"We said let go but I kept on hanging on. Inside I know it's over, you're really gone. It's killing me 'cause there ain't nothing that I can do. Baby, I stay in love with you." - (I Stay In Love, Mariah Carey)
***
It was almost three in the morning, pero hindi pa rin makatulog si Jessa. After ng noche buena nila ay nagtungo siya sa kwartong mag-isa. Humiga siya sa kama nang makapasok na siya roon. With tears on her eyes, she hugged one of her pillows. She thought of what had transpired that day.
Desperas ng Pasko nang unang pumunta sa bahay nila ang boyfriend ng bunso niyang kapatid na si Jelyn. Si Jan Kelvin Flores or Jake for short. Ipinakilala ni Jelyn si Jake sa daddy nila. The young man then asked their Dad kung pwede ba nitong mahiram saglit si Jelyn. Ipapakilala rin daw kasi nito sa mga magulang ang kapatid niya.
Nineteen pa lang si Jelyn kaya nag-alinlangan ang daddy nilang payagan ito. Pero si Jessa, bilang isang napaka-supportive na ate ay nakuhang papayagin ang daddy nila, ngunit sa isang kundisyon na dapat ay kasama siya. Siya ang magiging chaperone ni Jelyn papunta sa bahay nina Jake.
Akala talaga ni Jessa ay sa parents lang ni Jake haharap silang magkapatid. But she was wrong when she found out that they have to face the entire Flores clan. Family reunion ng mga Flores at paniguradong nandoon ang lalaking matagal na niyang hindi nakita... ang pinsan ni Jake.
Bumabalik sa ala-ala niya ang mukha ng isang lalaki na sobra niyang na-miss. Mahigit siyam na taon na nang huli niya itong makita. It was in their college graduation when they parted ways. After that, tinahak nila ang kanila-kanilang mga buhay na hindi kapiling ang isa’t isa. There’s no communication at all. When in fact, they could have been with each other, chasing for their dreams together.
His sharp eyes.
His pointed nose.
His dimples.
His rasping voice.
And his chiselled face that still haunts her for so many years.
She badly missed him.
“Kamusta ka na?” tanong nito sa kanya.
“O-okay lang.” She lied. Ang totoo ay hindi talaga siya okay matagal na. “How about you?”
“Ayos lang din.”
Silence enveloped them afterwards.
“How are you and Scott?” biglang tanong nito na ikinagulat niya.
BINABASA MO ANG
I Never Said Goodbye
RomanceFrom a scale of 1-10, Atty. Jessa Althea Delarmente is a perfect ten. Mabait, maganda, matalino at mapagmahal na anak at panganay sa tatlong magkakapatid. She's the type of girl that every guy would like to introduce to his parents. Marami ang nagk...
