BHS#1: Better that we Break

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mila Amaris Albarasin

Present Time:

"He's here. But, Simon... He can't remember me." Pagkukwento ko kay Simon. Kadarating niya lang kaninang ala-syete ng umaga. As soon as the sun rise I called him at kaagad din siyang pumunta rito. Mukha ngang bagong gising lang siya dahil nakapantulog at sobrang gulo ng buhok niya pagdating. "Why can't he remember me? Can you talk to him? Maybe he'll remember you."

"I doubt that..." He said, seryoso ang mukha niya at parang may inaalala. Hindi ko mahulaan kung anong iniisip niya, he's always been mysterious, at kahit halos sampung taon ko na siyang kilala ay hindi ko pa rin mabasa ang bawat kilos niya. Iyon siguro ang dahilan kung bakit nasa secret service siya. "Did he wake up?"

"Kagabi pero nakatulog lang ulit. Simon, I need him to remember me." Desperadang saad ko.

"Do you still like him?" Diretso ang tingin niya sa akin, nag-iwas ako at tumingin sa baba.

Hanggang ngayon. Almost five years and I still like him... No, I love him. Kahit hindi ko siya nakikita o nakakasama o nakakausap man lang, it didn't stop me from loving him. I never thought it's possible to be more in love with someone you can't even see or talk to. Hindi ako naniniwala sa 'absence make the heart grow fonder' but as years pass by ay unti unti akong naniniwala. Dahil habang tumatagal na wala sa tabi ko si Cato ay lalo ko lang siyang minamahal.

"I thought it was just a childish love. Infatuation." He commented. For years of waiting, ito na lang palagi ang sinasabi sa akin ni Simon. That what I'm feeling for Cato is just infatuation, puppy love... That in time it will fade. It will changed. I waited for it to fade, but it never did. And to hear him realise that my feelings are not like that... It kinda made me feel scared. I don't know why but I feel scared.

Lumipat siya sa tabi ko at hinawakan ang kamay kong nakapatong sa aking hita. Kuminang ang gintong singsing sa kamay niya. I smiled.

"How's Juno and Michaela?" Pagkamusta ko sa asawa't anak niya.

"They're good. Michaela just had her first step yesterday."

Four years ago, Simon got married to his childhood friend -- Juno -- and Michaela is their one year old daughter. Nagulat na nga lang ako when I received an invitation that he's going to get married. Ang tagal kasi naming hindi nagkita, after my parents let me leave the house ay nawalan na rin ako ng bodyguards, Simon left and I haven't talked to him, then seven months later, I just saw in front of our doorsteps kasama ang isang babae, saying that he's going to marry her at gusto niya raw akong maging isa sa mga bride's maid.

May narinig kaming kalabog sa kwarto kaya mabilis na tumayo at tumakbo kami papunta roon, and there we saw Cato struggling to get up from the floor. Kaagad na tinulungan namin siya ni Simon at binalik ng pagkakahiga sa kama.

"Are you alright?" I asked him. He didn't answer kaya nilingon ko siya dahil maaaring may iniinda siyang sakin, but he isn't in pain. Nakatitig lang siya kay Simon, his forehead's creased. "Cato, are you alright?"

"I am." Tumikhim siya at sumandal sa headboard ng kama. "Who is he?"

"He's my friend..." I heard Simon sigh at nagpaalam na lalabas na muna siya. I asked Cato if he's hungry, tumango siya kaya lumabas ako ng kwarto. Naabutan ko si Cato na umiinom ng kape sa kusina. I smiled at him weakly. "He doesn't remember you either..."