Softly, you whisper

Eighteen

Hi! This will be the last entry for Softly, you whisper. Before you proceed to the main content, I just want to tell a lil backstory about this. The plot has been on my mind since high school. This is actually a one-shot story that I created as my submission for a literary entry on our school article. Iba pa nga pangalan nina Nori noon but I'm really glad I pulled this through. These two characters have a special place in my heart kasi first of all short story lang and these two are the cutest. They're filled with positivity. Sa POV naman ni Nori, hmm, future plans maybe. Kapag plano kong i-publish ito as a physical book I'll put her POV. Iyon lang. Salamat sa matiyagang paghihintay.Mahal ko kayo.

To all young hearts out there, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Learn to explore. Learn some things beyond your reach. And even at a young age, don't be afraid to love...or to fall in love.

Eighteen

Everyday feels like a draining day for me. It was useless to talk to Nori because I feel like I was just talking to a cold wall. Pero dapat bang hanggang dito na lang ako? Dapat bang sumuko na?

My mom would be disappointed in me once she knew that I gave up on Nori. But even if it's useless, even if I sound like a broken CD tape, I won't get tired of talking to Nori. Kasi alam kong may pag-asa pa naman. As they say, there's always light at the end of every tunnel. No matter how narrow the chances are, there is light and there is hope.

"For your favorite patient, Nurse Zo?" tanong sa akin ni Nurse Gallardo nang mapansing may dala na naman akong panibagong bulaklak para kay Nori.

They knew it already. Hindi ko lang mapigilang i-kwento dahil napansin na rin naman nila na mas madalas akong dumalaw kay Nori kumpara sa ibang pasyente namin. And they understood why I cared so much for her.

I smiled at her. "Yeah, for her, again."

"I can't believe that you know her. At isa pa, ex-girlfriend mo pala! What are the chances right? Siguro ay talagang pinagtagpo kayo." She giggled. "Ah, love. What a precious thing. I hope she'll get better para naman mas makausap mo siya. I think that she'll be happy to know that you took care of her."

"I hope so." I nodded and stared at the lovely tulip flowers on the bouquet. They're rare to find in the Philippines and I had to browse for online shops that sells them. They had different colors but I chose the pink one because they remind me of Nori. It was for her anyway and pink always suits her.

After my rounds with the patients, I entered Nori's room with the bouquet of tulips on my hands. I don't know what's special for today except for my birthday.

It's my birthday and I want to spend it with Nori. Kahit titigan ko lang siya buong araw ay ayos na ako. What sight could be more beautiful than Nori? I guess it's her smiling face but right now, I'm all contented with her face and eyes solely staring at the wall in front of her.

Like any other days, I'd block her vision. Ipapakita ko sa kaniya ang mga binibili kong bulaklak at ilalagay iyon sa vase ng kaniyang kwarto.

"Good morning, Nori. I brought you pink tulips. Ang ganda, diba?" I asked as I presented the neatly-arranged flowers in front of her. Nang wala akong reaksyong nakuha ay inilagay ko na iyon sa gilid ng kaniyang kama.

I went back in front of her and sat on the chair. Like any other days, I'd just stare at her face for a few minutes before I start my monologue once again. I felt like playing a character in a play but I was alone and I only had the blank wall to talk to.

But Nori wasn't just a wall.

"I'm doing okay, Nori. I'm still holding on." I told as I stared at her face. Painfully, I smiled. The absence of the light of joy in her eyes pains me. Staring at Nori almost everyday had me breaking down to tears.

"I remember now, Nori. I told you before that you had me even at the hardest times. I didn't care about the mess that you are. Nakayanan ko. I fought alongside with you but what went wrong? Bakit kailangan mong umalis? Bakit kailangan mong mawala? Everyday, I always come back at your house and I'll ask your mom about the progress of the police reports. Why would she lie to me about you?"

Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya. "I am not blaming your for what happened, Nori. I am sure you have your reasons and I will always respect whatever you have in your mind. But if ever something bad happened to you, I know that I'll always blame myself for not being there with you or for not protecting you. You were my priority back then and I don't want anyone else to hurt you."

It feels like forever. Just sitting in front of her, pakiramdam ko ang layo-layo pa rin namin sa isa't-isa. I am still missing her even though she's just literally in front of me. I guess, I'll never understand this kind of indepth feeling I have for her. It was everlasting and unexplainable.

The love I have for Nori was something that I couldn't explain in simpler terms. It was beyond the explanation of humans about love.

Nori is my best friend, my partner and my happiness and she was also beyond those things. Kaya siguro hanggang ngayon, hinding-hindi ko pa rin mabitaw-bitawan ang mga ala-ala kasi nakatatak na sa akin. It was etched too hard on my heart, mind and soul that breaking apart from it was difficult. Tampering it with a memory of another will be difficult. I'll always come back for her, even with the uncertainties that she might not come back.

"I wish you can hear me, Nori. I wish you could respond to what I am saying right now. I wanna hear your voice so bad. I wanna squeeze you when I hug you. I wanna kiss your lips until you ran out of breath. But those things, will just stay in my fantasy for now." I chuckled. "I want you to heal, Nori. From all the bad experience, from the life you had...and from all the pain. I want you to heal in your own world and when everything's right...please come back to me. Maghihintay ako. Naghihintay ako ngayon. Even if takes months or years, Nori. I'll wait again, now that I have you."

Everyday was a never-ending monologue. No one will reply to my hopeful messages but still, I can see her and I can feel her.

I gently grabbed her hands. I rubbed my thumb at the back of it. Tinitigan ko ang kaniyang mukha na ngayon ay nasa akin na ang tingin. My tears welled up at the corners of my eyes. I pursed my lips so hard so that it won't fall.

Hinawi ko ang iilang hibla ng buhok na humaharang sa kaniyang mukha. A nostalgic smile appeared on my lips as I stared at her innocent face. She'd grown. She matured but the innocence in her eyes is still there.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa magkahugpo naming mga kamay. I slowly raised her hands until my mouth kissed the back of her hand. Pumikit ako at hinayaang tumulo ang mga luha roon. I hope the warmth of my tears will embrace her. I hope that my words can reach her subconscious mind.

"It's my birthday today, Nori..." I whispered above her skin. "I've got so many wishes that I want to come true but right now...all I want is to be with you. All I want is for you to be okay. All I want is for you to be happy with me and for you to spend your life with me. It wasn't just a single wish...I know but they're all about you. My wishes are for you, Nori."

Tumayo ako at hinalikan ang kaniyang noo. I sniffed the scent of vanilla on hers. Doon na lang ako kumukuha ng lakas. With a whiff of Nori's scent, I could go over my day. Sometimes, I want to pull the time so that I could visit her at last before I go home. Baon ko palagi pauwi ang imahe niya.

"I love you, Nori. I'll come back later for you. Let's celebrate this day together." I whispered once again. For the last time, I bent and clasped her hands. I kissed them once more.

"You're always my lucky charm, Nori. Wish me luck for today."

As I was about to turn my back, I felt a soft tug on my fingers. It electrified me. Natigilan ako at dahan-dahang lumingon sa kaniya.

There, I saw her little finger clinging unto me. My lips parted in surprise as my eyes fleeted from our hands towards her face.

I saw tears brimming her eyes as she stared back at me.

"Zoe..." she softly whispered.

fin