My Perfect Stranger

-A Text-

We're both standing face to face in front of his car. He's looking at me with a great deal of agony in his eyes and I cringed. I hate seeing that in someone else's eyes. I hate causing pain to others. I stare at my feet coz I can't stand looking at his eyes. I'd never wanted him to feel this way.

I noticed that he took out his phone and dialed a number. Good thing he didn't answer my question coz I'm not ready to hear it. But God this is killing me! I know something's wrong. AGAIN, something is wrong. And being me, my old self, of course the insane part of my brain will deny it to death but I should have known better. It happened before with Bricks. I know this feeling. I know this feeling so well. Hindi yun yung Harold na kilala ko. Kahit sa phone at text lang ang communication namin these past few days, I can tell he's different. Call me paranoid, psychotic, delusional whatever word you have in my mind but I just know. I've been through this. I know exactly what I'm feeling.

"She's with me." I darted my head towards him. It took me out of my train of thoughts. Who's he talking to?

His forehead is wrinkled in disgust. "You want to talk to her?" Aidan looked at me and handed me his phone. I absent mindedly take it on his hand without even asking who's on the line.

"Hello?" I greeted limply. Aidan looked away.

(Bakit mo siya kasama? Where are you? I'll pick you up.) His voice startled my whole system. My heartbeat stops when I heard his voice and my lungs stop functioning as well. A small lump started to form in my throat. My all four's are trembling and my brain goes lalalalala stupid. So it's true. He's back. He's back without even telling me. There's a possibility that Ariene's right a while ago but why did Ethan lie? Damn!

(Anna?? Hello?) I furrowed my forehead.

"What did you call me?" Aidan shot me a quick glance.

(W-what do you mean??) His voice sounded confused.

"You called me by my first name, I mean you don't call me Anna for a while." It may be trivial as it may seem but it's a big deal for me. It is.

(Come on! I don't have time for this. Where are you?! Bakit ka ba sumama sa kanya!?") He said fuming and with irritation.

"I should ask you the same question, where are you?" Tell me you're not yet in Manila. Please.

(Manila.) He answered curtly. Irritation is still in his voice.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "So you're back. Sabi mo bukas ka pa uuwi. Bakit ka napa-aga?" I saw Aidan scowled.

(Just tell me where the hell are you!?!) He yelled at me. Harold yelled at me. He never did that to me even if he's livid, he'd never do that.

That hit a nerve. "Yeah, you're right. I'm in hell. Bye!!" I ended the call. What the eff is wrong with him!? In just a few seconds, he called back. I rejected the call.

I return my gaze to Aidan who is looking at me with horror on his face. "Pwede bang i-switch off mo yung phone mo." He nodded and turned his phone off. He slid it in his pocket.

"Wow! So do I look like Lucifer to you?" he said wryly.

"Why did you call him?" I bend my head slightly on the right and looked at him confusedly.

His facial reaction changes. "Just so he'll know your worth because he doesn't know what he is losing. I'm not saying that he'll lose you but napapabayaan ka na niya." He said it with much fervor in it. It's making me giddy and at the same time sick.

"He's not, I mean w-we'll be okay. We just need to sort things out as soon we talk it over. Look, stop doing this...Why are you doing this in the first place??" he stared at me confusedly.

I continued "You're just hurting yourself. You don't have to be in this situation Aidan."

He smiled bitterly. "I guess this is much better. To feel the pain. It makes me feel alive. Don't worry, I'm used to it. It's okay."

I shook my head. "No! It's not okay for me. You could have saved yourself from all of these. You could still find a way out."

"I don't wanna way out. I wanted a way in. Into your life and if you'll let me, I wanted a way into your heart." He answered quickly but with certainty.

"No. No. Please don't. Don't make this hard for me and most especially for yourself. Please, forget me. Stay away from me. There's someone better out there for you and you're missing her out because of me." I don't want him to be like that. I'll just hurt him over and over again.

"I've tried Anna. Believe me, I tried to stay away from you. I tried to forget you. I've tried everything I can to erase you in my system. But hell! It's not easy and I guess I don't want to. How could I forget someone I have loved for years? How could I erase someone from my system when you're occupying the most essential parts. Here and here...." He pointed out to his chest and head. "....Every time I tried to walk away from you, something is always leading me back to you. I don't need someone better. I don't even need the best. I don't need her or she or any other girl. I only need one girl and it's you because I love you." His words made my heart swell.

A tear fell from my eye and I smiled bitterly. "It's oddly different hearing it from someone. Funny, my own boyfriend doesn't say those words to me. I've never heard him say that." I mumbled. Harold never told me that he loves me and I did not as well. Maybe because I wanted to hear it from him first.

"What?" he asked me confusedly.

I look at him. "I don't know what to say. It's a...it's....I'm overwhelmed. I wish I could say that back to you or know the right words to say."

"I'm not expecting an answer. I just need to say that. I should've said that years ago when no one's still in the picture yet. Things would've been different now. Anyway, sabihin mo lang kung pwede na kitang agawin. Just give me a sign." So he's still thinking of that.

I laugh softly. "You know what? I'm thinking. Maybe if we've met each other under a different sky or place or situation, I would've fallen for you. No. I would've definitely fallen for you. Ang bagal mo eh, naunahan ka tuloy sa karera."

"In that case, should I take you somewhere now? Pwede naman akong tumakbo eh para maabutan ko kayo." he offered his hand.

"Silly! Uwi na. Thank you. Thank you for loving me. I still hope you could find her or she or any other girl." I smiled at him and walked towards our gate

"I hope she could finally see me not as a friend or some stranger out there. Good night!" I turn around when he said the word stranger. It's been quite a while. No sign of him.

"You still do think of that stranger in the jeep huh. Do you still want to meet him or should I say know him?" He smiled but I can't tell what kind of smile is that.

"Maybe, out of curiosity I'd like to meet him and no, I haven't think of him in the past few months, actually. You just reminded me of him today when you said stranger."

"In time you'll meet him. Pasok ka muna then I'll go." He gestured me to get inside.

"Yeah, in time. Drive safely. Text me when you're home."

He nods. "I will."

When I went to bed, I've notice a message from an unknown number amidst the bombarded texts and missed call from Harold. I deleted them all without even reading it.

From: +639052882856

I do hope everything will be okay. I'm just here even if you don't notice.

-Your Stranger