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To the readers who shared this story to others.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
*****
It was a lonely night for Dei after ending her phone conversation with Alden. Pangatlong gabi na 'to na nasa London si Alden. She missed him...
Burying herself on the thick blanket, her mind suddenly took her on the time she loved a man so much, it broke her heart knowing about his death. She was waiting for her father to return and gave her a warm hug but that never happened. It will never be.
In her slumber, fear was eating her out at the thought that pwedeng hindi na din makabalik sa piling niya si Alden. She was never the type to cling on someone, even to her mother. So it took all her will to stop herself from saying that she wants him back.
She slept while clenching the phone to her chest, praying to bring Alden back to her, safe and sound.
*****
Agad na ngumiti si Barbie pagkatapos umilaw ang phone mula sa kama. She was just standing there near the bed, looking at the name of the caller, until the call ended. Pang-pitong tawag na ito ni Jhake at wala siyang balak na sagutin ito.
She wanted him to feel at least half of the pain she felt whenever he refused her. As always, he would leave messages after the last phone call of the night.
I got rejected tonight too.
Expect my call tomorrow as well.
I will not give up this time.
I miss you, Bhie...
Ang babaw ng kaligayahan niya after her heart swell on that last message. This was what she was hoping for from him in the past, iyong magawang sabihin agad ang nararamdaman nito sa kanya. Kasi alam niyang may gusto din sa kanya si Jhake, hindi lang magawang umamin for reasons she deemed trivial.
But now that she's on the same age as him from back then, she could finally understand his point on that last day they saw each other. Kaya kahit gusto niyang kamuhian si Jhake, hindi niya magawa.
"Stop delusioning yourself that we can be together, Bhei," sabi ni Jhake sa kanya when she suddenly showed up on his doorsteps that night, with a luggage at hand. "I am not going to welcome you here. Bumalik ka na sa pamilya mo..."
Barbie couldn't stop her tears from flowing. Alam naman niyang wala siya sa puwestong mag-inarte but she felt betrayed. "I'm doing this for you. I love you. Ayokong malayo sayo."
"Ano ba ang mapapala mo kung andito ka sa'kin, huh?" he gritted his teeth. "Ano ba ang mapapala mo kakahingi sa pag-ibig ko? Don't be blind and start observing the people at your age, your friends, your classmates. While you're here whining and begging for my attention, sila pumapasok sa eskwela and are building their career. Don't waste the blessings given to you, Bhei. Kasi marami highschool grad sa bansa ang hindi makatungtong sa kolehiyo dahil walang pera. You, you were given the chance to go to school abroad pero heto ka, naglayas, because of me. Wala ka na bang pangarap sa buhay mo kundi ang maglandi-"
