Now and Forever |순키| Finished

21

3rd person's POV

CJ arrived at Kei's house, kinamusta niya muna ang Ate at Lola ni Kei bago niya ito puntahan sa kwarto niya. He knocked on the door and he could hear that Aeron was there with Kei kaya agad na rin niyang binuksan ang pintuan.

"Uy K-kuya! We're just talking!" Aeron nervously said. Nakatingin lang saakin si Kei habang nanlalaki ang mga mata niya.

"What happened to you and Jaze?" CJ asked. Nanlaki ang mga mata nilang pareho at nagkatinginan nalang na parang mga batang pagagalitan.

"Nagsumbong ba siya sayo, Kuya CJ?" Mahinang tanong niya. CJ sat at the edge of Kei's bed.

"He didn't... Pero lasing na lasing siya noong nakita ko siya sa bar, iyak din nang iyak... Naawa ako so I called his friends and... Xan told me everything." Sagot ni CJ dahilan para mapalitan ng lungkot ang mata ni Kei na kanina lang ay gulat.

All three of them sat there silently. It's not the first time CJ seen Jaze drunk, but it is the first time he'd seen him cry so hard. He must be so inlove with Kei. CJ thought.

"Eh crush niya rin naman eh!" Paninira ni Aeron sa katahimikan dahilan para mahampas siya ni Kei.

"Hindi nga! Worried lang ako sakanya, and maybe I find his hugs very comforting, also the way he treats me! Yun lang!" Kei said. Natahimik na lamang ang dalawa niyang kaibigan habang nakatingin sakanya at nakangiti ng maganda.

"That's what it means, You must be feeling the same way he does too." CJ answered pero umiling lamang si Kei.

"No... Hindi ko siya gusto kasi hindi naman pwedeng ganun, Hindi pwede yun, ayokong magustuhan siya." He said looking down.

"Why not? He's a good kid, he treats you well diba?" CJ said and Aeron agreed with what his brother said.

"Kasi paano siya kapag namatay ako?" Both of them were silent after Kei said that. He's scared of falling inlove because he's scared of leaving them when he die.

"Stop saying that, Kei!" Aeron said. Kahit kelan hindi niya gusto na ganito ang iniisip ni Kei. He doesn't like thinking about his bestfriend's death, hindi niya kaya.

Kei was silenced he wanted to talk to him and apologize pero hindi niya alam kung magagawa niya pa, He's the reason why Jaze is in pain right now pero hindi naman siya magagawang sisihin. He did that to protect Jaze's feelings. Pero alam niya sa sarili niya na mahal na mahal niya parin si Jaze.

Gabriel

I woke up at Xan's place. Agad akong tumayo at hindi na nagpaalam pa sakanya, I have to go home dahil kung hindi baka mas malalang pagpapagalit nanaman ang matanggap ko.

I drove fast trying to forget about what happened yesterday. My vision are blurry and my mind is blank and dizzy. I don't know if I'd get there alive but here I am standing outside our house.

I noticed my siblings cars outside kaya napapikit nalang ako dahil alam kong ioopen nanaman ng tatay ko ang mga kagaguhang ginawa ko at ikukwento sa mga kapatid ko. Both of them are studying in manila at kaya lang sila umuwi dahil vacation na nila.

I opened the door and went inside. I stopped walking when I saw him sitting in the couch. I wouldn't be surprised kung masigawan, masaktan, o mapagalitan man ako. Masyadong matigas ang ulo at alam kong kasalanan ko naman ang mga nangyayari.

"Dad." I greeted him. This isn't something I always do dahil agad agad lang naman akong naglalakad papunta sa kwarto ko but this time, it's different.

"What the hell is your problem?" Paninimula niya. I looked down and didn't answer him dahil hindi ko mahanap ang tamang sagot.

"You came home, sober. Last night your friends told me that you're completely wasted kaya hindi mo nagawang umuwi. Your siblings and your mother was waiting for you! Ano bang kagaguhan ang ginagawa mo sa buhay mo?!" He yelled. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Iniangat ko ang ulo ko at doon ko nakita ang Kuya at Ate ko na nakatingin lamang saakin habang pinapagalitan ako.

We all remained silent, Alam kong hinihintay nila na magsalita ako pero I am too scared to speak dahil fresh pa rin lahat ng nangyari saakin kahapon. I'm scared I'll burst into tears once I star talking or speaking.

"I also heard you're doing well in school, pero yung rejected a big opportunity to go and study abroad. The reason?" My eyes widened when he said that. Hindi ko nagawang ipaalam sa mga kaibigan ko o sakanya yon dahil alam kong papayag siya but now... I'm fucked up.

"Tell me the reason or else!" He yelled. I was about to speak kahit pa alam kong hindi ko kakayanin but my sister stopped him from talking.

"Maybe he just doesn't want to do it, There's no problem with that right? I mean, my brother is smart." Liane said before stroking my hair and placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Liane! Stop defending your brother!" Dad said pero umiling lang siya. I looked at her like she was the most important person in my life.

I turned to look at Dad, he frowned at me bago siya huminga ng malalim at dumiretso sa kusina para ayain kaming kumain.

"I-i'm not hungry..." I responded pero sabay sabay lang din silang tumingin saakin dahilan para mas lalo lang akong matakot. I had no choice but to sit next to my brother who was now smiling at me.

---

I just finished taking a shower and is now laying on my bed. I kept reading me and Kei's conversation trying to accept that these won't happen again. I tried to message him pero magtatype palang ako ay nauubusan na ako ng lakas ng loob.

I heard a knock on my door kaya agad akong napatayo I waited for them to come inside. Pumasok ang Kuya at Ate ko na may dala dalang pagkain para sakin. Both of them sat on the edge of my bed.

"So? How are you, Bunso?" Luan said befor giving me a fist bump. Liane smiled at me while adoring me and waiting for to me answer Luan's question.

"I'm okay... How about you guys?" I answered. They noticed that I couldn't look straight to them. Natahimik nalang sila at doon na unti unting bumagsak ang luha sa mga mata ko.

"See... You're not okay... You know you can tell us everything naman diba?" Liane said. All three of us aren't very close. Hindi ko sila nagagawang kausapin palagi kaya hirap akong magopen up sakanila.

"I'll be fine. I'm sorry, I need to go." I responded before standing up and taking my keys with me bago ako lumabas at umalis.