The Beginning and the End #Wattys2017

009. Yesterday

Yesterday
December 31, 2013

Isa sa mga favorite celebrations ko ay ang New Year. I don't know why, pero gustung-gusto ko yung ambiance kapag New Year's Eve (minus the smoke from the fireworks, of course). Everyone's happy and full of hope na maganda ang magiging bagong taon nila. With my family, Paulo, and of course, Alex by my side, sure ako na magkakaroon ako ng magandang taon.

Dahil sa bahay kami nag-celebrate ng Christmas this year, sa bahay naman nila Alex ang venue ngayon. Umuwi pa galing college yung older brother ni Alex na si Cyrus. Hindi siya nakauwi nung Christmas dahil busy siya sa paggawa ng mini thesis. 3rd year college na siya, taking up Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Dalawang taon lang ang tanda niya kay Alex, at three years naman sakin. Magkamukhang-magkamukha sila ni Alex. They both have brown eyes, chiseled jaw, and good posture. Dumadaloy talaga ang good genes sa pamilya nila.

As usual, busy nanaman ang parents namin sa paghahanda para sa kakainin mamayang media noche. Dahil wala naman kaming gagawin ni Alex, pumunta na lang kami sa kwarto niya at sinimulang sagutan yung book of crossword puzzles na niregalo ko sa kanya.

"Saan mo balak mag-aral ng senior high?" he asked me out of the blue. I lifted my gaze at him. Nasa crossword puzzle pa rin yung focus niya while twirling the pencil he's holding.

"I don't know," I answered. "Grade Nine pa lang naman ako next school year, eh."

Sabay-sabay kaming nag-elementary nina Alex at Paulo. But because Alex is very smart, nag-skip na siya ng Grade Five. Kaya ahead siya ng isang taon sa amin ngayon. Grade 10 na siya next school year, at Grade Nine naman kami ni Paulo.

"Saan mo ba balak mag-aral?" I asked him. Finally, he lifted his gaze at me. Tinitigan niya muna ako bago siya sumagot.

"I don't know either," he said. "Pero... In-invite kasi ako ni Tita na mag-aral sa Canada kapag natapos ko na yung junior high."

"So... Papayag ka ba?" tanong ko.

Umiwas siya ng tingin. "Mas maganda kasi yung makukuha kong opportunities kapag doon ako nag-aral."

My heart sank. Don't get me wrong, magiging masaya ako para sa kanya kung sakaling pumayag siya na mag-aral sa Canada. Pero kasi... Nasanay na ko na kasama ko siya sa buong existence ko. He's a huge part of my life, lalo na ngayon na nagde-date na kami.

Hinawakan niya bigla yung kamay ko. "Hey, don't worry," he said. "Malayo pa naman yun, eh. Tsaka, hindi pa ko sigurado kung tatanggapin ko yung offer ni Tita." He smiled at me, and I smiled back.

We went quiet for a moment, just staring at each other. Then he leaned in and kissed me on the forehead. My heart fluttered.

"Kung tatanggapin ko ba yung offer ni Tita," he started, "magagalit ka?"

"No, of course not," sagot ko, and I'm not lying. I will never get mad at him. "Pero..."

Kumunot yung noo niya. "Ano?"

"Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko kapag wala ka dito," I admitted. "I mean, you've been here my whole life. I don't know... Parang hindi kasi makukumpleto yung bawat araw ko kapag hindi kita nakikita."

He smiled, the sweetest I've ever seen. Then he gave me another kiss on the forehead. "Ang gwapo ko kasi masyado eh," he said, then winked.

Tumawa ako tapos sinuntok ko siya ng mahina sa braso. "Ang hangin mo naman yata masyado," sabi ko. He grinned.

"Pero seryoso," sabi niya. "Don't worry, Eleanor. Kahit saan pa ako magpunta, hinding-hindi ako mawawala sa'yo."

"Talaga? Hindi ka mawawala sakin?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Promise me," I insisted. "Promise me you'll never die."

"Okay," he said. Nginitian niya ulit ako then he cleared his throat. "My name is Alexander Solomon, sixteen years old, and I promise that I will be with you forever. I will be the strongest man in the universe, so that I may never die. I don't want you to live in this awful world without me, Eleanor Romero. I won't let that happen."

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko na yakapin siya. God, I'm so lucky to have him. Sobra-sobra yung saya na nararamdaman ko ngayon. Right now, with him in my arms, I feel like I will never be sad again. Wala namang reason para mangyari yun, hindi ba? Kuntento na ko. This curly haired boy with brown eyes and chiseled jaw, with his weird topics and witty remarks, is more than enough for me.

I love him so much.

-----

Three minutes before New Year.

Nagmadali kaming umakyat ni Alex sa rooftop nila para panoorin yung fireworks. Maingay na sa paligid. Kahit saan kami tumingin, may mga taong nagce-celebrate. Nag-set up pa nga si Tito Xander ng malaking speaker sa tapat ng bahay so that all the people in our neighborhood can dance and have a good time.

"Cold?" tanong sakin ni Alex. Medyo malakas kasi ang hangin dito, at nakasuot lang ako ng sleeveless dress. He took off his black sweater and told me to wear it. It smells like his cologne, and it fits me snugly.

"Thanks," I said.

He studied me for a moment. "It looks good on you," he said. "Keep it."

"Thanks ulit."

Pinanood namin yung mga tao sa street na nagsasayawan. I spotted Dad doing some weird 80s dance steps with Tito Xander while my Mom records the whole thing with her phone. They look so happy, so at ease, that it makes my heart leap with joy.

Naramdaman ko yung kamay ni Alex na humawak sa kamay ko. Umusog siya papalapit sakin then he intertwined our fingers. I felt his gaze on me, at parang na-magnet rin yung mga mata ko papunta sa kanya. He just stared at me, until the people downstairs started their countdown. I hear them chanting, "Ten.. Nine.. Eight.. Seven.."

"Eleanor.."

My heart started to beat faster, and I felt the flutter of hundreds of butterflies inside my stomach. I don't know why but I can't take my eyes off him.

"Six.. Five.. Four.."

Nakakalunod yung titig niya, but it feels so good. Kung malulunod man ako sa mga mata niya, I will gladly accept my fate. That would be the most wonderful death I could ever imagine.

Alex smiled, and he said the words that almost made my heart burst out from my chest.

"I love you, Eleanor."

Just as the fireworks started to light up the night sky, Alex pulled me towards him and kissed me deeply.