Bini: In Parallel Universe

L: I Can Do it With A Broken Heart

Aiah's POV

I watched Jhoanna as she playfully chased Stacey and Sheena. They're teasing each other again. They're always like this. Sobrang ligalig at ang lakas makapag-asaran but when one of the trio isn't around, sobrang lungkot din nila. 

"Ate Aiah, si Jhoanna oh!" Sheena hide behind my back, nahihila na niya ang t-shirt ko sa sobrang gulo niya. 

I simply looked at Jhoanna who got stiffed. We both looked away. "I ... Guys, may pagkain sa baba, sino may gusto?" these are the words I could only uttered to lessen the awkwardness and tension I felt. 

"You're so nice, ate Aiah! Sakto hungry na kami ni Colet kakalaro ng ml eh." Mikha said and kissed me on my cheeks before going down. "HOY! TIRAHAN NIYO NAMAN AKO!" she added, shouting at the other 6 who's already downstairs. 

I sighed. I miss you so much. 

My heart, a tangled mess of longing and unspoken affection, ached every time I saw her smile. It was a bittersweet symphony playing on repeat - the joy of her happiness laced with the hollowness of my unrequited love for her. 

I can still remember some of those moments where I clearly showed how much I care for her. How much I love her. How much I sees her as someone I can grow old with. Sa paningin niya, Ate niya lang ako. But she failed to look at my eyes. 

The jeepney groaned to a halt, the midday rain drumming a relentless tattoo on the roof. She was caught by the downpour without an umbrella, huddled next to me, her hair plastered to her forehead. Without thinking, I took off my jacket, holding it over our heads like a flimsy shield against the deluge. The damp cotton of her shirt brushed against my arm, sending a jolt through me. Her grateful smile, shy and sweet, was enough to make the crowded, rain-soaked commute a haven.

The day when we watched a theater play, the air crackled with anticipation. But duty called. The love of her life down with a fever, needed me by her side. Guilt gnawed at me as I visualized her cheering on the whole cast, her eyes sparkling with excitement, the same way they did when we used to perform together ourselves. Every lines, every cheer from the crowd echoed with the memory of a promise - a promise to watch her someday play a huge role, a promise drowned by the weight of commitment.

There were countless smaller moments, too. The mornings I'd tie her shoelaces before the start of the flag ceremony, a silent ritual that spoke volumes. The way I'd always bring her favorite kwek-kwek from the market, a small token of affection hidden beneath a layer of crispy batter. The late-night study sessions where our shoulders would brush, a spark of unspoken understanding passing between us.

These were the threads I weaved into the tapestry of our friendship, a constant reminder of the love I could never voice. Now, I watch from the sidelines, my love a silent observer in the grand play of their lives, forever content to exist in the periphery of her happiness, forever grateful for the brief solace our connection offered.

Colet, with her sunshine smile and infectious laughter, was everything I'd ever wanted. Yet, a part of me would always yearn for the unspoken connection I shared with Jhoanna.

I shook my head. Dibale na nga, matagal ko naman na itong ginagawa eh. To pretend like everything's okay. To pretend like I care for them equally. 

I can do it with a broken heart.