Letters to My Heartbreaker

28

"S-she might not wake up?" I repeated. Just the thought of this certain possibility made my heart sank. I don't think I'll be able to deal with it if that happens.

"Don't overthink about it," Caramel said. "Let's just hope and pray for the best."

"L-let's just talk about something else," I suggested.

Tumango ito at nag-usap nga kami. She told me how their friendship started and all their crazy trips together. Hearing about Sugar through her friend made me feel like I barely know her. We've been together for years yet it seems like there's more to know about her.

Caramel and I continued our conversation, the thought that I barely know Sugar still bugging me. We tackled almost all topics but we didn't want to stop. My jaw was aching from all the talking but I really wanted to distract myself from Sugar's condition. We only stopped when Valentina came.

"Where's Galaxy?" She asked but both Caramel and I just shrugged.

"Kayo ang magkasama diba?"

They both shared a confused look. Valentina then took her phone and went out. Hindi nagtagal, bumalik ito sa loob at sinabihan kaming nakausap na niya si Galaxy.

"Apparently, there's some emergency and she had to leave." She shrugged. "I think it's about you know..."

I have no idea what they were talking about. I wanted to ask but I also didn't want to pry since it's none of my business.

"Stay here, 'Mel," she smiled with assurance. "Akong bahala."

She then nodded towards me then left. We were both left in silence, lost in our own thoughts. I focused my eyes on Sugar, still unconscious and heavily wounded. I tightly held on to her hand and hoped that she'll open her eyes... or even just move a bit...

I couldn't take my overwhelming thoughts and heavy silence that I decided to start a conversation with Caramel again, which I think she appreciated. She, too, was looking down and bugged by her thoughts.

"Soo," I started, unsure on what to say next. "How's life?"

She chuckled at my question and averted her eyes to Sugar. "Good, I guess?"

"Except the fact that my best friend is in the hospital. And that all my friends are heartbroken and it's breaking my heart too..." she trailed off.

"Is that a good thing or not?" I asked.

"Both," she answered, glancing at me. "Good because I'm not dealing with heartbreaks. I mean, I never did—"

"What? Wow..." hindi ko makapaniwalang sagot. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off."

She waved her hand dismissively and smirked. "Yes, I never did. I'm learning from other people's experiences."

"Care to explain?"

"Well... I'm sure you're familiar with the saying... learn from your mistakes... but in my case, I don't just learn from my mistakes, I also learn from other people's. And what I mean by this is that I learned from my friends' heartbreaks. I saw how... ugh! Love... broke them..."

She was speaking seriously but I couldn't help but chuckle at the disgusted expression she made when she said the word "love". Basing on it, she probably doesn't believe in it or doesn't take it seriously.

"Take my friends as an example," aniya. "London left the States and doesn't want to go back. All because she doesn't want to run into her ex... Galaxy, she... hmm... it's not my story to tell but let's put it this way... what she experienced because of this, uh, love thingy... it changed her. And then there's Vanilla—never believed in love again after her first heartbreak. It scarred her."