December 31, 2015
Jade's POV
"Is everything set? Have you brewed the coffee?" I asked Cathleen as I try to calm down my nerves— the small box in my pocket getting heavier by the minute.
"Relax, Jade. Just sit there and compose yourself. You have nothing to worry about," said Cathleen. She ushered me to the couch and handed me a glass of water.
"Venti non-fat latte, okay?" I reiterated.
"With 2 splendas. I know, I got it. My god! Can you please just calm down and let me do my job here?"
"Okay," I huffed.
Cathleen left and proceeded to the kitchen while I fumbled with my phone— waiting for Althea's reply.
Nothing.
Where the hell is she?
Tonight will be another beginning of our lives— another first. I'm planning to propose to Althea and I'm wishing and praying that she'll say yes. I think she will, but still, my nerves are really killing me.
I'm scared that she may think that we're going too fast with our relationship since we just got back together, and now a few months after— I'm proposing to her.
But I think otherwise. Our second chance may still be new, but our love story's been brewing for 7 years. In those 7 years, we spent too much time together and too much time apart, and I don't want that to happen anymore, I want her here, right now, with me— always. We've been through heaven and hell together and I think it's finally time to lock this down.
I can't wait any longer.
I want to spend my forever with her— heaven or hell, I don't care, as long as we're together.
I checked my phone to see if I have a message from Althea. I slammed it down hard— frustrated that she's ignoring me again.
"Cathleen! Have you heard from Althea? She's not replying or answering my calls!" I called to her.
"What?" she called from the kitchen.
"Where's Althea?!" I shouted back.
She came out of the kitchen looking frazzled.
I rented her coffee shop for the rest of the night. What better place is there to propose to other than the exact place where we first met, right?
I know we're not too keen on grand romantic gestures but for tonight— I'm making an exception.
I plan to relive the moment that we first laid eyes on each other. I want to relive everything that happened on that day at the same time create a new memory tonight.
The speakers are softly playing all the songs that we loved singing our hearts out too, even the songs from the playlist she's given me during my 18th birthday.
'From scrawny teenaged girls who never saw that that day would change both of our lives to what we are now— who would've thought' I smiled to myself. I hired a string quartet to serenade us as we have our dinner on our usual spot at the coffee shop wherein Cathleen and I decorated with sunflowers and pictures of us underneath the glass top of the coffee table. I planned to put the ring on her coffee cup but Cathleen vetoed the idea because Althea might accidentally swallow it— which is pretty stupid if you ask me, but she has a point. I don't want any mishaps on this special day.
Everything is perfectly cheesy and cliche— just how I like it. We don't do cliches, and me doing something very cliche is technically not cliche at all. If you get what I mean.
"How am I supposed to know? Am I your girlfriend's keeper? Call Batchi, maybe they're together. And please stop pestering me, I have a proposal to prepare for," she winked at me and walked away towards the kitchen doors.
She was supposed to meet me here at 10PM, it's almost 10 and I haven't heard from her till this morning. I remembered Althea mentioning something that she'll be out with Batchi today so I immediately dialed her number.
"Hello, Jade?" she said upon picking up. I could hear the noise from the background, and from what I can tell— she's at a party. What the hell?
"Asan ka? Kasama mo si Althea?"
"Ano? Di kita marinig! Teka lang!" I heard her move towards a quieter place. "Ano ulit yun?" she continued.
"Sabi ko kung kasama mo ba si Althea? Di kasi sumasagot sakin," I answered.
"Ha? Eh... Ano... Wait lang ulit," she covered her phone, but I could still hear her call over Wila. I could hear a commotion in the background but the voices were muffled so I can't really decipher what they're talking about until someone spoke to me—
"Hello Jade? Si Wila 'to. Ano kase, may usapan ba kayo ni Althea ngayon?"
"Yup. She's supposed to meet me now. Asan siya?" I asked. I'm starting to worry because I can sense that they're trying to hide something bad.
"Nako, I'm sorry ha, di kasi namin alam. Nagyaya kasi si Althea ng inuman dito sa spot niyo, kala naman namin alam mo kaya di namin siya pinigilan. Ano kase... passed out na siya. Di na namin magising ang dami kasing nainom. Sorry, Jade," Wila said as she continued to apologize profusely.
The blood from my face drained. I knew it. It's happening again. She's been distant and aloof for the past few days and I'm starting to worry that there's something wrong— again.
Call me paranoid, but no one can blame me for feeling this way after what happened to us before.
All the tell tale signs are there— she's been out most nights, she's been ignoring my messages, she's avoiding me, she's getting drunk, and so much more.
And besides, who gets freakin' drunk before New Year? No one, unless the alcoholics or the absolutely problematic.
This is like a big freakin' deja vu. At first I didn't mind it that much because I thought I was just being paranoid, but now, I think that my gut feel is right.
This can't be happening again. Not after all that I've been through. Not after all that we've been through. She can't just walk in and out of my life whenever she wants to.
If she suddenly changed her mind, she could say it straight to my face this time. I will no longer wait for another damn journal for her explanation this time. No matter how much I love her— I've had enough of heart breaks to last a lifetime.
"I'm going there," I coldly replied and ended the call. I furiously wiped the tears that escaped from my eyes.
'Dammit, Jade. Stop crying, don't let her trample over your heart this time,' I said to myself, but then again even my own body betrayed me as I released another wave of tears.
I called over Cathleen and told her to stop preparing because there won't be any proposal anymore, she kept on asking me questions but I am too hurt to even answer it so she followed me to my car and joined me to go after Althea.
Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe it has nothing to do with me. Or maybe I'm taking things way too fast that's why she's acting this way. Maybe she's not yet ready for us.
Goddammit! When will she ever be ready?!
"Did you tell her that I was about to propose?" I asked Cathleen as I sped up my car on the highway.
"Slow down! She's passed out drunk, driving fast won't change anything. And no, I didn't tell her or anyone about your plan."
I slammed the brakes and honked at the people who are slowly crossing the street. "Move, people!" I shouted furiously and continued— "Classic Althea. I haven't even proposed to her and she's already getting cold feet," I laughed sarcastically.
Cathleen remained silent and I focused on driving and controlling my tears from falling— nope, I don't want to cry over her anymore. We reached our destination and I immediately ran inside with Cathleen in tow.
My lungs are burning from running the entire flight of stairs and I don't care anymore because right now my heart is hurting a thousand times more. My heart was thumping wild as it awaits to face another heart break.
I pushed through the door of the rooftop and I heard Cathleen mutter, "I'm sorry, I lied," and she completely disappeared.
I didn't understand what she meant by that so I ignored her and entered the place. It was dark— so dark and quiet that I almost went out because there's no sign of people up here, until a single spotlight focused on a lone person atop a makeshift stage.
Althea smiled at me with her piercing dark eyes as she gently strummed her guitar— her trusty old Les Paul Jr.
Thank you for this moment
I've gotta say how beautiful you are
Of all the hopes and dreams I could've prayed for
Here you are
I was so confused with what's happening. I thought she's drunk? I slowly made my way towards her and was surprised when my walkway suddenly lit up.
If I could have one dance forever
I would take you by the hand
Tonight it's you and I together
I'm so glad I'm your one
The light emanating from the paper lanterns illuminated the aisle filled with rose petals and thousands of white lilies and hydrangeas on the sides— my favorites. The overpowering scent of the flowers and the overwhelming feelings I'm having is enough to make me feel light headed.
I don't hear the music
When I'm lookin' in your eyes
But I feel the rhythm of your body
Close to mine
It's the way we touch that sends me
It's the way we'll always be
Your kiss, your pretty smile, you know I'd die for
Oh baby, you're all I need
I looked back at her as she continues to soulfully sing— taking it all in— taking her all in. She looks absolutely ravishing tonight, so far from the passed out drunkard that I was expecting to see. She held my gaze as she tearfully continued to serenade me.
And if I lived a thousand years
You know I never could explain
The way I lost my heart to you that day
But if destiny decided I should look the other way
Then the world would never know
The greatest story ever told
And did I tell you that I love you?
Just how much I really need you?
Did I tell you that I love you tonight? Tonight...
I was on cloud nine. I still have no idea what was happening but whatever it is— I'm beyond ecstatic. Althea placed down her guitar and walked down the platform approaching me.
"Did you like it, love?" she asked as she gently brushed off my tears.
"What's going on?" I whispered.
"Ohhh, nothing. I just want to make our New Year special... and I just wanted to give you my New Year's gift," she said in a sing-song voice.
"What? All this for that?"
She just smiled at me as the spotlight moved and focused on another figure coming towards us— my father. He whispered to Althea and handed something— a book, perhaps. It was still a bit dark and I couldn't see it clearly and I'm too confused right now to even bother. My father held me in an embrace and whispered, "go and have your happiness, Jade. You don't have to find it anymore."
I nodded— still quite perplexed. He was walking away before I could even utter something.
I looked at Althea with wondering eyes as she continued,
"I knew what your were planning today, love. I've known it weeks ago, but sad to say— I had the same idea first," she paused as she handed me a book.
I looked at the all too familiar cover— The Catcher in the Rye, First Edition. The same one I used to own. I know it's mine because I memorized all the folds, wrinkles, and stains on the cover of the most precious thing I used to own.
"How did you find this?" I asked— my hands shaking as I caressed the cover.
"Did you know who bought it from you? It was your father, he's been looking out for you all this time" she said. I looked at the direction of my father and he smiled— giving me an approving nod.
"I've been looking for this for quite some time until I finally did, when I talked to him. You've sacrificed too much for me and I wanted to give it back, even just the material things at least. That's why I can't let you push through with your plan, I'm the one who's supposed to do this," she said.
I'm still at lost for words. Everything's not making sense and making sense at the same time.
She cupped my face and told me to open it— so I did.
With trembling hands, I flipped the book and it instantly opened on the middle page— revealing a ring. A princess cut diamond ring.
Althea took the ring, held my hand, and looked directly at my eyes.
"Jade, my love, I know we've been through a lot. We've been through heaven and hell and back again for the past 7 years. We may not have a perfect life together, and we may not have a perfect relationship, but one thing's for sure— I am perfectly in love with you. So please, let me make it up to you. Let me make up for all the lost time and all the pain that I've put you through. Allow me to prove to you and to the rest of the world that our love is for keeps," she paused and kneeled,
"Jade, will you marry me?"
"Yes," I whispered, "yes, yes, and yes, a thousand times, yes."
She placed the ring on my finger and stood up, giving me a light kiss on the lips.
"You ruined my surprise," I pouted while I wiped away her tears.
"I'm sorry, love," she laughed.
"Can I do it now?" I asked and she nodded. I took out the small box from my pocket and said,
"Althea, you don't have to give back anything or to prove anyone. None of that matters— what matters is us. A love as great and selfless as ours doesn't have to prove anything, but what we can do is to share it— share it and shout to the world how a love that is so unconventional and tough can transcend anything. That a love as pure can always win. That yes, there is indeed a forever. So Althea, will you join me in our journey to forever?"
"A million times, yes."
The lights from the rooftop suddenly turned on, revealing our families and friends who are also in tears— celebrating with us.
My family approached us who all welcomed us with a warm hug. I hugged my father last as I cried on his shoulders.
"Thank you, Dada" I said.
My father took Althea's arms and enveloped her on his other side.
"I love you, anak. And you too, Althea. Wag na wag niyo na iiwan ang isa't isa," he said as he tightened his hug.
Our friends approached us and I playfully smacked Batchi, Wila, and Cathleen for what they've put me through. They all laughed at me and told me that they've been in on the secret for quite some time now. After everyone congratulated us, Althea took my hand and led me towards the railing.
Fireworks suddenly shoot up from the sky— indicating the start of another year.
"Happy New Year, love," she said as she gently locked her lips on mine— our New Year's kiss. She pulled away and added, "here's to a new beginning for us."
I kissed her again, longer and more passionate this time.
"I love you, Althea," I murmured on her lips.
She lovingly gazed at me and cupped my face as she said,
"I love you too, and that is why I'll never let you go."
FIN
Author's Note:
Song: Greatest Story Ever Told- Oliver James
So that's it. That's probably the last chapter I'll ever write, I just wanted to give you guys something before 2015 ends. :)
And to everyone else who makes an effort to read, vote, and comment, thank you very much! Definitely made my year. :)
Anyway, I'm talking too much again! Happy New Year, everyone! :)