I WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON US,

LOVE
 I WILL NEVER

GIVE UP ON US, LOVE

I WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON US, LOVE
by Rain
Diveashna Felis walked over to the window and reflected on her cold but beautiful surroundings
in Baguio City  while she was waiting for her friend, Czabrielle Rodriguez, who was now
ordering food for their lunch.They are on vacation right now. Dive and Czab are both 4th year
college students who live in Cebu, but Dive's parents live in Baguio due to their business. So
she’s living together with her grandparents on her father's side.

Czab has arrived with the food, and they start eating. While he is eating, Dive is telling some
stories and jokes that make them both laugh. But suddenly she became serious and rolled her
eyes since she saw something in the distance, or rather, someone familiar—it was her ex-
boyfriend, William Zion Mejia, the son of her parents' business partner, who was smiling at her.
So, they immediately walk out of that restaurant and go to Burnham Park to escape from him. 
Diveashna and Czabrielle enjoy riding boats in the Burnham Park lagoon and riding bikes until
sunset. and after that, they rest and wait until 9 p.m. for the night market, so that they can enjoy
eating street foods and etc. and they will also buy some souvenirs since they're going back to
Cebu tomorrow evening. And by 11 pm, they decided to go to the house of dive's parents to rest
and to arrange their luggage since tomorrow morning they will go down and go to manila. While
they were still arranging their luggage, Dive's mom called her. 

"Dive, I heard you ignore William again."

"So, what mom? He's my ex, not my boyfriend anymore."

"Can you let him explain first and stop being hard headed. And if he doesn't love you 
and is not serious about you, do you think he will make an effort to follow you  to
Baguio?" 

"Oh, come on mom"

"He loves you, Dive."

Dive just rolled her eyes, put airpods on her ears, and walked out since she was not interested in
what her mom was saying. Her ex and her parents want them back after breaking up five months
ago because she saw him kissing someone. And now she said to herself that she had already
moved on. And told to herself that  it is true that you will realize the importance of something or
someone if they're gone. Now she knows why her ex knows she is in Baguio and follows her.
And she's thinking about what spell or how many her ex gave to her parents to act like that, but
she's smiled bitterly and annoyed at the same time about that idea since she knows they are not
like that and it's wrong to think about them. But she was relieved since tomorrow she will go
back to Cebu, and that thing will never bother her anymore, since her parents are staying in
Baguio with her little siblings.
The next morning, while Dive was preparing his things to go home to Cebu, she opened her
email for a moment. And suddenly the smile on her face disappeared because their flight the
evening was canceled, and especially when he thought that her mom would ask her again to go
back to William as long as they were still in Baguio. She went out to look for Czab and told her
that their flight was canceled for two days, but instead of seeing her, she saw her mom. 

"Dive, Why haven't you taken a bath yet? You will be late for your flight, you will still
travel from here to Manila."

"Our flight is canceled mom."

"Oh! Okay nice." 

"Nothing nice, I already want to go home to Cebu. But by the way, tell manang  that we
will not eat here, we're going to eat outside. Thank you." 

They went to Mines View after they had breakfast to relax and enjoy the cool climate of the
place. Later, her father called her, which made him frown because they had arranged a dinner
just for her and William, so they immediately went home to complain.

"Mom and Dad, please stop it," she shouted and complained to her parents, "I don't love
him anymore; please stop it." she added

"Give him time to explain." her dad replied

"We're here again Mom and Dad." She said with an annoyed tone. 

"But Dive in five months, you didn't give him even a few hours to explain. You haven't
heard his side yet." her mom 

"Because I'm busy with my studies, and I can't fail just because of him." Dive answered,
pissed off.

"William loves you, and he made an effort to follow you all the way from Cebu to
Baguio. Dive, we feel sorry for him, so listen to us." she just rolled her eyes because she
knew she had no choice and that her parents had cornered her. 

Dive went back to the room, but before she entered, she smiled so that Czab would not worry
about her. but when she entered, Czab winced at her friend's face.

"With your beautiful face right now, you can be an actress, don't be me, D. I heard
everything." Czab said this while smiling at her friend. Dive continued to rant for a few
minutes, but Czab cut her off.

"Get ready for your date. Stop ranting there and be prepared," Czab teased her.
 "Get ready? Prepare? No, I'm going like this; it's just dinner, not a date; it's not that
important." She replied and Czab laughed at her , and she just rolled her eyes.

 That evening, William picked her up at their house for dinner, and they went to a simple 
restaurant with a relaxing view. The silence is very awkward now because neither of them has
spoken before and, until now, they have been eating.

"So, why are we here again?" Start the conversation to break the awkward silence.

"Let's finish this meal first," he said. And then they continued to eat.

"Why did we break up again?" William asked her, and she smiled bitterly.

"Really, Will?"

"You broke up with me without telling me what was wrong."

"I saw you kissing a girl."

"Are you sure it's me? And I don't recall kissing anyone."

"Yes, it looks exactly like you, and I can't be wrong, it's really you," she said with a teary
eye."

"Please don't cry, my love. I hate seeing you cry."

"You hate seeing me cry, but you are the reason why I cry. You must hate yourself. I hate
you." She said this and started crying, he wiped her tears and hugged her.

“ Shhh.. stop crying, I’m sorry.” he whispered

"It hurts, but maybe I did something wrong or  I’m not that enough," she said while
sobbing. He embraced her even tighter while caressing her hair.

"You’re enough, my love." He said this while looking at her eyes. "You’re tired; let me
drive you home so that you can rest." He added, and she just nodded.

Diveashna sat calmly in the back seat and glanced out the window as William drove silently.
Due to Diveashna's tiredness, she fell asleep.

 "Veash, we're here." William said this while gently patting her to wake her up.

"Thank you." Dive spoke sparingly.

"Can we still talk?"

" Maybe? I don't know," she answered, and William just nodded.
 "All right, love, I'll try to understand you, even if it's difficult. Thank you for your time,
and don't worry; it’s fine. Good night, my love. Have a good sleep."  William said, then
hugged and kissed Diveashna's forehead. Diveashna didn't move and just allowed him to
do it. 

After that, Diveashna entered their house first, silently, and William entered the house next to
say goodbye to her parents. Dives walked into the room quietly and palely.

"What happened? You're looking pale."

"Nothing; we just talked, but gosh, I let him hug and kiss me."

"What? Oh my gosh, really?" she giggled.

"No, it is not like what you think, Czab; he just kissed me in the forehead."

"So, how was it? Did he revive all the butterflies in your stomach?"

"It's not like that; I don't know, but now I'm asking myself, do I still love him?"

"I know you still love him maybe you just need time. But don't be so hard to yourself and
to him"

He really loves her, but fate, they say, is playful, and they are one of the proof for this statement.
William went to their hotel confused, wondering who Dive was referring to as the man who
kissed the woman, because he knew on his own that it wasn't him. After he got home, he sat on
the sofa while still thinking about what Dive told him. She texted her mom that he had returned
home to inform her so that she wouldn't worry about him. Later, his mother called him to say
hello and hear from him about what happened earlier because she knew that he and Dive had
dinner together.

"So, how was the dinner?"

"It's fine, mom, but we are still not okay, and there is a misunderstanding between the
two of us."

"Why, what happened?"

"She said that I kissed a girl, but I didn't really do that, mom, and she said that she was
sure it was me and that I looked just like me." William answered tearfully. 

His mother was stunned and seemed to cry when she heard that she remembered her missing son
from almost 18 years ago.
The truth is that William has a twin, it's Ethan. Unbeknownst to William and Diveashna, he has a
twin brother and he was the one that dive saw kissing someone. William couldn't remember that
he had twins because Ethan disappeared when he was only 3 years old. And he was never
mentioned to him after that incident. And his parents stop talking about Ethan after a 5 year
search.

"Can you ask her where she saw him?" asked the mother while holding back her tears. 

"him?" 

"The guy, can you do that for me?" the mother stammered back while crying.

"Yes, mom, I will but not now." Despite his confusion, he agreed.

 Dive and Czab returned home to Cebu after a few days, and William followed after two days.

When William got home, his mother immediately asked him if he had asked Dive where he saw
that guy instead of greeting him first.

William couldn't sleep well because of his confusion over what Dive said and his mother's recent
behavior, which added to his confusion. 

The next day, William's mother told him to ask her now about that, so he confronted his mother
about why she had been acting weirdly these past few days until now. His mother doesn't want to
say it, but because it's his right, she told the truth about why she was acting weird recently.

 FLASHBACK

The Mejia family is at the beach to celebrate William and Ethan's 3rd birthdays. The couple
looked away for a moment, but when they looked back, the firstborn son, Ethan, was gone. He
was the firstborn because he was the first to come out of the mother's womb; he was 5 minutes
ahead. They searched from corner to corner but could not find him. They cried, begging for
mercy and praying to God to see or give back their lost child, but nothing happened.

A few months passed, and the couple still did not stop looking for their son, but years passed and
after 5 years they stopped and accepted the fact that their son was gone. At that time, they were
in debt; they were not rich and were still renting their place of residence, and they were even
more in debt because of the search for Ethan.

END OF  FLASHBACK

"So, please ask her where she saw that guy, because I believe and have a strong feeling
that it was him." His mother said this while sobbing and pleading with him. Without a
word, he embraced his crying mom.

William took the courage to text Dive, where he saw the guy. Now he has two reasons: first, to
explain to Dive that he is not the guy who kissed the girl, and second, to see his missing twin if
it's really him.

"Where did you see that guy that looks like me?" William texted
 "When we were going to date in the IT park last July, I saw you kissing a girl, so I
decided to go home at that time." Dive was perplexed by Will's text, but she responded
anyway with the address.

"It's not me; trust me, love. I will not give up on us" William replied 

William's parents now have courage to find their son and they are hopeful that their missing son
is still alive. And it is easier for them to see him because they are not short of money now. And
there is also social media to find him now, unlike before, when it was rare to have cell phones.

He asked his parents for a picture of Ethan when they were young because he didn't see a single
picture of him in their house, and he was surprised and amazed because they really looked alike,
and he felt something even though he hardly remembered it, and he thought that boy was only in
his imagination or a dream because he never saw him again, grew up with him, and also because
his parents never mentioned Ethan to him again.

Even though William is not a fan of posting on social media, he posted a picture of the two of
them on his Facebook page so that it would be easy for them to find him, and he also put their
telephone number and cellphone number.

Dive is too busy reviewing for her final exam, so she doesn't have time to chat and wander
around, so she's not updated about William's life, especially on social media, and also because
she blocked him from all her social media and Czab did the same thing.

After a few days, many people shared and reacted to William's post, and it reached Ethan's
friend, who told him about what he saw.

"Bro, we saw someone on Facebook who looks exactly like you, and he is looking for his
missing twin brother from 17 or almost 18 years ago."

"Really? HAHAHAHA!" Ethan, or as he is now better known, Tan Morales, didn't

immediately believe it and thought that his friend Marcos was joking.

"It is true, and I think he is rich just looking at his picture." Marcos stated that he
searched Facebook for William's post to prove that he was not joking. 

Tan immediately became serious when he saw William's post.

Even then, his neighbors called him adopted, and when he grew up, he also asked his parents
why he didn't look like them, but they didn't answer him directly. and simply respond, "We love
you very much, son." But before they died due to old age, they admitted that he was not their real
son, but after he found out about it, he had no intention of looking for his real parents because
the couple loved him as if he were their real child.

FLASHBACK 
Ethan joined the crowd, followed them, rode a fairy boat, and ended up on Olango Island. There
was a childless couple, Lita and Dennis, who saw him and realized that he was missing.

"Hi baby.... What's your name?" Lita asked baby Ethan

"Tan, Tan, 3 years old, today's birthday," he said instead of Ethan, and he was still young
and mumbling at the time and he also told them that it was his 3rd birthday, while
pointing at the paper he was holding which has "Happy 3rd Birthday'' written with it and
the date that time, June 14, 2001, since that is the only thing they can afford that time. For
several weeks, Lita and Dennis searched their area to see if there is  anyone looking for a
missing child, but there was none, so they just adopted him, after all, they don't have any
children. They named him Tan since this is what he told them, and they let him use their
last name Morales.

END FLASHBACK

Tan message William and ask him to meet up. 

"Hi. Let's meet today in front of Park Mall, 7pm. " 

"May I know who this is?" 

"Tan Morales, it's about your twin brother."

William felt relieved and due to his happiness he immediately told his mom and dad
about it. 

"Did he tell you where we can see Ethan?" 

"No, mom but we will meet up later in the evening to talk about it." 

"Okay son take care."

The couple is so excited and happy about what William just told them earlier. Later that day
William is already preparing to go to Park Mall where he will meet Tan, his twin brother. And he
doesn't have any idea that the one who texted him is his long lost twin brother. But suddenly
someone texted him, it was Dive. 

"waiting for your date?" William frowned after reading the text

"huh?" he texted her back with confusion but she didn't text him back again.

William just ignored this text and went to Park Mall, where Tan was already there waiting for
him.

"I'm here at Slate District." Tan's text at 6:45 p.m.

"Okay, noted." William texted back

 He drove faster, and when he arrived, he went straight to wherever Tan was now. When he
arrived, he was really stunned because he did not expect that what he would see now was Ethan, 

"How are you? Where have you been?" William starts the conversation.

"I'm fine; I live in Olango, but now I rent an apartment because Olango is far away if I
always go home." Tan replied.

They ordered food for their dinner and talked for a few hours about their lives, their parents, and
many other topics.But suddenly he was worried about the man to whom Dive was referring to, so
William asked Tan if he kissed a girl in IT Park last July, and he said yes, and it's their
anniversary, and the girl he kissed is his girlfriend, and there he confirmed that Diveashna saw
him. And when it was almost midnight, they decided to go home. 

"Okay, so Let me take you to your apartment."

"No, it's fine."

"Let's go because it's too late."

Tan couldn't do anything when William pulled him and put him in the car.

"I'll see you tomorrow; I'll take you home, so you can meet our parents and so that they
will see you because they're so excited to see you since you've been gone for so long." I
won't say that we met today, we will surprise them tomorrow." William said this to Tan,
and he nodded in agreement with William's statement.

After they separated William he went straight to his room and lay down to his bed but suddenly
he remember about Dive’s text, so he pick his phone and text her again. 

" What do you mean?" 

"Nothing, why do you always text? Old guy" Dive text him back after 1 minute, William smiled
knowing that she is still awake

"Old guy, huh. Because you blocked me on all my social media, so I can't message and contact
you there, Love."

"Oh, okay I forgot. But how's your date?"

William calls her and she answered it, so his smile get wider

" What!" 

"Jealous? My love? " 

"No, of course not. And please stop calling me love."

 "Okay then, I will call you mine."

"Oh please stop, it's so annoying. Stop flirting with me, your date might get mad at me." 

"I don't have a date and it's not me. When you texted me earlier, I was still at home at that
time. Maybe that’s my… Oh never mind.”

“Reasons… by the way it’s already late, I am so busy right now.”

“Okay Good night, love. Sweet Dreams.

 After a couple of days, William contacted Tan  and went to his apartment, where they planned
how to surprise their parents. After that, they prepared the things that will be used and do for
their surprise.

As planned, they prepared dinner for four people. They dress in the same polo design. When the
couple arrived, Tan came out first and pretended to be William.

"Why are there four plates that are prepared right now?" Their mom asked for confusion.

"We have a guest that will come later. He is the one who texted me about Ethan. " Tan
answered, and both of them noticed that his voice was a little bit different, but they
ignored it and just thought that he had a hoarse voice.

"Really!"

"Yes, by the way, I'll go to the comfort room first."

Tan was nervous, but there was joy in his heart because he finally saw his real parents. When he
was in the comfort room he texted his brother so that he was the next to come out. William left
his room and entered the kitchen, which confused the couple because Tan went to the CR in the
right corner while William entered from a different direction.

"Aren't you in CR?"

"huh?" William answered and just sat in the chair where Tan said their guest would sit,
and the couple frowned about what he did.

"You said it was for the guest, and you weren't sitting there earlier, you were on the other
side," his dad said. As expected and planned, William's phone begins to ring.

"Oh, wait a minute. I'll just answer it first." He said

Tan had returned to his seat earlier and continued eating. and their nanny delivered a cake to
their table, and on it was written, "I'm Back." William had also returned to his seat earlier, and
their parents burst into tears because they saw their first son again after a long time.

Tan and William  stood up and embraced their parents. After all the drama, they continue their
dinner, and then they talk about Tan's life: what he does now, does he work, where he lives, and
does he have a girlfriend? and also that they decided that tomorrow Tan would move into their
house,correct his name in his certificates and records since they want Tan to use their family
name even without changing its name. 

William took a photo of the four of them and posted it on his social media with the caption, "My
family. Welcome back, bro," and after that, he excused himself and let Tan enjoy and bond with
their parents first.

William sent Diveashna a picture of the four of them in a text.

"Edited," Dive replied to his text. So he immediately called her.

"Hello, do you know I'm busy?"

"Then why did you answer my call?" William playfully said.

Dive abruptly hangs up the phone, and William calls her again.

"What did you want?"

"you."

"Stop it."

"Can we meet tomorrow? Please!"

"No, I'm busy."

"Oh, I'll just go to your house then."

"No, let's just meet in the Park Mall after my class; don't you dare go to our house! They
might think that we're back together.

"All right, see you there, love." 

When he came back inside, Tan was already saying goodbye to their parents to go home to his
apartment. The parents wanted him to sleep at their house, but they didn't want to shock him.
William stopped him and told him to sleep here at their house, and his parents agreed to it since
they also wanted it; after all, they have a guest room, and tomorrow they will have his things
moved from the apartment to their house. 

The next day, as they had discussed, they ordered the staff to help Tan put all his belongings in
the van to move to their house. while William was preparing how he would talk to Diveashna
later. When afternoon came, William went to the IT park, just as Dive had said.

“What did you want? You really edited the picture and sent it to me, huh? “ Dive said,
rolling her eyes.
 "I miss you." Dive bit her lower lips, so that she will not cry but it didn’t work her tears
are slowly falling from her eyes, she couldn't stop it.

"I miss you too, but can you tell me who's that girl? I want you to explain what happened
that time. I want peace of mind." she said and wipe her tears.

"I can't because I don't know her. But can you unblock first? I have something to show
you." William said, and she just nodded.

"Oh my God. Is this real? When did you know this?" When she saw William's posts, she
looked as pale as if she had seen a ghost.

"Yes, the guy you saw kiss a girl is my long-lost twin brother. I didn't know that I had a
twin, but when I asked you where you saw the guy, my mom was the one who wanted me
to ask you that question, and at that time she revealed that I have a brother who is
missing. I can call him so that you will believe what I am saying."

She shook her head and stood up to hug William and start to cry again.

"I'm so sorry." she said while sobbing.

"It's okay, love. I miss you so much. Please don't cry."

"I'm really sorry, Love. I don't even It must be so painful for you." William smiles at
Diveashna and kisses her.

"It hurts, yet it's not your fault. But just like I told you, I will never give up on us, love."