Island of Insanity

Kabanata 9: Save You

[Phraea's POV]

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday, Dear Chelsey!"

"Happy Birthday, Phraea!"

Nakangiti kong hinipan ang kandila na nasa harapan ko at agad na nagsipalakpakan ang mga tao sa paligid ko lalo na yung mga kaibigan ko.

"Kuya, nasaan si Almer?" Tanong ko kay Kuya nung abala ang lahat sa kani-kanilang hapunan.

"Ewan," tanging kibit-balikat lamang ang natanggap ko mula sa kanya. I tried asking my friends about my boyfriend's whereabouts but they don't have any idea either.

"He's not answering his phone, Mom." Nag-aalala na ako. It's my birthday, he promised to come.

"Don't worry, Chelsey. Dadating din siya, maybe may emergency lang. It's your birthday, you shouldn't be stressed out."

I grabbed some drinks with my friends when it's getting late and I still haven't spotted Almer's shadows.

"Let him be, Phraea. Parang hindi ka na sanay, ilang promises na yung hindi natupad ni Almer and yet you're still hoping for him to come."

"May tiwala pa rin ako. Before this day would end, he'll come and even greet me a happy birthday."

Napatingin ako sa isang kaibigan ko nung buksan niya ang kanyang phone. "But the day is almost over, Phraea. It's almost twelve o'clock. I'll just going to use your bathroom to clean myself up." Paalam niya bago tumayo. Napatingin naman silang lahat sa akin at hindi ko naman maiwasang mapayuko.

"Where were you?!" Singhal ko sa kanya pagdating ko ng school at naabutan ko siyang nakikipagtawanan kasama ang mga barkada niya including yung magaling kong kapatid.

Nagulat siya sa ginawa ko lalo na nung makita ang galit kong mukha. Napahiyaw naman ang kanyang mga kaibigan dahil sa eksena na ginawa ko.

"What the fuck are you talking about, babe?"

"Yesterday... it was my birthday. You didn't remember, did you?" His lips parted that caused me to sneer.

"I was waiting for you until fucking midnight and you didn't came!" Pain flashed through my eyes and I started producing tears out of hatred as I keep hitting him on his chest.

I was humiliated in front of my friends and I even held unto his promise.

"Sabi mo sa susunod na linggo pa ang birthday mo."

"And a week already passed when I said that! How can you not remember my birthday? Your girlfriend's birthday?!"

"Stop it, everyone is looking at us," pabulong na suway niya sa akin nung halos paligiran na kami ng mga ibang estudyante lalo na yung mga kaibigan namin.

"Do you still want me, Almer?" I asked him with my tears pouring.

"What about you? Can you survive without me?" Napatahimik ako sa tanong niya.

"It was your choice to love me. It was your choice to have me sticking around you. Deal with it."

"Because I love you and I thought you feel the same way."

"I do."

"Then how can you forget my birthday?"

"We make mistakes, Chels."

Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga bago hinila ang jacket ko mula sa drawer at sinuot. I took some post-it notes and wrote down a small message before leaving it on the table.

I'll be taking some air near the sea. I'll be back to help you guys prepare for breakfast.

– Phraea

Yakap-yakap ko ang sarili na umupo sa ilalim ng puno. Madilim pa ang paligid dahil alas tres pa lang ng madaling araw.

I stared at the dark line of the horizon, thinking what's beyond it. Is there hope beyond the horizon? Have they given up? Were they tired searching for me?

Napaismid ako at napayuko habang pinaglalaruan ang mga buhangin gamit ang paa ko hanggang sa hindi ko na namamalayan na may mga tubig na pumapatak mula sa mga mata ko.

I was pathetic. So naive. Desperate. I feel so hopeless.

I love him dearly and genuinely. Is it worth the fight for someone like him? Hindi ko alam kung bakit napanaginipan ko ang nangyari noong 19th birthday ko. As memories starts to flash inside my head spontaneously, I got to realized how stupid I am. I'm not even sure if he noticed my absence.

"Good morning." Agad akong napaangat ng tingin nung may nagsalita at bigla akong kinabahan nung makita si Garen na mataman na nakatitig sa akin.

Hindi ko maramdaman ang sarili kong humihinga dahil sa tensyon na nararamdaman. What should I do?

"Happy 20th birthday, Phraea." Napakurap ako dahil sa kanyang sinabi at napaawang naman ang aking mga labi nung may kinuha siya mula sa kanyang bulsa at inabot sa akin ang maliit na box.

"H-how did you know?"

"How can I forget?" Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko dahil sa kanyang responde. Ano ang ibig niyang sabihin?

"Anyways, please accept my gift." Mas inilapit pa niya sa akin ang box at nanginginig ang mga kamay na tinanggap ko iyun.

Napalunok ako nung tumabi siya ng upo sa akin at ipinatong ang kanyang mga braso sa tuhod. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya at nagiging alerto sa kung ano ang pwede niyang gawin. Malayo ang tingin niya sa dagat at hindi ko rin maiwasang mapatingin doon nung magsalita siya. "Believe me or not. The world is cruel than what you think. It's more deadly than this island. People out there make living harder for us."

"Y-you cannot completely wipe the bad ones from earth. Those guys already have three-fourth of the world in their hands."

"And that's why i'm saving those good ones by bringing them into this island."

Good ones? I almost scoffed for what he said. I'm far from being good and enough to be saved.

"Rowena... you saved her from being homeless, Evelyn... you took her from a church where she's working as a janitress and me... I don't understand why you brought me here. I wasn't homeless and I have a good life out there."

Garen sneered that made my forehead creased. Why is he sneering?

"A good life? You have parents who hates each other but refuse to take an annulment, you have a brother who treats you nothing more but a trash... and a boyfriend, a boyfriend who is forced to be with you because of a stupid dare. I know you, Phraea.... that's why I wanted to save you so bad."