The Hope He Left Behind {SOON TO BE PUBLISHED}

Chapter 28 - Is This The End Of Us?

Nyx's POV

I laughed at what he said, "Are you f*cking joking right now, Khai?!"

"I don't have time saying useless things here, Nyx. Paano kung mapatunayan ko sayong si Cerise ay si Hope? What will you do?"

Napahawak ako sa aking ulo dahil sa kirot na nararamdaman ko dito. Mariin akong napapikit ng may mga alaalang pumasok sa aking isip.

"If you have given a chance to change your name, what name do you want?" I asked her.

Umikot-ikot ito na para bang nag ba'ballet pa siya, "I want my name to be Cerise!" Masayang sinabi niya. At tumigil ito sa pag-ikot. "Kasi ayun ang favorite namin ni Ate Raya na kinukuha namin sa cake!"

"Huh?"

"Hayy naku! Eliam naman kasi ayan 'yung pinapatikim ko sa'yo nung birthday ni Tita Naomi 'di'ba 'yung red sa may cake niya. Hindi ba sabi ko pa sa'yo nun siya 'yung kitang-kita dahil color red siya tapos kasi 'yung mga kasama niya sa cake ay black and white. Sabi ni Mommy, ang Cerise daw ay Cherry."

"Pero gusto ko pa ring tawagin kang Elia o kaya Hope kasi hindi ka nila masyado tinatawag ng Hope." Nakangiti kong sinabi sa kanya.

"Okay! Basta ayun ang pangalan na gusto ko kasi para tayong kambal kapag tinatawag akong Elia nila Tita at Tito pati sila Mommy at Daddy kaya para unique 'yung tawag mo sa akin. Cerise..."

"Cerise?"

"Yes?!" Nakangiti niyang sagot sabay tumawa siya.

No, no, no, no! Hindi 'to totoo!

Hindi 'to totoo!

"Nyx, hindi mo ba naisip na bakit hanggang likod lang ni Cerise ang nakikita mo?"

"No, Khai—"

"Nilagay ni Tita ang paintings mo sa kabilang kwarto... and this room is your room when you were a kid. We love to watch Teen Titans together with Hope, she is Starfire remember?!"

"Are you saying na kilala mo na si Hope bago ko pa siya makilala?!"

"No—but Tita Naomi told me about Hope when I saw her at our reunion"

Tumawa ako habang napahilamos ako sa aking mukha, I can't believe this is happening! "Kaya ba hindi nagagalit si Mommy sa relasyon ko kay Hope dahil alam niya?! Alam niyang siya ang kababata ko?! And if she does know, paano na 'yung pinipilit niyang babae na dapat kong pakasalan?!"

"Tita told me about that arranged marriage before you met Hope, alam kong gusto ka niyang ipakasal sa isa sa anak ng ka-business partner niyo pero hindi ko alam kung sin–"

I cut him off, "kausap ko lang si Cerise kahapon, Khai. Please don't do this to me. We were planning to get married! I can't remember anything! 'Wag mo akong pahirapan. I've been suffering for six years and this is the right moment for me to get move on!"

"Nyx, the right moment is not all about you and Cerise, the right moment is you need to continue your therapy and medication. Hindi ba't nagsimula na tayo dito? Hindi mo pala tinetake ang mga gamot–"

"F*ck! It is because I-AM-NOT-SICK, Khai! I am not!"

"Nyx, I'm here to help you, hindi mo ako kalaban nor kaaway. Naiintindihan ko lahat ng sinasabi mo, pero you need to understand what I'm saying too."

"Cerise does exist. I can hear her voice, I can call and text her. I saw her right after that accident, I followed her into the ice cream parlor that seems so familiar to me. After I ordered my fave flavor, she sat down next to me, sabi niya kung naaalala ko pa siya."