'Til The End of Time (Hands of Time Series 1)

Prologue

Abi's POV

Love. 

For me, it's everything. A lot has happened, but for me, it's still my everything. 

He still is. 

Sounds so much like a hopeless romantic, am I right? But no, I am hopeful. 

I am still hopeful...

Hopeful that one day, he'd find his way back to my arms again. 

Back to us...

Back to what we were before. 

"Abi, uuwi na si Hans sa makalawa. Nagpapasundo sa'tin sa airport." I was about to come back to my office when Kuya Ice blocked my way. 

"Okay Kuya," sagot ko. My brows furrowed when he suddenly reached for my face to raise the sides of my lips. 

"Smile smile din 'pag may time, Abi. Baka magka-wrinkles ka na niyan." Pananakot niya na inirapan ko lang at tinangal ang pagkakahawak ng kamay niya sa mukha ko. 

"Sige, eto na. Happy?" I sarcastically asked him. Hindi siya sumagot, he just shook his head and pinched my cheeks before walking away. 

I left the office early because I planned to go out with a friend. I got my phone out of my purse while I was walking down the hallway of the building. 

"Hello Ashley? Saan ka?" I asked her the moment she answered the call. Ashley is a five-year-long friend of mine. I met her at my sister's coffee shop 6 years ago. 

[Andito ako sa bahay, bakit, may problema ba?] She asked. 

"Wala naman. Uhm, punta tayo sa coffee shop?" I was hesitant to ask. It took a long time for her to respond. Even though I could not see her, I still know that she had this teasing smile plastered on her face. Mang-aasar na naman 'to...

It's my first time after five years to talk about that coffee shop. It was where everything started and ended for the both of us. 

[Gusto mo mag reminisce?] Tingnan mo! Tama nga ako! 

"Gusto ko lang ng kape, hindi pwede?" 

[Marami namang coffee shop dito, bakit doon pa?] She asked with a teasing tone. 

I opened my car the moment I reached my parking spot. I didn't start my car yet because I was still on a phone call. 

"May sinabi ba 'kong doon? Sabi ko lang naman mag coffee shop tayo ah?"

I lied. Gusto kong bumalik doon. I miss him. I miss us. That feeling I felt when we were still together was something I'd want to go back to over and over again kahit masakit. Pero hindi ko alam kung posible pa ba ang mga hinahangad ko. The damage has been done. Nasaktan ko na siya. 

I doubted him even if all that he did was to trust me... 

I pushed him away even if all that he did was to stay beside me... 

I let my fears overcome me even if all that he did was to be brave for the both of us...

Even if all that he did was to compromise with my mistakes...

All that, I did, just because of a mistake that wasn't even done by him. 

[Abi? Andiyan ka pa ba? o nagda-drive ka na?] I was suddenly woken up by my thoughts when I heard Ashley call my name. I felt the hot tears streaming down, non-stop, on my face when I was taken back to reality. I wiped my tears first and took a deep breath before answering her. 

I admit. The guilt was still with me. If only I was brave enough that afternoon... If only I made it through the airport that morning... Maybe now, I'm not feeling this extreme longing of being with him again. 

"Paalis na ako. Susunduin na lang kita," I tried to make my voice sound as normal as possible but I failed, I knew that it was obvious. 

[Sige...] She probably noticed the change in my voice that's why she didn't ask further, which I was grateful for. We bid our goodbyes to each other before ending the call. My mind was blank the whole drive on my way to her house. The sadness, and guilt, are still haunting me. Up to this day, I'm still suffering the consequences of everything I did that day. 

"Abi!" Ashley greeted the moment she saw me. She gave me a tight hug which gave comfort to my being. Dumiretso na kami sa sasakyan dahil nakakasagabal ito sa daan. 

"Uh Abi, okay lang ba na dumaan muna tayo sa coffee shop? May kukunin kasi ako eh," she hesitantly asked. 

"It's okay," I gave her a reassuring smile. I wanted to go to the coffee shop, I just didn't have the pride to admit that. To her, to everyone else, and especially to myself.

During those five years, I've always done my best to avoid everything that connects to him. To us. I was still ashamed because of what I did back then. I once stained his name because of a false accusation. Everyone hated him, I was eaten by my anger... and amidst that, he still didn't hesitate to tell me that he loves me up until our very end. 

His love for me was beyond the hatred that he got... 

His love for me was beyond my anger...

His love for me was beyond the love that I gave him...

And I've always known that...

His love for me was beyond the love that I deserved...