Beneath the Stars (UNDER REVISION)

00

"What are you doing here all alone?"

Nakatingin lang ako sa malayo habang nakaupo sa buhanginan. It was a full moon and the moon's brightness reflected on the water. Ang ganda rin ng mga bituwin sa madilim na kalangitan.

Naramdaman kong tumabi siya sa akin, namayani ang katahimikan naming dalawa. Ang maririnig lamang sa kapaligiran ay ang tunog ng mga alon. Bumuntong hininga ako.

Sumasakit iyong ulo ko. Mas lumala pa ngayon. Not now, please... not now...

"I was just..." pumikit ako nang makaramdam ng sakit. "I was just thinking..." pagpapatuloy ko.

"About?" he asked. Nakita kong sinilip niya ang aking mukha nang iminulat ko ang aking mga mata.

Matagal bago ako makasagot. Hindi ko talaga kayang sabihin ang salitang iyon.

"Death..." I finally replied after a long pause.

I looked at him and his eyes were unwavering. Nagniningning ito habang nakatingin sa akin kagaya ng mga bituwin sa kalangitan.

I rested my head on his shoulder which calmed me down.

"Hmm?" he hummed, I noticed how he froze on the spot. Hindi talaga siya gumalaw at hinayaan akong ipahinga ang aking ulo sa kaniyang balikat.

I bit my lower lip. "People says that some will go to heaven and some will go down to hell... but where do you think I'll go?"

"Heaven, of course." walang halong pag-alinlangan niyang sagot sa aking katanungan.

I felt him kissing my hair as he wrapped his arms around me. It felt so comfortable. "You'll be the most gorgeous angel." he whispered to my ear.

Napangiti ako sa kaniyang sinabi.

I looked at him and smiled. "You think so?"

"Yup." he said, nodding his head with pure confidence.

"Then you'll be the luckiest human being since the most gorgeous angel will be the one who will watch and guide you for the rest of your life." I unconsciously said, I noticed how his gaze started to soften.

I was drowned in his charcoal eyes. Kailanman ay hindi nagbago ang paraan ng pagtitig niya sa akin, makikita talaga sa kaniyang mga mata na punong-puno ito ng pagmamahal... na para bang ayaw niya akong mawala sa kaniyang piling.

"Well, I'm already the luckiest to have you in my life and to be part of your life." rinig kong sabi niya.

Napatingin ako sa kalangitan. Hindi ko na kinakaya, parang matutunaw na yata ako sa kaniyang mga titig. My heart was pounding wildly inside my chest as I could still feel him staring at me.

"Life..." I smiled. "It's too short, isn't it? Kamatayan lang talaga ang hantungan nating lahat... but all I can say is that I've lived my life to the fullest because I got to spend it with you. I've never been so alive in years since you, Leandro. You were the one who made all things bearable for me, and I'm grateful for that." sabi ko atsaka nilingon siya.

I heard him chuckle. "Bakit parang nagpapaalam ka naman?" I saw how tears streamed down his cheeks. Hindi nawala ang ngiti sa aking labi.

I will probably just be away for a while.

"Hindi naman. Gusto ko lang sabihin ang mga salitang 'yon sa'yo." natatawang sabi ko at pinunasan ang kaniyang mga luha. "Dapat matuto ka na ring punasan ang sarili mong mga luha... paano nalang kapag wala ako, huh?"

Gusto ko ring umiyak pero baka mas lalo lang na sumakit ang aking ulo. It's been like this for weeks now...

He shook his head as he held my hands. "Alam ko namang nandiyan ka palagi para sa akin. Physically or not, you'll always be inside here." sabi niya't tinuro ang kaniyang puso.

Hinampas ko siya. "So cheesy!" I giggled. "But seriously, thank you for always being there for me especially in times that I needed you the most. You never left my side. Thank you for making me feel what love truly feels like, the feeling of being loved and being in love at the same time... nagbago ang tingin ko sa pag-ibig nang makilala kita."

He was just staring at me, listening to every word I say.

"I just want to say that I love you... I really do... I will always will." sabi ko habang sinserong nakatingin sa kaniyang mga mata. "And I'm sorry..." Halos mabasag ang aking tinig.

He cupped my cheeks, wiping away my tears. I didn't even realize that I was already crying. "Why are you apologizing, huh? Are you breaking up with me or something? Come on, baby... next week na ang kasal natin..."

"I would never." Mahina akong natawa, he heaved a sigh of relief. "I just want you to do me a favor."

"And that is?"

"Recite the vows with me." I said.

He looked really confused but still went with it anyway. He never questions it.

"Gabriella Estrella Guevarra..." He suddenly slid a gorgeous diamond ring on my finger, our wedding ring. Hindi ko na marinig ang iba niyang mga sinabi. My head was hurting so badly and my vision was getting blurry by the minute. "I promise to love you, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, 'til death do us part."

And the stars, of course. They are the witnesses of our love story from the very beginning of it.

I smiled weakly. "'Til death do us part..." I repeated, I rested my head on his shoulder once again as I closed my eyes.

And there it was, all those memories of ours came flashing back as if time had traveled back to the past... remembering each memory one by one and day by day... it was still clear and vivid. I could only feel nostalgia creeping up inside me.

Oh, how I wish I could turn back time.

We were a perfect match for each other and everything was almost perfect. Of course, there were tons of obstacles that we needed to face which tested our relationship... but the most important of all is that we stayed together and didn't let those challenges ruin what we had.

People say that we are destined for each other... but how can I believe it when destiny itself played us?

He was the right one for me, the only thing is that we were placed in the wrong timeline.