State of Grace

Chapter 7: It's Supposed To Be Fun Turning 21

A.N: This chapter contains an inexplicit adult scene. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

❤️❤️

SKY

(Flashback)

There was dead air in the line for a few moments. I was holding my breath, quietly hoping that Lumiere was just pulling a prank on me.

"Kuya?" He spoke again, and his tone was still serious.

"This is..." I shook my head. "This is not a joke, right?"

Lumiere sighed. "Unfortunately, it's not. I had that news verified and it's true. Wala na nga si Yesha."

"But how, at kanino mo nalaman?"

"Our family lawyer told Papa because he was in touch with Yesha's family. Ang kwento ay merong rare type of leukemia pala si Yesha. Her symptoms flared up shortly after she settled in the US. Dun pala siya dinala ng parents niya after she broke up with you. Ni hindi na nga siya nakapag-college sa US dahil labas-pasok daw siya sa hospital. Sadly, hindi na rin kaya ng katawan ni Yesha. She passed away around three weeks ago. Inuwi siya dito shortly after she died and was buried a week ago."

Lumiere added that Yesha's medical condition brought her parents to bankruptcy. Naubos na raw ang pera nila at nabaon pa sa utang sa laki ng ginastos nila para mapagamot si Yesha at maiuwi ang mga labi niya dito sa Pilipinas.

It didn't help that a recent scandal broke out involving her parents. The news was highly publicized by the media as it also involved several public figures. Kaya nabalitaan ko rin yun. The last time I heard, Yesha's parents lost all their valuable clients, and their license to practice law was revoked, on top of the millions of pesos they had to pay for the damages. Kaya lalo pa silang nabaon sa utang. Wala nang natira sa mga assets nila.

Perhaps it was a good thing that my father didn't pursue filing a case against her parents, who had a hand in beating me to the pulp years ago. Because karma did its dirty work for me and Yesha. Deep inside, I felt relieved and vindicated. Justice was served at last.

Even though I can finally exorcize the haunting memories of that dreaded day, I still find it hard to believe that Yesha was sick. She never mentioned it to me before, or perhaps she was unaware of it and it was too late when she was finally diagnosed.

As much as I wanted proof that she was no longer alive, I refused to believe at the same time. I was holding on to that hope that we would see each other again, but it's not going to happen anymore.

Hindi ako nakatulog nung gabing yun. Pilit na sinusubukan na sagutin ang mga tanong na alam kong hindi na masasagot kahit kailan. That night, I silently wept for my first love that is gone forever.

❤️❤️

I woke up the next day disoriented. Maliwanag na at ako na lang ang naiwan sa kwarto.

The sun was shining brightly, but it didn't change the fact that I forever lost someone dear to me. Akala ko ay okay na ako years after we got separated, pero masakit pa rin pala. Despite all of this, life goes on. Tuloy pa rin ang buhay.

I glanced at the wall clock and saw it was past seven in the morning. I still have time as my first class won't begin until ten. I needed coffee to somehow snap me out of this grim feeling.

The moment I reached the dining area, the first person I saw was Savannah Gabrielle, setting the table. When she said that she prepared breakfast for me and invited me to eat with her, so many thoughts had crossed my mind all at once.