One Lost Summer (Brave Series #2)

Chapter 40: Majarlika

Majarlika De Luna

"M-Maj..."

Majarlika witnessed how Grale's jaw tightened as his eyes hollowed. The constant swallowing that he was making as if something was trapped inside his throat that he could hardly get rid of. His grip in her hand tightened, scared to lose her. Scared to watch her slip away, melt away, and just disappear in his eyes.

It breaks her heart to watch the man she first ever loved aside from her father break into pieces just because of the choice she already made to herself before she even met him. Dahil alam niya. Alam na ni Majarlika ang posibilidad na malagay siya ulit sa parehong sitwasyon at maranasan ulit ang mga pinagdaanan niya na parang bago lamang sa kanya ulit ang lahat.

Marahang idinampi ni Majarlika ang malamig na palad sa pisngi ng nobyo kasabay ng pag guhit ng isang malungkot na ngiti sa kanyang labi. "It was all a borrowed time, Grale. But I cherished every minute I had with you. Yung buong panahon na kasama kita, binigyan ako no'n ng mga alaalang hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan."

"Fuck it, Majarlika. Don't you dare say goodbye to me now," his tears in the corner of his eyes. "Don't you fucking dare, Maj! No. No, I won't accept it. Not now. Not in any damn lifetime," his voice broke.

"Grale, makinig ka—"

He shook his head. "No. No. If you'll just end up telling me your farewells I won't listen. Damn it, Majarlika! I–I can't. I'd rather open my chest right here and now and give you my heart than to watch you slowly slip away from me!"

Isang mas malungkot na ngiti pa ang gumuhit sa mga labi ni Majarlika ngunit hindi niya na muling nahanap pa ang mga salitang gustong sabihin. Grale's eyes are so full of love and sadness and tiredness and desperation and she could trace the hope fighting it's best way to stay with him.

"P-Please, baby," his tears began falling, holding her hand, begging. "I can endure everything. I will endure anything, Maj! B-But not this! Not me losing you forever... I-I can't lose you, Majarlika..."

Grale moved closer, gently holding the side of her neck as he helplessly pressed his forehead against her. Ang mabibigat nitong paghinga na mas nakapagpabigat sa dibdib ni Majarlika. Mariin nitong pinikit ang mga mata habang patuloy pa rin ang pag agos ng mga luha sa pisngi. Hawak pa rin nang mahigpit ang kamay niya.

"I will stay with you, baby. I will stay with you, but please... please stay with me, too," he whispered with a broken voice.

-----

Hindi makatulog si Majarlika nang gabing 'yon. She couldn't find the will to close her eyes and even her mind couldn't rest at last. She's scared, that's the truth. She's scared to close her eyes and not wake up again tomorrow. Pero hindi siya sa sarili natatakot kundi para sa lalaking mahimbing na ang tulog sa tabi niya.

Dumating kanina si Bree at Cathy para magdala ng mga pagkain at ilang mga damit ni Grale na pinasuyo nito sa dalawa. After an hour si Migs at Dean naman ang dumating para bumisita. Nakita ni Majarlika sa mga mata ng mga ito ang maraming tanong kaya't siya na mismo ang nagpaliwanag sa kanila tungkol sa kondisyon niya.

However, she left out the part about her parents, especially that story about her mom. Hindi dahil sa hindi niya pinagkakatiwalaan ang mga ito kundi dahil hindi niya pa ito kayang i-kwento sa iba nang hindi sumisikip ang dibdib niya. Nang hindi nararamdaman ang bara sa lalamunan niya at ang parehong tali na sumasakal sa baga niya. She knew the story for the longest time, kept it inside her and tucked it together with her in bed at night, but until now it still breaks her apart. Paulit-ulit siyang binabasag ng mga katotohanang narinig niya noon.

Pero walang alam ang magulang niya tungkol dito. Wala siyang sinabi at tinago ito sa kanila hangga't sa kaya niya. She didn't tell them about what she heard that day because maybe they intentionally kept it as a secret to protect her and she appreciated it a lot. Ginawa naman ng mga magulang niya ang lahat para mailayo siya sa sakit ng katotohanan na hindi siya anak ng kanyang daddy at nagmula siya sa isang pagkakamali.