Runaway (MaiChard Oneshot Compilation)

Without Words (3)

A/N: May mga nag-co-comment po na hindi po nila alam where this story is going. I should have said this at the start, but I'm telling you now that it's not gonna be like the other stories I have written. It's quite angsty, and I understand if you would no longer like to continue from here. I'm really excited for this short story though. Thank you all! 😘

-

"A bucket list? Akala ko ba, 'hindi pa natin alam kung anong stage ang cancer mo'?" he reasoned as he mimicked her. "Bakit parang ngayon, pinapatay mo na ako?" Alden irked.

"Seriously Alden, anong nasa bucket list mo?" she persisted.

"Wala akong bucket list," he confessed.

"Why not?"

"Pretty much done what I've wanted to do."

"Really? You don't have anything more that you're wanting to do?"

"Wala na. 'Wag mo nang ipilit. Wala nga akong bucket list."

"I mean, kahit hindi siya talaga nakalista. Kahit naisip mo lang one time, na gusto mo 'tong gawin, something like that."

"Nope. Wala, talaga, Dei." He repeated and then they sat in silence until an idea popped into Alden's mind."How about you? What's on your bucket list?"

She was taken aback by this question, having a bit of a feeling about where this was going to lead.

"Ha?"

"Dahil wala akong bucket list, 'yong sa'yo na lang ang simulan natin," he suggests as he took a bite of his ham sandwich.

She stares at him as he made his way through the sandwich, carefully eating away at the sides like some crust hating five year old.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why not? It'll be fun. I'll have more reasons to spend time with you, and get to know you better."

"Alden, please. I'm doing this 'cause I know you and you're my patient."

"Diba you guys have this rule thing that you can't date patients."

"Alden! This isn't a date!"

"Ppshh, maniwala ako sa'yo. Diba ikaw nga ang nag-set-up nito? May pa 'I'm not talking about the scans' ka pang nalalaman diyan."

"I set this up because there's something about you that makes me want to somehow make you feel better."

"But look at me, I feel great, I'm smiling. Aren't I the happiest cancer patient you've ever met?"

"Your eyes tell otherwise, Alden. I can see that there's something bothering you. Maybe you haven't come to terms with that something. And so, I want to be here to help you in realising whatever that may be. Siguro...meron ka talagang bucket list, ayaw mo lang tanggapin na meron," she explains and winks at him in the end.

"Hay nako, ang walang katapusang bucket list na 'yan."

-

"Run a marathon? That's on the top of your list? Really, Dei? How original."

"Stop criticising my list," she argues as she snatches the paper from him.

They were outside her home, dressed in activewear, as they prepare to start their training for the marathon that they were set to run in six months.

"At least I have a list," she proceeds to add.

He sniggers at this, and finishes his stretching.

"Let's go?" he questions her.

She then turns to him and as cliché as it may sound, he swore that everything just went into slow motion. Her ponytail carefully flying to the side, her smile (which has become his favorite) is slowly starting to form, and his heart was jumping out of his chest. They practically only just met but why does it seem as though everything was supposed to be happening this way.

-

I walk up to your office, all giddy and excited because I was going to see you again. I had such a great time the past few weeks that we've been together running around the vicinity of your condo. I was also excited to tell you that I stumbled upon a new place for us to train on my way here. I looked forward to run with you, even though I end up getting so tired afterwards, because it gave me the opportunity to know you better. You, who when I first met did not speak at all, have a lot of stories to tell.

I found out that you are an only child, and your work here in the Philippines as a doctor, has helped you in sending your parents overseas to live a better life. That you wished to have had a little sister because you wanted to give her advice, or as you said 'para hindi niya gawin ang mga katangahan na nagawa ko.' That you want to be with your parents but doing that won't be of any help as you would have to start from scratch, because the credentials that you have here will be taken lightly overseas. That you studied to be a Doctor without any hopes that you would end up being a Doctor because you wanted to marry young and be a stay at home Mom. Having a career was not on the top of your priority list. And that you weren't able to marry young because the right one still hasn't come along.

I caught sight of you right away. Blush is such a great color on you. It compliments your tan skin, just like I seem to compliment you as a human being. You had your hair up in a bun once again, and this gives me access to your beautiful face. Your plump lips, your tiny nose, your full cheeks, and your worried eyes that were yet again examining what looks to be an important piece of document. Worried. Eyes. I wonder what's wrong?

You look up at the sound of my footsteps. Your lips quiver. And I could tell that you were holding back tears. Since the very start I know how much you've been wanting to break down, but you don't for my sake. You don't because you know that I'll lose hope if you do.

We continue to look into each other's eyes, as you try and tell me something, but I really just can't make it out. I sit down in front of you, and attempt to place my hand onto yours. But as if my hands were burning hot, you winced and quickly took yours away.

And then I finally understood when I caught a glimpse of a number four on the sheet of paper that you were staring into.

"Huh," I chuckled.

"Stage four, Alden," you manage to say.

I look into your eyes, and I could tell that you were taking this way worse than I am.

"Let it go."

And you did, as you took my hands and cried into my palms.

Then right then and there, I saw what I wanted to do. I saw the one and only thing that's going to be on my bucket list.

But, won't it be selfish to want to make you fall in love with me, if all I'll be in a few months time is flesh and bones?