The Inverse

- 17

PAT'S POV

Nasa studio ulit kami ngayon. Pinatawag kami ni Paolo dahil may nasulat daw siyang kanta. How can he even call for this meeting after ng nalaman namin kahapon?

Pagdating ko sa studio, andun na sila Jam at inaantay namin sila Paolo. None of them looked up when I arrived. Nakita ko si Jam na nakatulala lang sa drum set niya. Even si Andrew na usually in high spirits, hindi siya nagsasalita dun sa gilid. I guess we all know.

Nung dumating sila Pao, napansin din nila na wala sa 'ming nagsasalita. Today's just not a good day to do this recording.

"Guys. I'm sorry. But I just had to. I can't contain my thoughts and my emotions last night that I had to write a song. I wrote this for us, but I also wrote this for Agnes."sabi niya. Tahimik lang din si Migs.

"Pao, don't you think this is not the right time to even record?"sabi ni Poch.

"We don't need to record. I just feel like... we're a family. And we need to stay strong together."sabi ni Pao. "I haven't..."dagdag niya and then his voice broke. I looked at him and he was trying to quickly wipe off the tears that fell from his eyes. "... I still can't come to terms with what's happening."sabi niya. I stood up and hugged him. Hindi na rin nakayanan ni Pao at umiyak na lang siya. We were all crying. Nung medyo nahimasmasan na kaming lahat, we just sat there at the studio and none of us were moving.

"Let's hear your song Pao."sabi ni Jam. Tumango naman kami. We all needed an escape. We all need to breathe.

Nagstart ng tumugtog si Pao gamit yung keyboard. We just sat there listening to his voice.

"Try as hard as I might, to flee the shadows of the night. It haunts me and it makes me feel blue..." I felt my own tears run down my face.

"...But how can I try to hide, when every breath and every hour, I still end up thinking of you..."

I remembered Agnes's face. The way she would always care for me. I never ceased to think about her. Even if I tried to. Hindi kita kayang mawala. You were the most beautiful memory I have in my life, hindi ko kayang mawala ka. Hindi ako handa. I know someday things will be better, pero sa ngayon I can't let you go. Pinunasan ko yung mukha ko, but the tears just won't stop. Everything is too painful.

Nangako ka sa 'kin na hindi mo ako iiwan, please stay true to your promise.

"... I never thought that I would see the day that I'd decide if I should leave or stay..."

I'm willing to leave just for you to stay.

"... that no matter what happens we try to make it right."

Agnes, I'll set things right this time. Wag ka lang mawala Agnes and I swear I'll set things right.This is the best thing I can do for you Agnes. I hope one day you'd understand that. I am willing to let you go and maybe in the next lifetime or in another time, we'd find each other again.

"...all will be alright in time."

Biglang nagring yung phone ni Jam and it felt like a wake-up call for us. I guess we were so lost in our own individual thoughts.

"Guys..." sabi ni Jam and we all looked at her.

"...she's awake."

We arrived at the hospital and there she was. Sinalubong kami ni Tita at ni Karelle. They all looked relieved. I felt the heaviness in my chest disappear. Though kahit gising na siya, she still needs to be monitored. I looked at her through the glass. Tinitingnan pa rin siya ng doctor niya and she probably hasn't seen us yet.

"Tita, mauuna na po ako."sabi ko.

"Hindi ka ba papasok sa loob?"sabi ni Tita.

"Next time na lang po tita. Pero hindi rin po ako makapangako. May mga kailangan din po kasi akong asikasuhin para sa kasal." Tumango naman si tita at sinabing naiintindihan niya. I peered through the door one more time.

Thank you for keeping your end of the bargain Agnes. Now it's my turn to fulfill mine.