Malia POV:
Sometimes villains are victims as well, victims of love, admiration, or even society. They put up with situations for which we have no explanation. All they want is to be loved and accepted, yet the perceptions of others have destroyed their morals. I, too, have negative sentiments about heroes from time to time. If the hero recounts the story, the villain will always be the villain. They were the antagonist in a hero's story, but they were also the victim in their own. In a nutshell, they're survivors who have to deal with a variety of challenges. I don't consider Eva to be a villain in my story, but she is one of my heroes. A hero that I didn't anticipated to come along and save me. And she showed me that my heart could be closest to what I am farthest away from.
"You two are already together up there" I remarked as I placed the flowers on the both grave. A year has passed. It's been a year since Eva saved me and Oliver died. But they're always there and living in my heart. In the middle of the night, I can still hear their echo trembling inside my head. Even if it is painful, I must accept reality. Accept the fact that grief never truly goes away. It may become softer and gentler over time, although it may still feel harsh on some days. The severe fog may return some days, and then decrease again the following days. It's all a perpetual ebb and flow of sadness and joy, anguish and beautiful love. Just like Oliver had taught me about love.
"But before I go, I made a letter for you Oliver and Miss Eva, do you want me to read it?" I asked and then suddenly a there's a massive wind that made my body outbalanced, perhaps it's one of them.
"Nandito pala kayu, but I guess I should read it" I note and already stood up.
"So here it is" panimula ko.
"Dear Oliver,
These days are slow and painful, but I promise I will not let your two deaths be in vain. I miss everything about you: your voice, your smile, your touch, and the exquisite shade of blue in your eyes. I've sifted through images and notes, trying to figure out why the apparently love of my life decided to take to the skies. I don't believe God intended for you to leave the manner you did, but I believe He is working even in the midst of it. And remember that day in my dream when you promised me we'd meet again? After then, it never happened again. But I'm not upset about it; in fact, you've jolted me back to reality. In actuality, I should have moved on, but your spirit and presence are tormenting me because I can't accept it. But now it's forced me to. Despite my cries and shouts, God has not abandoned me, and He is still the one who redeems. And there were now terms to describe your commitment and strength. Andto Miss Eva, if you still believe I didn't forget but forgive, you're mistaken. I've already forgot and forgiven you, and I hope the two of you have reconciled up there. And, most importantly, Oliver: this is not a fight I would choose, but I promise you, we will not lose. Happy 19th and 18th birthdays to us," I say as I finish reading the letter and blow out the two cakes in front of me.
"I'm just gonna leave this two cakes here, ha. Yes if you're here you're gonna tell me I'm wasting foods, pero para sayo naman yan at sa atin" I note and already bid my goodbyes to both him and his mother.
"In every lifetime, I want you to be mine" his words echoed as I'm walking behind his grave na kaagad akong napalingon ngunit wala namang katao-tao sa likuran ko. But I know, it's him. It's always gonna be him.
When I get in my car, my phone rungs telling it was mom who's calling.
"Hi honey, where are you?"
"Hello mommy, just visited Oliver and tita Eva's grave. Napatawag po kayu? Did something happened po ba?" I said.
"No honey, there's nothing to be worried about. I just want us to meet, is it okay?"
"Of course mom, I'm sorry if hindi na kita naabutan kanina sa bahay. Same as to dad, but I'll be heading home naman po" I note.
"No, not in our house honey" then it befuddled me.
"Oh! Uhm so where are we going to meet mommy?"
"I'll just text the address okay? If you can't follow it, just call me. I'll fetch you na lang" mom answered.
"S-sure mom, I'll head there" and then she ended the call and immediately text me the location.
Both of them of daddy partially forgot that today is my birthday. No one even in my family greet me, either in our group chats. But it's fine tho, perhaps each and everyone is busy.
While I'm tracking the location upon my waze, the routes are kind of familiar until I'm already in the right place. The place where all began, the place that has been my comfort.
"I thought this place is going to vanish and will be owned by the government yet this is still alive" I mutter to myself and wonder. After my surgery, I never returned to this location. Because I believe the place is already under construction, and I don't want to visit a location that has already been harmed by others. It pains me to see that the things that have been a part of my life are already dying.
I also called mom once again if I'm correct for where I am now. Perhaps I was wrong.
"Come here inside" she message me and still ignoring my calls.
Kaya kaagad ko naman itong sinunod.
But when I came inside no one's in here, pinagloloko lang ata ako ni mommy eh.
Not until..
"Happy Birthday!" a bunch of people appeared behind me.
They have a banner telling a happy birthday Malia and daddy is the one who's holding the cake.
I can't fathom what would I feel for the whole family is here and all of them didn't forgot my birthday.
"Make a wish first before blowing the candles honey" mom and dad said as they approach me.
I initially closed my eyes for wish and after that I already blow the candles and all of them clapped and cheered for me.
"Happy birthday once again our love!" mom and dad told me and both of them kissed my cheeks.
"Thank you mom and dad! And of course to all of you! I thought you all forgot" I declare as a tear already cascaded upon my cheeks.
"Ay wala na umiyak na ang bata" kuya Sandro joked.
"Wala to kuya noh! Moreover I'm not a kabataan anymore" I note.
"Ehsus! Anong 'm not a kabataan anymore? Babakuran pa rin namin mga manliligaw mo, remember I have my companion" he added that make us all laugh.
...
Each and everyone in here greeted me and I'm so thankful that all in the family are present, even my friends Jessan and Keirt.
"Uyy dese-otso na siya. Happy bday mahal kong kaibigan! Kahit slow ka mahal ka pa rin namin" Jessan spoke beside me who's just finished eating.
"Happy birthdya Malia!" Keirt added.
"Thank you for the both of you! Are you the one who told mom about this place?"
"Hindi kami teh" they both answered.
"Then who?"
"It was Oliver" mom appeared behind me.
"Maiwan muna namin kayo tita" Keirt declare as the both of them of Jessan gave us privacy.
"Oh hi mom! W-what do you mean by Oliver?" I curiously asked.
She tucked my hair behind my ear first and took a deep breathe before speaking.
"There was a time that you're not home yet Oliver came by" then those words alarmed me.
"He both faced us ng daddy mo. For him to asked permission to court you" then I'm already freezing. Why all of a sudden I didn't know anything about this?
"He was so brave yet we didn't allow him to court you. You're too young to enter a relationship and not in the right age. He said he can wait and will never rush in love for it never runs out. And let love be the one to knock on your door so that by the time you start to feel, you'll know it's real. Both of us ni daddy mo napahanga sa kanyang katapangan. Even he has a disease that time pinatunayan niya na hindi hadlang ang sakit sa pagmamahal- and I wish your dad is even more like that. Like him, but every story has an ending my dear. And I'm sorry for it's too late" mom note while there's a crack in her voice.
"And he told me about this place. This place is your comfort zone, and you came here whenever something bad happened or I hurt you. And Oliver is also the one who opened my eyes in reality, if I were in your situation at that time, I would also escape at night and hang out with my friends because my parents hurt me physically and mentally. We're both of your daddy sincerely apologize for failing to protect you. Sa gabing nanghihina ka ay wala kang tatakbuhan dahil hindi kami nasa tabi mo"
After that, I can't comprehend what would I feel. I know that both mom and dad just did their best for me and as my parents, yet Oliver didn't say those to me. Pero kung sinabi niya nga ba, can I survive the pain? I think this is also an advantage to me in not knowing.
"Mommy, it's okay. I'm not in anguish, what the both of you ni daddy did, was for the betterment of me. And no matter what things that the both of you ni daddy did, mapapatawad at mapapatawad ko pa rin kayo, sapagkat kayo ang tahanan ko. It's not too late to start again mom, and we're starting already. Last year pa kaya " I quote as I hugged her, luckily we're in the woods and far from the family so they can't see us.
"T-thank y-you anak. You're like a ray of sunshine that gives life a warmer touch and that's special reason why we love you so much. Don't think that we forget your birthday ha! It's already part of a plan that we'll surprise you. Happy birthday" mom spoke and kissed my forehead.
"It's okay mommy. Life's full of surprises naman, and even you truly forget my birthday it's okay I understand-
"No, it will never happened again" she cutted me which made me chuckles.
Napaiyak nanaman ako tuloy" she added as wiping her tears.
"Crying or not you're still ethereal" I answered.
"Pareho lang kayu ni daddy mo eh. Nambobola pa" then it made me quietly laugh.
" But mommy?"
"Yes?" she state.
"Is there anything he told you after that?"
"Oliver said that you're his Paraluman" she aswered and then daddy appeared.
"I've been looking for the two of you kanina pa, both of you are here lang pala" dad suddenly stated and kissed mom.
"We're just here hon, talking some things ni Malia" mom added.
"Kailangan po ba ako doon daddy?"
"It's okay anak, but kunin ko muna si mommy mo ha!" he quote which made me chuckled.
"Sure, dad. I'll make my way in a minute there naman" I note and which they already left.
I just took the breeze within and stare at the majestic view in front of me.
"After all, I felt you again last night in my dream." My fantasies about you are, as usual, speculative. An overheard conversation in which your name is mentioned: a letter in my hand that I am urgently trying to read before I fall asleep. It's as if my dreams are a reflection of my waking life, like going down the street and catching a glimpse of you, just to look again and learn it wasn't you after all. But the key thing is that I'm already in my phase of moving on. Even though your presence was still present, I gazed on" I murmured before deciding to return to the family.
While I'm approaching, I suddenly got befuddled for why is it that the family are capturing and filming something. May artista bang dumating?
"Oh anak nanjan kana pala. Here, dito ka sa unahan for you to see what's happening" mama Imee then offered me a space para makakita ako.
Then I thought who it was, si daddy lang pala holding a micrphone and was about to speak while mom is in front of him.
"Ay teka, Gregorio at Irene. Nasaan ang apo ko?" mama Meldy then suddenly cutted.
"Present!" I confidently answered which made them a quiet laughed until dad already continued.
"What we went through was no joke , and it sought to splinter our family apart." I know I'm not the ideal husband you're looking for, but I just want you to know that it's still you. It's still you; every day when I wake up, you're the first thing that comes my mind, and every night before I fall asleep, you'll be there. Every note in every song your voice will carry, no matter where I go on this Earth, you'll always be there, whether or not you think of me or what I have to offer, I'll always be yours. I'll stop loving you when the sun rises in the West and sets in the East; I'll always be your wolf, and you'll always be my moon; I'll howl for you every night, hoping that one day you'll recognize me as yours again. You say that if we try it and start over, we'll make it; if we're meant to be, we'll find our way back to each other no matter how far apart we are, no matter how much we fight against it; I believe it'll be worth the wait. They say that when you start a war, you better know what you're fighting for, and you are everything I cherish because, whether you see it or not, you made everything better. You know who I am, and you mentioned that one of your favorite things about me is that I'll fight against all odds, and I'd love nothing more than to be a wolf at your door. I know we're already married, with three mischievous children, but I just want to ask you to remarry and allow me to love you more than you know, while still continuing to have a flourishing life" dad's declaration and the directness with which he made his words with love and compassion actually astounded me. Despite the fact that they experienced problems at the time, their love and connection still exists.
"Ano to? Kinabog ang Blythe at Ricci ?" mama Imee cracked a joke, and we all laughed at the same time.
"So, Irene? Will you marry me again?" dad added while his already on his knees.
After that all of the people here, including me are saying yes. They're the definition of there's nothing wrong in starting and working out things in life again.
"Of course Gregorio! I will always love you in eternity!" mom shouted which dad already entered the ring on mom's finger. Moreover, they kissed.
"Yohooo!, Sanalll!" kuya Borgy and my other cousins shouted.
"Naiyak naman ako sa speech mo Gregorio!" mama Meldy added.
They all took pictures of mom and dad until they called us nila kuya Alfy and Luis to have a family picture.
"1,2,3 smile!" they all said and we immediately followed.
"Ganda oh" kuya Sandro remarked.
After that we just spend our remaining time to dance, sing and do whatever we want.
....
"You okay anak? Magdidilim na and we're already packing our things" dad appeared beside me.
"Hello, Dad! I'm just sitting here watching the sunset and the stars that are starting to show"
"Oh sure! It's just your mom's worrying kung saan ka napadpad. But I'll just call you if we're going na okay? Huwag ka lang lalayo" dad note which I just nod.
I was perplexed when two ethereal butterflies fluttered onto my shoulder.
"You're both here," I remarked as the two of them took off instantly.
Perhaps those two people are merely keeping an eye on me. I was wondering if I had fully moved on. But I suppose this is my new life chapter. Many incidents occurred, but I did not give up, and I am quite pleased of myself. I can't reconcile the joy I've experienced with the pain I've felt for the individuals I've lost. Furthermore, I will always be proud of myself for choosing healing over bitterness, love over division, and kindness over hatred. Just as the stars come and disappear when they wish, sometimes you need to disappear in order to heal and live. Just like me, a girl who spends every night wishing on those fading stars in the sky.
This is Malia Victoria Araneta
Already leaving glimmers all along the stars in the sky.
END