I Chose Myself

Epilogue

Epilogue

I opened the windows and saw the sun shining through. Ilang taon na ang nakalipas at ngayon ay umuwi akong muli sa Batangas.

Akala ko dati, hinding hindi na ako babalik dito dahil sa lahat ng masasamang ala-ala, pero hindi mo pa rin maiiwasang hanapin yung pakiramdam na nakauwi ka na. Batangas will always be my home no matter where I go.

I am now an advocate for woman. Isa akong teacher at advocate, at wala na ata akong mas isasaya pa. After everything that I've been through, I realized that I wanted to be there as support for other people, even for those that I don't particularly or personally know.

Sobrang sarap ng pakiramdam na mahal mo ang sarili mo kasi kahit anong tapon nila ng masasamang bagay sa'yo ay wala na silang maggagawa. Indeed, the greatest love of all is the love that one has for themselves, and the greatest achievement is to finally learning how to.

I want people to know their worth. Sa panahon ngayon ay marami ang standards ng mga tao to the point na ang lahat ng hindi pasok doon ay ituturing agad na hindi maganda at minsan ay nagiging outcasts. Everyone is beautiful in their own special way, parang abstract paintings. It takes the right person to see that you are worth more that what anyone tells you, and most times, you don't even have to search for 'the one' because it's been there from the very start, and that person is you.

Maayos ang relasyon namin ni Aaron bilang magkaibigan. Pareho naming gusto na subukang muli, pero pareho rin kaming hindi pa nakakawala sa kadena ng nakaraan. And I don't want to be in a relationship when I still haven't moved on from the past kasi maisusumbat ko lang 'yon sa kaniya.

Balik kami sa square one. Hindi ko alam kung anong itatawag sa relasyon namin pero casual kami. Madalas na napagkakamalang mag-on, pero wala samin ang sumasang-ayon o kaya naman ay tumatanggi.

We named our child Mikelle which meaned a gift from God. He truly was. Siguro kung hindi siya nag-e-exist noon ay matagal na rin akong wala. I believe that our baby was a boy because that's what my guts told me so.

"Hey, Fal." Nilingon ko ang kaibigan kong si Brianna na hinihimas ang malaki niyang tiyan.
She's pregnant with her first child with Prince Casper. Minsan ay naiinggit ako at iniisip na kung siguro ay nandito pa rin si Mikelle ay baka malaki na siya ngayon at hinihintay ang kalaro.

"Bri." She tried hugging me but since her tummy was in the way, we can't. Tumawa na lamang kami at tinanguan ko si Prince Casper na pinagmamasdan si Brianna.

The way he stares at my friend symbolizes his eternal love for her. Para bang nakatingin siya sa buong universe sa tuwing nakatingin siya kay Brianna.

I am happy for my friend because after every heartaches, she's finally found someone who is right for her. Someone who loves her dearly. Deserve niya ito.

Kahit na miyembro ng Royal Family si Prince Casper ay hindi nila nais ipaalam pa sa publiko ang pagbubuntis ni Brianna dahil maselan daw ito. Ayaw pa ngang palabasin ng Prinsipe kung hindi lamang mapilit itong kaibigan ko!

"I'm almost due! Nakakaexcite na nakakakaba!" Masaya niyang sabi. God, I am so excited to meet her daughter too! Babae raw ayon sa doktor at tuwang tuwa ako nang malaman ko iyon!

"I can't wait to finally hold her in my arms, 'di ba, Hon?" tawag niya ng pansin kay Prince Casper. Tumango lamang ang huli nang may ngiti sa labi bago hinalikan ang pisngi ng asawa.

They married privately, too. Intimate lamang dahil ayaw nila ng atensyon. The wedding's still extravagant despite it being intimate. Ang pamilya lamang ng prinsipe at ang malalapit na kaibigan ang imbitado.

"Ninang ka, ha? Tapos ninong niya rin si Aaron!" Nakangiting sabi niya sa akin at tinanguan ko lamang. Being a godmother of this kid is surely a blessing. Naeexcite rin akong makita siya!

However, we were all broken by the news provided by the Royal Family. Brianna and Casper died in a tragic car accident while going to the hospital!

Nagmamadali akong pumunta sa pribadong ospital at nakita ang anak nila roon sa nursery! Tears fell from my face when I saw the baby silently sleeping. Kamukhang kamukha niya si Brianna.

I was thinking of the baby's future without her parents, but I am sure that they already prepared a lot of things for her. Kung maaari ay aampunin ko siya, pero nang maipagtanong ko ay mayroon na raw nag-ampon sa kaniya ilang araw na ang nakalipas mula nang mangyari ang aksidente.

Si Princess Kelliandra Felicia Hughes raw ng Flowriba. I was happy for Caspara. That's the name she gave her daughter.

Caspara Brianna Krez Hughes.

Alam kong magandang future ang maibibigay ng prinsesa kaysa sa akin. I know that the Princess is also part of an orphanage and has been taking care of children for a really long time kaya sigurado akong maganda ang ituturing niya sa bata.

On Bri and Casper's burial, Caspara was crying hard as if she knew that her parents would be gone forever. Nakakalungkot na hindi man lang nila nasilayan ang anak nilang matagal na nilang hinihintay. I was crying as I watch the kid trying to reach the clear blue sky. Pinunasan ko ang luha ko at pinanood ang paglipad ng libo-libong puting lobo.

No one knew about Caspara's birth except for us.  All they knew was that Caspara is Princess Kelliandra's daughter.

I am one of Caspara's godmother. Masaya ako na kahit hindi kami close ni Princess Kelli ay ginawa pa rin niya akong ninang ni Cas. It was such an awesome experience to be a part of her special day.

Aaron was beside me as we watch everyone go on their own ways. Tahimik kami habang pinagmamasdan ko ang mga bituin sa langit.

"They look so beautiful, right?" I told him, breaking the silence.

"Yes. But you are more beautiful than that view, Fal."

My attention averted from the stars to him and it met his dark brown eyes. He was smiling at me and I smiled back.

Nararamdaman ko ang kung ano sa tiyan ko. I feel giddy everytime he praises me. Iba ang dating ng mga iyon sa akin.

I bit my lip trying to stop myself from doing something that I might regret later on.

"You know, I still want to be with you," he said while staring at the night sky. I nodded because I also feel the same way for him.

I still love him, and maybe, I was too in love with him that I don't even see myself loving someone else.

"But the past is still hunting us. And I don't want that to be a hindrance to our relationship."

This is what I really admire about him. Palaging may sense ang sinasabi niya at palagi ring maraming maiparrealize sa iyo.

"Can you wait until we're both healed and free?" I asked him. Alam ko na agad ang sagot doon kahit hindi man niya sagutin.

"I've waited for you for years already, and there's no stopping now," sabi niya at nilingon ako.

I can feel my heart thumping against my chest as he stare at me.

"Then let's meet again after we're healed and free."

We parted ways that night, with a silent hope that once our paths cross again, we're fully healed and free. Until we'll finally be able to choose each other...freely and fully.

But for now, he chooses himself, while I choose me.

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This is the end of Chose Duology: I Chose Myself! Thank you so much for your utmost support in this story, let's see them again in the last installment for Chose Duology, again, thank you.