The Sun The Moon and The Stars

5. Again.

SAVANNAH

"It is either you kill him or he kills you." My brother told me once I stepped inside my room. 

"And because he is not aware who you truly are you have the upper hand. You can do the first move. Remember and do not forget, we are here not to do childish things. We are here to avenge the blood of our parents. Ang pamilya na ito ang pumatay sa kanila. Alam mo 'yan Sav. Alam mo 'yan. Now, it's either you kill him or I kill you. I decision is in your hands. 

***

SEBASTIAN

Summer decided to stay inside the house.  Hindi ko masabi kay Savannah na gamutin siya. After all, I was to blame for all of Summer's wounds, not her.  Ako na lang ang nagmarunong na gamutin ang mga sugat niya. "I hate her", Summer whispered in my ears.

"Yes." I said."But do you love me?"

She nodded.

"Then try to respect the ones I cared for. Try to do your best to to be kind to those who are important to me."

She cried. I didn't care. Lagi na lang siyang umiiyak paralang makuha ang mga bagy na pilit niyang gustong makuha. 

"Why? Why is she important to you?", she asked me sobbing.

I was dead silent. 

Suddenly,kinuha niya ang picture namin ni Savannah na naka-frame mula sa ibabaw ng working table ko. I pulled it away from her hands. In a flash, she grasped for it and was able to take it back from my grip.  Nagagawan kami sa litrato. The girl was getting into my nerves. "No." I insisted while trying to pull it off from her arms. It snapped. The frame broke. Naunahan naman niya akong damputin ang tumalsik na larawan. Wala na rin akong nagawa pa.In a blink of an eye the only photograph I have together with the girl I truly loved was torn into pieces I couldn't even count. Without saying a single word I took the pieces with me and rushed into the bathroom. I locked it. Summer kept knocking. Saying sorry half-heartedly.  I sat on the floor tiles and tried to supress my tears.  I could have forced the tears back into my eyes. I could have hindered them from falling down on my knees. On the floor. Yet still,I was too weak to overcome. 

I stayed inside the bathroom.  For hours. With no food nor water. Without sleep.  I cried and cried for hours until the last drop of tear fell on my cheeks. 

Summer stopped banging the door. She must have decided to leave. Then I heard my bedroom door opened. Was she back? I frowned. Then I heard another set of knocks outside my bathroom door. I kept my lips tight. 

"Seb?" It was not the voice of Summer.

Nagmadali akong tumayo kahit na namamanhid ang paa, binti at mga hita ko mula sa matagal na pagkakaupo. But I guessed the physical pain was easier to deal with compared to the emotional pain. 

I turned the doorknob.

"Sav?"

"What happened? Were you crying?"

Paano niya nalaman? Namumugto ba ang mga mata ko?

She saw the torn pieces of our one and only photograph together.  Ang nagiisang litrato namin na magkasama. 

"Sorry. Hindi ko na siya napigilan pa."

"It's okay. Hindi 'yan mahalaga."

Okay? Hindi mahalaga? Ganun lang yun? Nalunod ako sa sariling luha para marinig lang ang mga masasakit na salita na ito? 

"Hindi ba ang mas mahalaga magasama tayo ngayon? What is important is the truth."

"Truth?"

"The truth that we have each other. That this bond is not only just a pretense. "

Totoo nga. Hindi namin kailangan magpanggap na malapit kami sa sa't isa.  We would always have each other. 

"Thank you." I said. She hugged me. Mas malakas pa ang kuryenteng naramdaman ko nang gawin niya sa akin ito kaysa sa pamamanhid ng legs ko. 

"Para kang si Pikachu", sabi ko sa kanya habang nakangiti.  May malaking question mark sa mukha niya.  "Na-electrocute buopng katawan ko, mula ulo hanggang paa pagyakap mo sa akin."

"I'm sorry."

"No. I am sorry."

"Bakit?"

"Dahil nandito ka sa sitwasyon na ito. Na kailangan mo akong samahan, bantayan habang paranoid ang fiance ko."

"Nagsosorry ka ba dahil siya ang mapapangasawa mo?"

Napalunok ako. "Oo,  humihingi ako ng tawad dahil siya ang mapapangasawa ko. I am sorry because I have to follow my mother. "

"What a cliche."

"What a cliche."

kinurot niya ako sa ilong.

"Mom lost dad. She lost Steve. She almost lost me, her rebellious son. Thank you Sav. Kung wala ka patay na ako."

"Kung hindi dahil sa akin wala ka na sana ngayon." She looked like she was suffering from a great deal of pain.

"If it is not for you.I am standing between two roads. Oneleading to my death, my own happinees. And the other choosing to be alive, my mother's happiness. I am now choosing to remain alive bacause of her. To exist because of her. I owe her my life/ I don't want her heart to be broken."

"But it already is."

"Then it is not my desire to break it any further. After all she is the President of the country. How can she serve one hundred million Filipinos with a crushed spirit and a broken heart?"

"Ang dakilang anak." Nakangising sabi ni Savannah.

"At ang dakilang kaibigan. Laging nakikinig sa maliit na drama ng buhay ko." Kinurot ko siya sa pisngi. I grinned at her. Then we were silent for quite a while. 

"Seb, ano nga pala yung sasabihin mo sa akin mung nakaraan?"

Nabigla ako sa tanong niya. It was sudden. Unexpected.

I was analyzing if this was the right time or kung magkakaroon pa ba ng right time.  I decided to tell her now. Timing, may bumukas ng pinto. Si Summer! Of course, sino pa ba ang  dapat kong asahan? Mayroon pa ba?

At first natulala siya. Her eyes became teary and her entire body trembled. Without any warning she walked away fleetingly.  :"Wait", I told Savannah before I ran after her following my instincts.  I noticed the baggage outside my bedroom. What now? Have she decided to leave home and come live with me here? Did she even asked for the approval of my mom? Did my mom allowed her to?

And so I ran and left Savannah inside my room. Leaving behind another wasted chance to tell her I love her. Another wasted time. Again.

[CHAPTER COMPLETED]

  ©2017 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF YUSEF RAMIREZ/ STRICTLY NO PLAGIARISM