“Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.”
– Bertrand Russel
•••
“Levi's POV”
"Colleen, do you take Adamir to be your husband?Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him forevermore?" Priest.
“I do.” Colleen
"And Adamir, do you take Colleen to be your wife?
Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, and holding only unto her forevermore?" Priest
“I do.” Adamir
---
I am Levi Seth Watson, Colleen's first love and she was my first and last too. Habang pinapanood ko ang wedding live video nila na nirecord ni Hera, my cousin for me to see it, I can finally give up my feelings for her. Habang pinagmamasdan ko siyang masayang nakatingin sa lalaking mahal at kasama niya sa altar, Somehow I'm happy for her even though minsan naming pinangarap na ikasal na dalawa.
I smile and push the wheel near to the open window which shows a clear sky.
"Nagkatuluyan kaya tayo sa other dimension?" I whisper.
I hidden my real feelings all along and pretend that I have moved on...
"Sir do you believe time can be a destiny sometimes?"
Napalingon ako sa nagsalita. She's Karina, one of the nurse here but recently napapadalas ang pagkawala niya.
"Time?" Ngiti ko sa kaniya,
"Sabi ng prof ko before, time is the real destiny. Kaya merong perfect timing para sa lahat. Imagine that we have 12 numbers in the clock and you can let hours pass but memories and experience will remain. In short, If you didn't decide that time when is the right time?"
"Minsan naiisip ko kung nurse ka ba talaga o teacher."
I tried to ease the awkward pace around us. Minsan ko lang siya makitang seryoso.
"Pwera biro sir, every time is right. When you let it pass without doing something that's the wrong time."
"Sinasabi mo bang..."
"Yes sir ang bait mo pong t*nga para paniwalain ang sarili mong ayos ka lang kahit alam mong may pag asa ka naman sana pero pinalipas mo ang oras na kailan man hindi mo na pwedeng balikan. Pasensya po sir kinokomport lang kita."
One of her personality is frank, I learned that habang nakakasama ko siya at malakas ang loob niyang bw*sitin ako.
"Pffft. Ang ganda ng comfort way mo. Pero ito na ang huli nating pagkikita kaya papalagpasin ko ang sinabi mo bukod sa tama ka naman, I'm getting discharge, thank you sa pag-aalaga."
Natahimik siya at napamulsa.
"Bagay ba mag nurse sa akin?"
"Ha? That doesn't matter dahil nurse ka na."
Iling ko.
"I'm twenty two... "
"Ano naman?"
"Your thirty..."
"Are you mocking my age? Hey miss pogi pa rin naman ako ah?" Biro ko pero hindi siya natawa.
"Karlainne Caspiro is my name, remember that."
Napaawang ang bibig ko matapos siya sabihin 'yon.
Bahagyang nag tilt ng ulo ko dahil habang lumalakad siya papalapit, nakatitig siya sa akin.
Ang huminto ang oras nang mabilis niya akong sabunutan at halikan.
"You can't forget me." She smirk at lumabas na.
I feel like my whole body froze for a moment.
C-crazy...
Ano 'yon?! Why did she kissed me?!
Dahan dahan kong hinawakan ang labi ko. She's a bit rude... Napailing ako dahil sa inasta niya. Is she still comforting me? Hindi comfort yung naramdaman ko kundi it's frustrating feeling.
Kinabukasan maraming bumati sa akin nang papaalis na ako. Sa konteng panahon ko rito ay marami na akong nakikilala, isa na roon si Karina na Karlainne ang tunay na pangalan. Nakita ko si Lucas, isa sa nurse rito.
"Lucas nasaan si Karina? Bakit hindi ko ata nakikita?"
Bahagya kumunot ang noo nito at napakamot sa ulo.
"Sinong Karina?"
"Ah, Karlainne?"
"Ha? Pasyente ba?" Ano ba sinasabi niya? Para namang hindi kilala eh nurse rin naman siya.
"Nurse rin siya rito bakit hindi mo alam?"
"Levi pasensya na pero wala akong kilalang Karlainne o Karina eh."
That moment I understand, Karina is not a nurse... Who is she? Naalala ko ang sinabi niya kahapon sa room, her words looks like she knew me all along but I don't remember meeting her.
Anyway we'll not going to meet again after all.
Four month passed, I saw a girl punching a man. Tumigil ako saglit at tinignan ito dahil baka kailangan ng tulong but I'm amuse dahil mukhang kaya naman niya ang sarili niya. When I walk closer, the girl look at my direction and I saw her surprise reaction.
"H-help! Sir help me!"
I crossed my arms,
"Mukhang hindi naman ata." Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang lalaking namimilipit sa sakit na nakaluhod.
"S-sir... T-tulong..."
Daing ng lalaki bago nawalan ng malay.
"Oh tsk tsk tsk... You're in trouble now."
Pagkasabi ay bigla niya akong hinila at napatakbo ako ng wala sa oras dahil tumakbo rin siya.
"Hey why are we running?!"
"Shhh! Don't look back!"
Dahil curious ako, I look back and to my surprise... It was a bunch of people with cameras.
Napatingin ako sa babaeng hawak hawak ang kamay ko. Who in the world is she?
Huminto kami sa ilalim ng malaking tulay. Hinihingal siya pero nakangisi.
"It's fun right? Hahahaha!"
"It's fun to dressed up as a nurse too right?"
Nawala ang ngisi niya at sumeryoso.
"You found it."
"Who are you?" Lumapit ako sa kaniya.
"Ah seriously hindi mo ako kilala? Kahit sinabi ko na ang pangalan ko? Ni hindi mo manlang sinearch?" Kumunot noo siya at tila namumula.
"Bakit kita isesearch?"
Nagtatakang tanong ko, nagsalubong pa rin ang kilay nito.
"You p*nk! How dare you! Kinalimutan mo ba ako ha?! Four months mo lang akong hindi nakita tapos nakalimutan mo na ako?! Parang hindi kita na comfort ah! Etong ganda kong 'to kinalimutan mo?! Ha!" Ako naman ang napaatras dahil sa dinuduro niya ako at sinisigawan.
"Shhh! That's not the issue. Pwede mo naman sabihin kung sino ka bakit ko isesearch?" Tinakpan ko ang butas ng tainga ko sa ingay niya.
"Nakakainis ka na talaga... I'm the famous Karlainne Caspiro! An actress! That guy kanina he's a stalker!"
"Actress..." Wala sa sariling wika ko.
"Oo!yes! Hindi ka ba nanonood ng TV ha?!"
She's furious.
"Hindi."
Natampal niya ang noo niya.
"Whatever. By the way bring me to your house, I have no place to stay in right now." Muli na naman niyang hinila ang kamay ko.
"Huh? Wait. May anak na ako as in tatay na ako. Hindi appropriate na dalhin---"
"Ha! Oh ano naman? Alam ko na 'yon matagal na. Dalhin mo na ako daliiii pagod na ako kakatakbo."
Teka... Ano?
"What..."
Hindi ako makapaniwala sa babaeng ito. She's unbelievable rude lady.
Hindi pa rin ako makampante dahil andami kong tanong pero walang lumalabas sa bibig ko. I'm affraid to ask a questions.
We started to walk, but she stop for a moment.
"Levi... Kilala kita matagal na. I watched you from a far."
Huminto rin ako at tinignan siya. What is she talking about? Umaakto ba siya? pinagpapraktisan niya ba ako? If it is, hindi nakakatuwa.
"Maybe you are not interested in me at all dahil hindi ka nga nag abala na isearch ako. You can reach me naman kung gugustuhin mo eh. I am always waiting for you. But I guess I can't anymore dahil sa ayaw at gusto mo you'll like me eventually."
I smirk. Bakit ba ang tapang nito? Her words are full of confidence.
"Kahit na may anak na ako?" Hamon ko sa kaniya. Actually I'll just provoke her but I didn't expect her answer.
"Kahit pa college student ako, kahit pa artista ako at kahit pa malaman ng buong mundo. I have waited a long time... Kahit hindi ito ang perfect time, I can always use any number from the clock kahit pa ubusin ko ang numero. I'll cease every opportunity Levi... Because I love you."
It's unbelievable... Really. Am I dreaming, how come this successful and a lady who look like a calm flower want me?
Actually isa siyang matinik na bulaklak na nakakatakot hawakan.
"Are you perhaps playing on me lady?" If yes, please don't dahil ayoko ng gulo.
"I'm serious you idi*t!"
Nagulat ako sa sigaw niya. I sigh again dahil she keep amusing me. Inangkla niya ang braso niya sa akin at nagsimula na kaming maglakad.
"Then keep dreaming lady, binabalaan kita you can't win my kids permission at kahit pa makuha mo you'll get tired of me by the time comes."
I mumbled.
"I heard it. No no no, you're wrong. Iwan ka man ng lahat, maliban sa akin because Levi if you know me you'll get addicted hahahaha."
"I hate your confidence."
"It's scary right?"
"Yeah."
We both laugh.
"Prepare yourself Levi because I won't let you go. No women can stole you from me from now on and I'll make you happy."
"You are giving me a goosebumps. How about my kid?"
"They are mine too of course, ano tingin mo sa akin witch sa fairy tale?"
Yes. Oo. I'm affraid na malason sa bawat salita mo. I look at her and smile, she's just a child Levi, patience... She'll leave you too.
The end.