Love Story Multiplied By Three

by: Berlyn, Ingrid and Monique

Chapter 1: This is Where It All Began XD

13 years ago… (from present day)… :D

Athens and Paris (Pah-'ree… stress on the last syllable) were crowding their faces at Sydney's crib each shaking a rattle in front of the infant's face. They were in a hotel in Sydney, Australia. It was fourteen days after Sydney's birth and she and her mother just arrived from the hospital. There were three rooms in the suite with the door of their parents' room shut. They were fighting and the children can hear them clearly.

"Who's side are you on?" the two year old Paris asked her sister who's a year older. "Side? You're asking me what side I'm on? Don't you understand the situation going on?" Athens replied. Paris gave an I-don't-know look. "Mother and father are getting separated just because mother is an Atheist and father's a Catholic." Athens whispered with her silky American English.

They are quite smart and advanced for their age. Even though they travel a lot, they don't stay in a particular place for long, though their origin is really London and Palawan and the children adapted to American ways. But for Sydney, it's more of British.

And so… Athens' prophecy came true. They went back to London and their parents got separated. Paris became Ashley Paris dela Fuentes and came to live in Palawan, Philippines with their (obviously) Filipino father. Arisha Athens Blair and Alexandria Sydney Blair live with their (again obviously) British mother in London.

That's what's happening in Athens' room… in her dream, to be more specific… Meanwhile, Sydney was dreaming about another thing in her room.

Six years ago from the present time warp… : )

Sydney runs inside Athen's room and jumps in her bed. "Athens, I'm afraid!" "It's okay… this won't last long."

"Fine! Give and support your third party and don't support your own family here!" they hear their mother shouting at their father over the phone. "Why do I care? Why do I care? Yes, we are divorced but I care because you are giving my OWN PROPERTY to YOUR lover or something!" Their mother continued then a pause was heard.

"You don't have a lover? You're not stealing anything? I've got enough proof you liar!" They haven't heard their mother talk like this. She was a calm, elegant (or you could call it classy though more of elegant), refined woman. She had dark red hair smoothly flowing down her shoulders with her turquoise green eyes, glistening every time you look at her, a very beautiful woman indeed. Except once, in Australia, that dreaded night when they argued about Sydney's religion and ended up fighting about theirs.

You know in dreams when you suddenly see yourself in another place and another time… but you don't know since when and how you're there. It happened in her dream.

Sydney was again in Athens' room. She was hugging her younger sister. "What will happen now? They've been doing that for days." "I don't know, Sydney, I don't know."

"I didn't steal from you to get revenge! Why would I even do that! I would absolutely not degrade my level!" they hear this mom. "Okay… this is it! I'm going to end all of this! No more!"

Again… Sydney is moved to another setting…

Their mother called them to the living room. She approached them with a gloomy face and bearing news she's hesitant to tell them. As she sat down, she told them "I'm sorry… but your father and sister passed away." Their mother said sadly.

"How?" Athens was asking suspiciously.

"Car accident, they were on their way to the airport."

"Why? Were they flying somewhere?"

"They were supposed to go her, for summer."

"Why? We were the ones supposed to go there since they just spent their holiday here last summer."

"You're asking too many questions."

"Can I go to the wake?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know! It's just that- "

"then… can I just use the house by the beach for vacation?"

"No."

"Why not?" They're dead… why does it matter?"

"That's it! Go to your room!"

Athens rolled her eyes and went to her room. Sydney followed her there.

"I don't want any of you to mention this or whatsoever." Their mother called after them.

"I know how you've always wanted to live by the beach… but they're dead… can't you at least respect them?" Sydney asked in a tone similar to mothers reprimanding their children. "It's not that! Well partly, yes but another reason is; I want time to relish their memory. And besides, there are some things strange." "Like what?" Sydney asked, growing more interested every second.

"First… we are not to visit the service, isn't that kind of an act of disrespect to their memory? They were also on their way here, when they're not supposed to; we are not to talk about it. And do you recall when we heard mother say 'I'm ending this' It's just so suspicious." Athens enumerated the things she had observed.

After a long minute of silence, they start to digest what just happened and started crying. They cried all night, after all, they love their sister very much who they might never see again and there will be no trips to Palawan after this.

Sydney wakes up and it's a weekday morning! Depressing! She knew she had to get out of bed and wake Athens up because if she won't, they will be late for school because of her who hates morning.

Monday Morning. TToTT

"Athens! Athens! Wake up!" Sydney bugged Athens to wake up.

"Okay! Okay! I'm up!" Athens said looking so annoyed with the way Sydney talked. "Stupid sister… why do I even have one!" she murmured.

"I heard that!"

"Breakfast is ready!" Mari`e (Ma-'rey… again, stressed on the last syllable) shouted. For a rich mother; even though she has a lot of maids, she still likes to cook early in the morning. Moving on…

"Coming!" Athens and Sydney said together. They looked at each other and laughed. Athens got off the bed. They raced to the dining room. They ate as fast as they can and hurried to school.

As usual, Sydney always bring her professional camera even though she's not a professional yet. Athens, on the other hand, is more into writing. They went down their car, and one of the boys went near Athens.

"Hey. You're Athens if I'm not mistaken right?" he said.

"Yes. May I help you?"

"I like the way you write."

"And I like the way you look." Athens flirted.

"Thanks! Wanna go out sometime?"

"Sure."

Suddenly a guy went in between their conversation.

"Hey, Alex!" Skandar said. Yes, it was Skandar who went between the conversation.

"Keynes." Alex said with a straight face.

"Oh. So you're the oh-so-famous Skandar Keynes." Athens said. Deep inside here she felt something she didn't feel before. Sure she flirted with other boys but… going back… Of course she didn't let this bizarre feeling show.

"Yeah. And so I am. You must be the infamous journalist in our school, Ms. Arisha Athens Blair." Skandar teased. "'Kay. I don't know exactly how you got my whole name, still, I'm not infamous." She said. "Well you're not as famous as me." Skandar stuck out his tongue.

"Athens, let's go." Sydney interrupted with her natural British accent.

"O, so you must be the 'partner-in-crime' of Athens." Skandar said. "Partner-in-crime. I don't do crime, I'm only 13." Sydney stuck her tongue out.

"Wow. 13 huh? Close to being a professional photographer in such a young age. You're kidding me." Skandar said.

"Just because you're famous, doesn't mean you can now bully my little sister." Athens said.

"Look who's talking." Sydney scoffed.

"C'mon Keynes. She's right. I think." Alex said.

"Dude. Let's go." Sydney said.

"By the way, Alex is your name, right?" Athens asked.

"Yeah."

"Lunch later. 'Kay?"

"Yeah. Sure. See you at the caf later." Alex said.

"I don't do the caf thing… so, let's just meet at the playground… have lunch under a tree." Athens purred.

Alex smiled, agreeing. They waved goodbye at each other.

While walking… (Skandar's side)

"Dude! Why did you say yes?!" Skandar said.

"I didn't say yes. I said 'Yeah. Sure." Alex laughed.

"Whatever."

"You like her."

"No I don't"

"Yes you do. Keynes, you're my best friend. I know you. You like her!" Alex teased.

"Fine. Yes. I do… NOT like her." Skandar kid.

"Sheesh!" Alex said.

On the other hand…

"Athens, you are a Blair. You don't want to ruin our reputation, right?! Don't date other boys!" Sydney acted just like their mother. She doesn't allow her daughters to coquet with boys and have boyfriends… but you could guess Athens is disobeying.

"What reputation? Being irresistibly beautiful, charming, cute and charismatic but everything goes to waste? My dear, I'd rather enjoy life and use these God-given talents than be stiff, numb and ignore all these boys like you and mother." Athens grinned.

"What boys? You're the only one who has them!" Sydney said "Honey, look around! There's quite a few! It's just that mine has quite a big population!" Athens vaunted then gave a quick giggle. "Whatever! Let me see your shots." Sydney said.

Sydney got Athens' cam and laughed at the pictures. "Why are you laughing?" Athens asked. "Your shots. It's so blurry! The only good shots here are your vain pictures and the flirty ones with your boyfriends (no… the 's' was not a mistake)! That is if you call those good… especially when it's your face in the picture!" Sydney laughed.

"Let me see!" Athens said. She looked at it and it really was blurry after all.

The bell rang.

"I'll go Bye!" Sydney waved goodbye. "It's not my fault you have talent in photography!" Athens shouted after her. Sydney turned around and said in a cocky fashion "What can I do? I'm a genius when it comes to that." And she smiled.

A teacher passed by and reprimanded Athens. "Ms. Blair, classes will soon start, would you please tone down and start heading for your class." "Yes sir." She smiled in an angelic, charming way that would make her get away of anything and make any boy kneel in front of her. The teacher just went on to wherever he's heading.

Sydney went straight to her class. She got her bag and looked for her Math stuff for her first class was Algebra. When she couldn't find it, she was so down and depressed.

She's a very smart student who exerts extra effort in her studies and really excels in class. She is even one of the top students… okay she is the first when it comes to academic rankings.

On the other hand, during Athens' history class, the only subject Athens studies for and is serious about, the only class where she excels. She is kind of doing average in her lessons, or you could say little below average although she has a high chance of doing great if she studies but, she doesn't. She's too lazy to do so.

Sydney! Athens thought, realizing it wasn't her bag. She saw the picture of the three of them when they were young, the last summer they had together. She reminisced at her memories.