Run, Princess! Run!

26km

I need to get out of here.

I ran through the hallway. Nahihirapan akong huminga habang nagtatagal ako sa lugar na 'to.

I came into a halt when I got outside and saw a familiar car.

Si Emmy.

Breathe in, breathe out. I compose myself. I just can't leave her hanging. Kahit papaano dapat magpaalam ako.

Tinahak ko ang daan patungo doon. Binuksan ko ang pinto sa backseat.

"Ate! Tara na ba? Saglit lang wala pa si Ate Ella." said Emmy.

Pictures of what I saw came rushing back. I shook my head. Not infront of her.

I tried to smile "S-sorry baby. I can't be with you today. S-something came up and I need to be home." her expression changed and gulit rushed through me "But I'll make it up to you some other time, I p-promise." then she a cracked a smiled. I felt a heavy weight lifted up off my chest.

I turned to Eden, who is sitting beside her "Take care of yourself and Emily okay?" she just stared me and then nodded. Her face was blank.

I looked passed them "Auntie, thank you po . . . for everything."

I gave the kids a kiss on their foreheads and stood up.

"Manong, ingat po sa pagdadrive." bilin ko pa.

Lumakad ako palayo at pumara ng jeep.

Tulala lang ako habang nasa biyahe and the next thing I knew, I am here at the oval. Where everything started. Technically, our first encounter.

This place held a bitter sweet memory.

If I didn't accidentally threw my shoe at her, would I be here by this moment? would I be this . . . broken?

A part of me says, I'm glad that I had met her but other parts tells the opposite.

Can you blame me? I'm never been this broken. I've been broken hearted before, have been in a few break ups and it was painful.

But how come, it felt different when it comes to her? The pain, it's just unbearable. Naglevel up siya.

An image of her face being held by her man popped. An unfamiliar but also becoming familiar feeling came back.

This time, I did not hold back. I let my tears fall and it flowed like a never ending river.

Something ache inside me. Something is being slowly ripped apart. I don't know if it's my heart or my whole being.

And just like in the movies, rain started to pour hard. I chuckled a bit. Atleast now, it's not just me and my pathetic self.

Suddenly, I stopped crying and started to run. One of the reasons why I like running is because it made me feel free. When I ran, nothing else matters. It's my escape.

I will run until I can't feel my legs anymore.

And deep down inside me, I am hoping that the rain can washed away the pain.

Hindi ko na mabilang kung nakailang laps na ako ng may maaninag akong pigura sa gitna mismo ng track.

I'm not sure though baka hallucinations lang and so I continued. But as I came closer, I recognized the person holding an umbrella.

I slowed down.

"Why the hell are you running in the middle of the freaking rain?!" Kate yelled. Yes, it was her.