"Did they get their happy ending?" the 16 years old Acantha asked her childhood bestfriend.
It's time time of the week again where she would ask Noelle to continue the story he's been telling her since she was 10. Matagal bago makasagot ang lalaki, Acantha looked up to him as he pushed her in the swing where she's sitting.
"I don't know." He answered after some quite time of pondering.
"Hindi mo alam?" Noelle hummed.
"Paanong hindi mo alam? Naghiwalay ba sila at hindi natapos yung kwento kaya walang happy ending?" she followed him with her gaze as the guy sit on the swing beside her.
"They did have an ending. Their story ended with a quite remarkable scene, I just don't know if they were happy in the end."
"It's not a happy ending then, but a very sad one." Acantha concluded with his answer.
There's a long and deafening silence between them after it. Is it because of what he said? Or what she concluded?
"Bakit ba walang happy ending sa bawat kwento?"
Gusto niyang malaman ang dahilan bakit may mga kwentong hindi nagtatapos ng masaya? Bakit pa naging kwento kung wala namang magandang mangyayari sa huli. Bakit kailangang may masaktan at hindi mabigyan ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng happy ending.
"Have you ever saw a couple fight?" He's trying to explain it as simple as he can but as he throw her that question, hindi na niya alam kung paano ito susundan. What will he say if she said yes? How is he going to continue if she answered him no?
Have he seen one? Yes.
What did he do? None.
Why he didn't do anything? He doesn't know.
Have she seen one? Yes.
What did she do? She tried to help them fix it.
What happened afterwards? They just end up hurting each other more.
Bakit ba kailangang may masaktan? Bakit ba kailangang may maiwan at mang-iwan?
"Hindi na nila mahal ang isa't-isa?" She want to answer him but it end up being a question.
"We don't know that. We witness how they loved each other like it was their great love."
"I don't believe that they fell out of love." He would lie to himself if he told her that they did fell out of love just because things didn't go well for both of their parents.
He doesn't want her to think that way. He doesn't want to take away the happy memories she had with her parents and taint it with the thought that they didn't love each other anymore when it's really the truth. It goes the same with his parents.
Kahit mahal pa ng magkapareha ang isa't-isa, kung ang tadhana na ang nagsasabing hindi sila ang para sa isa't-isa.
"Pwede ba iyon? Wala na silang happy ending pero may love pa rin?"
"Yes, they can still love one another even if they're not together anymore."
"Ang gulo naman." Nakasimangot na ang dalaga dahil hindi niya maintindihan.
"Ganyan ang pagmamahal. Masaya, masakit at higit sa lahat magulo." Noelle smiled a little from his statement. Akala mo ay may experience siya sa pag-ibig kung makapagbigay ng salita na hindi pa naman niya talagang nasusubukan.
"Parang ayaw ko ng ma-inlove. Hindi ko lang maiintindihan kung ganyan kagulo." Chuckles turn into soft laughter that escaped the man's lips with her statement.
"Paano 'yan? Ititigil ko na ang panliligaw dahil ayaw mo na?" He wants to sound serious but failed to do it.
"Sabi ko parang! Hindi ko sinabi na ayaw ko na! Hmmp." Acantha cross her arms, clearly annoyed with what he said. Natatakot lang naman siyang magmahal dahil sa kwento. Ilang taon ang inantay niya para marinig na happy ending ang mga bida pero katulad lang din pala sa magulang nila ang tapos.
"Just because we are afraid of getting hurt and might have not a happy ending mean that we shouldn't take the risk anymore." She said. Clearly not aware that she just indirectly gave him a yes with her answer.
"Okay na ba, tapos ka na magpakwento? Uwi na tayo." Nag-aagaw na ang dilim kaya nag-aaya na itong umuwi. Nagbabadya din ang malakas na ulan base sa maitim at mabigat na ulap sa di kalayuan.
"Yes. May kasunod pa ba iyon? Wala talagang happy ending?"
"Uhmm, wala talaga." She sighed, with a heavy heart she stood up at pinagpag ang likuran ng skirt niya bago nilingon ang kasama.
"But there's a happy ending right?" Noelle stared back into the dreamy black orb string at him, pleading to say yes. He's contemplating whether to tease her again but decided not to.
'Mahirap na baka hindi talaga maniwala na may happy ending at hindi ako sagutin.'
Matagal pero hindi nakakainip ang iniintay niyang sagot mula sa binta.
"Yes, Acantha. There is." He said the right words because her eyes automatically smiled when she heard it.
"So, where's my happy ending then?"
He offered his hands to her and intertwined it, leaving no gaps as an assurance.
"You'll get yours when we become officially together. I will be the one to give it you, Love."
Acantha pouted with his endeamerment for her. Love.
"Ayaw mo kasing sagutin na kita. 3 years old lang naman ang tanda mo sakin eh."
"I won't accept a yes until you become 18. Take all the time, Love. Your Happy ending won't leave."
Hand in hand with the sunset serving as a light to them as they walk home, another chapter of a story was heard. Not the ending that they wanted but is a happy one to cherish about.
Some don't believe that love will last. Some let go because everything is too much. And some take the risk because it will be worth it. It may not be a happy ending for all but there is always an exception.
Originally posted at _WritersHigh, but written by yours truly.
©UntamedReina 2022
