The Bridge

Chapter 26

Kinuha ni Erylle yung socials ko and all. Even my number. Anything. He told me that he was going to catch up though wala naman talaga syang na-miss. Ako yung may namiss sa buhay ko. Madami akong na-miss sa buhay ko. 

Naglakad ako papuntang lumang music club, maganda panahon ngayon, malamig-lamig na din kase nga malapit na ang christmas season. Nadaanan ko yung mga punong maganda, hindi ko inaasahang may makikita ako sa ilalim ng isang puno na malago ang dahon, parang nag-pi-picnic, tapos may naririnig akong instrument. Violin. Nilapitan ko, kilala ko yata, kase kung may hawak syang violin for sure taga-music club sya. Nang malapit na ako, nakilala ko kung sino... si Lili, nakaupo sya sa makapal na puting tela tapos nag va-violin at naka-side profile sya sakin. Hinintay ko matapos ang tinutugtog nya bago ko sya lapitan.

"Mag-isa ka yata?" sabi ko sa kanya.

"Cerii!" hindi na sya nag-effort na gumalaw. "May binili lang si Craeyan." Si Craeyon?

"Si Craeyan?"

"Oh! Oo nga pala... I haven't told you yet. Craeyan is my fiance." sabi niya. OH! I SEE!!! They're together-together pala.

"OH! I didn't noticed! Well now I know!" sabi ko. Sabagay, hindi naman din namin napag-uusapan yung mga bagay na yan pag magkasama kami, more on music lang talaga.

"It's okay." She looked at me and held my hand.

"What's wrong?" she looked serious. Her complexion is paler and she's getting weaker as the weeks go by. She sighed and smiled.

"As you can see... I am not doing well." she started. Nararamdaman kong alam kong hindi to maganda para sa puso ko o kung ano man, pero kung ito yung panahon na handa na sya sabihin sakin, I'll take it. "I am..." She breathes heavily. "Well... at least I could enjoy my life, my short life." Hindi na ako nagsalita, I bit my under lip to stop crying as her eyes started to tear. "And I am happy, more than happy that I met you in my life. You've become my friend other than my cousins and business partners. You've been there for me pag wala sila, you've been the friend that I have been longing for other than them..." She paused as the air flowed and we observed the leaves falling from the trees. A breather na rin from tears. Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko sa kanya. Hindi ko din kasi alam kung anong nararamdaman ko. I feel the same towards her, she's like a sister to me, a sister of my age ganon, we're there for each other, just like how Cana took good care of me even before. Seeing her in this state makes me sad. I remember the first day that we met. She was in pain... we were both in pain.

"I am on my final stage of my Lukemia." we went silent. All I could hear was the air and the trees. Hindi ko napigilan ang pagtulo ng luha ko. Alam kong may sakit sya, alam kong hindi maganda yung pakiramdam niya, it shows, it's obvious, pero hindi ko in-expect na ganito... na final stage. "I don't have much time to live... well at least aabot ako hanggang next year... or not." then she laughed. Yumuko ako, I can see her pale and cold hands holding mine, na nagiging malabo dahil sa luhang stuck sa mga mata ko. I can feel my goosebumps all over my body. I wanted to say something pero hindi ko alam kung ano o paano... hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko... my heart aches after hearing those words.

"Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin na wag kayong malungkot... cause it's normal for human beings to be sad after knowing that someone will die." even in her talking voice, she sounds like an angel to me. Calm and demure. "But if you're going to ask me, I don't want to leave you guys." then she burst out crying. "I want to be with all of you. I enjoyed my life doing music with everyone..." She covered her face as she cried, and I hugged her tight. "I want to be with you more," she said looking at me. I wiped her tears. Mukha syang batang inagawan ng candy tapos umiiyak. She's like a child that needs comfort. Isinubsob nya ang mukha niya sa katawan ko. "I will miss you Cerii... I will miss all of you but I am not sure I will be able to do that on the other side, if that exists there."