Only You, Just You [eng]

09 - The Aftermath Of A Heartbreak

Third Person's POV

Win quickly answered the call and he heard Bright's voice on the other end.

[Are you still in the parking lot?] 

"Yeah. Do you need anything?"

[Yes.] 

"Tell me. I'll do it."

[You will?] 

"Anything."

[Don't ever come back here. 
I don't want you to see what you 
did to me. I look so fucking pathetic. 
I don't need you to see me how 
I lose my sanity after what you did. 
Again. This will be my last request. 
You don't have to leave or go 
somewhere again. 
I'll pretend that none of this ever 
happened and that what 
he had before are in the past now.] 

"Bright..."

[One more thing, I'm changing my 
last name back to Hernandez. 
I don't need your name attached 
to my life when I don't even 
remember why I agreed on 
marrying you. This way, 
we won't be associated with 
each other anymore. 
That's all. I'm hanging up.] 

And right before Win could speak, the line was cut off.

His phone stumbled down to his feet. There were no tears to shed anymore and Win found himself staring at the steering wheel.

- - - - -

It was already 10am when Win opened the door of his car. He fell asleep there.

A knock on his window made him wake up and there he saw Jerome and Seth.

"Hey." Jerome greets him but Win only stares at him, almost lifeless. "Has this been going on for days now?"

"Just this morning. I couldn't reach him by his phone and when I went there, I saw him sleeping in his car. And that's when I called you."

"Good thing you called me. It looks like he hyperventilated. He's drowning in his sweat and his heart is palpitating differently this time."

"Is he okay?"

"No. Can you hand me the meds in the orange tube in my bag?"

Seth then looks for the said tube and hands it over to Jerome, along with that is a bottle of water Seth bought.

Jerome made sure Win gulped down the meds and the two helped him gets out of his car and back to his condo.

- - - - -

It was past 4pm when Win woke up. There he saw Jerome and Seth sitting in the living area, watching a film.

"What are you doing here?"

"Dude, you're alive." Jerome jokingly said but made his way quickly to check Win's temperature.

"Seth called me. He couldn't reach you and when he went to see you, he found you in your car." Win's eyes then saw Seth's worried face. "I told him he can go home but he insisted on staying. You should thank him. If it wasn't for him you could've died in suffocation."

He bowed his head to the two which earned a more worried and confused face from them. "Thank you. I'm sorry for always troubling you two."

"I've been telling you this and I will keep telling you this over and over, you need to rest. You can't keep pushing yourself on edge every time you think about Bright. I know you can hide your feelings well but abusing your body and mind is not the answer. Meds won't work their magic unless you continue taking it. And you my friend is not listening to your own doctor when he said take your meds regularly."

"Sorry."

"Miguel, I'm worried about you. We both are." Jerome held him in both his arms. "Panic attacks will cause you to hyperventilate, and not all the time we're here to save you. You need to save yourself first."

"I'm sorry..."

This time, Seth walked to Win and gave him a hug. "It's okay. You can cry if you want."

And right after Seth said those words, Win bursted out in tears, relying on Seth's embrace.

"What's happening?" Jerome asked but Seth pulled him to embrace Win too.

"Don't speak. He needs to let this pain out."

And after that, Jerome did what Seth said. He made sure to give Win the tightest embrace he could give while Win poured his heart out.

- - - - -

"Can you tell me what happened?" Jerome starts asking him.

"Bright's back."

"He is? Where is he?" Another question followed.

Seth immediately answered him. "He's a student in our college."

"You met him?"

"I saw him walking to one of Sir Miguel's classes." Seth explained and their focus were back to Win.

"He's your student?"

Win nodded and looked at Jerome. "Dude, that's torture. I suggest you change your schedule. The more you see him the more you'll have panic attacks." He then turned his face to Seth. "I'll talk to the Dean and tell him the reason. Change his schedules and free a day within weekdays. I will need to monitor him from now on."

"Do you really have to do that? It's not like my condition is worse than Bright's."

"Dude. I may not know what Bright went through but I saw yours. I was there when you had your first panic attack. I still remember how you almost lost your heartbeat." Jerome speaks, trying to convince Win.

"But I'm still here." there's that bittersweet smile again.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean it won't happen again. You almost lost your life. Second chances are hard to find. Take this as a sign to live away from him permanently." Jerome held Win's hand and looked straight into his eyes.

"You know I can't do that, Jerome. Not now that I have him in my sight again. This is our second chance." Win almost begged him because he knew Jerome would push through on what he said.

"But that second chance is telling you that you're meant to be strangers not lovers. So please listen to me, I am your doctor and your friend."

"But I love him. I still do." Win lowered his head because he knows, anytime now he'll definitely start crying again. "I don't know what to do anymore, Jerome. I want him to want me back again but I've already done enough damage.”

"So, what's your plan? Take him back? Explain everything?" Win just looks at him with eyes swollen. "Fine. You do you. But keep in mind that you need to take your meds regularly. I'll give Seth some extra just in case you forgot."

"Thank you."

[02.24.2024]