The next morning-
Mart wakes up, and surprised to see that in the bed, he is all alone. He notices Audre left him a letter. He reads,
"I'm sorry. Hindi ko magawang magising ka na ako ang una mong makikita. I feel so scared right now. I feel that I failed you. I feel that I get in the way with you and Shane, kaya akala mo ako ang mahal mo. ☹ Please forgive me. I don't think you deserve someone like me, who is still so insecured, and had a huge disbelief in love since a long, long time ago. What if I cannot give you what you want in life and in love? Baka masaktan ka lang sa akin, ayaw kong masaktan ka. Sobra. It makes me soo scared just with the thought that I could hurt you. I hope you can find a better woman na kaya kang ipaglaban at ang pagmamahal na binibigay mo. I'm sorry Mart, I cannot face you. I wanted to say that I love you too, I really do. But I don't want to lie to you on this matter. I don't want to give you false hope on me, on us, and on how could we possibly end up.
Please lock the door when you leave, Audre"
Tears flow from his eyes. He thought he has changed her mind. He thought that he finally broke those walls that Audre built.
He can't help but feel defeated. Last night he thought it was the best night of his life, for having Audre for himself - expressing his love for her, wanting to win her, atleast he thought he won her over. His mind and body longs for her. He is already missing her right now. He aches for her love, and only that love he wants for all his life.
Mart sadly gets up, looks for his clothes, dresses, and leaves Audre's pad.
Audre, who was at the cafeteria of the condo-building, looks into her cellphone and views the video recording of CCTV inside her place, she saw Mart leaves. It gave her heartache, seeing him leave. She really doesn't want to push Mart away. She feels her tears are falling. She hugs herself, and then puts her hands on her face. She thought, "I love you, Mart. I think I am in love with you."
Days passed, Audre just locks herself in her pad. She didn't go to school for days. That night of them making love keeps repeating on her mind. She cries herself to sleep, missing him soo much.
Mart on the other hand, has been drinking alcohol, in order for him to forget his ache atleast for a moment. He still longs for Audre. It has not changed for a bit. He just wished that Audre is open to talk about what happened between the two of them. He's been crying too, he misses her soo much. He always replay in his mind that specific night that they had made love. He tried to call her, send her message, but no replies.
He actually blames himself; Audre got too scared, because he didn't take things slow with the two of them. He sent her another message again, hoping that the girl would reply.
"Audre, I am sorry for scaring you. I focused too much on my fears, that I forgot that you have your fears too. Pease forgive me. Please let us talk about this."
Audre replies, suprising Mart.
"I don't know. I don't have the courage to face you anymore. Please go away and forget about me. I am the worst person."
Mart wanted to reply, but he knows Audre is being stubborn. He rests his case for the meantime. But he doesn't give up on her just yet. No. he can't give up, especially now that they shared that special "bond". He remembered correctly that, after Irving, Audre has never had a boyfriend. He is the next person that's been that close to Audre. He is that person! That truth gave him a glimmer of hope and confidence. He must have been special to Audre that she let him spend that wondrous night with her.
Mart regains his strength and hope. He feels fine all of a sudden. He won't give up on Audre just like that.
Paolo stops by at Audre's pad. Audre finally gives in, and lets him in. Audre shares to Paolo that something happened between her and Mart.
Paolo: "Eh bakit ka nagkakaganyan? Mahal mo ba sya?"
Audre keeps mum. Just spacing out. And then replied, "Natatakot ako, Pao, sa nararamdaman ko. Hindi ko alam kung mahal ko ba sya. . . baka mahal ko sya, pero hindi ko kayang mapanindigan."
Paolo: "Gumising ka na nga. Stop doing this to yourself!"
Audre cries again.
Paolo: "You can't sob and cry all day, letting your fear win you over and over again. Mahal mo si Mart pero ayaw mong harapin. Naiintindihan kong may takot ka talaga, and that is valid. I understand it. But don't you think you are being unfair to yourself too? Why give up when you are not even starting. Mart is very different from Irving. Please, put a little faith on him, on you, and on your would-be-relationship. Best friend, please choose to be happy. And if that means, being with Mart, please choose for it. Audre, ganito talaga ang buhay eh. We cannot choose not to be hurt, or have suffering sometimes. Please, believe me. Love will give you hope not to give up."
Audre just keeps crying.
"I don't know what to do with myself anymore. I pushed him away already. I don't deserve another chance after I hurt him. . What if he is unable to forgive me for that action I made?" (sobbing, her hands in her face)
Paolo: "Shhh, don't make conclusions. If nasaktan mo man si Mart, at kung kilala ka nya, at kung talagang mahal ka nya, well, maiintindihan ka nya sa pinagdadaanan mo ngayon." (tries to calm his best friend)
Audre calms for a bit, wipes her tears.
"Thank you Pao, for telling all those truths to me - which I must listened. Sorry for not being able to believe it. I am really processing it all in my head."
Paolo: "Let me ask you, what do you really want in life?"
Audre: "I want to be happy."
Paolo: "And what are you doing to achieve that?"
Audre: (starts to cry again) "Wala."
Paolo: "No, no, no. Don't cry. If wala, baka ibig mong sabihin ay wala pa, diba?"
Audre: "Yes. That's right. Wala pa."
Paolo: "See. May panahon at pag-asa pa para magawa mo ang dapat para maging happy ka. If you ever learned something from this, what would it be?"
Audre: "I learned that, I have to face my fears, I learned that for me to get my happiness, I have to do something about it."
