SEVEN AND ARROW (Montana Series 2 | BXB)

48: Grauenhaft

๋࣭࣪☾⭑

The day I didn't want to come finally arrived. With heavy hearts, we packed Arrow's things and loaded it into Tito Ben's car. Ramdam man ang kalungkutan, ngunit pinilit naming ngumiti ni Tita Meryl. We wanted to send him to the school for disabled people without worrying about us.

"Mangiingat ka doon ha," sabi ni Colton habang nakatayo kami sa harapan ng bahay.

"Huwag kayong magalala," sambit ni Arrow. "I visited that school a week ago and it's so nice there. I already met some people with the same illness as mine. Mababait rin ang mga tao doon, kaya alam kong magiging maayos ang lagay ko."

"Call us if you need anything," said Audrey.

"Oo nga," sabi ni Maze. "Tutal ay malapit lang doon ang napili naming university ni Audrey."

"Thank you," Arrow expressed.

The air around us felt heavy, not only because Arrow was leaving, but because my friends and I also needed to go our separate ways. Isang taon ko lamang silang nakasama, ngunit punong-puno ang aking puso at isipan ng kanilang ala-ala.

"I'll visit you there every weekend," Tita Meryl said while placing her hand to Arrow's shoulder.

"Okay, Mom," nodded Arrow. "But if you don't have a time, I understand."

"I will adjust my time for you," she said, gently touching her son's face.

Arrow flashed a smile, and then he turned his eyes to me. "So I guess, this is it."

I gulped, feeling my dry throat. "Yeah. Take care," I said, trying to control the emotion forming within my eyes.

"I'll call you everyday, I promise," he said with a consoling smile.

"I know," I responded while nodding gradually. "Huwag ka ring magalala sa'min ni Tita Meryl. I'll take care of her."

"Thank you, Seven," he said.

My friends slowly forwarded to embrace him as they expressed their goodbyes. I held back at first, afraid the gate of tears would open if I allowed myself to hug him too. However, I couldn't let him leave without a one last hug. I lowered my body to embrace him, hanging my head to his shoulder as he sat on his wheelchair. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata upang pigilan ang aking luha.

"I love you, baby," he whispered.

"I love you more, baby," I replied in a hush voice.

Tito Ben started the engine, making my heart pound so hard. Sila ni Dandrix ang maghahatid sa kanya. Minabuti na namin ni Tita Meryl ang hindi sumama dahil iyon rin ang gusto ni Arrow.

"Ikaw na ang bahala sa kanya, Ben," bilin ni Tita Meryl.

"Don't worry. I'll message you once we got there," replied Tito Ben while brushing his hand to Tita Meryl's shoulder.

Nagtulungan sina Dandrix, Colton at Maze upang ipasok si Arrow sa loob ng sasakyan, at si Audrey naman ay nakaakbay sa'kin habang pinagmamasdan namin si Arrow. Before the car door closed, Arrow flashed me a smile and waved, and when it closed, my heart dropped in pain.

As the car began moving, I couldn't help but ran inside the house. I fell on my knees and tears started flowing. I could see my tears dropping on the floor as the pain crashed me like a tidal wave. I knew I had to be strong, but everything was too much to handle. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo, nilingon ang bawat sulok ng bahay, inaalala ang mga araw na kasama ko si Arrow.

He wanted to live well, so I had to continue. I knew he would have wanted me to be strong. Though the road I needed to take seemed blurry, but I found peace knowing that a part of him would always be with me. Taking a deep breath, I stood and lifted my chin, making myself ready for the future to come.