The Bucket list (Watty's 2020)

Chapter Four: The Package

"Ate may package dun sa labas naka pangalan sayo"

Agad akong napatingin sa kapatid kong si lea.

"Kanino daw galing?"

"Nate ata ? Nate Reyes? Basta kunin mo nalang sa mesa"

Pagkaalis nang kapatid ko ay siyang pagbilis nang tibok nang puso ko.

For the longest time, ngayon ko nalang ulit narinig ang pangalan niya. I was hoping na sana, pagbaba ko hindi lang package ang makikita ko, I was hoping na sana nandun siya sa baba at hinihintay ako.

But no.

It was just the package itself.

I really miss Nate, so much that I just wanted to cry.

I recieved a call from Nate last month saying na nasa US siya to visit his grandparents, he also told me na malapit na nyang matapos ang mga nasa listahan ko and that soon he'll  show me the bucketlists photos and videos, but that was it. I never heard from him again.

Lumapit ako sa mesa at mariing tinitigan ang package na galing sa kanya.

It's a shoebox size so maybe it's a pair of shoes? Or maybe not.

Kinuha ko ang box at dinala iyon sa kwarto ko.

My heart's beating so fast at hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit.

My Instinct is yelling at me that something is wrong pero binalewala ko na lamang iyon.

I opened the box and a Video camera showed up and beside it is a folded paper.

I opened it.

It showed me Nate's handwriting and It said,

Hi ands! Enjoy watching!

-NATE R.

Due to curiosity, agad kong kinuha ang video cam at binuksan iyon.

I click the file that says "ANDREA V." and the video played displaying Nate's angellic face in front of the camera habang naglalakad siya sa loob nang isang mall.

1.Shop to the mall

The next clip showed me Nate kasama  ang dalawang lalaki habang nag uusap sila patungkol sa sports.

2. Make friends

ganun lang ang naging flow nang buong video hanggang sa umabot ako sa pang siyam.

It was when everybody is celebrating my comeback and later that night when everybody went home,

He stayed.

Sobrang naka focused lang ako sa mga pinag-uusapan namin that I never notice na kumukuha pala siya ng video that time.

9. Spend a night with Nate.

And then the video goes black. Akala ko tapos na or maybe the final one is on another list pero bago ko paman mapindot ang "Exit button" ay muling lumitaw si Nate sa screen.

He was so thin na halos hindi ko na siya makilala.

he was so pale na parang gusto mo nalang mag donate nang dugo para bumalik ang dating kulay niya.

Ibang-iba siya sa Nate na nakita ko sa unang siyam na video na pinanuod ko.

This was not my Nate.

Wazzup Ands! It's me Nate.

Kamusta ka na?

I was just wondering kung nagawa mo na yong nasa bucket list ko.

Tumawa siya nang mahina.

I know you're wondering kung bakit tatlo lang.

Sabihin nalang natin na ang tatlong yon ay para talaga sayo at hindi para sa'kin and that explains why I choose to exchange my list with you, because Ands, I want you to enjoy your life.

Tears started to fall from my eyes. Sobrang naninikip ang dibdib ko at parang gusto ko nang itigil ang panunuod pero at the same time gusto kong pakinggan ang kung ano pa man ang sasabihin niya.

Stop staying in that four cornered room doing nothing and letting that stupid leukemia of yours to eat you alive.

Explore Ands, Travel and make time with your friends and family hindi yong nag mumukmok ka sa loob nang silid na iyan na para bang wala kang kalayaan.

Stop limiting yourself.

Enjoy your life while you can Ands.

I paused the video and cried because it hits me hard and I was thankful dahil pinaalala niya sa akin ang bagay na 'yon.

I know you are wondering kung bakit hangang siyam na video lang nakita mo,

Because Andrea,

Yes I got out of the Hospital, but I was never cancer free.

I almost stop breathing when I hear him say that.

Masakit sa puso.

Sobrang sakit.

Tahimik lang akong umiiyak hangang sa bumukas ang pinto nang kwarto ko at pumasok si lea.

worried plastered on her face and I just hug her, So tight na parang ayaw ko nang bumitaw.

At dun ay hindi ko na napigilang humagulhol nang iyak, dahil alam ko na kung anong kahahantungan nitong video na ito.

Thank you sa lahat Andrea.

Don't give up.
Don't lose hope.
Pray,
And live.

Akala ko tapos na but then the screen suddenly showed me photos of Nate and me, Nate with her Family and then Nate's Formal Solo picture with text below that says,

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
NATE REYES
☆May 3, 1999
+ July 25, 2019

"YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED"