Author: kriminal_kat
Prompt: It was never easy. But they believed that love, no matter how hard it is, will never betray you, dismay you, or enslave you. It will set you free.
Prompter: yxtxe
There was a time when I was alone
Nowhere to go and no place to call home
My only friend was the man in the moon
And even sometimes he would go away, too
He visited me one Saturday at the apartment I share with Patty, my best friend. The day started fine, until he brought it up again; he insisted that I quit my job and move back to my family home. Again. For the last 3 months.
It happened because I opposed, while he insisted. I tried to stand my ground, but he didn't let up. It was like tug-of-war. I wanted to explore my opportunities, he wanted me to go back and be 'me'. I told him of my dreams, he told me I was being ambitious.
I cannot recall anymore when exactly it got ugly. Maybe during the part when he called me selfish. Or when he said that he doesn't think I will be good enough. Then he called me other names. So I tried to break it off. But he wouldn't hear it.
"Mick, please. Pagod na ako. We can't go on nang laging ganito." I was begging him to stop. The fights, the jealousy, these have been going on for some time already.
"Ganun na lang yun? Three years? Three years, Babe. Itatapon mo na lang?" He was angry. His voice escalating. His tone, more intense. "May iba ka na ba? Hindi ka naman ganyan dati eh. Kaya dapat di ka na lang lumipat ng trabaho, di ka nalang lumipat ng bahay."
I was shaking my head. I cannot understand why he is insisting on his stories. Stories he made up about me. "Hindi ganun. Walang ganun. Please, Mick. Stop." I wanted to reason out with him, but I felt that he wouldn't listen anyway.
"Mick? So now I'm Mick?" I feel his eyes boring through me. "Why, babe? Oh, wait. Do you want me to call you Meng now? Bakit may magagalit na ba?"
"No. Please. Nakakapagod na. Lahat nang gawin ko may nasasabi ka. When I accepted the job at lumipat ako ng bahay, hindi dahil gusto kong lumayo sayo... gusto ko lang mag-grow as a person. I want to grab the opportunity... hindi yung iniisip mo..."
"Hindi yung iniisip ko? Alam mo na mababawasan ang oras natin. Okay naman ang trabaho mo, okay naman na uwian ka... Ayaw mo lang na kasama ako." He said, with a firmness in his voice.
There was no reasoning out. He will believe what he wants to believe. I wanted to take a stand too. So, I stood firm. I tried, at least.
"Tama na, Mick. We need to end this." I said.
"Tama na? Ganun na lang yun? Yun ang solusyon mo?" He took something from his bag. He pulled a cutter out. I froze. "Do you see this? I swear, Meng. I will kill myself if you break up with me. You want this to end?"
"Mick, no. Please." I begged. I tried to get the cutter from him, but he pulled his hand away, and grabbed my hand the other way. "Wag ganito..."
"Wag ganito? Tangina, Meng. Di ka mapakiusapan. Wag ganito?" He was furious. His voice was shaking. That time I wish Patty would come barging in, but she won't be. Not until tomorrow. I was alone. "Kung siraan ng buhay ang gusto mo, tangina. Uunahan na kita."
