Romantic Short Stories [DUBREDO]

X. Back to Basics

Leni sent her letter to Davao for the fifth week. Upon arriving home, her sister welcomed her with her specialty, Adobo.

"Kain ate." She invited her ignoring the fact that she noticed her sad eyes.

"Sige lang." Leni replied.

Due to her great intrigue, she found a way to figure out who was making her sister sad. "May mail ka yata ha?" She remarked.

Leni immediately submitted her full attention to her. "Saan? Sa mailbox? Kanino galing?"

"Kanino mo ba ineexpect mang-galing?" Malou asked.

"Nasaan?" Leni stood up and rushed to see it. "Dalawa yung dumating." Malou added.

"Parehong kay Digong galing?" It slipped out of her mouth in excitement to read it.

Malou smirked and pursed her lips to conceal her chuckles. "Nasaan yung sulat?" Leni nagged.

"So sulat pala ni Digong yung hinihintay mo." She finally discovered.

Leni realized how she spilled her own secret. "Ah?" She stammered, "oo. Nasaan na yung sulat?" But she cared more about reading it than explaining herself.

"I'm just messing with you ate." Malou laughed.

The fire in her face vanished. She scowled at Malou, "seryoso ka?"

"Wala. Walang sulat. Gusto ko lang malaman kung sino yung hinihintay mo lagi sumulat sa'yo." She confessed.

Leni rolled her eyes, "hindi magandang biro, Malou."

She walked out. "Hindi na mabiro?" Malou chuckled.

Leni glanced at the window as she went up the stairs and saw a mailman putting something inside their mailbox. Her eyes widened in thrill. Her hopes of receiving a response letter form Digong rose to gold.

Malou's eyebrows furrowed as she saw her sister rushing outside. She followed her to see what she was up to.

Leni grabbed the content of the mail and saw an envelope that she opened without letting any second go to waste. Malou pursed her lips, she knew what it was.

It was the first Saturday of the month, she was certain of what the envelope was for. "Electric bill?" She asked.

Leni looked at her in humiliation. She walked towards her and handed her the electric bill for the last month before she went up and locked herself in the room without leaving a single word. Malou pouted her lips as her sight followed her up.

She couldn't believe she was witnessing her sister be all that excited about Digong. She began to wonder what happened in Davao.

The days passed by, Leni continued her habit of sending him letters every week through snail mail. She didn't mind if she feels ignored. She thought it was just fair because he had a habit of sending her updates about him before even if she never replies.

After receiving no response until the 13th week, even after Christmas has passed, she started to accept that the letters weren't enough to convince him to initiate a talk and confrontation. She stopped hoping for a letter from him since then.

After the Christmas gathering, she immediately started writing her last letter for him. She promised that it would be her last coin, if he still don't respond she would call it the end for them.

Dear my sir,

Kamusta ka na? Sana naging masaya yung Christmas mo. Ang daming pagkain dito last time! Kung nandito ka malamang tataba ka! Mas okay sana kung kasama ko kayo ☻...

She continued writing.

She sent her letter to him in 26 hoping it would be delivered to him before the year ends. She took a deep breath as she handed the letter to the post office personnel.

Days after. Leni still didn't receive any response from him. She began to think that maybe she was already too late to win him back.

"Tulala ka nanaman diyan ate." Malou remarked. "Sus, tatawanan mo nanaman ako." Leni chuckled.

"Hindi na. Alam ko na kung bakit eh. LQ kayo ni Digong." She replied, Leni snorted, "LQ? Hindi naman kami lovers."

Malou shook her head, "kaya ka malungkot kase dapat lovers talaga kayo. Ano bang nangyari?" Leni was silenced for a moment. It's been a while that she's been keeping her broken heart to herself. Having someone to listen to her is something she didn't realize she needed.

Her eyes immediately turned teary. She wasn't a cry baby but she was just hurting so much for so long already that she struggled to contain herself.

"Wala. Hindi ko kase pinahalagahan yung taong naging sobrang sincere sakin," her voice cracked, she had to pause for a while.

"umalis tuloy." She faked a laugh.

Malou felt how hurt her sister was through her eyes. She kept smiling but she knew how broken she was.

"Paanong umalis?" She asked.

"Sumuko na yata." She laughed, "ilang beses ko rin kase siya nireject noon, paulit ulit rin siyang sumubok kaso kung kelan handa na ako doon naman siya napagod." She forced a smile and looked at a distance.

Malou felt bad for her. "Yata? Hindi ka pa sigurado?"

"Since umuwi ako ng Davao, nagsulat ako ng letter sakanya — every week. Pero ni isa doon wala naman siyang nireplyan." She confided.

"Baka naman di siya marunong magletter letter? Baka busy?" Malou guessed. Leni smiled weakly, if Digong still loves her, there wouldn't be such thing as busy to him. "Lawyer yan si Digong tsaka maniwala ka sakin, lord yan ng handwritten letters." She retorted.

Malou didn't know how to comfort her so she just decided to give her an advice. She knows how sad it was to lose someone you love and she didn't want her to feel the same pain she endured before.

"Ate, alam mo naman yung feeling ng mawalan ng mahal sa buhay 'di ba?" She referred to Jesse, Leni's late husband. She looked at her in anticipation.

"Eto sakin lang ha pero kung mahalaga talaga si Digong sa'yo then win him back." She advised. "Yun naman yung gusto ko pero paano ko gagawin eh sumuko na siya?" Leni argued.

Malou asked, "ilang beses mo na ba siya nireject?"

"Marami na. Hindi ko na mabilang. Sobrang nakakaguilty kase ngayon ko lang narealize na sobrang unfair ko noon sakanya." She confided.

Malou smiled softly, "maraming beses mo siyang nireject pero sumuko ba siya agad?" Leni looked at her. "Sinukuan ka ba niya agad nung nireject mo siya?" She asked.

Leni was silenced for a moment, "hindi."

"Oh, eh di time mo naman ngayon patunayan sakanya na hindi mo rin siya susukuan basta basta." She enthused.

"Hindi ka niya sinukuan noon kahit sobrang madugo ng paulit ulit mong rejection at pambabalewala sakanya, ngayon ikaw naman ate." She followed.

"Paano?" Leni asked.

"You know him better. Mas alam mo kung ano ang gagawin. Do whatever it takes." She encouraged.

Suddenly, hopes bloomed inside her. A smile grew on her lips, "whatever it takes." She nodded.