The Sacred Rule of Love - (PUBLISHED 2019)

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

            Losing Alex felt like a part of me was missing. If you look at it, that wasn’t necessarily far from the truth. Alex was a part of me. He was not just my guardian angel. He was also a friend, a parent figure, and someone I loved more than life itself.  And he’s gone forever.

            “Zoe, naririnig mo ako?” Jax snapped his fingers right in front of my face, “Wala ka na naman sa sarili mo.”

            Saka lang ako natauhan nung sinabi niya yun, “Sorry, Jax. Ano na nga uli yun?”

            Umiling-iling naman siya sa akin. He pointed at an empty area sa tabi niya, “Aalis na si Wally. Today is… D-day. Remember?” sinabi niya sa akin, “I don’t know what else to tell you considering you were probably not even listening 98% of the time.”

            “Oh.” Lumabas na lang sa bibig ko, “Wally, mami-miss kita.” I said out loud at an empty space, “I wish you well. Sana maging masaya ka sa pupuntahan mo.”

            Nakatingin lang si Jax doon sa empty space na iyon at panay ang salita niya dahil kinakausap niya si Wally. Nung natapos na siya, lumingon siya uli sa akin, “Sabi niya masaya na daw siya. Sana ikaw naman daw ang maging masaya,” huminto si Jax doon sa pagsasalita niya, “At thank you raw sa lahat ng ginawa mo para sa kanya. Sorry na rin sa lahat ng mali niya. At…” tumingin siya kay Wally, “Ano na nga uli yun? Ang haba naman kasi ng speech mo…”

            I forgot to mention one key thing about myself. Nung nawala na si Alex sa buhay ko, it seemed like I reverted back to who I was before I even met him. Wala na akong nakikitang kahit anong kakaiba. No angels, no ghosts, nothing unusual. I’m just, plain Zoe. That is one reason why hindi ko na rin nakikita si Wally ngayon.

            “Bye Wally.” Sinabi ko na lang at kumakaway ako sa kawalan, “Siguro magkikita tayo one day no?”

            “Oh huwag kang iiyak! I hate it when girls cry. It’s annoying and it’s awkward…” Jax waved his hand, “Just don’t cry Zoe. Spare me the trouble.”

            Tinulak ko naman si Jax, “Hindi ako naiiyak okay? It’s a happy event.” Tumingin ako sa direksiyon ni Wally ulit, “Sana lang nandito si Trixie to send you off.”

            “Ayaw nga nung tao. Malulungkot nga siya…” tinuro ako ni Jax, “Be sensitive okay?” After he said that, kay Wally na naman siya uli humarap, “I would say, come back and visit, but I’d rather you not.” He joked with him, “Have a party wherever you go.”

            From what Jax was telling me, Wally was vibrant and he disappeared out of thin air like a smoke after that. Medyo naiilang pa siyang ikumpara si Wally sa kung anong nangyari man kay Alex because Alex’s departure was somewhat dark. He did say Wally’s departure was like an ‘ocean in the middle of the desert.’ I laughed at him nung sinabi niya yun dahil hindi bagay kay Jax na may ganun, although the metaphor felt like it hit home. I think he did it on purpose because it’s his poor attempt to sound like Alex although it did sound like something he would say.

            Habang naglalakad na kami nung nawala na si Wally pabalik na sa campus, Jax randomly stopped kaya ako rin napahinto akong bigla. “Ano?” tinanong ko naman siya.

            “Your guardian angel is here.” sinabi niya sa akin with a  low voice. Nakita niya siguro yung itsura ko nun dahil nagulat ako sa sinabi niya, “A new one.” Was all he said.

***

            “I’m giving it back to you…” narinig ko na sinabi ni Trixie sa akin sabay abot niya sa akin nung isang makapal na binder, “Professor V agrees as well.”