T O R N

52

Lisa's...

Nasa isang café  si Lisa, naghihintay. In front of her was a cup of coffee and some papers she needed to attend to, but her mind kept drifting back to Jennie. After months of preparing for her wedding to Irene and managing work, Lisa finally had a rare moment to herself. Yet, in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake off thoughts of Jennie—the woman who once held a special place in her heart.

As she sipped her coffee, Lisa suddenly felt a familiar presence. She looked around and saw Jennie walking into the café. She couldn't  believe her eyes. The sight of her made Lisa's heart skip a beat, reminding her of the last time they saw each other and the pain of their breakup. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to approach or just stay put. But as Jennie walked closer, Lisa couldn't hold back.

"Jen!" she called out, standing up quickly from her seat.

But as soon as Jennie heard her name, she glanced around and made a quick decision to avoid her. She turned and walked away, not daring to look in Lisa's direction. Lisa felt her heart tighten at the sight, but she quickly gathered her courage and started following her.

"Jennie, wait!" Lisa called out, trying to catch up, but suddenly Jennie was out of sight.

She lost her as quickly as she had found her. Lisa stood still for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. She wanted to chase after Jennie, but she knew it was no longer that simple. The space between them felt colder now, like an unspoken wall had formed between them.

Lisa returned to her table, her heart heavy with regret. She absentmindedly began picking up papers that had scattered across the table. As she gathered them, her mind kept returning to Jennie. She couldn't wait to talk to her again, but deep down, she knew there were things they both needed to heal before they could face each other properly.

Jennie's...

Pagkatapos ng ilang oras ng paghahanda, natuloy din ang pagtransfer ng tatay ni Jennie papuntang Manila. The whole trip was full of worry and concern for her father's condition. Every minute felt heavy for Jennie as she focused on her father's health. Pagdating nila sa ospital sa Maynila, agad nila itong dinala sa isang private room.

After making sure my Papa was settled  and everything was in order, I finally managed to take a deep breath. My mom had insisted on staying with him while I went out to grab some food. To be honest, I just needed a moment away from everything—away from the stress, the worry, and the tension that had been building up since I arrived.

I was walking around the area near the hospital when I spotted a small café just a few steps away. It was quiet, cozy, the kind of place where I could sit alone and have a few minutes to clear my head. I decided to go in.

As I opened the door and stepped inside, the familiar scent of coffee and pastries filled the air. It was a nice escape. I went up to the counter to order, trying to focus on the menu, when something made my heart skip a beat.

I froze. My eyes instinctively went to the corner of the café, where I saw her.

Lisa.

She called my name. She was standing there looking at me. I could feel the weight of everything come crashing down. My body tensed, and before I could even process it, our eyes met.

For a split second, everything seemed to stop. Her gaze locked with mine, and I saw that unmistakable mix of surprise and sadness in her eyes. My heart twisted painfully. I wanted to say something, do something, but all I felt was a rush of emotions I wasn't ready to face.

The air around us seemed thick with unspoken words. I didn't know what to do, how to act. I couldn't. I wouldn't. Nandoon siya, nakatayo sa harapan ko, and yet, everything between us felt so distant. The moment she left me before, I told myself that I'd be fine, that I'd move on. Pero why does it still hurt? I cannot help but to feel the same pain when we broke up.