Childhood Sweetheart | STALKER DUOLOGY #1

27

"Sabi na eh! Hush! Wag mong piliting alalahanin. May tamang oras, Athena, so please wag mong pilitin."

"I-I want to remember him."

Umiling-iling siya. "Wag muna, please!" Hinayaan ko ang sarili kong natulala bago humupa ang sakit ng ulo ko.

Naalala ko bigla nung unang kita ko palang sa kanya. "Kaya pala, ganun nalang ang galit niya sakin na noon hindi ko maintindihan." I faced my sister. "Do you know why we b-broke up?"

Wala nang nagawa si Astheria kundi sabihin sakin ang lahat. "We found out na bumalik yung tumour mo so we decided na bumalik ng Australia. Ayaw mong malaman ni Daren ang totoo dahil ayaw mo siyang masaktan kaya nung papunta tayong Australia, you broke up with him."

"And. . ."

"He was looking for you but we tried our best ni Skier para hindi niya tayo matagpuan."

Dahil sa nalaman, kusang napahikbi ako. I-I'm sorry, kasalanan ko pala lahat! I hurt you so I won't blame you.

"Kaya pala, parang namimiss ko siya kahit akala ko hindi ko siya kilala. Kaya pala, I'm longing for his presence sa t'wing hindi ko siya nakikita." With tears on my cheek, I managed to smile weakly. "Sis, I want to rest. Wag mo nang sabihin to kila mom and dad, please."

"Okay, okay. Magpahinga ka na."

Pinikit ko ang mata ko hanggang sa nakatulog.

****

"Hey, wake up. Babe, wake up. We're here." Naalimpungatan ako dahil sa isang munting yugyog at malambing na boses.

"Hmmm.." Minulat ko ang isa sa mga mata ko at tumambad ang mukha ng isang lalaki na medyo blur saking paningin kaya minulat ko rin ang isa ko pang mata. Nangunot ang noo ko na parang nasa isang kotse kami. "Where are we?"

"We're here in Palawan, babe. You want to go here so I brought you here." Sabi ng isang pamilyar na boses kaya napabalikwas ako dahil sa sinabi niya.

"P-Palawan? How? I mean, lumipad ba tayo?" Marami agad ang tanong ko dahil sa pagkagulat.

I saw his mischievous grin. "Yes, you were sleeping peacefully kaya siguro hindi mo napansin. Let's go. Sa hotel ka na matulog ulit." He opened his car so we could go out.

He held my hand and I instantly stopped when I realized somethingㅡas if I woke up and suddenly realized everything. "W-Who are you?"

Blurry pa rin siya saking paningin kaya hindi ko klaro ang mukha niya. But I know his voice very well. "Babe? Are you playing prank again?" Dahil sa sinabi niya, napailing agad ako. "Okay, sasakyan ko ang trip mo. I'm your handsome boyfriend, Daren." And then he smirks.

Daren? Why does that name sounds familiar to me?

Wait. . .

Daren?

"Daren!" Namalayan ko nalang ang sarili kong naisigaw ang pangalang yun habang nakaupo sa kama ng hospital bed. Dream. It was just a dream? Wait, it felt so real. Does that mean, it really happened before?

"What's wrong? Why are you calling Daren's name?" Agad akong dinaluhan ni Astheria at binigyan ng tubig.

"I. . . I dream about himㅡabout us. We were in Palawan, having a trip. T-Totoo ba yung panahigip ko? Nangyari ba yun samin noon?" I said and my sister's face instantly soften.