Behind Every Pages

EPILOUGE

Ezrahel

Growing up, I knew exactly what I wanted. Not just what I wanted, but where I wanted to be happy. It wasn't about money or fame, it was about the feeling of a story taking shape in my mind, the thrill of bringing characters to life. Writing was my purpose, my escape. I dreamed of sharing that with the world, of becoming a famous author, my words reaching readers across the globe.

Binata pa lamang ako ay nagsusulat na ako kahit pa hindi naman ako sumisikat, ballpen at notebook lang kailangan ko nakabubuo na ako ng istorya. I didn't need fancy gadgets or expensive paper, just the raw, unfiltered passion that poured from my heart onto the page.

I told myself that I would become a famous writer. My stories, the ones that nobody read back then, would one day be recognized, celebrated, devoured by readers. I envisioned them printed in beautiful books, the ones I used to scribble in notebooks, transformed into something tangible, something real. Sinong writer ba naman ang hindi papangarapin maging libro ang mga istoryang sinusulat nila?

But when I finally had the chance to make my dream come true, she came. She wasn't just a reader, she was a fan. Her enthusiasm, her genuine love for her books, ignited something in me. She became the reason why I wanted to write even better, to create more stories, to push myself beyond my limits. For her, because she loved books, and because I wanted to share that love with her, to make her happy. Out of all the people who supported my stories, she was the one who truly captivated me.

The more I got to know her, the more I learned about her life, the more I wanted to make her smile kaya mas pinagbutihan ko, mas ginalingan ko, para kahit papaano, mapasaya siya ng mga istorya ko. For her, I always wanted to improve, to become a better writer, because I knew she deserved the best. She deserves a more beautiful world than the world she imagined on her books.

But because of her, I also learned to be content. Before, I wanted to achieve more, to go further, to reach higher, to become famous. But with her, I was content with where I was, just to be with her. To be with her in a quiet place, a place where the only sound I wanted to hear was her laughter. I didn't want fame anymore, I didn't want to dream bigger, I didn't want to leave. I just wanted to be with her, to make her happy, that would be enough for me.

Pero sa dami ng rason ko para manatili, sa dami ng rason ko para hindi na ako umalis, she was the one who didn't stay. And the pain of that loss, the emptiness that followed, was a wound that never truly healed.

But now she's standing in front of me. It's like the five years she was gone never happened. The world around me fades away, leaving only the image of her, her presence, a wave of emotions crashing over me. Talaga bang na sa harapan ko siya?

She's really back. She's standing in front of me, and she looks surprised to see me too. I look at her clothes, the suitcase she's carrying. It's familiar, like something I saw just a little while ago. Could it really be her? The woman I saw earlier at the airport?

She seems too shocked to speak, so I break the silence "Why are you here?" She's taken aback, she doesn't seem to know what to say.

I try to calm myself down because I know my heart is racing. That's just what happens when you see your ex after five years, right?

"Ahh k-kasi ano, ahm.. ano..." Her voice is a shaky whisper, barely audible above the pounding of my own heart.

"Ano?" I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow. I have to act serious, even though I'm nervous too. I have an idea why she's here. I passed by the laundry area earlier. Whose underwear was hanging there if not hers?

"I-I was just checking, I'm going home now." She tries to turn away, but I stop her. Who would believe her excuse? Her words are a desperate attempt to escape the truth, na palagi niyang ginagawa.

"You're living here, right?" She's doing it again, running away from her problems, from her feelings.

"Y-yes, p-pero nagbabayad naman ako kila Ross." I held back a grin when I heard that. So they knew that she's living here? And they're actually making her pay? They could have just told me, I would have given her the house for free. Wait what? Ano bang iniisip ko? Bakit ko ibibigay ang bahay ko sa kaniya?