keira || ✔️

10

A r k i n.
Keira is gone.

She just dropped out this morning. Pumunta na rin ako sa bahay nila para i-check kung nandoon siya pero wala siya doon.

Kahit mama niya ay hindi alam kung saan siya pumunta. Nakakatawa nga eh kasi nakapagfile siya ng drop-out request nang walang pirma ng mama niya. Knowing Keira, she probably forged her mother's signature at ang uto-uto naman naming adviser at principal, naniwala at hinayaan siyang magdrop-out.

I can't believe it. Medyo in-expect ko na rin na mangyayari 'to. Based on what she's been telling me these past few days, iiwanan niya talaga ako. Ito siguro ang dahilan kung bakit pinilit niya akong mangakong hindi ko siya hahanapin kapag umalis siya.

God knows how badly I want to look for her... but I shouldn't. Dahil pinangako kong hindi ko siya hahanapin.

Kasalukuyan akong papunta sa bahay nila. Kung para saan ay hindi ko alam. Baka kasi kailangan ni Mrs. Villafuerte ng makakaramay.

Hindi man namatay ang kaisa-isa niyang anak, umalis naman ito at baka hindi na niya ito makita pa kahit kailan.

--

Mugto pa ang mata ni Mrs. Villafuerte nang dumating ako sa bahay nina Keira. "Sa'yo ba Ark, wala siyang nabanggit kung saan siya pupunta?"

"Wala po talaga eh." Napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

"May iniwan siyang note bago siya umalis pero hindi ko iyon maintindihan... Teka, kukunin ko. Baka sakaling alam mo kung tungkol saan iyon." She stood up and went upstairs.

I took a sip from the coffee she offered me. Maya maya pa ay bumaba na rin si Mrs. Villafuerte, she was clutching a small piece of paper in hand.

"Ito iyong sinasabi ko sa'yong papel..."

Nabigla ako nang makita kung ano ang nakasulat doon. In small letters, nine words were written.

"you have to get lost before you find yourself. -kei :)"

--

I continued living my life but it wasn't the same anymore without the great Keira Dione Villafuerte.

It's been a week since she disappeared. Hindi na rin siya ipinahanap ng mama niya dahil hindi naman daw mahahanap si Keira kung siya mismo ay ayaw magpahanap.

"Si Arkin pala 'to eh!," natatawang sabi ni Bryan kay Cloe.

"Kung ikulong kaya kita ngayon sa locker room, may magliligtas pa kaya sayo?," nakangising tanong sakin ni Adrian.

"Syempre wala na! Di ba wala na si Keira?," sabi ni Cloe at saka humalakhak.

Nanatili akong walang imik pero tama naman sila. Ngayong wala na si Keira, wala nang tutulong sa akin.

"Pasalamat ka, good mood kami! Palalampasin ka namin ngayon!," maangas na sabi sa'kin ni Mico.

Tinanguan ko na lang sila at mabilis na lumayo. Malapit na akong makagraduate.

Si Keira rin sana, graduate na. Kaso...

Dapat matuto na akong kalimutan siya.

--

Nakaupo ako ngayon sa dating bench na tambayan namin ni Keira. Kinain ko rin ang sinabi kong kakalimutan ko na siya kasi hanggang ngayon, gusto ko siyang hanapin.

Kaya sa mga painting ko na lang inilalabas ang lahat ng sama ng loob ko kay Keira. Baka kasi pupwede ko pa siyang tulungan sa problema niya... Kahit ano naman kasing problema niya ay gagawan ko ng paraan, hwag lang siyang umalis.

Napatayo ako sa gulat nang may babaeng dumaan sa harap ko na may scarlet red sa dulo ng buhok. Pero hindi pala siya.

Asado ka naman, Arkin.

Inililigpit ko na ang mga gamit ko nang may mapansin akong nakadikit sa armrest ng bench. Scotch tape? Tinanggal ko ang scotch tape at may papel pala ito sa loob.

Mas lalo ko pang ikinagulat ang nakasulat sa papel.

"She was expecting the sun to light up the sky
She waited waited but it was the moon who came by
She was longing for someone to hold her tight
But no one came until that night.

There he was, tall and fair
He offered his hand without condition
But she accepted with hesitation
And there they were, walking to nowhere.

He was expecting her to tell the reason why she's hurt
But she was hoping he would ask first
He wanted to ask why she thinks she's alone in Earth
She almost told him everything but she remembered something.

The moment she was born, she knew nothing was permanent
Nobody would be there forever to fix her when she's bent
No one would be there 'til the end to hold her tight
He wouldn't be there to say 'it's alright'

Before she hopes he would be beside her forevermore,
She looked at him and disappeared in thin air
He didn't know she was scared
He never thought she would leave him bare.

He didn't know she was frightened to be left alone by him, so she left him first.
-kei :)"

God. Keira... I'm sorry I didn't know.