Salvation (One Shot)

SNIPPETS FROM A HOPELESS DREAM
FIRST INSTALLMENT:

Salvation (One Shot)

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 "Drew... " Pangungumpisa niya. She couldn't take the silence anymore. It's becoming suffocating second by second, nahihirapan siyang huminga. Nahihirapan siyang pigilan ang sarili niya. Baka kasi pag nagtagal pa ang katahimikang ito bigla na lang siyang mawalan ng control at umiyak sa harap ng binata.

Nakaupo sila ngayon sa paborito nilang upuan sa Dame de la Lune. Coffee shop iyon sa may Tagaytay, and just right in front of them is the view of Twin Lakes and a starless night. Silang dalawa lang ang nasa may veranda ng café. The place is so cozy and refreshing kaya nga nila ito naging paboritong lugar at kainan. It brings them so much comfort.

But not now. Not tonight.

Napayuko ang binata pagkatapos ng limang segundong katahimikan. Humugot ng malalim na hininga bago inangat ng tingin ang dalaga. Nagkatinginan sila. Isa. Dalawa. Tat--- umiwas siya. Mali, umiwas pala silang dalawa bago pa ang ikatlong bitlang.

Nakakatawa. Nakakatawa na dati, kahit isang oras silang magtitigan ayos lang. Kasi noon, walang malisya. Wala kang ibang makikita sa mata ng isa't isa kundi pagkakaibigan. Pero ngayon... dalawa't kalahating segundo lang parang napapaso na sila. Hindi nila kaya tignan ang nakikita nila sa mata ng isa't isa. Samu't-saring emosyon. Samu't saring kwento ng sakit, ng panghihinayang, ng kaba, at ng takot... sa maaring kahantungan ng magiging desisyon nila ngayon.

"Drew..." she called again, but now, begging a little bit, urging him to talk and respond. The cold wind is starting to choke her, cruelly taking the air she is breathing. That if, she already stopped holding her breath since they were here.

Having no response aside from a sharp intake of air, it's like he's having a hard time breathing too, she continued talking.

"Paano..." she chose to start by asking. "Ba-bakit...

"Drew, panong—bakit---"she trails once again. Hindi niya mapagpatuloy, it's like there's a big lump in her throat and big whole... in her heart that's why it started to ache so bad, not helping her to speak.

She inhaled through her mouth to calm down.

"Magsalita ka naman... sumagot ka naman, please." She begged. She wants to know if he also wants this conversation. If he's as concerned as she is. If he... if he cares as much as she do. "Please talk. Kahit... kahit 'Audrey' lang sabihin mo... kahit pangalan ko lang. Kasi you're right here beside me yet I can't feel your presence at all! Drew, do you even care, huh? May paki ka ba---"

"Audrey..."

Right there and then, she wished she didn't ask him to talk. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya mas nasaktan; the way his voice sounded so cold and distant, or the hint of pain that crossed it no matter how much he tried to conceal it. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mas tumusok sa dibdib niya.

His jaw clenched when she looked away, covering her mouth with her hand. He knows she's close to crying although the conversation barely started yet. Kaya ayaw niyang pagusapan ito, kasi alam niya na malaki ang magiging epekto nito sa dalaga. At sakanya. Who are they kidding? Whatever's the decision after this... isa lang ang panigurado: everything won't be the same anymore. No matter how hard they patch this, their friendship, wala na. Tapos na. Tapos na sila.

"Drew, tell me, are you concern about this?" she asked still looking away.

"Damn it, Audrey! You know how much I do..." He quipped. His voice iced and his emotions deep in irony. He's practically telling him how much he does but his voice says otherwise. How cruel this situation could be?