Last Summer

12

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Why did you love him?" He suddenly asked, not looking at me.

"Honestly, hindi ko alam. Maybe because he was the only one there for me when everything was messed up." I looked at him. "I thought he was sincere about his feelings, pero nagkamali ako." Suminghap ako ng hangin. "Akala ko kasi mananatili siya habang isa-isa kong hinaharap ang mga problema ko pero hindi, eh." I looked down. "He didn't leave because he never stayed." I added.

"For you, what is love?" He asked.

"Love is when you give them the power to destroy you and you trust them not to do it. And despite all of the pain they've caused you, you're willing to forgive them because love keeps no records of wrongs. 'Yun nga lang, lahat tayo ay napapagod. You can't just keep forgiving and constantly hurting yourself." I answered with a smile.

"I'm proud of you." He reached out for my hand and squeezed it a bit. "You're brave enough for choosing yourself this time." He kissed the back of my hand. "Take all the time you need to heal. Take it easy, there's no timeline for healing." He added.

And that's where I realized, I'm falling in love with him.

We arrived in this field with green grass and beautiful flowers. The sun touched my skin and warmed me. The fresh air pumped life to my soul. And this person beside me, made me feel butterflies in my stomach and made my heart race faster like there's no tomorrow.

He walked into my heart like he always belonged there, took down my walls and lit my soul on fire. - T.M

"EJ." I called out to him at napalingon naman siya. "Thank you." I tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek.

"For what?" He asked, stunned.

"For your existence." I smiled warmly and walked around the field.

There were beautiful flowers and each of them stands out on their own. I remembered when I was a child, I asked my Abuela why did my grandfather died early and she answered me with a question, "In a field of flowers, what would you pick, the pretty ones or the ugly ones?" and I answered the pretty ones, then she said, "Exactly, your grandfather were of the pretty ones and he had a good heart. God needed an angel, so He called your grandfather back home."

The day I lost my grandfather was the day I've been so messed up emotionally. When we lost him, it was like half of my heart was taken, too.

I will make you proud, Abuelo.

I didn't notice that I've been thinking so much when Elijah patted my head.

"What's going on in that pretty mind of yours?"

"I just remembered something. Nothing serious." I smiled.

He held my hand and intertwined it with his. We walked around, enjoying the ambiance. It was peaceful.