I Saved Romeo

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Secret

***

I decided not to go to school because of what happened earlier. Sigurado akong hindi ako makakafocus sa kahit anong ituturo ng mga teachers dahil sa mga narinig ko kanina. I am the smart girl in our class and everyone knows that. Kaya lang ngayon, parang naubos ang katalinuhan ko at na-blanko ang utak ko. All I remember are the painful words I heard from Romeo.

Wala sa akin ang hindi pagpasok ng school. I already spent my years studying when I was a princess, and I just want to be carefree right now. Alam ko na ang mga pinag-aaralan dahil sa talinong dala ko mula sa nakaraang buhay. Pumapasok na lang ako para bigyan buhay ang teenage life ko bilang si Juliet Krizzel Cassidy at para maging proud sa akin ang family ko.

Hindi ko na napansin na dinala na pala ako ng aking mga paa sa isang lugar na mahalaga saakin at matagal ko nang hindi napupuntahan. It seems like my heart sought solace in the one place that had always brought me comfort—my mother's sunflower garden.

As I walked through the familiar path towards the garden, nostalgia and sadness washed over me. My mother had spent countless hours in this garden, nurturing her beloved sunflowers with her heart. Naging importante sa kaniya ang bawat parte ng hardin na ito.

I remembered helping her water the flowers or picking them up to put in the jars in our home. The sunflowers had always brought my mother joy, and she was always so bright like the flowers she took care of. 

I opened the wooden gate to enter the garden, taking in the beauty surrounding me. I smiled as I realized how much I've missed this place. I slowly made my way through the rows of sunflowers while admiring how vibrant their colors are.

The sunflowers, with their bright yellow petals and tall stems, were a symbol of hope and resilience. The vibrant colors and sweet scents of the flowers calmed my troubled mind.

I sat on a bench and closed my eyes, letting the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze soothe me. This was where my mother and I would sit and talk for hours on end. Puro kami kwentuhan, tawanan, at kulitan. I could even almost feel her presence here, and for a brief moment, I felt at peace.

This is the sunflower garden owned by my mother who died three years ago. Si Lola na ang nangangalaga nito simula noong namatay si Mommy.

It was the first time I had been back here since my mother's passing. This place was full of my memories with my parents and remembering the past caused my heart to ache. We were all so happy back then, but it all changed because my mother's life ended and the wonderful color of our family started to dim.

Dad remarried a woman who did everything to make my life miserable. Masama kung masama, but I'm glad that she's unable to have a child and I can never have a half-sibling from her. Kawawa ang magiging kapatid ko kung nagkataon na siya ang ina. That woman is ill-looking and feeling maganda! I don't even know the reason why my dad married her. Imposible namang nagandahan siya rito, eh hindi naman 'yon maganda. Maybe he just got fooled by her plastic personality. Poor him.

"Juliet? Ikaw ba 'yan?"

Nakarinig ako ng pamilyar na boses kaya natigilan ako. It's my grandmother! I slowly opened my eyes and saw her walking towards me, her eyes filled with tears and emotions.

"Lola," I whispered, getting up and running into her arms. It had been years since I last saw her, and it felt like a crushing weight had been lifted off my shoulders.