This story is about a love triangle between Alfredo, Esperanza, and Julia. Alfredo meets and falls for Julia while visiting her family with his father. On their visits, Alfredo and Julia grow closer. However, Alfredo is engaged to Esperanza. After realizing his growing feelings for Julia, Alfredo struggles with choosing between his love for Julia and his commitment to Esperanza. In the end, Alfredo marries Esperanza, though he never fully gets over Julia. Years later, after being sent away for work, Alfredo encounters Julia again and discovers that his love for her has faded.

1. DEAD STARS
Pas Marquez Benitez

2. The story is about a love triangle
between Alfredo, Esperanza and Julia

3. Under the tree, Alfredo was
remembering what happened six
weeks ago…

4. One evening, he had gone
“neighbouring” with Don
Julian(Alfredo’s father) to Judge del
Valle’s house wherein he met Julia
Salas(Judge’s sister-in-law)

5. One Sunday morning, after the mass, Esperanza
indirectly asked Alfredo about the visits they
did. Uneasy feeling crept into his thoughts
about the girl next door(Julia). Esperanza
wanted to know if Alfredo goes straight at
home after mass. Alfredo realized that after
every mass, he was excited to go on
“neighbouring”

6. Alfredo answered untruthfully, he said he went
home to work or sometimes he goes
neighbouring with Don Julian to Judge del
Valle’s house
Esperanza dropped the topic. She believed that
if a man is engaged, he could not possibly love
another woman

7. Just before the Holy week, Don Julian
invited Judge del Valle and his family to go
in Tanda to spend their Sunday afternoon
there. In Tanda, Don Julian had a coconut
plantation and a house on the beach

8. Julia & Alfredo talked. There was breeze from
the water. It blew Julia’s hair away on her
forehead.
“I hope you’re enjoying this”
“Very much. It looks like home to me, except we
do not have such a lovely beach”

9. As they talked, Julia said that it might be the
last time that they’ll see each other.
“Why did you say this is the last time?” he said
quietly as they turned back
“I am going home”

10. Alfredo went to church.
Soon, a row of lights emerged from the church
down the street like a huge jewelled band
studded with glitters where the Saint’s
platforms were

11. He saw Esperanza and Esperanza’s mother
pacing behind Our Lady of Sorrows.
Esperanza stiffened consciously, tried to
look unaware but couldn’t.
The line moved

12. The line kept on moving, going away from the
church and them back again
After the procession, Alfredo and Julia Salas
met again. But Julia found out about his
wedding so she congratulated him

13. “Julita, did you ever have to choose between something
you wanted to do and something you have to do?”
“NO!”
“I thought maybe you had that experience; then you
could understand a man who was in such situation…
You are fortunate”
“Is– is this man sure of what he should do?”

14. Without lifting her eyes, she quickly
turned and walked away
Alfredo went home to Esperanza. They
talked and there, the last words has been
said…

15. "one tries to be fair--according to his lights--but it
is hard. One would like to be fair to one's self
first. But that is too easy, one does not dare--"
"What do you mean?" she continued "Whatever
my shortcomings, and no doubt they are many in
your eyes, I have never gone out of my way, of
my place, to find a man."

16. "Esperanza--" a desperate plea lay in his stumbling
words. "If you--suppose I--" Yet how could a mere man
word such a plea?
"If you mean you want to take back your word, if you
are tired of--why don't you tell me you are tired of me?"
she burst out in a storm of weeping that left him
completely shamed and unnerved.

17. The last words has been said
But still, Alfredo and Esperanza got married
He was not unhappy in his marriage. He felt no
rebellion: only the calm of capitulation to what
he recognized as irresistible forces of
circumstance and of character.

18. After eight years, Alfredo was sent to a distant
village due to a legal assignment. The place is
names Sta. Cruz, Julia’s hometown
He went to Julia’s house and found her there.
Still unmarried. They talked.

19. Then he realized that his love for Julia was
gone. He felt emotionless.
So that was all over

20. Theme
Forbidden love is apparent and it haunts the
person until he/she realizes his/her faults

21. Estanislao, Yowela
Paule, Josaiah Paul