The Desperados I : Primo "Always You"

Prologue - When We Were Young

•••

I opened the glassdoor to the balcony and was immediately greeted by the cold breeze outside.

Inilapag ko ang isang tasa ng tsa sa salaming mesa at naupo.

I looked up at the sky, holding a worn-out journal on my lap as an Adele song played in the background.

It was a rainy afternoon in Manhattan, but the people on the streets weren't so bothered by it. Neither was I.

No.

The rain actually reminded me of a memory. A memory so precious it would always make my heart long for him.

Nag-de-kwatro ako at binuksan ang journal.

I had read it thousands of times. But every time I started, it always felt like it was the first time.

I turned to first page as a smile automatically broke my face. It was dated the eighth of June, two thousand and two.

"Three years since the day we first met." Bulong ko sa hangin.

"Dear Diary,

Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang isinusulat sa diary. Pero sabi ni Mama, isulat ko raw yung mga masasaya saka importanteng pangyayari sa buhay ko. Yung mga memories daw na gusto kong tandaan daw.

Kaya isusulat ko na yong noong nakilala ko ang bestfreind ko. Eto na, naaalala ko pa noon, pasukan non eh..."

I smiled at how messy his penmanship used to be as I continued reading.

Marami rin iyong bura at maling spelling. Ngunit hindi iyon ang totoong nakapagpapangiti sa akin, kundi ang alaala nang unang araw naming pagkikita.

I looked at the clouds longingly as the memories from the past vividly played in my head.

And just like the song When We Were Young, I remembered those days when him and I were still young.

•••

20 years ago.

"Bye, 'Ma! I love you!" Matamis ang ngiting kaway ng apat na taong gulang na bata sa kanyang ina kasabay ng pagtakbo nito sa kahabaan ng hallway patungo sa classroom.

"Don't run, sweetie! And I love you, too!"

Naiiling na lang na napangiti si Mrs. Montejo habang sinusundan ang anak. At sa kanyang isip ay dapat na hindi niya pala itinuro agad sa anak ang silid-aralan nito.

Sumilip ang ginang sa bintana na gawa sa jalousie at hinagilap ng tingin ang anak.

At lalo siyang napangiti nang makita ito na magiliw na nakikipagkamay sa kanyang mga kaeskwela habang ang ibang mga bata ay tila naninibago pa sa paligid.

For her, her son was a tiny bit of heaven. At his age, he was already thoughtful and sweet and compassionate.

He was hyper, obviously.

And cheerful.

And brave.

He loved her and her husband as much as they did him.