Both of them had already entered their room when Alyssa closed the door. She then faced her fiancée and hugged her amorously. She tried to reach for her lips but Denden just moved her head away.
"Hey, are you alright? Masama ba ang pakiramdam mo?" Aly asked.
"Nothing. It's just that you really caught me off guard."
Aly laughed. "E di ba dapat surprise naman talaga ang proposal. Isa pa you love surprises."
Den just sat on the edge of their bed with her head down. Aly knelt down in front of her and asked, "May problema ba tayo?"
"I don't think I can do this anymore."
Aly's heart stopped. So, tama nga ang hinala ko. There are moments when she felt Den's indifference. Inisip na lang niya na baka pagod sa Med School. Hindi na rin nanood ng finals series niya sa Philippine Super Liga (PSL) si Den. Yes, naglalaro pa din si Aly. Consumer Psychologist siya sa company nila na may team entry sa PSL.
She touched Den's face and said, "Okay. I'm sorry. I actually felt na something's wrong. Kaya nga ginawan ko ng paraan yung trip natin. I thought we just need to get away from everything para maayos tayo. I shouldn't have pushed through with the proposal. Dapat kinausap muna kita and found out what's wrong. Aayusin natin ito. I'm sorry."
Den removed Aly's hands from her face. "You're not the problem, Aly. Ako. Ako ang may problema. I'm not the same person."
Aly got up and turned her back on Den. Her right hand on her nape and her other hand on her left hip.
Den continued, "I know hindi dapat, pero ang dami kong insecurities. Naiinggit ako sayo. You still get to play, while I'm stuck with Med School."
"Your dream is to be a doctor."
"Yes and it's still is! Pero look, you're still the Phenom. And me? I fell into oblivion. I was never at the level of Jen Reyes and Gata-Pantone na mga kalaro mo. Isa pa, I know yung iba sa mga fans mo haven't stopped pursuing you."
Aly faced her. "I'm not hearing this, Den! Ano pa bang hindi ko ginawa para hindi mo isiping may papalit pa sayo? Den, hindi umiikot ang mundo natin sa volleyball."
"Tama. Hindi doon umiikot. Kaya I want to stop being just 'the Phenom's girl'."
Aly touched Den's hands. Both of them are crying already. "You're not just that. Alam mo yan. You're on your way to becoming this great doctor. Huwag ka naman paapekto sa mga sinasabi ng tao. But if they really affect you that much, kaya ko namang i-give up ang volleyball e. We'll just focus on our careers. We'll fix this."
"I know I can achieve my dreams... Even without you."
"May iba ba, Den?" Aly asked.
"Walang iba. I just think I'm not deserving of you anymore," answered Den.
"You don't tell me that Den! Ako ang magsasabi kung sino ang deserving and I choose you!" shouted Aly. Realizing that she lost her temper, Aly hugged Den and said softly, "It has only been you, Dennise. Only you."
Den knows in her heart that she loves Aly more than anything else. Ginawa naman lahat ni Aly para sa kanya, kaya she hates herself for having all the angsts, anger, and insecurities she has right now. Alam niyang kahit maayos sila ngayon, lalabas at lalabas lahat ng iyon at pahihirapan lang niya si Aly. Pati na rin sarili niya. So she thought of another reason.
"I want to have a family," Den said.
"Of course, love. We can. We will have a family," Aly said with a smile.
"A normal family,"
Aly stepped back and eventually sat down on a chair near the window. She buried her face in her hands. Three years and Den still thinks that what we have isn't normal. She started talking again. "God knows how much I want to fight for us. But it seems like this is a losing case already. Bumitaw ka na e. At higit sa lahat ayokong nahihirapan ka... I'm setting you free."
Alyssa stood up, lied down on the bed and said, "Can I have a hug at least?"
Denden lied down and placed her head on Aly's chest. "Goodnight, Love," Aly whispered. They hugged, cried, and eventually fell asleep.
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They are now in NAIA and their family drivers are already waiting for them. Both of them are standing, facing each other. Denden was about to leave when Aly grabbed her hand and hugged her. Aly kissed Den's forehead, smiled at her, and walked away. Denden was left crying.
