No Longer Alive (COMPLETED)

Chapter Sixteen

Isang buwan na naman ang lumipas. The last time I saw Rohan is when he was laying in a hospital bed inside the emergency room. Magkatapos kung gawin ang dapat kong kompormahin dahil sa nalaman ko galing kay Ashtor ay sinigurado kong maglaho palayo sa mga taong may koneksyon sa mga Alcantara.

Sa loob rin ng buwan iyon, nagtrabaho ako sa isang fast food chain bilang waitress para mairaos ko ang sarili ko. My job as a waitress went well and fine. The workers there seemed to be polite and friendly so I managed to fit in a little.

Sa pagtratrabaho ko doon, nakaranas ako ng isang simpleng buhay. For the first time in my life, I managed to live outside the prison and the mansion of the Alcantara.

Rohan was right.

Life is truly beautiful when living with simpler people and perspective.

I somehow managed to own my life even for a while.

Kahit na nahihirapan silang pakisamahan ako dahil hindi ako nakakapagsalita, they tried their best to make me feel welcomed. Ibang iba sila sa mga taong nakasalamuha ko noon na walang ginawa kundi saktan at linlangin ako.

This new experience even made me wonder.

The people in the bottom of the chain tried so hard to reach the level of the people with elite standing in the society. Halos buong buhay nila, ibinuhos nila sa pagsisikap para lamang matawag na mayaman o may nakamit sa buhay. Halos lahat ata na hindi nakaranas ng karangyaan ay gagawin ang lahat upang makamit iyon. Na nakakalimutan na nila ang sarili nilang pamilya o totoong rason sa buhay.

Bakit halos walang gusto ng simpleng buhay?

Kung sa katunayan, ang tunay na kagandahan ay dito mo makikita.

Throughout my whole life I've learned that money could buy everything, power could give you supreme authority, and Influence could give you all opportunities. A wealthy life is almost a life of a God.

However, that kind of life could not give you immortality.

Life is truly too short.

Because no matter how powerful of an individual you are, that doesn't erase a certain fact that you are a mere human being at the end of the day.

Halos lahat ay sabik na sabik sa pera at kapangyarihan na nakakalimutan na nila ang sarili nilang limitasyon.

Because for me, the life of a simple individual is the most genuine and true of all.

The people who choose to live that way are the ones who know what life truly is.

That is why I am immensely thankful because for one month, I was able to realized it by being with people having that vision.

Napabuntong hininga ako at tinanaw ang phone na nasa aking mga kamay. It is still in my possession, I wasn't able to give it back to Rohan since I didn't have the chance.

Nakaupo ako sa isang upuan na napapalibutan ng matatayog na kahoy. Sa likuran ko rin ay makikita ang dagat. Napakapayapa at napakatahimik ng lugar na parang makakatulog ng mahimbing ang mga taong nahihirapang matulog.

Nandito ako ngayon malapit sa SM Sea Side. Nakaharap ako ngayon sa isang matayog na building na isang oras ko nang pinagmamasdan. Marami ring pumasok sa isipan ko habang tinatanaw iyon.

Nandito ako ngayon dahil may isang tao akong hinihintay. I have to tell that person everything that I know.

This is the moment of truth.

Ilang minuto ang nakalipas ng may narinig na akong mga yapak ng sapatos na papalapit saakin kaya naman hinay hinay ko nang binuka ang aking mga mata.

"Rowena?"

A familiar deep voice blurted out.

Napalingon ako sa direksyon iyon at nakita ang matangkad na lalaking naka-itim na suit. Galing ata siya sa trabaho at nagmamadaling puntahan ako ng tinext ko siya ng biglaan.

Attorney Rohan Alcantara stood there with a look of longing and relief.

The man seems to be perfectly fine after a month of recovery.

Nahuli na rin ang nagtangkang kunin ang buhay niya. The Mayor who lost in his own game hired some killers to end the life of the lawyer who put him to prison and he succeeded to do so however his plan backfired since Rohan managed to survived death. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang mangyari sa mismong Mayor pero nalaman ko lang na nanlumo ito ng husto ng masaksihan ang galit at puot ng pamilyang Alcantara.

Ah, how nostalgic, since I was able to experience their immense power.

Nangmakita siya ay binigyan ko siya ng isang matamis na ngiti na lubusan niyang ikinagulat.

Kailanman sa pagsasama namin, hindi ko siya binigyan ng mga tawa ko o ngiti man lang dahil hindi ko rin naman alam kong paano maging masaya.

Pero dahil kahit papaano, alam ko na kung paano ngumiti ng bukal sa puso.

Dahil nasilayan ko na siyang muli.

Dahan dahan siyang naglakad saakin at hindi ako iniwan ng kanyang tingin. Umupo rin siya katabi ko at nanatiling tahimik na tila ba inaalam kong totoo ba akong nakaupo katabi niya o nag iilusyon lang siya.

I smiled at him more and type something in the phone.

How are you, Rohan?

Kinuha niya sa bulsa ang sarili niyang phone at binasa ang sinend ko. Tumingin siyang muli saakin.

"I'm fine, Rowena."

Rohan said and sit closer to me. Niyuko rin niya ang kanyang ulo at hinawakan ang aking kaliwang kamay.

"Why did you leave me hanging?" He asked without looking at me.

"I was terrified, Rowena. I thought I lost you forever."

Hinigpitan niya rin ang hawak niya sa kamay ko na para bang nanghihingi ng lakas.

I typed something once again and send it to me.

You already know who am I, right?

After Rohan read it, he finally looked at me directly in the eyes.

"Rowena, my love for you is not too shallow to dwell into the past."

Itinaas niya ang kamay niya at hinawakan ako ng marahan sa aking pisnge. I saw his eyes soften the more he stared at me.

"The moment I saw and know you, I know you aren't someone to do something like that and even if you are, I don't care at all. I won't let something so precious such as you to escape from my arms." Rohan said tenderly as his fingers put the strands of my hair behind my ear, "All I want for you is to be finally free and happy. I want to give you everything I could offer even my own life. You are the most genuine in this world full of pretty lies. I'll do anything for you, just don't leave my side ever again."

Rohan smiled at me softly. "That's how I love a person, Rowena."

I stared at him and smiled painfully. Then I travelled my eyes to the building in front of us. Nang marinig ko na ang mga ingay ng mga taong palabas.

Cebu Orphanage.

Lumabas ang mga bata sa pintuan na nagsisigawan pero nakatitig na ako sa isang batang lalaki. The little boy stood taller than everyone else, his wearing a polite smile on his little handsome face as he watched other children play outside.

The little boy have raven black hair, the color of his eyes were in a mixture of black and hazel while his cute thin pinkish lips slightly pout.

The little boy is the exact copy of Rohan Alcantara.

A 4 year old version of him.

Nang nilingon ko si Rohan ay nakatulala na itong nakatingin sa batang lalaki. Dahan dahan na siyang napapatayo habang tinititigan ang batang kamukhang kamukha niya.

Then he looked at me with his bloodshot eyes and his body slightly trembling.

I took a deep breath and type some words in the phone.

Rohan, we have a son.