Remember the Time

Prologue

Thinking that we will part ways someday, really breaks my heart.

Paano kung hindi tayo sa huli?

Kasi you know, someday for sure hindi natin mabibigyang importansya ang relasyon natin ngayon...o maaring pagbawalan tayo...

Baka someday, isa sa atin magkaroon ng iba.

What if we never see each other again?

Kung magkita man tayo, maybe a reunion or something...

Makikilala kaya natin ang isa't isa someday?

Maaalala mo pa ba natin kung ano ang meron tayo ngayon?

We never know...

But I don't want to think of that,Mine.

I cannot imagine my life in the future without you by my side.

♦ ♦ ♦

It's been 10 years but I can still remember all of these...

Sheez.

It's 14th of February, 2028. No wonder I have many flowers and chocolates placed in my table, just a few meters away from my bed, kung nasaan ako ngayon.

But wait... I just remembered...

Supposedly anniversary namin ngayon ni Valentino.

Now I know bakit naalala ko lahat yung kanina...

Nagsimula na akong bumangon sa aking pagkakahiga, not minding how I look like, bumaba ako ng hagdanan and greeted everyone who were already awake, sipping their hot coffee o chocolate, depending their taste.

"Buenas días hermosa!" the photographer said, and handed me a cup of hot brown coffee.

"Gracias." I said.

The brown coffee tastes like home- how I miss the Philippines.

Luckily kasama ko yung mga tao na hindi ako nileleft out kapag Valentine's day. In spite na yung iilan sa kanila, may mga ka date, they never let me feel na ako wala. Yung mga boy/girlfriends nila masasaya kasama, yung mga asawa naman ng iba marunong makisama. I am grateful of having them, and I consider them as my family- the make up artists, hairstylists, kahit yung mga taong in charge sa mga damit na susuotin ko, the photographers, other staffs and especially my manager.

My manager, Mr. Antonio García Domínguez, handed me something.

An invitation.

"Open it." Mr. Garcia said.

"What's t-this? Uhm okay this is stupid of me, I know this is an invitation but-"

I was going to say kung bakit o saan ako invited pero pinutol ako ni Mr. Garcia.

"See for yourself. And in advance, I just want to say I'm allowing you to go. Happy Valentine's day sweetie."

"Thank you so much for this, Sr. Garcia."

Umakyat muli ako sa taas at doon binuksan ang envelope, at binasa–

Batch 2028 Reunion!

You are invited, Ms. Elizabeth Arden Del Valle Rodriguez.

Date: March 25,2028

Place: Santiago International School Multi-Purpose room, 10th floor.

See you there!

I'm shookt.

Tenth floor???

Nawala lang ako ng sampung taon may 10th floor na? Kapagod umakyat nun ah, biruin mo, naaalala ko pa noong nag-aaral palang ako dun, nasa 4th floor yung room namin at halos bawian ka ng buhay paakyat dahil sa kawalan mo ng hininga...

Tas eto 10th floor!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAYOKO TINATAMAD AKONG UMAKYAT, GUSTO KONG PUMUNTA PERO AYOKO NG GANU-

Nawala ang pag iinarte ko nang mapansin ko na may mga nahulog na photocards mula sa hawak hawak kong invitation card.

Noong pinulot ko ang limang photocards sa sahig... biglang bumagsak ang mga luha ko.

Sa unang photocard, andun ang picture namin as a batch. Buong Grade 12 ng school year 2017-2018.

Sa pangalawang photocard, ang photo namin as a class. Grade 12- Cotabato.

Sa pangatlong photocard, ang photo naming magkakaibigan- sila Megan, Maureen, Samantha, Alynna, Blake, Nathanael, Asher, Skyler, James at marami pang iba.

Sa pang apat na photocard, ay ako. Grabe, mukha akong ewan noon. Alam ko namang hanggang ngayon pero noon kasi mukhang tatlong ubo nalang bibigay na ako.

Sa huling photocard...

Ang larawan namin ni Mine (short for My Valentine, since naging kami noong Feb. 14 diba? same goes with the meaning na "sa akin (siya) " in Filipino language).

If I'm not mistaken tinake itong picture noong mismong graduation namin, hindi ko lang nakuha yung copy ng mga pictures namin that time since after that bigla siyang nawala sa tabi ko.Buti nalang inupload sa facebook noon kaya dinownload ko nung time na iyon para ma save ko.

"See you soon, Mine." sabi ko sa sarili, kasabay ng pagsara ng invitation card.