Missing Peace | COMPLETED

Chapter 29

May 7

The sun is about to set. Magkakahalo ang magkakaibang kulay sa kalangitan na siyang nagdagdag sa solong kagandahan ng langit. The sky is changing hues, and it's more than beautiful.

I am pretty sure I am not the only one amazed by the beauty of sunset and how its rays embrace us. It's always magnificent, that no matter how many miles were between two people, they always shared the same sunset.

"Here's your coffee, miss."

I was pulled out from my reverie with the waiter's voice. I thanked him bago siya makaalis sa table ko to serve some other tables.

I'm at a familiar restaurant, at a very memorable spot. This is where Raiker and I made our first date, and probably our last. My gaze went to a huge box beside me na nakalapag sa floor before I went back to my coffee. I didn't order any food since I'm not planning to stay long, good thing they offer a coffee.

Bukas na ang alis ko, my flight to Canada. Everything is settled. My place there, which is, obviously, my parents' house. All my things were packed. All the papers are ready. And the farewell party with my family and friends had been thrown already.

Although everything is ready a few days after my graduation, my parents let me stay here for a while, to spend a few days with all the people I love that I will leave here.

It's already settled na rin, me needing to pass the civil engineering board exam sa Canada so I can be one of our firms' engineers. And I think I'll undergo some programs pa muna, but if the papers we prepared are enough, diretso na ako sa pag-take ng board exam doon instead of studying and undergoing some program.

Kuya Davis with my girls will hatid me sa airport tomorrow. Sa condo unit na rin ni Daphnie mags-stay si Kuya for tonight until tomorrow night sa paghatid nila sa akin. At ano pa nga ba ang kasunod niyon? Daphnie will stay with me tonight.

My condominium unit next to Daphnie's is still mine. Hindi namin iyon ibebenta or something like that. We'll keep it para may place na magamit ang mga pinsan ko o mga pamangkin ko if they need a place to stay kapag may errands sila around the place.

And instead of resting and preparing for my big day tomorrow, here I am, at this very restaurant, waiting for the man who tainted my memories with beautiful sunsets.

I know I'm about to add some painful memory sa memories ko with sunset but I hope the conversation we're about to make when he arrives will give me relief in some ways. I know I need this, we both need closure.

I'll be a liar kapag sinabi kong hindi ako nasaktan that day of our graduation dahil kasama niya si Natacha and I know she saw me too. Ako dapat 'yon. Ako dapat ang kasama niya. But then, it's already happened. Wala na akong magagawa.

Everything happens for a reason. Everything works the way they are destined to.

I glance at my wristwatch. May ilang minuto pa before the clock hits sa oras na napagkasunduan namin. Yesterday, when I'm done packing some of my things left, I sent Raiker a message, asking him to meet here. I know he'll be here any minute from now.

And I am right. I heard footsteps from the stairs towards my direction. Hindi ako lumingon, kahit pa alam kong siya na 'yon.

"I'm sorry, am I late?" Iyon ang una kong narinig sa kaniya when he noticed that I'm already here.

I shook my head. "No. I'm just early," I said bago lumingon sa kaniya. "Have a seat."

He stares at me for a few seconds bago siya natauhan at tumango. "Ah, yeah. Thanks."

He pulled his chair sa tapat ko and sat there. I saw how uneasy he is dahil sa kaniya ako nakatingin. Rapid gulping, eyes avoiding, and sweats on his forehead.