Is this it? Is this really my end?
I am right. Everything I did will catch-up on me and will kill me. But I never thought that it would be this painful. I never feared death. My only fear is losing her.
"Maraming nawalang dugo sa kaniya... his body is still recovering from hypovolemic shock."
That's what the doctor said, at least, that's what I heard. I desperately wanted to wake up. I wanted to comfort Aliyah, but I couldn't. Naririnig ko ang pag-iyak niya. Nararamdaman ko ang sakit sa bawat hagulgol niya. I wanted to tell her my truth. I wanted to wake up and hold her tight, but my body couldn't move, and I felt helpless... hopeless.
"Your husband will recover..."
"Thank you po, Doc..."
"She's not his wife, Doc. Ex-husband niya na si Andrew... actually hindi nga po ex, e!... hindi rin husband!"
"Steph!"
"Why Li? Totoo naman ha? Sorry Andrew, ha? Pero gago ka kasi! "
"Steph! Ano ba?! Don't say that... he needs... us."
Tama si Steph. Gago nga talaga ako. I fooled her best friend. I should have told Aliyah the truth. I had planned to do so, before going to Zambales. On our supposed first date, at the Italian restaurant I had reserved for that night... I could have told her everything back then.
"He proposed to me, Steph. B-Bago may bumaril sa kaniya..."
"Li, please don't fucking tell me na 'Yes' ang isasagot mo..."
"Steph, I love him..."
"Tang ina naman, Li! Niloko ka niyan. Pineke niya 'yong kasal niyo!"
"He has his reasons... "
"Li naman! Hindi pa rin sapat 'yon para lokohin ka niya! Hinayaan ka pa talaga niyang ma-fall, he even got—"
"Mahal ko na siya bago pa kami ikasal, Steph... "
What? Mahal niya na ako bago pa kami ikasal? Narinig kong bumuntong-hininga si Steph. Aliyah is still sniffling, trying to hold back her tears.
"Aliyah Tanya, victim of love! Defeated!"
"No, Steph! I won. I definitely won, may trophy pa nga, eh!"
"Ay, oo nga pala!"
Then, they began to laugh. How I miss Aliyah's soft laughter. Her angelic voice. Her almond eyes. Her long wavy hair. Her red lips. Everything about her. Please let me wake up. I still want to love her right.
"This has to end, Steph... para wala nang masaktan..."
"What, Li?"
"I need to talk to someone... to fix this."
"S-Sino? I'll go with you!"
"No, tawagan mo si Leo. Siya muna bahala kay Andrew. Ikaw, bumalik ka na sa café."
"Li, nakakakaba naman 'yan!"
"Steph, I need to do this... para sa pamilya ko."
No! No, Aliyah! Stay! Please stay! I need you here! I wanted to move my hands o kahit ang hinliliit ko man lang. I need to wake up, so that I can stop her. I never prayed like this again. Last time I did, I was begging for my mom's life. Pero ito na naman ako.
Please if You can hear me, please wake me up. I can't lose her too.
***
BINABASA MO ANG
Paper Promises
RomansaCOMPLETED [Café Amor Series #1] One night. The world of hotelier heiress Aliyah turned upside down, driving her straight into the arms of her father's architect, Andrew. What began as a quest for solace spiraled into a paper-bound marriage. Two yea...
