From the romantic ligatures to the desperate strokes of the handwritten note, it's funny how fate chose to play me like the letters of Juliet to Romeo.
I walked towards my old room to look for the missing shoe. But when I opened the door, my feet automatically froze in the doorway when I breathed in the faint floral scent I was once addicted to.
My eyes wandered through the whole room at naramdaman kong tumaas ang sulok ng labi ko nang may maalala ako. Even the position of the furnitures didn't change.
Pumasok ako at nagsimulang maghanap sa mga kanto kung nandoon ba ang sapatos pero wala. I looked into the bathroom and walk-in closet, but it's not there. Anong klaseng laro ba ang ginawa nila at pati sapatos 'di na mahanap?
Kinapa ko ang ilalim ng higaan pero imbis na sapatos ang mahawakan ko, isang matigas na bagay ang naramdaman ko. I curiously peeked below, and saw that I was touching a box. Kunot noong hinila ko ito palabas dahil kahit anong pag-alala ko wala akong matandaang bagay na itinago sa ilalim ng kama bago umalis.
Nilapag ko ang kahon sa kama at tinitigan ito. I don't think this is even mine.
Mukhang ilang taon na rin 'tong nakaimbak sa ilalim ng higaan dahil kupas na ang kulay. My hands wandered through the dusty brown box to search for any name, then my eyes landed on a number that looks like a date. I caressed the vague writing, inaalala kung ako ba nagsulat nito, but the strokes are heavily pressed and modish to be mine.
03.12.05
Little by little my muscle tensed up, at may kung anong hindi maipaliwanag na pagkalabog ng dibdib ang naramdaman ko habang nakatitig sa sulat.
This date...
I took a deep breath, holding the air at mariing napahawak sa takip ng kahon bago mapagdesisyunang buksan ito.
"Did you find it po?"
My heart skipped a beat as I closed the box in shock when I heard a small voice not far away from me.
Lumingon ako. "N-No, try looking at the other rooms."
He raised his small thumb, gesturing to me that he understood before he walked away. That's when I realized, I'd been unconsciously holding my breath for a couple of seconds.
Ipinalandas ko ang aking mga daliri sa buhok ko at huminga ng malalim bago muling sumulyap sa kahon. I know moved on, I already damn did.
I sighed and just open the box without a second thought. Inalis ko ang plastic na bumabalot sa itaas, and my brows furrowed when I recognized the pieces of stuff inside were mine.
One thing that easily caught my attention was the engraved handkerchief that I lost, it was a gift from my brother. Tuwang ibinuklat ko ang panyo pero nakuha kaagad ng atensyon ko ang bagay na nahulog sa kama.
Pinulot ko ito at pinagminasdan ang parihaba na brilyante sa gitna habang katabi naman nito ang puting perlas. I don't remember owning an extravagant ring like this, but it's beautiful.
Maingat kong ibinalot muli ito gamit ang panyo ko bago nilapag sa kama.
I curiously looked inside the box again. I felt a twist in my stomach when my eyes froze on a tied number of letters.
Nanginginig ang kamay kong hinawakan ito at sinuri. My heart pounded loudly nang hugutin ang isang sobre at buksan ito. I was stunned when I recognized it's my penmanship. Muling itinuon ko ang atensyon sa kahon at naghalungkat pa dahil sa nadiskubre ko.
As I searched the box, napansin ko ang isang papel na nakatupi sa gilid at mukhang sobrang tagal na nito dahil iba na ang kulay kumpara sa mga papel na nasa kahon. The coldness in every tip of my fingers was giving me second thoughts, but I still opened the paper full of curiosity.
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
My mind stuttered as the nostalgic memory came crashing to me as violent as the rough waves eight years ago. I read every word, I even made sure I did not miss any phrase. The white sand, the freezing breeze on the shore, and the traumatizing pain I felt that day became clear as a picture.
Then a sudden knock startled me dahilan para mabitawan ko ang papel.
I didn't move nor wasted my energy to look who it was because the delicate scent of chypre and leather that I almost forgot existed immediately filled the air. As it approaches, it gets stronger to the point the fragrance turned into an ambrosial scent.
Napasulyap ako sa bintana kung nasaan ang malabong repleksyon ko at ngumiti ng mapait bago kinuha ang sulat na nahulog.
"You found it."
My smile instantly faded when panic surged through me as I felt the dread weighing down after my mind concluded things I already hate.
