Beyond The Rules (𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙋𝙇𝙀𝙏𝙀𝘿/Under Revision)

CHAPTER 43

Nalu’s Point of View

I awoke to a soft yet insistent knock on my door. "Ma'am Nalu?" Gising na ho ba kayo?" Yaya Cel's voice cut through the cloud of my thoughts. I pushed myself out of bed instinctively, anxiety and anticipation whirling inside.

"Opo, Yaya gising na," I answered, my pulse beating as I glanced at the calendar on my wall. Today was the day—my journey to Ireland was just waiting for me.

Mga ilang linggo na ang nakalipas mula nang magpasya ang mga magulang ko na ilipat ako sa ibang bansa upang ipagpatuloy ang aking pag-aaral.

“We need to distance you from your teacher Sir Yoshio,” they said. I never asked why.

Their reasons were always shrouded in the air of authority that left no room for argument. I just obeyed.

Habang nag-aayos ako, pinagmasdan ko ang sarili ko sa malaking salamin. Nakita ko ang mga peklat na iniwan ni Olivia sa aking mukha. Balita ko ay si Olivia raw ay na-suspend sa klase dahil sa kanyang ginawa sa ‘kin. Simula ng banatan niya ako, hindi na nag atubili ang mga magulang kong papasukin pa ako.

Ilang linggo na ang lumipas, ngunit tila imposibleng manahimik sa mga sugat na dulot ng kanyang galit. Ang alaala ng mga pangyayari ay tila nag-uumapaw, at isang pangungulila ang bumabalot sa puso ko.

Matapos ang ilang minuto ng pag-aayos, bigla akong nakaramdam ng lungkot. Wala pang balita mula kay Sir Yoshio.

Maraming tawag at text ang ipinadala ko, ngunit tila wala siyang interes na makipag-usap. Baka nga akala niya ay mas mabuti nang wala akong balita. Habang nakaupo, tinanong ko ang aking sarili kung paano ko siya maabot—

After a few more minutes of getting ready, a wave of sadness washed over me. I took my phone from the bedside table and scrolled through my messages, my heart sinking with every unanswered text.

Sir Yoshio still hadn’t replied. My fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating. I felt the weight of my loneliness, punctuated by the silence on the other end of the line.

“Is he not interested?” I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible over the unpicking threads of hope.

I pressed send on another message, filled with every ounce of courage I could muster. "I'm heading to Cloudscape International Airport. I’m flying to Ireland.”

Yaya Cel’s voice broke through my reverie. “Ma’am, ready na po ba kayo?”

I took a deep breath, forcing a smile on my face. “Opo, Yaya. Ready na ako.”

As we made our way to the car, I glanced at the house I was leaving behind, a place filled with both joyful and painful memories.

I stepped out into the morning light. The sun shone brightly, and I could smell the faint aroma of fresh bread from the bakery across the street, but all I felt was darkness. My heart ached for the unresolved feelings and unanswered questions that plagued me.

What awaited me in Ireland?

Would I find solace in a new school, or would the ghosts of my past follow me there?

Would I ever hear Yoshio’s voice again?

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. All I could do now was embrace the uncertainty that lay ahead as I journeyed into the unknown, leaving behind a piece of myself in the fading sunlight of my childhood.

Ang pag-asa at takot ay sabay na bumabalot sa akin. Kung sakaling nagkataon, siya na lang ang tanging pinanghahawakan kong dahilan sa bawat paglalakbay ko. Pero sa likod ng aking isip, may isang boses na nagsasabing baka wala na akong pagkakataon pang makita siya muli.

Would I ever hear from him again?

As Manong Hernan drove me to the airport, I sat quietly, lost in thought. I felt like a passenger in my own life, as if I had been unceremoniously put on a train heading to a destination I didn’t choose. I stole glances at my phone, half-hoping for a message, half-dreading it.

Yaya Cel turned to me, her expression softening as she noticed my silence. “Ma’am, sana po maging maayos na ang lahat. Sometimes, distance helps us heal.”

I forced a smile, but inside, I felt torn. Distance wouldn’t heal the scars Olivia left, nor would it erase the memories of Yoshio. “Yes, Yaya. I hope so, too.”

As we arrived at the airport, a sudden wave of sadness washed over me. This was it. It was both an escape and a burden.

Saying goodbye to everyone I cared about, leaving behind the comforts of home, all for a new beginning.

I would find the strength to face this new chapter of my life. And perhaps, in the quiet moments of my new beginning, I would finally learn to forgive myself and learn to let go.