DIARGO

PROLOGUE

Alex was sitting in a vehicle, unable to sit still. The pace of running here is so fast, matched by the rapid beating of her heart. When she looked back, the police were already following them.

"Alex?! Alex! Do you trust me?

"Huh? B-but..."

"I won't do this without your permission! I repeat, do you trust me?"

"YES!"

.

.

.

"Trusting you was my biggest mistake..

_______________________________________________

BEEP!!! BEEP!! BEEP!!!

Alex immediately got up from his bed. He caught his breath and felt the panting because of what he dreamed.

"This birthday dream is so intense. My dream is to ride in a car, especially the expensive ones, but not in that way. Oh my gosh," she said.

She immediately grabbed his cellphone and called his close friend Nicole.

"Happiest birthday, Alexis~ My favorite enemy!!!" Nicole greeted her friend.

"You're crazy, don't turn it up too loud, my phone is on speaker. Thank you,

Nics," Alex said with a laugh.

"You're 18 now, when do you plan to confess that to your dad?"

"My day is already bad, let's not talk about that for now. I have something

different to tell you, that's why I called."

"O, what's our gossip minute there? Tell me right away before we start going in to

school."

"Well, my dream was really intense, like seriously."

"Why? What did you dream about? Did you get a boyfriend? HAHAHHA"

"No, yuck. Never happening. Here's the thing, I was inside this car and then there's this guy who's driving whose facial features weren't clear to me and he was driving so fast. The worst part is we were chased by many police cars and he's asking if I trust him? Like-"

"Wow, that could be a K-drama already HAHAHA. And he's really a man, maybe that's your future, my sister."

"You're crazy, just go already. I'll follow"

"How am I supposed to get in when you're so chatty over there? Alright, John and I will go together."

"Okay, take care of that, okay? I wish everyone could have it."

"How are you ever going to get a boyfriend, you're always just saying 'I wish' and remember that you and John have the same type HAHAHA bye," Nicole teased and hung up the call.

"I got hit there," Alex said, laughing at herself.

Alex got dressed and went down to the kitchen. She found her father there preparing food. She sat down at the dining table and started eating.

"Alex?"

"Yes dad?"

"It's your favorite dish I cooked, is it delicious?"

"Of course it's delicious, Dad, you cooked it," she replied with a smile.

"Come on, let's hurry so I can drop you off at your school, my duty is coming up soon."

The smile vanished from Alex's lips. Not because his duty is near, but because her father forgot her birthday. Silence lingered between the both of them, with only the sound of spoons and forks clinking against plates and the ambient sounds of the environment being heard until the father spoke again.

"Finally, Alex, you're close to getting into the university you want, just 3 more months and you'll be graduated."

"Yeah," Alex replied curtly.

She understands that he is busy because of his job as a noble and well-known police detective in their area. Gangs are also widespread around here, accompanied by thefts and various other misfortunes. Moreover, her father is in a high position and could possibly be promoted to an even higher rank, so he is undoubtedly more burdened with work, yet she still cannot help but feel resentment towards her own father.

"Your mom must be so proud of you, if only she were here-"

"I'm going ahead, Dad. I might be late," Alex interrupted.

"Wait, Alex, aren't you going to join me?"

"Not anymore, Dad, I'll just take the bus. Last time I rode in a car, we even had a fight."

"Alex, I just don't want you to get hurt. Wait for me, I just need to get something upstairs. Check first, maybe you forgot something in your belongings."

"No dad, there's nothing, maybe you forgot something. I'll just commute."

"Alex, if this is still about you disobeying me, that's different now. You got into your friend's car, which we both know is strictly forbidden. I am the one with you now and not someone else, so I feel more at ease knowing you are safe," the father continued to insist.

"Really, Dad? Weren't you the one with mom on the day she was still breathing?"

Alex, in tears, walked straight out carrying her belongings. She did not look back at her father, whose face was now unrecognizable because of what she had said. The truth really hurts.

Alex boarded the bus with a heavy heart and full of resentment. She is conflicted in her mind whether she should feel guilty for answering her father or not because what she said was true. Alex tried to forget what happened and looked for a way to distract herself while riding, but the noise of the people around her was overwhelming. She turned her gaze outside and seemed captivated by a very beautiful car on the other side of the road with an elegant color. She stared at it until she looked at the driver's seat and locked eyes with whoever was driving it. Their staring stopped when this car started moving.

"Woah" Alex thought to herself and followed the car with his eyes.

RING!! RING!! RING!!

Alex regained her composure and answered the caller.

"Alex? Where are you now? Why aren't you here yet?" said on the other line.

"I'm on the bus, I'm almost there."

"Why, why don't you respond to our chats? WHAT NOW, ALEXIS DENISSE DE GUZMAN?!

"Sorry, Nics, my phone was on silent. I'm almost there."

"JUST MAKE SURE BECAUSE IF NOT, I'LL CUT YOU INTO THREE EVEN IF IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY"

"Fine, I don't want to be late either. Come on." Alex ended the call and remembered again the man in the beautiful car she had just stared at a moment ago.

Drake's POV

Is it really too much to be strict with my child? I just don't want Alex to get hurt. I won't let what happened before happen again. Alexa, my love, wherever you are, I hope you can help me so that our only daughter doesn't grow distant from me. Until now, I still blame myself for what happened to you, so maybe your child is right. It's really my fault.

"Sir? Sir Drake?"

"Detective Dean? Oh, why are you here already?"

"Sir, I was worried. It's your first time not coming in at the exact time of your duty, I was supposed to pick you up."

"Thank you. Just thinking about my family and my only daughter."

"Care to share?"

"There was just a little argument earlier before she left, because I don't want her riding in anyone else's car without me being there. I just don't want anything bad to happen."

"Hmm, is it really just because of that? Did you say something bad? How old is your child?"

"17" was my unequivocal answer.

"17, that's enough to get a student license now-"

"Fuck!" It suddenly all synced in for me now, it's September 6, Alex's birthday!!!

"Why, sir?"

"She's already 18, not 17. It's her birthday today and I forgot about it!"

"You can't really blame her, anyone would probably feel hurt. Just make it up later when you get home."

"Yeah, I will try. It's getting late, we need to go back to work. Let's go."

"Yes, sir. Especially now that your promotion is near, you need to have a good record."

I got ready and we left for the station.

Author's POV

RING!! RING!! RING!!

Alex didn't answer the call when she saw who it was. Her father kept calling her, so she decided to turn off her cellphone.

"Not now, I don't want any fights for now. I want to at least enjoy my birthday. Wherever you are mom, I miss you and I love you," said Alex.