Dating Alys Perez (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

I went back home with a wrecked heart. In my entire life, today was the day that I just had to question why was I still living if all that I'd be feeling was pain and suffering?

The feeling of your happiness being questioned was the worse of them all.

Bakit, Tripp?

I was holding on to that piece of happiness. Na kapag sobrang hirap na ng lahat, maalala ko lang na nandyan si Drake, sumasaya na ako. Pero bakit kailangan mo pang ipagkait sa akin 'yun?

"Alys?" my Mom called out my name. She was looking at me with pity and I couldn't blame her. Kahit ako, naaawa na ako sa sarili ko. Sobrang nahihirapan na ako. Kung laro nga lang to ng basketball, malamang nagtime out na ako.

I approached her with heavy feet. For the sake of her sanity, I tried to smile. Alam ko na kung nahihirapan ako, mas nahihirapan siya. She's my mother.

"Kamusta?" she asked me.

"It's hard..."

It's damn hard. Mahirap. Masakit. Pero despite all the hardships, kumakapit ako kay Drake. Siya lang yung nagbibigay sa akin ng pag-asa na makakaya ko ang lahat ng 'to. Na kahit na ang hirap hirap na ngayon, magtiwala ako kasi meron pang bukas.

She hugged me tight and assured me that everything's gonna be alright. Sana nga. Sana maging okay na 'yung lahat kasi sobrang nahihirapan na ako sa mga nangyayari. It felt like I'd explode anytime soon. Just... just anytime I'd crash and burn.

I had a good crying inside the arms of my Mom. She caressed me and then hugged me to sleep. It was very sweet of hers. Despite everything I did, she still loved me and would do everything to help me. I was just thankful for having my family beside me while all these madness consume my being.

That night, I had the longest sleep in weeks. No dramas, no crying. I just slept it all. I needed it. My body felt so worn out.

Morning rolled in fast and the first thing that I did is to check up on Drake. The day was gloomy and it looked like it was going to rain hard anytime soon. The sky was giving a hint of what was about to come: a heavy pouring. I smiled bitterly. Maybe the heavens and I shared the same feeling. We both needed a good crying. A damn good one at that.

I stood up and went to the bathroom while holding the telephone in my hands. My hands were fumbling and my heart was beating fast. I hadn't had the chance to contact Drake last night. My mind was heavy with everything. There was just too much to digest.

While I was laying in my bed last night, bumabalik lahat ng sinabi sa akin ni Tripp. Tama nga siya... How can happiness be measured? Can it be measured by the number of smiles you made? The laughter you shared? Ano nga ba ang basehan ng pagiging masaya?

Alam ko sa sarili ko na masaya ako kay Drake... Or at least I was happy. The memories we shared were the ones I cherished the most. Bawat ngiti, bawat paghawak niya sa kamay ko dati, hindi ko magawang kalimutan. Kahit na gaano niya ako sinaktan nood, it was just too hard for me to forget him.

It was like forgetting him was forgetting who I was. He's a part of who I was. And if given the chance, I'd like for him to be a part of who I would be.

With Drake, everything seemed hopeful. My future, my everything, since I met him, I've been looking forward to tomorrow because I know it'd be worth it.

"Drake?" I said when he finally picked up the phone. I was in the middle of washing my face when he spoke. My breathing hitched up. Marinig ko lang ang boses niya, sobra na ang kabog ng dibdib ko.