Whisper of the Heart (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER XXVI

"May? Is that you?"

He calls her name in a way no one else does. Immediately,  she felt a lump forming in her throat. She didn't know how much she had missed hearing his voice until she heard it again after the longest time. He might be in his office. Or in his condo. There was no other audible noise in the background.

"Oo,  Edward, ako to."

Then there was a long pause. She could hear him breathing.

She expected him to be mad. To shout at her. If so, her heart could have remained still. But instead, she heard him saying...

"I miss you so bad, Maymay."

His voice was so soft. But sharp enough to give her heart an excruciating pain. He's always been this gentle. She closed her eyes to stop the tears from coming. But the first drops of tears started to fall.

She quickly went to the comfort room because there were still people in the studio. She entered one cubicle and sat on the toilet. She sobbed.

"Sorry.... E-edward." at last she said inbetween sobs. She could feel his hurt. She could even see his downcast eyes mirroring her pain. His silence inbetween is screaming his pain. And she could feel it.

"Where are you, May?"

Then she noticed. Something's off. There is something in the way Edward talks that's unusual.

"Edward? Nakainom ka ba?"

She thought of meeting Edward so she can tell him everything. So they can finally settle things between them. But..

"Konti lang,  May. To ease the pain. Now..  It's gone. Now that i'm hearing your voice. I've been waiting for your call, I-I think i'm going crazy. The sadness, it's too much May, i can't bear it. Are you mad,  May?  That i've been drinking? Then,  I'll stop right away. "

Maymay would have said something. If she could. Her tears are falling freely now, she buried her face in her one hand, and her shoulders start to shake uncontrollably. Her heart, her heart ached to hold him. To take him in her arms and tell him it's going to be alright. But her mind is telling her no.  Her insides were in rage, her feelings fighting over reason.

Reason over feelings. Which one should win?

She had her mind ready what to say. Her reason for leaving. But would she dare add pain to Edward who's already hurting. Can she really do that?

"Ok ka lang Edward? Nasaan ka?" She wished him at the comforts of his condo, and not in a bar somewhere.

"I'm at the condo. Are you crying,  May? Goodness,  i'm sorry.  I-I never meant to make you cry."

And why he's saying sorry? She's already cursing herself. She looked up, like asking for a divine help. Would she just embrace everything? Everything's coming back to her. That night she realized it was a mistake to ever stepped in Edward's life, much more to be his girlfriend. She remembered everyone's eyes on her. Taunting. Is she willing to embrace all that? Or..

Was she being selfish all along? She thought of her feelings alone,  and not considered Edward's? At all? She gulped the lump forming in her throat. And he's telling her he was sorry. If anyone needs to say sorry, it is she.

At the back of head, she's thinking,  all of this are just temporary. The pains. All of it shall pass. And they're better off this way than trying to be together that would only cause misery to both of them. And besides, Edward could be just blinded by his feelings for her. When his feeling's gone, he would just laugh off that once, he fell inlove with a commoner. Edward is made for bigger things. And she beside him will only ruin the picture.

She's doing the right thing.

"Edward. Next time na lang tayo mag-usap. "

"No! May-"

She dropped the call. And what was she feeling at the moment? It was like walking away, when every part of her is screaming; stay.

And so she dropped the call because if she didn't, she could have comforted him and would have promised him she'd stay.

Her phone starts to ring. Edward's name on the screen became blurry as tears clouded her eyes.

She lets it rings. Then it stopped. Edward finally stopped. They can talk another time. It can wait.

Then a message tone.

"Stay right where you are, i'm coming to see you."

For a moment, her mind went blank. She could not think of anything.

What? Did she read it right? She didn't tell him where she is. And he's drunk, for goodness sake!

Confused, she dialed his number. Her heartbeat is the only sound she could hear at the very moment. Pounding every second passing. She's imagining the worst scenario.

No, no,  hindi pwede to. Edward,  sagutin mo to please!

Busy tone. He is calling someone. But who? Someone who would know her whereabout. Is he calling Amy?

She dialed Amy's number.

Busy tone.

Every muscle in her body is shaking. She couldn't relax. She gritted her teeth. She tried calling Amy every after a minute. At last, the phone rings.

"Amy!"

"Uy, kakatawag lang sa akin ni Edward,  hinahanap ka."

"Anong sabi mo?"

"Sabi mo, uuwi ka ng Cavite di ba? Iyon ang sinabi ko. Bakit nasaan ka ba?"

She dropped the call.

She tried dialling Edward's number again. Busy tone.

She stood up in exasperation and went back to her workstation and pick her things up and left. Where would she go? Even if she ride a taxi to his condo that wouldn't do because by the time she gets there he must have already left. The only way is to call him but he's not answering. She walked her way to the train station.

Oh,  God. If anything happens to Edward i will never forgive myself. Her steps were hurried, she's brushing past people. The truth is, she doesn't know where to go.

Inah. She has to call Inah.

The phone rings.

"Inah?" Maymay covered her other ear to minimize the noise. The road was busy, and as she's nearing EDSA, it was getting noisier.

"Yes,  ate?"

"Tumawag ba ang kuya Edward mo syo?"

"Oo,  te ngaun lang. Hinahanap ka. Sabi ko baka pauwi ka na."

Maymay closed her eyes hard. She cannot think clearly.  Her knees trembling. She dropped the call and walk as fast as she could.

She rode the train.

There was nothing else she could do at the moment but send Edward a text.

"Edward, please huwag kang umalis. Please. Pakiusap. Mag-uusap rin tayo. Pero hindi lang sa ngayon. Please, sumagot ka naman sa tawag ko."

She couldn't stop her tears from coming, and people are throwing her curious glances. Who ever wants to cry in public? But for the first time in her life, she couldn't care a thing.

She dialled his number for a number of times later but he just won't answer.

Edward..

As the city lights motion-blurred in the background, Maymay closed her eyes and immersed in a silent prayer.

Please,  don't let anything happen to Edward.

Please.