Beside the Enemy Lies

Chapter FOUR: Yaya Yolly 👵🏻

"Sometimes, we honor them in big beautiful ways. We write. We paint. We sing. We share their story, their picture. We do good things in their name. And sometimes, we honor quietly. We cry. We break. We get out of bed. We try to stay alive and love them. We can honor a person's life by sharing things, creating things. And we can also honor a life by surviving in a world without it" - Sara Rian

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IRENE's POV:

I must have fallen asleep on our way to Bulacan after I whined about me being hungry, because I don't remember getting out of the car.. so much more so, going inside the bedroom to sleep!

Yet, here I am.

The room reminds me of those vacation houses near the southern city of Marbella in Spain.

And I know that I did not came here alone.. so where is Greggy? And damn! What is wrong with me? Why am I calling him Bubba again?

Maybe it's the adrenaline, or the fear, or the lack of security or maybe.. I just miss him. Instead of waiting to just magically appear in front of me, I decided to go out of this room and just search for him myself. Also, I needed to know if Dad has been informed about what happened already.

My watch says that it's past four in the afternoon, but this hallway is darker than I would personally prefer for a hallway to be. Their house here is a two-story Spanish architecturally inspired, and I wonder how big it actually is from the outside.

They're so extra! This will easily pass as an extension of Malacañang!

"Greggy?"

"May tao po? Fossil?"

Damn! Ang laki ng bahay nila, bakit walang tao?

"Kuya Greggy!"

"Bubba!!!"
'Yes, Baby?'
"Oh, fuck!"

Is he trying to kill me? Hindi nga ako namatay sa ambush, sa heart attack naman!

'Stop cursing'
"Eh ikaw kasi ehh! Bakit nandyan ka lang?"
'I heard you are calling me, so umakyat ako'

Umakyat? But.. the stairs is on the far end of the hallway.

"Are you a ghost?"
'What?'
"Stop walking! Don't come near me!!! Are you a ghost?"
'I'm not, Irene. Ano ba?'
"Say something first! Something that only you and I know"

See? Hindi nagsasalita! Is he a doppelgänger? Shit! Multo ba kasi to?

'I love you'
"Huh?"
'Sabi ko.. mahal kita'

With two long strides, he's able to reach where I am standing. I watch how his fingers brush the strands of my hair away from my eyes.

'I love you, Irene. Kahit kailangan mo pa magpa tutor sa math. I love you, kahit palagi nauubos ang sweldo ko sa fish balls mo. I love you kahit ang dami natin kailangan palagi puntahan even after your school is over. I love you, kahit cookies lang ang binabayad mo sa lahat. I love you. I love you, Baby'

"Bubba..."

'I love you'

I lost count how many times have I imagined hearing these words from him. I've played different scenarios in my head over and over.. still, nothing comes close to how I am feeling right now.

"Kahit palagi akong gutom?"
'Kahit wag ka na tumigil sa pagkain'
"Kahit nauubos na pera mo?"
'Kahit mangutang pa ako'

"Bubba.."
'I know. I know, Baby'

He knows? Ang alin? Na hindi naman pwede, kahit ilang I love you pa sabihin nya!

"No need then"
'Actually Irene.. I promised your father that today is the last day. That I will leave you alone. That I will no longer bother you'
"Why?"
'Because you are more than the mess that I've created. You are more than the pain that I've caused. You are more than another's choice. For you are the beauty, the happiness and the only one, just not with me'