MGA PAKIWARI AT PAGMUMUNI-MUNI (An AlDub Collection of Poems and Short Stories)

Unrequited

Day 17 of AMACon Drabbles: Oikos

I know the prompt called for fluff. But I dunno why my mind conjured this story instead. 😬 please forgive me.

FICTION OK?? OK.

Thank you JaninnaBautista I love you 💛

//

It is dusk. The sun sets over the horizon, painting the sky with a deep red-orange hue as it burns a trail down to make way for the moon and stars that peak behind the clouds.

She looks up, basking in the beauty of a sky tinged with streaks of of red, orange, pink and purple. She forces a smile on her face.

He always loved sunsets.

Her smile falters, and a lone tear suddenly escapes her eye. She hastily wipes it away and laughs quietly, shaking her head as she looks back down at the crumpled sheet of paper in her hand.

"Ang daya daya mo talaga, best. As in sobrang daya," she whispers. "Nakakainis ka. Bakit ngayon lang? Bakit?" she continues brokenly.

//

Dear Best,

Yuck, ang pangit ng opening. Pero yaan mo na. Wala na naman ako pag binasa mo 'to eh. Uy, smile ka naman na. Alam kong kanina ka pa umiiyak. Sige ka - ang eyes magiging puffy and red. Gusto mong magmukhang TWD walker?? Haha!

Anyway - I wrote this because I don't know when I would ever have the courage to tell you this in person. This is a "just-in-case" type of thing. Tipong pag hindi ko nasabi habang buhay pa ako - at least may fall back ako na sulat. O diba? Ang talino ko, diba? Huy -umagree ka naman!

So ayun nga. By now, alam ko naman na alam mong anytime eh - pwede na akong mawala. Don't cry again, best. Kasi alam naman nating pareho na totoo yun. Stage 4 Leukemia na kaya 'to tapos wala pang compatible na bone marrow for me for a transplant. Tanggap ko na naman eh. Sana ikaw - tanggap mo na rin.

Anyway ulit - kung san san napupunta itong sinusulat ko. Isa lang naman ang gusto kong sabihin talaga sayo na ewan ko ba bakit hindi ko masabi sayo ng harapan. Matagal na rin 'to so I decided to tell you or at least write to you what this is before I leave this life. Hindi ako matatahimik if I don't get to tell you this.

So here goes... *deep breath* (wag kang tumawa, humuhugot talaga ako ng lakas)

Eto na.

I love you, Maine. I love you with all my heart, my sick body and my soul. And it's not the friendly love you think I only have for you. I'M IN-LOVE WITH YOU. There - is that clearer? Matagal na akong in-love sayo pero alam ko naman kasing hindi mo ako nakikita in that light kaya tinago ko na lang. Pero eto nga - before I die, I just want to let you know that. I love you. I really do.

Wooh! Shet. Ang hirap din pala kahit sulat lang, 'no?? Pero nakahinga rin ako ng maluwag dun kahit papano. I hope I get to tell you this in person though. Tangina - kayanin ko sana. Hahaha!

So ayun... Mahal kita. Kahit na alam kong hanggang best friend lang talaga ang tingin mo sakin.

Mahal na mahal kita, Menggay ko.

I will leave this life happy because at least, I got to know you and see that there's so much more to life than having cancer - even if it was just for a short while.

I love you, Nicomaine Dei Mendoza. And I will love you in this life until the next.

Yours Eternally,
Best RJ

//

She kneels down on the ground and touches the tombstone in front of her, caressing the name embossed on it, thinking and remembering.

"Nakakainis ka alam mo 'yun?" she says quietly as she looks back down on his letter. "Sana sinabi mo sakin 'to nung nandito ka pa."

She crumples his letter in one hand and sobs, placing her other hand on her mouth, trying to stop the onslaught of loud cries that's threatening to come out.

"Sana noon pa, RJ. Sana noon pa. Tangina naman kasi, best eh. Mahal din kaya kita."

And this time, she folds herself in half and weeps, still holding on to his confession in a letter.

"Mahal din kasi kita. Mahal na mahal..."