The Next Stage (COMPLETED)

FORTY: Lie

Julia

I woke up to the smell of the coffee. Kaagad na hinanap ng mata ko iyon, only to find out na hindi ko alam kung nasaan ako.

I am wearing a white t-shirt, and a black short. Where am I? Don't tell me...

'Wag naman sana.

Pumunta ako sa kitchen and I saw Caitlyn. Thank God, I'm safe. Sa kanya kaya 'tong unit na 'to?

"Hey..." bati ko sa kanya. Kaagad siyang lumingon sakin then she hugged me, really tight.

"What's the matter?" I asked. Para kasing hindi niya 'ko nakita for days.

Umiling siya. "None, I just...I just missed you, Julia."

"Why?" I asked. Bakit niya 'ko mami-miss eh nasa unit niya 'ko?

"It's been almost a day since you collapsed. Thank God, gising ka na."

"Collapsed?" Wait, buffering pa isip ko. I suddenly can't remember a single thing.

"Your eighteenth party was yesterday, and according to what I assumed, you were with your ex-boyfriend and then...you collapsed." Oh, yeah. Naaalala ko na.

"Where's Azreel?" I suddenly asked. I saw shock in her eyes. Then she laughed, sarcastically.

"I didn't expect that Azreel is the first person na hahanapin mo. You're unbelievable." Then pumunta siya sa kwarto niya.

I can't move. Nanatili parin akong nakatayo habang prino-process yung nangyari.

"What was that?" I asked myself. Galit ba siya sakin?

Kinuha ko yung phone ko then I dialled a number. Hindi rin nagtagal ay sinagot na niya 'yun.

"Hello?" He said in his unusual tone.

"Just want to make things clear, I want to know what happened last night." I asked.

"I'm sorry." He said. I chuckled.

"You're sorry? Edi sana, hindi mo nalang ginawa, diba?" Tanong ko. I calmed myself.

Bakit ba ginagawa niyang complicated lahat? Ano ba talagang gusto niyang mangyari?

I just can't umderstand kung bakit hindi parin siya nakakamove-on kung in the first place, siya naman talaga yung mag dahilan ng lahat.

I heard him took a deep breath. Makonsensya ka naman sana, kahit kaunti lang.

"I just...I just want to be with you." He said. That's not even an acceptable reason!

I collapsed. And I think, may ginawa siyang illegal na paraan para mangyari 'yun.

"How many times do I have to tell you na wala na? Ano bang hindi mo maintindihan doon?" My voice cracked. A tear fell from my eyes.

"You want all the happiness for me, right? Ayaw mo akong nakikitang nasasaktan at umiiyak, diba?" I asked.

"Yeah, because I love you. I always do." I shook my head.

"Eh bakit ginagawa mo sakin 'to? Bakit mo ako pinapahirapan? You know? That's not love, it's a crap." Then I ended the call.

I suddenly remember a scene.

"Mr. Gonzales, it's your turn." Nagpalakpakan kaming lahat nung tumayo na siya.

"My title of the poem is..." then tumingin siya sakin. "..is 'She'."

"She's my sorrow, and she is my joy. If she's breaking hers, I'll be breaking mine too. She's a jewelry that she only could possess. Her heart is what I want to own. Her smile is what I want to keep. Her happiness is what I want to stay. Her pain is what I want to bear. And everything about her, is everything I want to have. Only if she's mine."