Back at Step One (COMPLETED)

71. Last

Nakaubos po ako ng isang container ng tissue for this. 

Dedicated po sa tatlong Ate ko, na sobrang nafefeel ko yung love nila lagi. Ate Erin, for your advice, ate Careen for your concern sa akin, and Ate Apple for your praises! Thank you, you three! I love you! :*

I recommend you guys listen to the song in the multi media box. isa yan sa mga pinanghuhugutan ko.

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I stood sa may kwarto ni Jake, facing him as he laid on the bed.

They gave me three days more. Para lang makasama pa si Jake, giving me a litte more time para umasang magigising siya. At the same time, three days para makarating ang lahat dito para sa kanya.

Now was the third day and everyone was already here. Inexplain na ni Kuya Gab sa mga Alcantara ang mangyayari, as well as the Napoleons. Nakikita ko si Mama Angie na umiiyak from time to time, but never sa harapan ko. Alam kong masakit sa akin, but I understood her part. Ina rin siya, at kahit gaano kasakit, ayaw na rin niyang nahihirapan si Jake.

I realized how hard was it for her, holding on when all she wanted to do was let go. Dahil lang hindi ako sumusuko.

It was time already, and people had come in to say their final goodbyes. I stepped out para sa mga Napoleons, even though sinabi ni Mama Angie na hindi na daw kailangan. May mga pinsan din siya na sobrang close rin pala sa kanya. I didn’t even know.

Maya maya, dumating naman yung mga barkada naming dalawa. It was a Friday, but none of them went to class just to come here and be with us for the last time.

Just to say goodbye.

“After everything, this is how you go. Nakakaasar ka, JACOB!” Courtney says in a broken voice. “Akala ko ba mahal mo kami. Akala ko…Puta naman, Napoleon e!”

Courtney sobbed habang isinubsob niya yung ulo niya sa kama saka humagulgol. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko ba siyang lapitan o ano. It was hard seeing her like that. She was Jake’s best friend. The girl that fell in love with him and gave way for him to be happy. The one who he protected.

 

“Hinayaan mo nalang sana ako. Bakit ka ganyan, sabi mo magiging masaya ako.” She sobs. “Hindi ganito. Masaya nga kami tapos ikaw iiwan mo kami. Damn it, Jake. You retard! Bakit… bakit…”

She continues to sob and Kuya Keith decides that she’s had enough. He took her in his arms, tears flowing down his cheeks as well habang inakay niya yung girlfriend niya. Inakakap siya ni Courtney, seeking comfort habang ibinaon nito ang mukha sa dibdib ni Kuya. He just hugs her, kissing her hair a few times, offering his own comfort habang siya din halatang bumubuhos na.

Aya, who was teary eyed herself, was patting Nico’s back as he cried silently in her arms. Yung masayahing Nico na nakilala ko the past year, hindi mo aakalain sa siya yung Nico na umiiyak ngayon. He was like Aya. Kalog, masayahin but this I think I prefer that over grieving Nico, kasi yung gaano siya nakakahawa noon, was ten times more right now.

The last one sa barkada ni Jake was Greg.

He was a kindred spirit, a brother at heart and a friend at best sa akin. Dahil siya lang ang walang kapartner sa grupo nila, naging parehas kami ng schedule sa buhay. School, Jake, Bahay. Siya ang naging kasama ko sa mga ibang araw na nagbabantay ako kay Jake and I found out how similar we were to each other.

He loved books too, surprisingly (and he got me with his opinions on mystery ones. Tapos mahilig din pala siya sa photos (Sabi niya hobby din daw niya yun aside from basketball). I also discovered how similar he was to the rest of his friends.