Entangled With You

•- CHAPTER 20 -•

- AFTER 5 YEARS -

Limang taon.

Limang taon na ang nakalipas. Pero pakiramdam ko, parang kahapon lang nangyari ang lahat. After five long years, I did nothing but busied myself just to make sure that I have no enough time to remember all the painful memories that had happened five years ago.

I can say that the first year of moving on was the most painful year for me. The scar was still fresh and I couldn't count the nights I was drowned by sadness and regrets. But if there was one thing I was thankful, it was the idea that my family and friends never left my side. They were my support system during my lowest and during the time I almost gave up in life.

And after five years of bleeding and suffering, here I am, still barely enjoying and having fun but the most important thing is that, I survived and I made it, up until this day.

I am still longing for him but I know he's now at his safe haven. Hindi rin siya matutuwa kapag nakita niya akong patuloy na magluluksa nang dahil sa kaniya kaya kahit mahirap, kahit dahan- dahan, ginagawa ko ang lahat para makamove- on. This is the least thing I could do to help myself and also . . . to make him stop worrying about me, whereve he might be right now.

I graduated in my engineering bachelor degree last year. And this year, I am attending review webinars, I going to review centers and I am busy studying in preparation for taking up the upcoming Civil Engineering Board Exam, the last step towards achieving my dream.

Si Kino kasi nakapasa na sa board exam last year at Licensed Professional Teacher na ngayon. Maraming private and public schools ang nag- offer sa kaniya kasi nag- rank three siya sa overall examinees na kumuha ng exam but he only accepted one certain special offer the rest, he politely declined them all. I am super proud of him and I am also happy because finally, he's now teaching at our high school and senior high school alma mater, DAAMLHS - a prestigious public high school in our barangay. Kung madalas kaming magkita at mag- bonding dati, minsanan na lang ngayon kasi pareho na kaming busy sa kaniya- kaniya naming buhay. Siya, sa pagtuturo at ako naman, sa pagre- review.

Si Liam naman na kapatid ko ay kasalukuyan nang nasa kolehiyo at kumukuha ng kapareho ko rin na kurso, Civil Engineering. Idol niya raw kami ni Stanley kaya gusto niya rin na maging isang engineer balang- araw. Sinabihan ko naman siya na piliin niya ang kursong gusto niya dahil hindi biro ang college pero masyadong matigas ang ulo. Civil Engineering daw ang gusto niya kasi bukod sa nakakapogi, nakakatalino rin daw pakinggan kapag tinatanong siya kung ano ang kurso niya.

Si mama naman ay nakapagpatayo ng maliit na sari- sari store sa amin. Kahit marami ang umuutang, nakakatuwa na hindi naman nalulugi. Maayos naman kasi kung magbayad ang mga kumare ni mama. Ayon din sa kaniya, hangga’t maaari ay pauutangin niya ang mga kapitbahay naming nangangailangan dahil madalas din kaming mangutang dati noong mga panahon na walang- wala kami. Ibinabalik niya lang daw ang mga biyaya na natatanggap namin ngayon at gayong kami naman ang may kakayahan na tumulong, hindi niya ito ipagkakait sa iba.

Nanatiling ako ang lider ng Risum at nabunutan na ako ng tinik sa aking dibdib dahil alam na ni mama ang tungkol sa pagiging kasapi namin ni Liam sa Risum.

And you won’t believe what I was about to tell you.

All the mindblowing revelations was revealed, five years ago . . .

Pagkatapos nang nangyari sa Cauayan ay sa ospital na ako nagising. Si mama ang una kong nakita pagmulat ko. Narinig kong humahagulgol siya at taimtin na nananalangin.