Love In A Cruel World

Epilogue

Timothy Blake's P.O.V.

I don't understand myself and my whole system right now. Pakiramdam ko ay kailangan kong mag-CR, I feel like I need to vomit. May kung anong gumagalaw at kumukulo sa tiyan ko. Parang may kung anong kumakalam sa sikmura ko pero hindi naman ako gutom. I don't fucking know!

I can feel the cold sweats starting to form at my forehead. My knees are becoming weak and it's trembling. Hindi ko maitago ang kaba habang pinapanood ang ilang paslit na bata kasama ni Yanna na naglalakad palapit sa akin while wearing a classy and elegant gown.

They are all smiling as if they are happy for me, for us. At masaya rin naman ako pero hindi ko alam kung bakit kung ano-ano ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Don't get me wrong, I've been for dreaming this scene and wishing this day to come since I met her pero iba pa rin pala talaga ang pakiramdam kapag ito na. It felt strange when it is actually happening.

Lumampas ang mata ko mula sa mga nakahilerang nakasuot ng gown at suit na mabagal na humahakbang papunta sa akin at pilit kong sinilip ang nakasaradong malaking pintuan sa likod. I took a deep breath and kept on calming my mind that she'll not run away. Hindi naman magbabago ang isip niya, 'di ba? She said 'yes' naman, right?

I closed my eyes as I remembered what happened a year ago. I thought it was the end. After my Zyrille Angel said yes to my lame proposal, I was rushed to the nearest hospital. I had to undergo some procedure that I don't know what they called that, because I'm losing too much blood.

Eventually, my condition became fine and normal, but others are not. After our college graduation, agad naming inayos ang kasal and of course, nangialam ang mga nanay namin sa wedding na 'to. The wedding I've been dreaming of four years ago. Inayos namin lahat from the blessings upto this wedding.

The Baltazars died that night. All of their properties and assets have gone. It is now taken care of by the government. Most of their money was donated separately to some charity and orphanage. It is actually Tita Angela's idea, she said Mrs. Baltazar will do that too if she's still alive. Maybe they really know each other. Afterall, they used to be friends.

I can't say that I'm too happy right now, dahil may kulang pa rin. Since that grand ball night, many things have changed but some things stay the same. But on the other side, we can now sleep peacefully at night knowing that the war is now finished. Wala nang mabigat sa dibdib tuwing lalabas kami, unlike before.

I felt someone tapped my shoulder twice. I didn't bother to face my best man who's just standing beside me because my eyes are all locked to that huge closed door. I lifted my hand and wiped my sweats using the sleeves of my suit.

"Calm down, Blake. Hindi ka tatakbuhan niyon." Paulo's voice tuned in.

Paulo stands as my best man right now. I was about to get Hacker as my best man but since that night, he became busy and I think he has a new mission so I didn't bother to force him to. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ayaw niyang magpakilala kay Zyrille, but that's okay. I'll tell her his name anyway. Maybe Hacker is just hiding from someone again kaya hindi siya nagpapakilala because the less people know about him, the safer it is for that person. But wait, siya ba ang nagtatago? I thought siya ang may hinahanap? Nevermind.

"Nga pala, hindi na ko makakasunod sa reception. Kailangan ko pang balikan si Liar mamaya," Paulo added with a bit of uneasiness in his voice. We haven't talk about Lie since we knew that she's a Relish at siguradong naiilang si Paulo pagdating sa topic na 'yon, maybe because alam niyang paghihigpitan ko si Lie once she get out of her condition now. Well, I surely am.

"Sa tingin mo ba ay nandiyan siya sa likod ng pintuan? What if she's not? Is she afraid of me? I didn't do anything, right? I'm not that bully and monster anymore." Hindi ko napigilan ang sunod-sunod na pagtatanong.