WHEN FOREVER MEANT UNTIL (WHEN SERIES #1)

Chapter 11: You'll Be Safe Here

"When nobody hears you scream..."

Nagsimulang mag-ingay ang crowd, swaying lights from their phones, hands in the air. Pero ako? I was still. Frozen. Torn.

"Girl..." Trina whispered beside me. "Bakit ganyan mukha mo?"

"Ano bang—bakit ito kanta niya?" I whispered back.

Trina's eyes widened. "Wait... Shayla. 'Yan 'yung song niyo dati 'di ba? Ni... Den-Den?"

I nodded slowly.

She stared at the stage, then at me. "What if—"

"Don't." I cut her off. "Don't say it."

She didn't push. But I knew she was thinking the same thing I was.

"You'll be safe here..."

After the last note, the crowd roared with applause. Standing ovation. Even I found myself clapping—slowly—unsure if it was for the performance or for the wave of memories crashing down.

Skyler bowed. Then, ever so subtly, he gave one last glance.

Right at me.

Then walked off stage.

Back in our booth, tahimik ako. Hindi ako makakilos nang maayos. Si Trina panay sulyap sa akin, pero alam niyang kailangan ko ng space.

Bakit siya ganun tumingin?

Bakit 'yon pa talaga ang kanta?

Bakit parang... Den-Den?

But no. That's impossible.

Zayden left. Years ago. Walang paalam. Walang goodbye.

Skyler is just... a guy from school. He's mysterious, yes. Medyo masungit. Pero helpful minsan. Charming in a rough way.

But Den-Den?

Hindi siya 'yon.

...Right?

Then my phone buzzed.

A text from an unknown number.

"Hope you liked the song."
– S

My fingers trembled.

Skyler.

Or... was it really just him?

Zayden's POV

University Days.

Sa totoo lang, hindi ko balak sumali. I never liked the spotlight. Tahimik lang ako, palaging nasa likod. But when I heard na may open stage during the event, something in me just... shifted.

It wasn't about the crowd.

It wasn't about the event.

It was about her.

Shayla.

O kung sino man siya ngayon. She changed a lot—mas matapang, mas palaban. Pero may mga bagay na hindi nagbabago. Like the way she furrows her brows kapag nakatingin siya sa malayo. Or how she bites her straw when she's deep in thought.

And the way she still walks with her hands slightly swinging sa gilid niya—same as when we used to play under the tree.

I watched her from afar. Lagi.

Hindi ko pa kayang sabihin sa kanya. Hindi pa ito ang tamang panahon.

But maybe... just maybe, I could let a part of me reach her.

Through a song.

Backstage. Holding the mic, I stared at the floor while the emcee introduced me.

"Skyler."

Funny. I never liked that name before. Second name ko lang 'yon, pero ngayon, it's the only shield I have. As long as I'm Skyler, I'm safe. Hindi niya malalaman. Hindi niya masasabi kung gaano kasakit ang pag-alis noon.

But every time I see her...

Parang gustong sumigaw ng puso ko: Lala, ako 'to. Si Den-Den.

I took the stage. The lights weren't too bright, but I knew where she was. Lower right side. Nakaupo. Tahimik.

Beside her, si Trina, yung best friend niyang mapang-asar.

I cleared my throat.

"This song is kind of old... but it means something to me."

Something? No. It means everything.

I sang.

"Nobody knows... just why we're here..."

Nakita ko agad reaction niya. 'Yung mga mata niya na dati kong paborito, biglang nanlaki. She froze. I saw her inhale sharply.

Kilala mo pa rin ba 'yung kanta, Lala?

Naaalala mo pa ba?

"You'll be safe here..."

God, my voice cracked a little. Hindi halata siguro, pero ramdam ko. Every word, every note, dumudurog sa dibdib ko. Dahil this song... was a promise I broke.

A promise I was forced to break.

"When nobody hears you scream..."

Nakita ko siyang yumuko. She avoided my eyes. Pero alam kong nararamdaman niya.

Ramdam ko.

She remembers.

But she won't believe it. She won't want to believe it.

Because I left.

Because I never said goodbye.

"You'll be safe here..."

And I meant it. Even now. Kahit malayo ako. Kahit hindi niya alam kung sino ako. I still want her safe.

I still want her okay.

Even if I'm not part of her life anymore.

The last note faded. Tumayo ang crowd. Palakpakan. Sigawan.

Pero ako? Parang walang narinig.

I bowed, pero bago ako umalis, I stole one last glance.

She was clapping. But slowly. Halatang lutang.

Tama lang.

She doesn't have to know. Not yet.

After the performance, bumalik ako sa gilid ng gym. Pinagpawisan ako ng malamig. Hindi ko alam kung sobrang init o sobrang kaba.

I pulled out my phone.

Typed.

"Hope you liked the song."

Signed it as S.

Ayoko pa rin. Ayoko munang sabihin. Hindi pa ngayon.

I looked back at the stage. At the crowd. At her.

Someday, Lala.

Someday, I'll explain.

Someday, I'll say the things I couldn't say.

But for now, kahit sandali lang...

Let me sing our song.