Stars Are Falling

by Inkprincess31

Summary:

"Seasons are changing, and waves are crashing, and stars are falling all for us."

Chapter 1: Parking Lot

Notes:

A/N: Because life's not fair, and our pleas for a new EliXy/XyLo project have fallen on deaf ears.

P.S. This is un-beta’d. You know what to do. 😅

“10 more minutes? Seriously?” He asked in disbelief. “Kanina pa ko nakatayo dito!” Reminding himself to keep his impatience in check, Archie lowered his voice. “Almost half an hour, Poch. Wala pa rin yung brad mo.” He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. But he couldn’t relax, couldn’t help his eyes from darting around. He had that weird tingling feeling at the back of his neck - as if someone’s watching.

Or maybe he was just too on edge. It was a long grueling day of trying to meet all the academic demands that his younger sister Z would have just easily breezed through. For months, Archie has been struggling to keep up, but he continued trying. 

He kept his calendar free that night and drove home straight from school, looking forward to a steaming bowl of a home-cooked meal before taking a nap. With their long-time helper’s return from Bohol, dinner seemed promising. 

“Easy, bro. Don’t shoot the messenger,” Poch said. “Hangry ka pa rin ba? I thought bumalik na si Manang Baby?”

Archie rolled his eyes. The table was barely set when he got home. As luck would have it, his dad arrived about five minutes later, and with no one else to take out his daily work frustrations on, he chose the only person left.

The only person who stayed by his side.

It always starts with a long tirade about his grades, his band, and his “aimless” future. Occasionally, threats of enrolling him in military school would follow. And then there’s the Harry Aguerro classic, “Quit disgracing the family name!” 

He didn’t stay long enough for his father to use his favorite line.

“The irony of naming you Archimedes.”

Archie said, “Fuck this,” and decided to ditch dinner. Such a shame really, because the mouthwatering aroma of sinigang was wafting through the air as he pulled the front door wide to let himself out.

“Malapit na,” Poch’s assuring voice brought him back to the present. “May banggaan lang daw lagpas ng Santiago.”

He rubbed his right temple in an attempt to ease the migraine that just started. “That was hours ago,” he commented. Archie might be a lot of things, but he was always on time. “If he’s not here in five minutes, I’ll find someone else.”

“Huwag naman, bro. Sayang yung pinang-gas non,” Poch argued. “Just chill, okay? Tawagan ko ulit.”

Unfortunately, Archie was still very much clean and sober 10 minutes later. And pissed off. But he didn’t want to waste his time. He needed another hit - badly. While he made a promise to get his shit together, old habits, as it turns out, are really hard to break.

He stared down the road, at the cars driving by, wondering how to shake off that day’s bad luck. Just as he expected, the world goes on without an ounce of sympathy at the awful night he was having.

A cold breeze blew. Convincing himself that he could always find a new dealer, Archie decided to return inside the establishment, where warm bodies crowd the dance floor, and the music was loud enough to drown the noise inside his head. 

On his way back, he passed by a narrow alley that led to the club’s back entrance. 

And then he saw her. 

She was leaning on a brick wall a couple feet away, not minding the grime that would certainly leave marks at the back of her pristine white dress. She’s quite small - shorter than him despite the sky high heels she was wearing. She was busy scrolling on her phone, her dark locks covering almost half of her face.

Archie didn’t recognize her, but from what he had seen so far, she’s beautiful.

She might also be either extremely fearless or utterly stupid. The area was not well-lit and could not be easily seen by the two brawny men guarding the club’s entrance, and she seemed blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking in the dark.

“Not smart to stay out here all alone,” he said loud enough for her to hear as he walked by.

“Kung serial killer ka,” she retorted, unfazed.

He paused, scowling. “Me pa talaga, ah. FYI, I have VIP status in this club, and I know the owner. In fact my band -”

She lifted her gaze from the screen and grinned. When she finally replied, it was not without sarcasm. “Eh ‘di I’m perfectly safe.” 

“God,” he thought. She was so stunning, looking at her almost hurt. But she also had a mouth on her, and it was getting on his nerves.

“If you wanna be another statistic, then by all means,” he swept his hands around the area. “Stay.”

She tilted her head on the side, curious eyes locked on his. “Worried ka?” She asked playfully. Before he could respond with a vehement denial, she opened her mouth again. “Nakaka-touch naman.” She winked at him before returning her attention to her phone. Just when he thought he was being dismissed, she quietly said, “May hinihintay lang po ko, Mr. VIP.”

His brow furrowed, wondering what were the odds. He moved a little closer and asked, “Can you not… Wait. Are you - you can’t be Poch’s brad?”

Lines marred her forehead in confusion, so he added, “You know - yung nagbebenta…” He trailed off, letting her fill in the blanks.

It took her some time to respond, enough for doubt to creep in. “Nagbebenta…” Then her eyes grew wide, and she screeched, “Ng aliw?!”

It was his turn to look affronted. “What? No! Do I look like I need - whatever. I mean, you know,” he paused, looking at her intently and waiting for her to realize what he was talking about. But her face remained blank, and he was losing his patience. “E… Molly… Anything? At all?”

And then it dawned on her. She stood straight and folded her arms across her delightful breasts - not that he was staring. 

“Hoy, masama ‘yan ah,” she chastised him. “Nakamamatay yang droga! Maraming buhay na ‘yang sinira. Bad ‘yon,” she said oh so passionately, enough for a couple to pause on their way to the small parking lot and check what they were up to.

“Keep it down,” he groaned in frustration. “Fine. I’m sorry. I thought ikaw yung hinihintay ko.”

She tilted her head to the side, smiling charmingly. “What if ako nga?”

What the hell?

“So meron nga?”

Her brow furrowed, “Merong alin?”

He felt his right palm on his face before he realized what he was doing. “God, why?”

He tilted his head up and stared at the clear night sky - a rarity in the metro. The stars were twinkling merrily, as if mocking his plight. He felt like banging his head on the concrete, but he just settled for glaring at the woman standing in front of him.

Definitely pretty, but also a tad bit crazy.

He shook his head and said, “I’m fucking tired. I’m outta here.” Then he walked in the direction of the parking lot, deciding to just go home and hoping against hope that his father was already in bed, sound asleep.

He felt a cool breeze caress the back of his neck, and he swore it also carried the sound of the girl’s soft chuckles behind him.

The gleeful “Mission accomplished!" was definitely his imagination though.

Notes:

A/N: Aaaaaand no this is not Losing You, nor Cruel Summer, or every other story I haven’t finished… Or continued (Hi, Wonderful Unknown). This was supposed to be a one-shot, and I was gonna publish it last Christmas - didn’t finish it. Valentine’s? Nope, life got in the way. 😭

It’s 70% done, but still not yet complete. I know how I want it to end, but I just can’t put it on paper. If that’s okay with you, then join me in commiserating about the lack of XyLo in our lives while reading my Pilyang Guardian Angel x Pasaway na Alaga AU. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! 🫶

P.S. The title is from RJA’s My Guardian Angel. I know - my age is showing. 🤭

Chapter 2: Abyss

Notes:

A/N: This will probably be 10 chapters at most, unless there are revisions.

A couple weeks later, he found himself in the same predicament. He was itching to get high, but it wasn’t going to happen unless he found a replacement to Poch’s very unreliable brad. Luckily, he heard some interesting rumors about a certain Northford security guard’s grandson.

ARCHIE: Dude, you have Obet’s number?

“Hey, Archie.” He felt someone’s fingertips running down his back. “Tara na. We’re heading to Elysium.”

Cassie? 

“I promise, I’ll make it worth your while,” she whispered against his ear. 

Chelsea? 

“Archie?” She drew back and said, "They're leaving without us na.” When it failed to garner a reaction she tugged his hand and squealed his name, “Archieee!” 

He pulled back his hand none too gently and said, “Have fun.” Such power indifference holds, he realized as he subtly nodded at the bartender. 

“Chastity!” Someone yelled from behind them.

“Ugh. Your loss,” Chastity muttered under her breath and bumped his shoulder on his way to the exit. 

Good riddance.

Marty, the lone bartender that night, poured him another shot. “Pati ba naman ‘yon, Boss?” Archie simply chuckled before raising his glass to the older man.

Marty shook his head. “Ang pihikan mo talaga.” 

What could he say? Her grating voice was extremely annoying, he could almost feel a migraine starting. The bartender would just probably laugh off his “excuse” and continue insisting that he was just terribly picky.

Good thing another customer called Marty's attention, so he rushed to the other end of the bar. Archie sighed in relief at finally being left in solitude. 

Or so he thought.

“And then ano, Archie? Magmamaneho ka?”

Immediately recognizing the voice, he eagerly turned to his right just as the girl, who was plaguing his dreams for the past two weeks, set her bright fuschia purse next to his glass and sat on the barstool beside him.

“Pagkatapos, madadali ka ng truck? O kaya naman sasalpok ka sa poste. O baka naman ikaw yung makakabangga.”

She grabbed said glass, sniffed its contents, and raised an eyebrow. “Gusto mo bang maging another statistic?”

He stared at her for what seemed like forever. 

This girl’s so morbid. But still…

Since he last saw her, Archie deluded himself into thinking that she was not as beautiful as he initially thought she was. That his mind was just embellishing his memory of the pretty girl in white that breezy night outside the club.

“Who are you?” He muttered quietly, curiosity getting the better of him.

“Who are you?” She echoed mockingly, just like how she repeated their talk about statistics, probably knowing that it would drive him nuts. “The fun police?” She added, laughing at her own joke.

“Wait -” Archie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he swiped the glass of whiskey from her. “Are you a real cop? Pinadala ka ba ni Dad?”

“Sa ganda kong ‘to?” She made a funny face, making an absolute mockery of her last statement. “No offense sa kapulisan,” she added before letting her eyes roam around the dark interior of Abyss. Meanwhile, he watched her unabashedly as she took in the scene. 

She was wearing a form-fitting ivory tube top and a matching pair of flowy pants. A tiny part of him was pleased that no one else would get to see her smooth and creamy legs.

He downed his glass and signaled Marty for another. “What do you want to drink? It’s on me,” he offered.

She glared at the empty glass in front of him as if it caused her decades of misfortune. “Kawawa naman yung atay mo. Ang bata-bata mo pa,” she admonished him.

“My liver is perfectly fine,” he replied cheekily. 

She mumbled inaudibly, something he failed to catch. Her eyes started roaming around the club again, and for some reason he couldn’t explain, it bugged him that her attention was elsewhere.

Never the type to miss an opportunity, Archie spent the time watching - no, seeing her. She seemed calm and relaxed, a little bored even, as if she had been in Abyss every night for the last two years since it opened. But there were also moments when he’ll catch a flicker of wonder in her eyes.

And by God, she’s so beautiful. 

He might as well shoot his shot. He gripped the base of her seat, swiveled it around, and gave her the most charming smile he could summon. In return, she glowered at him suspiciously. 

“How about coffee?” He asked. “My treat.”. 

The word ‘no’ doesn’t usually scare Archie, but then the girl’s face dropped, and for a moment he was enveloped in an unsettling feeling. 

“Absent ka ba nung tinuro yung concept ng stranger danger? Ever heard of clever never goes?”

What now?

Just when he thought their banter was about to end, she opened her gorgeous mouth. “And what if serial killer ako?”

He immediately blurted, “Sa ganda mong yan?” and felt a strong desire to pat himself on the back when he saw her cheeks turn pink. “No offense sa mga serial killers, of course,” he added, smirking.

She closed her eyes and whispered, “Lord,” and Archie burst out laughing. He held his hands up in surrender and said, “Fine, fine. I’ll stop being cheesy - on one condition.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Just tell me who you are.”

Her eyes grew wide in surprise.

At their proximity? He wasn’t sure. His relentlessness? Maybe. At the sincere desire to get to know her - that was probably it.

“Come on, you already know my name,” he reasoned. “It only seems fair.”

She was quietly observing him for a few seconds, lips pursed. Suddenly they parted, at last ready to give the answer he wanted -

“Another shot, boss?” Marty offered a few feet away, proving that he was an attentive bartender.

And that he had really awful timing.

The girl drew back, and he witnessed the indecision creep back in her eyes again. But the ball’s already in her court, and all he could do was wait.

Anticipation thrummed through his veins. 

“Sige,” she began, albeit unsurely. “Ibibigay ko yung pangalan ko -” she inched closer and whispered playfully, "- if you close your tab now and promise to take a cab home.”

“With you?” He joked, but she only answered him with a sharp glare. Archie narrowed his in return, wondering what her game was. Not to mention he only had two shots - way far from his limit. 

Eventually he caved in, his desire to know the enigmatic girl winning. “Fine.” With a nod, he turned to the lone bartender, who was ironically catering to other customers. He waited a little longer for Marty to notice him, but patience was never really one of his virtues. Growing antsy, he muttered, “Just a sec,” and left his seat. Archie approached the busy bartender and let him know that he won’t be ordering another glass. 

After a brief exchange, he turned around to show the enigmatic girl his card and let her know his tab was already settled.

But she was gone. 

Fucking. Unbelievable.

Archie groaned. He should have known that it wouldn’t be that easy. He swept the surrounding area with his eyes, hoping to catch her before she left the place - one final grin, a wink, or a casual wave goodbye. 

Then something caught his attention, and he rushed back to his seat. 

Huh.

Like on autopilot, he slipped his hand in his jeans pocket.

His phone was lying on the bar top, screen unlocked. The ride hailing app was on display, and it showed that a cab was four minutes away from the club entrance, the chosen pickup point.

Of course it was unnerving. 

Archie would have chalked it up to him zoning out, but he was a hundred percent sober - and certain that he put his phone back inside his pocket after texting Gino. 

He swiped said phone from the bar top, mind still busy attempting to find an explanation that would satisfy him. 

It all came to a halt when his eyes caught the folded piece of paper left on the surface.

Slowly, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. 

She kept her word.

He turned around to check if she was just being mischievous and hiding from him, but deep inside he knew it was futile. She was already gone.

He knocked on the bartop twice, and Marty gave him a salute in lieu of goodbye. The app notified him that the driver was nearby so he began moving through the crowd and toward the exit.

The girl was playing him.

Archie was always up for fun - mischief even! He may not always play, but when he chooses to partake, he always gives as good as he gets. 

A text message from Gino flashed  on his screen. Short and sweet, it was just an 11-digit number. It was probably Obet’s, but he decided to leave it on read.

After all, he won’t be needing it for a while, what with the thrill of the chase giving him a different kind of high.

A sleek white car pulled over at the curb. He checked the plate, and it matched the one on his app. 

COR 1348

Archie took one last look at the handwritten note before folding the paper and securing it inside his pocket. 

Game on, Faith.

Notes:

A/N: I do not know a lot of Bible verses, but I’ll always remember Corinthians 13:4-8 thanks to Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan.

Chapter 3: Arcade

Notes:

A/N: Tried to proofread a few times, but I kept falling asleep. 😅

The arcade was refreshingly empty, except for the karaoke booth that seemed to have a party of four, when only two people were allowed in.

Archie planned to play a few games to pass the time before grabbing lunch. He sauntered toward the counter where an employee was busy sorting out the prizes on the display cabinet.

“Yo,” he greeted. “I need to reload my Powercard.”

The employee’s shoulders stiffened. Slowly, she set down the blue tortoise that she was holding and warily turned around.

A huge grin tugged at the corners of Archie’s mouth. 

“Nag-cutting ka, no?” Faith asked, disappointment evident in her tone.

He was wearing his school uniform, the strap of his school bag hanging on one of his shoulders. There was no way to deny it, so he went for the offensive instead.

“Are you following me?”

He knew how ridiculous it sounded. There she was clearly working behind the display counter, wearing a white polo shirt, matching shorts, and a pink whistle on a chain necklace hanging around her neck. 

She raised an eyebrow. "Kahit obvious naman na kanina pa ko nandito?"

“I didn’t know you work here,” he said casually. Aside from the music room in campus and the club, the arcade was one of their group's favorite hang-out spots. Because it was situated inside a mall that was decades old and rarely renovated, they only had to contend with a small crowd. Most prefer the newer and more upscale establishments in the metro.

He tried wracking his brains for any memory of Faith in the arcade, but he came up empty. He would have remembered her though, had he seen her before.

No doubt.

Faith sighed and held out her hand. Archie's brow furrowed until he remembered why he was standing in front of the counter in the first place. He handed over  500-peso bill and his Powercard, which Faith promptly swiped on the reader. 

“Meron ka na ba nung app?” She asked quietly.

He knew what she was talking about, and nope, he never bothered downloading it. But he saw her question as another opportunity to rile her up, so he smirked and said, “Yeah, I do. But I never really liked my matches.”

Archie saw the confusion swimming in her eyes, so he continued. “Huwag kang mag-alala. If I come across your profile, I’ll definitely swipe right.”

Understanding dawned on her, and she tilted her head up, eyes closed, probably praying for divine intervention.

God, she’s so adorable.

He chuckled, took his card, and headed off to his favorite game. Oh he’ll be back later, but he’ll let the girl miss him for a bit.

At a quarter past 12, he returned to the counter, and found Faith busy filling out a checklist. He cleared his throat to announce his arrival and make sure that she wouldn’t be caught by surprise.

She set her clipfolder down and folded her arms across her chest. “Hindi ka na pwedeng mag-top up. Bumalik ka na sa klase mo.”

He leaned on the glass counter, their faces only a few inches apart. He heard her breath hitch, but she didn’t move away.

She’s also affected by this - whatever it is.

“Have lunch with me?” He asked, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. 

Faith opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She clasped her right hand around the whistle hanging down her neck and tried again. “Archie…”

Yet nothing followed except the quick flash of uncertainty in her eyes.

Another time then.

He drew back and nodded with a patient smile that was frankly quite out of character for him. He knocked on the display counter twice and winked at her before heading to the almost empty arcade’s exit.

Archie took his phone out of his pocket and started tapping on its screen. He was busy calculating the time difference between Manila and San Diego when something hit his right arm.

No, someone.

“Sorry,” he murmured, still distracted by the lack of messages from his sister.

“What the - tumingin ka sa dinadaanan mo, bro,” It was a guy wearing a nearby school’s signature cream polo and brown slacks.

“I already apologized,” he replied. “And for the record, we’re not bros,” he grunted before turning around, ignoring the howling laughter that his parting shot elicited from the small group.

And then the same guy grabbed his arm, pulled him back, and the next thing he saw was a fist approaching his jaw.

“Asshole,” the guy commented before spitting on the arcade’s floor.

Gross!

The ringing in his ears was probably a good reason to just step back and leave, but the metallic taste of blood on his lower lip reminded Archie that he was not wired that way.

It felt great when his left fist ended on the other guy’s jaw. It made him feel even better when the next punch he threw splitted his opponent's upper lip.

Not good enough.

The taunting crowd made him see red, so he pulled back for one more - 

A loud high-pitched sound pierced through his haze. Suddenly, he was pulled to the side by the girl who wouldn’t stop consuming his thoughts. The concern in her eyes almost made him forget about the annoying group he bumped into.

And then she opened her gorgeous mouth and let them have it.

“Kayo na naman?” She screeched, fingers still wrapped around the whistle. “Bakit ba hindi niyo ma-gets? Banned na kayo dito,” she enunciated slowly, as if speaking with toddlers.

A guy wearing a navy blue hoodie and dark skinny jeans dared to ask, “Sinong may sabi? Ano bang ginawa namin?”

Faith glared at him, probably annoyed that she had to explain things all over again. “Sabi ng upper management -” she started but was cut off by the cream polo guy he punched.

He threw the first one anyway.

“Upper management, huh? That’s what we call them these days?” He sneered, and it made Archie’s fist itch for another round. 

Without looking, Faith grabbed Archie’s fist and slowly unclenched his fingers. “Oo, sabi ng boss sa taas,” she said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Wala raw kayong pinagbago, and lagi pa rin kayong nanggugulo. Binigyan na kayo ng chance pero sinayang niyo naman. Kaya, shoo! Alis!” 

Groans filled their ears, but no one dared to argue with Faith anymore.

“Halika na,” Faith muttered under her breath.

“See you around, Aguerro.” Cream polo smirked before winking at the furious girl beside him and heading to the exit.

“Asa,” he hissed. And then it occurred to him.

How did he -

“Tara na kasi!” Faith dragged him back to the display counter, completely ignoring the overcrowded karaoke booth.

Archie followed her like a good puppy, forcefully keeping his mouth shut lest it starts a very untimely sermon from her.

She entered a small room with a faded “Employees Only” sign on the door and returned with a reusable ice bag and a small navy blue kit. 

Faith quietly rummaged through the kit, brow furrowed, and Archie could sense that she was upset. 

She tore a small packet open, pulled out a cotton pad and started cleansing his knuckles, which were apparently stained with blood.

She was giving him the silent treatment, and with nothing better to do, he toom the ice bag and gently pressed it against the corner of his lips.

Ow.

Unable to handle the quiet, he said, “You don’t have to -”

A sharp glare cut him off. She continued working on his knuckles, applying a topical antiseptic.

Is she mad at me?

Feeling the urge to defend himself, he argued, “They started -”

Faith tugged at the pink whistle hanging around her neck and blew hard, effectively shutting him up.

But not one to be easily deterred, Archie leaned closer, catching the girl by surprise when he gently tugged off the whistle between her lips. 

Gazes locked, he asked, “Why are you really upset with me?” 

Noticing the incredibly short distance between them, her breath hitched. Then she cleared her throat and gently tugged at the chain connected to the whistle.

Archie sighed. “Look, it wasn’t my fault. You said it yourself - they’re troublemakers.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Parang ikaw?”

He winked at her in an effort to lighten the mood, but she averted her gaze and drew back. Just when he thought he was getting the silent treatment for the rest of his stay, she muttered, “Lagi mo na lang nilalagay sa kapahamakan yung sarili mo.”

“Hindi ako yung nagsimula ng away, and you know it,” he countered, defending himself.

“Today, hindi. Pero bukas? O kaya sa isang araw? Sa susunod na linggo?” She asked all in one breath. “Archie naman,” she groaned. “Pinapahirap mo yung tra - wala bang halaga sa’yo yung buhay mo?”

“Hey,” he whispered gently while cupping her cheek. “I’m sorry, okay?” She tried to shake his hand off but Archie just pulled her closer. “It won’t happen again, I swear.” He tugged at her other hand and brought it closer to his chest. “Cross my heart and hope to - ow!”

Faith shoved the ice pack against his jaw, cutting him off once again. They need to have a word about that.

Riiiiiing!

Catching his attention, Archie turned toward the pink smartphone on Faith's lap.

“Your boss is calling," he said helpfully.

Faith’s face turned pale, and before he could say another word, she grabbed his hand and tugged him up his seat and toward the arcade’s exit. “Sige na. Uwi ka na. Baka abutan ka pa ng traffic."

There was a tinge of nervousness in her voice. He was curious, but he knew better than to ask.  

“It's only noon...” he replied. “I could wait! It’s lunchtime. You get to have lunch naman diba?”

She grimaced. “Kailangan ko muna umakyat sa taas.” Faith sighed, then probably remembering herself, she gave him a small smile and said, "Duty calls."

He may be a lot of things, but Archie was not raised to shy away from one’s responsibilities. A son, an older brother, an employee - they’re all the same.

So he nodded in understanding while slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “When will I see you again?”

Faith rolled her eyes. "Hindi ka pa nga nakakaalis eh."

"I know, but -"

She took him by surprise by standing on her tiptoes and whispering, “Mag-iingat ka.”

Then she pressed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth before running off.

It took him an embarrassing while to take his eyes off her retreating figure. And a little bit longer to shake off his Faith-induced haze.

Haaay...

Her kiss must be magic, he thought while riding down the escalator. That or her lips were laced with a drug so potent, he could no longer feel the pain on his jaw.

Maybe...

One thing’s for sure, though. That huge smile on his face that lasted the entire day? 

Definitely a side-effect.

Notes:

A/N: I know they’re quite OOC, but remember this isn’t really canon-reliant. Still hope you enjoyed this third chapter. Thanks for reading! 🫶