Drawn (Completed)

v.

'Nong umalis ka ay tinupad mo 'yong pangako mong mag-uusap pa rin tayo, that you will still be there for me kahit malayo tayo. Kasi kahit naman baliw ka, tumutupad ka naman sa usapan.

Umalis rin ako ng bansa three months after you left para pumuntang London for work. I even told you to tell me when you're coming home dahil handa akong umuwi para makita ka. I told it as a joke, but I actually meant it.

We remained friends kahit malayo tayo. Wala mang level up na naganap pero I was okay with it. Makausap lang kita whenever I feel down, okay na ako. Just hearing your voice for me was enough. Mahirap because of the time difference. But we managed to make it for a year.

For a year.

The last thing I remember you told me was that you can't go home because you renewed your contract. You can't seem to leave work because you said you love it so much. I didn't hold you back. Kasi naman, bago ako dumating sa buhay mo, andyan na ang pangarap na 'yan. How could I steal that away from you? At saka, sino naman ako para pilitin kang umuwi?

After that ay madalang na ang pag-uusap natin. Naging busy ka, naging busy ako. Hanggang sa ang madalang na pag-uusap ay nauwi na sa wala.

We stopped talking. We suddenly stopped contacting each other. Gusto ko pa ring makausap ka pero ayaw kong makihati sa kakaunting time na meron ka para sa sarili mo. Balita ko kasi ay sunod-sunod ang naging projects mo. Masyado ka kasing magaling kaya in demand ka.

'Nong nalaman kong umuwi ka ng Pilipinas ay hindi naman ako nakauwi. Kung kailan naman kasi sobrang busy sa office ay saka mo naman naisipang umuwi. Hindi tuloy kita nakita.

Inisip ko nga, baka sinadya mo. Baka sinadya mong hindi ako makita. Baka sinadya mong hindi na ako kausapin. But I also thought, bakit mo naman gagawin 'yon? Wala namang away o tampuhan na naganap sa atin. We were okay, I can recall from our last talk. Pero bakit nagkaganito?

Nang matapos naman ang kontrata ko ay sinubukan kong kausapin ka ulit. Kaso masyado ka namang mailap. Hindi na kita ma-reach. I even went to your home. Pinatawag ka ni Tita para sabihin sanang bumisita ako kaso hindi ka naman tumawag.

Ano ba talagang nangyayari, Joshua?

"Pasensya ka na, Iya. Hayaan mo, kapag pauwi na si Joshua ay ibabalita ko agad sa 'yo," your Mom even said.

Pero lumipas ang dalawang taon, hindi pa rin kita nakikita. Iniiwasan mo ata ako 'non eh. I was hurt pretty bad.

Sa mga taong nagdaan, sa paghihintay sa wala, sa wakas ay naisipan ko nang tumigil. Napagod kasi ako. Alam ko namang mahal mo lang ako bilang kaibigan pero umasa pa rin ako. I wanted to smack my head. I just wasted all those years for someone who has forgotten about me.

As I began my moving on plan, the first thing I thought about was the sketch you gave me. Hangga't naka-display 'yon sa kwarto ay maaalala lang kita. So I decided to just hide it somewhere I couldn't see.

I couldn't help but shed a tear as I held the sketch. Akala ko kasi through that sketch ay aamin ka. I was wrong.

Ganoon pa rin naman 'yon like the last time I saw it. Ako, na naka-indian sit sa sofa, naka-pajamas, naka-eyeglasses, may nakabukas na libro sa lap at may hawak na cup.

But as I was staring at it, napansin kong may nakasulat sa drawing na libro na nasa lap ko sa sketch. I had to turn it upside down to read what was written on it.

There, in a very small font, but still readable if you just keep your eyes at it for a long time, a phrase that says:

Please open the frame and read the letter I inserted inside. -J