our flight was cancelled.
"he...passed away...3:46 am"
ayun padin ang naririnig ko. ang boses ni tita.
nasa bahay ako ngayon. nasa higaan. walang kain. at walang maramdaman.
wala na sya. wala na si zaven. wala na ang mahal ko. wala na.
i wont be able to see his smile again.
his laugh..i won't hear it ever again.
he wanted to do so many things.
he wanted to become a lawyer. and he wanted to build a family and be happy.
but he never got to do it.
he got into an accident. he was on his way to the airport. he wanted to follow me. he was willing to study in america, live there. for me.
i cried harder. i was holding my necklace right now.
"zaven...."
kanina pa ako inaaya nila tasha kumain. but i just ignored them. wala akong balak kumain.
si zaven lang ang nasa isip ko. its 3 PM
naka higa lang ako. i kept on scrolling through my photos. i saw him. he was laughing, smiling, eating, and more.
"el, please. kumain ka muna kahit konti lang." tasha begged me to eat.
"ayoko" i whispered.
"please?"
hindi na ako mag salita. hindi ko nalang sya pinansin.
naka tulog na ako. at pagka gising ko, it was 3 AM. the time...he died.
when he passed. what was he thinking? was he thinking of something? thinking of someone?
I didn't realize na naka tulog na ulit ako. ginising ako ni tatay.
"anak, pupunta ka ba kay zaven?" he asked in a soft tone.
"zaven?"
"oo anak. si zaven. halika na, alis na tayo."
tumayo ako at pumunta sa cr. pupunta ako.
nag suot lang ako nang white t-shirt at maong pants. umalis ako nang bahay na walang kain. wala akong pake.
kasama ko si tasha, mama, at tatay. andun din daw sila aria. si valerie. at sila tita.
i tried not cry while we were in the car. ayokong makita nila akong umiiyak.
naka hawak lang si tasha sa kamay ko. ayaw akong bitawan.
pumasok na kami sa venue. meroong black na kabaong sa harapan. i saw alot of familliar faces.
i slowly walked towards the front. i wanted to see him.
and there he was.
i couldn't hold back my tears anymore. i collapsed. i cried on the ground. wala akong pake kung makita na nila ako.
"el.." i heard a familiar voice. napatingin ako. and i saw zayden.
mas umiyak ako. kamukang kamuka nya ang....kapatid nya.
"shh" niyakap nya ako. his eyes red. i could tell he was crying all night.
"im sorry...im sorry im sorry!" mas umiyak ako.
"its my fault...it was my fault! why...why did he follow me?"
"it wasn't your fault. halika. may sasabihen ako sayo." he helped me stand up. inalalayan nya ako papunta sa mga upuan.
"when...he died. i was on a call with him." he explained. he couldn't even look at me.
"h-his last word." tumingin sya sa kabaong ni zaven.
"elara." sabi nya.
i cried again. hindi nauubos ang luha ko.
"lara" narinig ko si valerie.
she was in the row behind us. she was crying. tumayo sya at niyakap ako. "how are you?" her voice broke.
"not good. and you?" i asked.
"not so well." she gave me a small smile. "I just wanted to say..." she looked at me.
"zaven..." a tear left her eye when she said his name. "he.. really.. really loved you. so much. all he does is talk about you. and...i could...i could tell. how much he loves you." she smiled at me.
mas umiyak ako.
paano...paano ako makaka recover dito?
"kaya natin to, okay? kakayanin natin." she hugged me again.
doon ako natulog. nililinis ko ang paligid, at naka tulala lang.
until the day of his funeral came. they even had a video of zaven growing up. pictures of his birthday, when he graduated. with his family, his friends, and me.
i also had to make a speech. ako ang pinaka huli.
pumunta ako sa harapan at kinuha ang mic.
"u-um, hi... everyone..im zaven's girlfriend."
"zaven..he was, joyful, sweet, talkative, and always smiling. he treated me better than anyone else can. words cant express how much i love him." i smiled.
"when we first met...we were..little kids. i..i called him ice cream stealer because he accidentally took my ice cream. i actually didn't remember this moment but... me and zaven met again and he told me this story."
"he was...my greatest love. and he will always have a special place in my heart. in all our hearts." i smiled. "he had..dreams. that he couldn't do."
"and..my plan is to accomplish it for him. umm.. this is getting pretty long so im gonna end it here." i gave them a small smile.
"i love you so much, zaven. always have always will. forever yours, elara." nilapag ko ang mic sa table at bumalik na sa upuan ko.
at ngayon, ibababa na nila si zaven. yung ibang tao lumalapit kay zaven para tignan sya. sila aria ang nauna. they were crying so hard. sunod naman ang family ni zaven. halos lahat ay umiiyak.
at ako ang pinaka huli. i walked slowly towards him.
i wanted to walk towards him on the aisle. not his coffin.
"mahal..." i tried to touch his face. my tear landed on the glass. "i love you so much...wag mo yun kakalimutan." i wiped my tears with my hand. "thank you..."
ibinaba na nila si zaven. at nag huhulog na sila nang mga bulaklak.
when it was my turn, i kissed the flower. "goodbye...my love"
Even if were Miles Apart, And even if were not under the same sky, My heart will always keep on beating for you. Always have. Always will.
Thank you for watching the sunrise, and the sunset with me.
My heart will go on and on. For you.
-Sincerely, Elara.
YOU ARE READING
Mile's Apart.
Romansaelara, her and her family moved to america when she was only 6 years old, years passed and her and her family will finally go back to the philippines, temporarily. but, she fell inlove. with zaven, a boy that is born and raised in the philippines.
