Happily Never After

Prologue

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, locales, events are made by the author's imagination. Any resemblance of any persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Grammatical errors ahead.

Please be advised that this story may contain mature words and scenarios. Read at your own risk.

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I remember when I was 13 years old, I was madly in love with a man named Travis. It's still fresh on my memory on how we started to talk.

"Hi. Ikaw yung class president diba? I'm Travis Night or you can call me Night." napakunot noo ako when someone who looks like a snob suddenly approached me.

"Yes. Ako nga. You're a new student ba? I'm not that familiar with you. By the way, I'm Jinx" I looked at him weirdly before answering and offered my hand but he looked at it as if it was funny and just tapped it instead of shaking it. Tss. Napaangat ang isang kilay ko sa ginawa niya. "Rude" I added but he just smirked and left.

I chuckled at that thought. Remembering that he was that rude for me but still got a crush on him and humor me because I confessed first.

"Hoy, Night!" sigaw ko habang natakbo palapit sa pwesto nila. Tinignan n'ya lang ako nung makarating ako sa pwesto nila at tumabi sa kan'ya. "So I have kwento kasi. I have this crush on one guy." I said but he didn't bother answering me but he looked at me as if he was motioning me to continue what I'm saying so, I obliged. "So I have this crush nga diba? But sobrang sungit nya. You know kung sino yon? It's you. I like you" I said but then I made sure that he's the only one who's going to hear it. I giggled when I saw how shocked he was. I mean everyone says I am that obvious but maybe he is not expecting me to be that forward.

We were closed then, or so I thought. I remembered repeating that I'll always be there when he needs me.

Naglalakad ako papunta sa faculty room para ibigay yung papers na pinapapasa mamayang alas-3 nung nakita ko si Night na parang problemadong problemado sa buhay n'ya. Tinignan ko yung relo ko. "Hmm. Maaga pa naman." Sabi ko nung nakita kong magaalas-dos pa lang. Agad ko siyang nilapitan. 

"Psst" tawag ko sa kanya sabay kalabit sa balikat n'ya na nagpaangat naman ng tingin n'ya. Tipid lang siyang ngumiti kaya tinabihan ko siya. Magkatabi kami pero parang walang gustong magsalita. 

I sighed. "Alam mo, ayoko ng tahimik. So ano meron?" tanong ko sa kanya. Di ko talaga keri kapag sobrang tahimik. Pakiramdam ko, kaaway ko yung kasama ko or whatever. Tinignan ko siya at tinaasan ng isang kilay. "Ano? Iiwan na ba kita dito mag-isa?" sabi ko pa. Ilang minuto pa kong naghintay pero parang wala ata talagang balak magsalita si tanga. Napairap na lang ako at akmang aalis na. 

"Wala naman talagang problema. Bigla ko lang naisip na sana maranasan rin akong piliin. Sa bahay, hindi ako pinipili. Sa mga kaibigan rin" tuloy niyang sabi at napabuntong hininga pa. 'Bobo talaga nitong taong to' sabi ko sa isip ko at binatukan siya.

"Tangaaaa. I'm here kaya oh. Wag kang mag-alala. Simula ngayon, I am your constant oki? I'll never leave you no matter what. I'll stay. And if I die today, I'll find you in another life and choose to be with you again." 

But I guess, hanggang ganon lang yon dati. Besides, I was the one who confessed first but I was never ashamed of what I did. Wala rin akong pinagsisihan sa mga ginawa kong pag-amin noon at pagsasabi ng kung anu-ano. I kept on repeating on how much I like him but I guess he was too tired and sick of my bullshits and exploded.

Hinila niya ko papunta sa gilid ng cafeteria, sa lugar madalas hindi pinupuntahan ng mga studyante. Sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Para kong hinabol ng mangilan-ngilang kabayo dahil kaming dalawa lang at walang ibang tao sa paligid and there he is, staring at me. I was supposed to asked pero naunahan n'ya na ako.

"Leave me alone." He said directly while looking straight to my eyes. "Uulitin ko. Layuan mo ko. Layuan mo na ako. Pwede ba yun? Sinusubukan kong pakisamahan ka pero nakakapikon ka na. Nakakairita na. Huling beses ko na 'tong sasabihin sayo. Layuan. Mo. Na. Ako." he said those words directly and slowly na para bang gusto niyang namnamin ko ang bawat salitang binitawan niya. It was notloud but just enough for me to hear clearly. Unknowingly, dahan-dahan na palang napatak ang mga luhang pilit kong pinipigilan. I subtly chuckled. I guess I was too much for him to handle. It's not even shocking. I know for sure that he doesn't like me back.

I sighed. Andaming beses rin akong nabasted ni Night. Andami ko na ring luhang naiiyak dahil sa taong 'to. I thought we would never be this happy.

"NJ, tara na. Malelate na tayo. Jusmiyo naman, NJ! Anong oras na oh! Nasa simbahan na sila". Nagmamadaling sabi ni Freyja. I smiled to her. Nawala ang kunot sa noo niya at ginantihan ako ng ngiti. "Are you happy?" tanong niya pa. "Of course. This is my dream. It's finally happening, Eya" I replied and even nodded. Nginitian niya lang akong muli at sinabayan ako sa paglalakad papunta sa garden kung saan gaganapin ang kasal.

A lot of things had happened. Trials were there, of course. Most of those are impossible but look. Here we are now.

Now, I am looking at the man that I love the most. He's now waiting at the end of the aisle. Nagsimulang mamuo ang mga luha na kanina ko pa pinipigilan habang sya'y tuluyan ng napaiyak sa labis na kasiyahan.

"Finally". Mahina kong bulong sa sarili ko habang unti-unting nababawasan ang distansya sa pagitan naming dalawa. This is the day that everyone has been waiting for. The day where everyone is celebrating and happy for the both of us. Muli akong tumingin sa kanya at nakita ko ang pagbuka ng mga labi niya. "I love you" he added.

I silently giggled. Who would've thought na ang masungit na heartthrob noon ay ikakasal na. Not only that, it is clearly shown that he's whipped.

"I pronounced you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride". 'Di ko man lang namalayan na matatapos na pala. Tila napakabilis ng oras at ngayon ay tapos na ang 'wedding of the century' kung tawagin ng aming mga kaibigan.

Agad akong humarap sa kanya at dahan-dahang pumikit. I can feel the happiness as faces come closer and lips met. I don't need to look at him to know, I can just feel it. Rinig na rinig ko ang panunukso ng mga bisita - nangunguna pa nga ang mga walanghiya naming mga kaibigan. I slowly opened my eyes and the first thing that I saw was the line on his lips.

"I love you". I once again said habang nakatingin sa kanya.

Finally... I could finally say that our story wasn't a happily never after. It is indeed a happily ever after.