Stay with me

7

JADE

It has been the most difficult 3 weeks of my life. I am physically, mentally and emotionally drained. Althea insisted that I should be the one to keep our condo unit so here I am trying to keep myself busy with work but every night when I come home, no matter how tired I am and how long my day was, I still can't keep myself from thinking about her. This whole place reminds me of her. every corner of every room.

Work seems to be a good distraction though. We got to keep our biggest account and the work is gruesome. My days are filled with brain storming, production shoots, client meetings and a lot more. but inspite the weight of all these, this is still the most difficult part of my day. when I cry myself to sleep.

Althea opted to stay at her office in Runners. She practically live there now. She said she turned her office to a make shift bedroom. I stop myself from thinking what she does there every night.

The first few days were the hardest. She drunk text or call me every night. She follows me wherever I go which got her banned from our office building. She tried to make a scene every time and even threatened me that she's going to kill herself.

I know she can't and will not commit suicide. 'yon pa e gwapong gwapo nga sya sa sarili nya. but still, I called batchi to make sure that she has someone with her and will not try to do anything stupid.

It's been a week though since I last saw her. It was at our commercial shoot location in Laguna when David called the cops on her.

Althea was a mess. She was drunk and was trying to drag me out of our tent to her car. It was raining really hard that afternoon. Halos matumba ako sa putikan sa pag kaladkad nya sa'kin. To save us from embarrassment, I went with her and we spoke.

Flashback

we were sitting inside her car.

"love please, balik na ko sa condo."

"althea, look at yourself."

"I don't know what to do anymore. please Jade, I never thought I need you this much in my life"

"until when are you gonna do this?"

"love, gusto mo ligawan kita ulit?"

"I'm not the stupid 15 year old geek that I was, thea. I've grown. salamat sa lahat ng panlolokong ginawa mo. 8 years."

She was leaning her head on the steering wheel with tears flowing on her beautiful face. Her eyes are swollen with big dark circles around them.

She attempts to hold my hand but I didn't let her.

"love..."

"Umuwi ka na. I have to go. kailangan na ko."

"NO!"

She attempted to start the engine but was too drunk to put the keys to the keyhole so I grabbed it from her.

"ALTHEA! TAMA NA!" I shouted.

We were figting for the keys when David opened the passenger door and grabbed me.

end of flashback

****************

The last time I saw her was at the back of the police mobile.

I asked Sally to make sure Althea gets home safe and dry. And everything is off the record, ofcourse.

David was insisting that I should get a restraining order. I just looked at him with cold eyes.

She's still my Althea, afterall.