One

Lorianne's POV

She is boarding a Lady Sapphire cruise for her little vacation as a gift from her fiancé's friend. It was supposed to be for a couple's trip, but since her fiancé could not make it due to some very important matters that he needed to attend to. She has to travel alone.

She was hesitant at first because this would be her first trip outside of her comfort zone. But she cannot say no to a friend's gift. She is not going to pay any centavo on the trip. All expenses covered. All she needs to do is enjoy her journey.

Her fiancé assured her that it would be fun. She will definitely enjoy it.

"Don't worry; after our wedding we will tour around the world; for now it will be you only. I have to finish all the pending work, so I won't have to think about anything else after our wedding. By then, there will be no disturbance on our honeymoon," her fiancé said, and kissed her tenderly.

Because of the assurance that she would enjoy it and also that it would be her first-ever adventure that didn't cost her a dime.

She decided to go up to the deck for a while to see the ocean clearly. She heard from other people that, while traveling in the ocean, it is great; you can see the birds hovering, and you also clearly see the sea creatures jumping from the water, especially dolphins. She wants to experience all of those.

Approaching the deck, she could see that there were a few people taking pictures of the ocean, posing for photographs. Some are vlogging; she knows it because she can hear that they are speaking while moving the camera around at the same time.

As she looks around to find a Filipino person, she notices that those Filipinos are busy taking pictures and vlogging; the rest are from different nationalities. She notices the woman seated alone in a seat at the far end of the deck. She walked toward her. As she got closer, she noticed their similarity. She looks almost like her; her height, her skin tone is as fair as she has, even the hair.

Strange, she thought.

Maybe she's a relative.

"Hi! I'm Lorianne; napansin ko na nag iisa ka, ok lang ba umupo sa tabi mo? (I noticed that you are alone; is it okay if I sit next to you?)?" she said as she got near. Asking if she could sit beside the woman.

She introduced herself and extended her hand for a handshake.

"Sure, I'm Clarissa, by the way. Ako lang ba o talagang may similarities tayo? (Is it just me or do we really have similarities?)" the woman said, accepting her handshake and smile.

"Mmmm, I think you're right. I've noticed it too," she replied, agreeing that they have similarities.

At a quick glance, they could be mistaken for twins. They both have the same facial bone structure. Only when you are closer to them can you tell the difference. Her eyelashes are long and curvy that match her protruding almond-shaped hazel eyes, while Clarissa has long but straight ones.

She has a beautiful, prominent nose; of course, she has Spanish blood. That was what her mother told her when she was alive. While Clarissa is a typical Filipino nose, not like those of Aetas, of course. She has beautiful, luscious full lips, while Clarissa has thin-lined lips.

"You're engaged?" Clarissa asked while her eyes were set on Lorianne's finger that was resting on her lap.

"Yes, we're getting married soon," she replied, smiling.

"Bakit hindi mo kasama ang finace mo? (Why aren't you with your fiancé?)" asked Clarissa

Maybe she notices that she's alone.

"He's got a lot of things to finish before our wedding, so we can have our long honeymoon. Besides, after our wedding we will be together for the rest of our lives. So it's okay that he's not here with me right now," she told Clarissa.

"I wish I could wear an engagement ring too," Clarissa said, with the sound of sadness in her voice.

"Why? Wala ka bang boyfriend? (Don't you have a boyfriend?" she asked in disbelief. She is beautiful, if she's not mistaken; she's about her age too.

She smiled and pulled out her ring on her finger. She looked at Clarissa and said,

"Here, try to wear my ring so you will experience wearing an engagement ring while waiting for your Prince Charming." And she wears the ring on Clarissa's finger.

"Ang ganda! (How beautiful!)" exclaimed Clarissa, admiring her ring that was shining whenever she lifted up through the rays of the sun.

While the woman was admiring the ring on her finger, they could feel that something was happening downstairs. They stood up to go down when the cruise suddenly swayed, which made them throw onto the floor. They tried to get up again, but the sway was no longer smooth. It was like they were hit by the fierce force that was throwing them fiercely on the railings.

They could hear the screaming and crying downstairs.

Right in her very eyes, she could see that people were coming up the deck now.

They are all panicking.

What's happening to the cruise, she asked in her mind.

She could see and feel that everyone was running for their very lives.

She held tight on to the railing. She held on tightly as he felt the ship tilting.

She could see Clarissa on the opposite side.

She's not moving anymore.

She wants to move towards her side, but she can't move anymore.

Her body was pressed into the railing with a huge body.

She could hear the very loud scream of each person who jumped screaming into the water.

She also saw the people that were tearing from where they were holding.

She remembers the movie Titanic. It's happening to them right now.

She felt so much fear and anxiety as the ship slowly sank.

She closed her eyes and said a prayer when finally the cruise was waving goodbye from the surface of the ocean.

A prayer that if ever they sink, they will come to rescue immediately.

"Lord, I place my life in your hands." She prayed before she lost consciousness.