I Saved Romeo

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Love is Stupid

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"Romeo and Juliet were so stupid. Bakit nila pinatay ang sarili nila? They could've just accepted the painful and unfair reality then moved on. E 'di sana pareho pa silang nabuhay. They were impulsive and irrational kaya naman they ended up making foolish decisions."

The library is currently empty, so my best friend, Klare, was able to speak her thoughts out loud. She said she wanted to try reading a classic book in the library. I recommended William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet but it seems like she didn't like the flow of the story.

"Grabe ka naman, Klare. Not everyone could be strong enough to move on from the painful reality. Ikaw nga, ma-ghost lang ng ka-talking stage, eh halos tumalon ka na sa tulay."

"Boo, huwag mo 'yon ipaalala. Ibang usapan 'yon!" Humalukipkip siya at sinamaan ako ng tingin. Tinawanan ko na lang siya. "Pero ang tanga pa rin na handa silang tikilin ang sarili mong buhay para sa pag-ibig."

We noticed that the librarian has arrived, kaya kahit gusto kong taasan ang boses ko para sa ipinaglalaban ko, kumalma na lang ako at hininaan ang pagsasalita.

"Romeo and Juliet were just innocent human beings who also could be flawed. Mga karakter na sa pag-ibig lang kumakapit. Oo, tanga sila. But the story was meant to represent the strong love they have for each other. How romance could not always end with joy, but tragedy." bulong ko.

Klare rolled her eyes. "Please, they fall in love at first sight and end up dying for each other. Hindi ba nila kaya ipagpatuloy ang buhay nang wala ang isa't isa? It's ridiculous." giit niya.

"I believe that not being able to live with one another is cowardly, but it could also be beautiful. Can you imagine a love where you can die for each other? Romeo and Juliet's love was flawed and destructive, pero marami rin namang gano'ng pag-ibig sa totoong buhay, hindi ba?"

I've seen a lot of things online. Mga balita na nagpapakamatay ang isang tao dahil sa pag-ibig. Karaniwang nangyayari 'yon dahil masyado nilang pinapahalagahan ang pagmamahal. They are pitiful, and no one has the right to invalidate their feelings.

"Pero paano ang pamilya nila?" She raised her brow, trying to challenge my perspective about the story. "They were aware that their families have been enemies for years. Masyado silang naging makasarili."

Because that's the plot! It's a timeless classic love story that is about a forbidden romance.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes because of her question. Alam kong alam niya naman 'yon, she just enjoys seeing me argue with her.

"Their families were at fault, too! Hindi naman mangyayari 'yon kung hinayaan nila sila Romeo at Juliet. And besides, the two houses finally found peace through their deaths. It served a lesson to their families and to the readers. It's not just about the love between Romeo and Juliet, it's also about the consequences of hatred and violence. Their families' feud is what ultimately leads to their tragic deaths but their tragic deaths are what ended their family's conflict."

I agree that Romeo and Juliet were stupid and immature but I also think that it was what makes their characters human. They are flawed, foolish, and have their own desires and perspectives. They killed themselves because they believed that they could not live in a world without each other.