I fell in love

Chapter 35

Lately, it feels like Althea is slowly slipping through my fingers, and I'm just here, watching it happen without knowing how to stop it.

There's no loud argument, no dramatic goodbye, just the quiet hum of distance growing between us day by day.

She's always busy now. Her schedule is packed, her replies shorter than usual, her attention somewhere else. And I try not to take it personally. I try to understand that people get tired and people have things to do. 

Some nights, I catch myself staring at my phone, waiting for a message that doesn't come. Or worse, I scroll through our old ones, clinging to words that once made me feel chosen.

I keep telling myself this might just be a phase. That maybe she's overwhelmed, maybe she's tired, maybe life is pulling her in all directions. But deep down, I know what this feels like.

 I know the quietness that comes when someone starts to forget you piece by piece. Her laughter doesn't sound the same when I hear it now. 

"Change of plans?" Nakangiti kong tanong kahit pa hindi naman ako talaga masaya.

It took Althea more than three weeks before finally going back.

I'm here in my unit now, and Althea is standing at my front door. She looks completely drained, like the weight of everything finally caught up to her. 

Her shoulders are slouched, her eyes tired, and there's something in the way she's looking at me that says she's been carrying more than she can handle.

Funny how things turn out. Just days ago, I looked exactly the same. Hollow. Exhausted. A mess of emotions I couldn't name. And now here we are, switched places, both crumbling in our own ways.

There's something ironic about it all. One moment you're swearing to stay, to hold on no matter what. And the next, you're standing on opposite sides of the door, both wondering where it all went wrong.

"Talagang pinuntahan mo pa ko," I chuckled and she tried to reach for my left hand. "Don't touch me!" Angil ko.

Muling nabuhay ang galit na ilang araw kong ibinaon. Nanumbalik ang mga pait na naramdaman ko sa mga nakita ko.

"Please, baby..." her eyes watered looking like a kid who got caught steeling a candy.

"Wala na tayong pag uusapan, Althea." May diin kong sambit.

I miss her, I really do. I do miss her so much. It kills me to see her this devastated because of me. But what else can I do? Hindi naman lahat palaging kailangan kong intindihin. Hindi lahat kaya kong unawain.

"I swear to God, love, hindi ko alam kung bakit nandon si Nath sa kuwarto ko."

Unang paliwanag niya pa lang, sinaraduhan ko na siya ng pinto.

Ako

Umalis ka na diyan. Hindi pa kita kayang kausapin. Give me a break, masaydo mo na akong sinasaktan.

Althea

Open the door, mahal. I'll just say goodbye, properly. Aalis na ako. I'm sorry.

The moment I opened the door, her eyes locked onto mine like nothing else in the world mattered.

There was something in her stare that made it hard to breathe, like she had been waiting for this exact moment. 

As if seeing me again grounded her, pulled her out of whatever storm she had been walking through.

And for a second, time slowed. It was just her, standing there, pouring every unspoken word into one silent look.

She smiled and even though her lips were rising, her eyes looked bloodshot and sad.