When You Smile (Engineering Student #3)

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter 26

We became silent for an hour. Walang nangahas na nagsalita sa amin, ninamnam ang bawat sandali dahil alam ko... alam niya... na pagtapos nito, hahayaan namin ang isa't-isa para maghilom at lumago.

Maggagabi na nang napagdesisyunan kong tumayo. Nakatitig lang ako sa kalangitan. Narinig ko ang pagsinghap niya. Pinikit ko ang mata ko saka muling nagsalita.

"Sige na. Gabi na," pinatatagan ko ang boses ko.

He didn't mutter any single words. I felt him moved and the next thing I knew... he is hugging me so tightly. And he is crying. Damn...

"I can't," he whispered. He leaned his head on my shoulder. I can feel his heavy breathing on my chest. 

"King..." paos kong sabi.

"Do you trust me?" now, it's my turn to ask him this question.

He nodded.

"Me too," I whispered. I shifted my body and let him hug me. I caressed his hair gently. I love this guy so much.

"Let's wait for each other. I will just heal and grow."

"Isama mo ako sa paghilom mo kung ganoon. Let's help each other to grow too. I can't grow without you."

"King, please. Just for me? Please?" malambing kong sabi.

"Ikaw pa rin naman eh."

"Ikaw lang din," hamon niya.

"I know." I stopped caressing his hair. He is now standing straight in front of me.., looking at me directly in the eye.

"Just promise me one thing, Casper. Always smile. Remember what I told you before that we will get it by with a smile?"

I nodded.

"Just smile... genuinely. I will wait for you," he whispered to my ear then finally he slowly walking away from me until I couldn't see his back no more. That's the time I realized... I love him so much and this time I will make myself stronger and braver just for him... just for us.

I know this may be hard but I think I need to wind up first. Akala ko noong una ayos na ako pero noong nakaharap ko ang Papa ko, hindi pa pala. Simula nang mangyari iyon, naging magulo na naman ako. My relationship to King affected to the point that I need to break up with him. It's not that I don't trust him. Of course, I trust him, he's one of the few whom I can lean on and put my trust a hundred percent. But I think I am too messed up. Magkakasirain lang kami kapag nananatili akong ganito. Kailangan ko muna maging mas matatag pa hindi lang para sa akin kundi para na rin sa amin...

But I admit, I am afraid of the consequences of the decision I made but I think it's all on me. The fault was on me. Kung sakali man na mahanap man siya ng iba, tatanggapin ko. After all, it was me who ended our relationship.