The Man With Broken Dreams ( WATTYS 2019 )

6

The picture looks old and there was this guy smiling while holding the hand of the girl who took the picture. He looked so happy and contented with the girl he loves

They were gazing dearly at the lanterns above them while they were sitting at the small boat on El Mozzafiato's ocean.

Nagniningning ang mga bituin kasama ng mga lanterns sa himpapawid, sa hindi malamang dahilan there was nostalgia in the picture of the man and the woman smiling happily.

I unconsciously crumpled the picture, the man in the picture was long gone. Very far from what I've become now. And yes, hindi ako nagkakamali kaming dalawa ni Addison ang nasa litrato it was a horrible past and an unexpected turn of events. She was merciless she isn't capable of loving, I doubt kung totoong may malasakit talaga siya sa matanda kanina. She was ruthless and evil by all mean and every bits and pieces of her shouts a woman without ambitions and dreams, pinulot ko muli ang litratong nilukot at pinagmasdan ito. She was the greatest pretender I've known in my whole life Iunconsciously stared at the old wooden door of her room parang muli akong binalik sa dati, the ever loving innocent man with big dreams and ambitions loving the woman I have grown to hate up to this day.

''Zelo!'' she called out my name softly with her voice full of authority and leadership, lumapit ako sakanya, she was wearing her blue and white striped bikini with her white summer hat. The waves in the shore were crashing her silky tan legs I never admired the beach neither the beauty of the sky reflected on the waters of the sea but seeing her and being with her was so much admirable even the word doesn't fit for what I feel just by looking at her.

I snaked my arms around her sexy hips kissing her forehead she immediately clung her soft tender arms around me ''I love you'' bulong niya sakin at nagnakaw ng banayad na halik mula sa aking labi for a moment we fell inlove with the sea and how the crashing sound of the waves sent peace and tranquility in our souls.

Bumalik kami sa mansion ng kanyang pinsan na si Dianna malapit lang ito sa dalampasigan ng El Mozzaf nadatnan naming nagluluto ang pinsan niya habang ang mga kamay ng asawa nito'y nakapulupot sa kanyang bewang. They look so happy and contented with their lives I heard that her cousin was almost the next heir of El Mozzaf kung hindi lang sana ito lumayas at nagtungo ng manila to pursue her dreams of being a woman with a title she pursued architecture while her husband pursued civil engineering. They've already established an architectural and engineering firm sana ganoon din kami ni Addison sana matutunan niya rin akong ipaglaban tulad ng pinsan niya.

Nagpalit muna kami ng damit bago kumain I wore my v neck grey shirt along with my khaki shorts while Addison wore her off shoulder grey dress it was her color, the only color that brings out the best in her.

Pagbaba naming ng hapag ay seryosong nakatingin ang kanyang pinsan at marahang tumikhim ang umupo kami ''I cooked your favorite'' she smiled we ate in peace nag prisinta na ako na ang maghuhugas ng pinagkainan tumulong naman ang asawa niya nang nakitang busy mag usap ang mag pinsan.

Abala ako sa paghuhugas habang ang asawa ni Dianna ay abala sa pagpupunas sa mga plato ''pare, I hope you won't hurt Addison, she built walls to save her from misery she had been pleasing her parents since she was a kid sana ay kahit anong mangyari hindi mo siya iwan we might not know what she would do'' tinapik ako sa braso nito at umalis habang ako ay kunot noong pinoproseso ang sinabi ng nakatatandang inhinyero.

I was in the middle of thoughts when Addison showed infront of me with a pale face she hugged me tight I'm not certain about the situation we're in but I promised myself back then that I'll never leave her.

Napagpasyahan naming lahat na manood ng pagpapalipad ng lanterns, it was the day El Mozzaf was established by their ancestors. Habang kami ay nasa karatig baybayin lamang ng naturang lupain ng kanilang angkan, we rode the boat hindi na bago sakin ang pagpapaandar nito si Addison naman ay busy kumuha ng mga litrato. Dinaluhan ko siya at hinalikan ang kanyang kamay para makaakyat ng maayos sa Bangka nakangiti ako habang hawak ang kanyang kamay little did I know she took a picture of me hindi ko pa iyon malalaman kung hindi ko narinig ang kanyang mumunting halakhak I just laughed it off at kahit nahihiya man ako ay hinayaan ko siya she wanted to take photography and I know she loves these things so I'm in full support of it.

It was the most surreal experience for the both of us until we came back to manila I sighed and flattened the picture kahit hindi ko na iyon maibalik sa dating ayos ay inipit ko na ito muli sa itim na notebook nagpasya na kong tumulak nang natigil ako sa litratong nakadikit sa likod ng notebook.

It broke my heart a million pieces muling naghari ang galit at poot sa aking Sistema