked towards him with serious faces. He's starting to get nervous.

"Have you tak to Lexie?" Irene asked first. She and her two sisters are standing in front of Bongbong with their arms crossed.

Bongbong shook his head. "She's still sleeping."

"You should talk to her, kuya." Aimee said.

Bongbong frowned. "Why?"

Imee rolled her eyes. "Because she's not a kid anymore! Kailngan nyo ng proper conversation as adults dahil habang tumatanda ang anak mo, mas lalong lumalayo ang loob sa'yo."

"Okay?" He doesn't even getting any of this.

"For a start, talk to her about your relationship with Leni." Irene said. "Kung ano man ang meron sainyong dalawa, you better start clearing it to your daughter. Nahihirapan na yung anak nyo sainyong dalawa. She needs explanation and clarification from you two."

"Wait. First of all, there's nothing going on between me and Leni." Bongbong uttered. "The morning Lexie saw me with Leni was just an accident. Nagkataon lang na inaatake sya ng vertigo at migraine nya, so I went there to take care of her. Alam nyo naman na matagal ko ng ginagawa yun kay Leni and alam nyo din kung gaano kalala ang migraine nya but there's nothing going on."

His sisters looked at him unconvincingly. "There's nothing going on between you two pero paano mo i-explain saamin ang pagsundo mo kay Leni sa AB office and ang pagpapadala mo ng pagkain palagi." Imee dropped.

Bongbong looked at his sister amusingly. "Kahit kailan ka talaga manang! May chismis ka ba na hindi alam?"

"Yung relasyon nyo nalang ni Leni siguro ang hindi ko pa nasasagap." Imee said, sarcastically. "Kaya umamin ka na, Bonget! Huling-huli ka na eh!"

"Wala nga!" Bongbong couldn't believe that his sisters are interrogating him at the earliest time possible.

"Well, I think you and Ate Leni still have feelings for each other so you better start with that siguro, Kuya." Aimee said.

Imee and Irene nodded in agreement.

Bongbong was speechless for a moment. He then realized what Aimee said, he sudden recalled his recent interactions with Leni. "Okay fine. I'm gonna talk to her. I'm gonna make this right. Huwag nyo na akong awayin."

To be continued...

💖❤️