Exemplum (UNDER REVISION)

knock knock

"Thirdy, would you remember me next year?"

"Of course, I would!"

"Would you remember me in the next five years?"

"Naman! How could I forget my long time crush?!"

"How 'bout in the next ten years?"

"Of course. We'll be married by then,"

"Knock knock?"

"Who's there?"

"Love naman!"

It kept on replaying inside her head. She wasn't bothered by it. She was visiting her psychiatrist, after all. Not until memories of them continued to haunt her even in her dreams. She would often wake up in the middle of the night catching her breath and will end up crying herself to sleep. It's been going on for years. Her psychiatrist couldn't do anything about it anymore. She almost emptied her bank account by traveling just to forget.

She couldn't forgive herself for what happened so she decided to lock herself inside the room. She blamed herself. She relived the pain day by day, minute by minute. She started pushing people away until she was only left alone in the dark. She would cry in the middle of her meals. She would breakdown in the middle of taking a shower. Everything reminded her of him. Even herself.

"Bei? Tita Det cooked your favorite ulam. We.. left it here outside. Kunin mo na lang pag nagutom ka na," every single day, she would hear her friends knocking, asking her to eat. For years, they never got tired. They make sure they would visit her in her home even if they had games.

Her friends never got tired of her. Maddie, Kat, Deanna, Dani and Alyssa would often knock. Sometimes, it would be SJ, Gian, Tyler or Kiefer. She rarely gets out of her room. She locked herself in and never talked to anybody.

"Bea?" She looked at the door when she heard a knock. "This is your papa.. I'm with your mama and manong," Her tears fell as she heard Bong's manly voice.

"We got you something, anak. It's here outside your door lang. You can get it if you want," It was Mozzy. She stared at the door, tears streaming down her face.

"We're leaving now, anak. We'll go to the hospital.." Bong said. "I love you, 'nak." She fell on the floor as Mozzy and Bong bid their goodbyes to Bea. She stopped when she heard Kiefer.

"Hey, Bei.." She went close to the door.

"It's been a long time. We miss you here. It hurts to see Ly and the others cry in front of your door," Kiefer paused. He wiped his tears with his palm. He sat down and leaned on Bea's door.

"Bei, if ever you're blaming yourself.. please, don't. It was an accident. No one's mad, Bei.." Kiefer swallowed hard, as if there was a lump in his throat.

"We're waiting for you, Bea.. please.." Kiefer couldn't continue what he was trying to say. Bea stared at the door, waiting for Kiefer to continue.

"Please, come back to us.." Kiefer couldn't help but to cry loud and hard. He didn't care if Bea was listening. All he wanted was to lessen the weight on his chest.