I FAILED TO SAVE MY JULIET
We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes, and the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air~~~
---
My chest tightened when the song started to play on the speaker. Hindi ko mapigilang mapahikbi dahil naaalala ko si Juliet sa kantang 'yan. It is her favorite song and everytime I was with her, she always sang that song.
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, “Hello”
Little did I know...”
---
It was on our JS PROM when we had our proper conversation.
"H-Hello." 'Yan lang ang lumabas sa bibig ko dahil nahihiya pa ako sa kaniya. That night, we had our first dance. Unang beses kong nahawakan ang malambot niyang kamay and I will always treasure that moment.
---
Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes...”~~~
---
Wala pa kaming label no'n but I already treated her as my princess. And after courting her for three months, she finally said her sweetest "Yes."
We were both in Grade 12 when she answered me and our relationship was going well after that. Even though we were still young, we already planned our future. We're gonna have a church wedding. Have a simple house and have three healthy babies.
We may had no castle nor an explendid kingdom but I made her as my princess.
Years had passed and our love story remained happily not until...
---
“Romeo, save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real~~~
---
We were in Fourth Year College when I received a chat coming from Juliet.
"Romeo, save me..." That was her message and later, she sent a photo of her while crying.
Instead of saving her, I ignored her chat because I thought it was just one of her silly pranks. And aside from that, I was in the bar when she chatted me. Nagpakalasing dahil bumagsak sa exam. I was fully drunk and wasted that time and even I, Romeo needs to be saved also.
Right after I woke up, when I opened my phone, ang daming missed calls ni Juliet at sunod-sunod ang pag-popped out ng messages niya.
"Somebody kidnapped me, babe and he gave me three minutes to contact someone to save me."
"Romeooooo..."
"Sagutin mo please"
"One minute na lang Rom"
"Babeeeee"
"Please save me here...."
"This would be my last chat, babe. I'm sorry if I couldn't make it. Always remember that I love you so much. "
"Let's continue our love story in another life."
Sobrang sikip sa dibdib nang sunod-sunod kong mabasa ang mga messages ni Juliet at pakiramdam ko nanghina ang buong katawan ko. Ilang oras lang ay nakatanggap ako ng message galing sa mama ni Juliet at mas lalo akong nadurog dahil sa sinabi niya.
"Juliet's gone, Romeo. She was raped and murdered last night."
---
But I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever coming around.
My faith in you was fading,
When I met you on the outskirts of town~~~
---
Patuloy lang sa pagbuhos ang aking mga luha habang pinagmamasdan ang mukha ni Juliet.
Dinig na dinig ko ang mga iyak ng pamilya ni Juliet. Umiiyak sila dahil nawalan sila ng anak habang ako ay umiiyak dahil nawalan ng babaeng makakasama sa buhay. The what if's and maybe's in my head were haunting me again.
What if I saved her that night?
Maybe we could have a decent wedding in church and not here in cemetery.
Lord, pwede bang nasa unahan muna ang pagsisisi kahit ngayon lang? I just want my Juliet back to life!
But sadly, I had no superpower to turn back the time. And all I had to is to accept that I failed to save my princess Juliet. I failed to be his prince and knight in shining armour.
Kahit nanghihina na ang buong katawan ko ay pinilit kong lumuhod sa harap ng kabaong niya.
I sang some parts of the song while crying.
"M...Marry m-me.. J-Juliet... Y-You n-never... had... t-to be alone..." Mas lalo akong napahikbi.
Binuksan ko ang casket niya at patuloy na kumakanta.
"I talk... t-to... y-your dad and now... y-you're in your white d-dress..."
Napatitig ako sa puting suot niya and she looked so lovely. Isinuot ko ang singsing sa matigas at nanlalamig niyang daliri at mas lalong bumuhos ang aking mga luha.
"I-It's a l-love... story...b-baby... j-just say Y-YES..."
I waited for seconds, still hoping for a miracle to happen that maybe, she would talk even for a bit and would answer a yes.
But I received none.
Umiiyak ako habang nakatingala sa langit.
"L-Lord... c-can you... b-bring her back to life... j-just f-for three seconds?" I asked the heavens desperately. "P-Please..."
"A-Anak... t-tahan na... ililibing na nila si Juliet..." sambit ng mama ni Juliet.
Mas lalo akong napahagulhol and I didn't waste a second and I kissed her lips.
"H-Happy... W-Wedding, Juliet..." I whispered on her ears. "You are my 'almost' and will remain as my 'always'.
Almost my wife but will always be my princess Juliet.
After saying those words, isinara na ng mga lalaki ang casket ni Juliet at sinimulang ibinaon sa lupa ang kabaong niya.
Wala akong nagawa kundi tignan ang kabaong ng mahal ko habang tinatakpan ng lupa.
'Cause we were both young when I first saw you~~~
My tears continued falling from my eyes when the song ended.
Just for one night and my woman was gone forever.
Indeed, not all love stories ended happily... because ours ended tragically.
