Saying Goodbye

*Naomi's POV*

"Are you really leaving, Theia?"

Nasa bahay nila ako.

She asked me to come kasi may sasabihin daw siya sa'kin bago siya umalis.

Their parents already left for US while Alec is in the office taking care of the things needed to be done habang wala sila.

"Ayaw ko sana pero kailangan, Ate." Sagot niya. "I need to fight para mabuhay ako."

She's going to have her heart surgery there.

I found out from Tita Ella that Gab did everything para makahanap ng ospital na tatanggap sa kanya.

"And you won't come back?"

"Of course I will." She said. "I still need to attend the graduation."

"Hindi mo ba talaga sasabihin sa kanya?"

I haven't told Nathan about this.

Ni hindi pa kami nagkikita simula nung umuwi siya.

"No, Ate." Sabi niya. "After the operation, lalayo na ko sa kanya. He doesn't need to remember me anymore."

"Theia.."

"I'm sorry, Ate." She looked down. "I'm sorry naging ganito.."

"You were supposed to be a part of our family.." Sabi ko. "Nathan was so excited the day he went out para puntahan ka pero bakit ganito??"

Umiiyak siya. She's hurting too.

And this was not the plan.

Hindi dapat ganito yung nangyari.

"I had to give him up, Ate." She cried. "Kung mamamatay rin lang ako, ano pang saysay ng paglaban ko??"

"What if successful yung operation??"

"Pero paano kung hindi?"

"There's still hope, Theia.." Sabi ko. "Posible ka pa niyang maalala. I just need to---"

"I'm very thankful for everything." She held my hand. "You treated me like your own sister, your own family, but we need to stop."

"Theia--"

"We need to stop hoping.." Sabi niya. "Kasi kung hindi, baka umasa lang kayo sa wala."

"..."

"I don't want to see Nate in pain just because I have to leave him pagkatapos niya kong maalala." She said. "I don't want to risk that, Ate."

"K-kahit gumaling ka, h-hindi ka na babalik sa kanya??"

"Hindi na.." Sagot niya. "I've decided, Ate. I'll leave him to Ivy.."

Why does she have to think about his feelings but won't even consider hers?

She's risking her life to live.

Posible na siyang mamatay pero bakit napaka-selfless niya parin?

She kept thinking about the people na iiwan niya pero paano naman siya?

Theia is very much deserving of the happiness she wants others to have..

"Can you give this to him?"

Inabot niya sa'kin yung white box na hawak niya. I opened it and what I saw inside made me cry even more.

Nakapagdesisyon na siya at wala siyang balak bawiin yun.

"I'm finally returning the wonderful memories he gave me."

She's really saying goodbye..

***

"Ate Naomi?"

I stopped from opening the gate and turned to the person who called me.

"Ivy?"

Ngumiti siya sa'kin.

"Kanina ka pa ba nandyan?"

She nodded. "May gusto sana akong ibigay kay Nathan pero mukhang wala siya sa loob."

"I haven't seen him yet so I'm not sure." Sabi ko. "Do you want to come in? Sa sala ka nalang maghintay."

"Hindi na, Ate." Sagot niya. "Pwede bang pakiabot nalang 'to sa kanya?"

Ivy handed me a small pouch.

"Please make sure he'll take it." She said. "Kailangan niya makita kung anong nasa loob niyan."

"Wait--"

"Thank you, Ate." Sabi niya tsaka nagmadaling umalis sa harapan ko.

Tinitigan ko lang yung kotse na sinakyan niya hanggang sa mawala na.

"Nathan!"

I opened his room pero wala naman siya. Mamaya ko nalang ibibigay pagdating niya.

I placed the white box on my bed and stared at the pouch I'm holding.

Anong kailangan makita ni Nathan dito?

It's just a normal locket.

Ibabalik ko na sana pero may narinig akong gumalaw sa loob.

When I unlocked it, nakita ko yung bagay na matagal ko nang hinahanap.

Bakit nasa kanya 'to??

******

*Ryan's POV*

"Ivy?"

I was about to get out of the taxi nung may napansin akong tao sa tapat ng bahay.

What is she doing here?

"Manong, saglit lang po."

I decided to watch her first.

She was hesitating. Paulit ulit niyang nilalayo at nilalapit yung kamay niya sa doorbell.

Gusto niya ba kong makausap?

Ivy opened her bag and left something in front of the gate tsaka naglakad papalayo.

Lumabas na ko agad at lumapit sa bahay.

"Why didn't you just pushed it?"

"Ry.."

I picked up the box.

"Ibabalik mo lang 'to tapos aalis ka na?"

Inside was the bracelet I gave her on our first month.

"Ry--"

"Come in."

Kailangan din namin mag-usap.

Narinig ko namang sumunod siya sa'kin papasok sa bahay. I gave her a glass of water and sat on the couch.

Mukhang wala siyang balak magsalita.

"Why are you here, Ivy?"

"Gusto ko lang magso--"

"If you're going to say sorry, you need to leave."

"Then what do you want me to say?"

"Why are you here?"

"Gusto ko nga--"

"Para saan pa?" Tanong ko. "The damage has been done, Ivy and you can't do anything to undo it."

"I'm---"

"Sorry?" Natawa ako. "You always say that but you never mean it."

"..."

"Mahal kita, Ivy." I said. "You used my love for you and threw me away nung hindi mo na ko kailangan kaya what makes you think na isang sorry mo lang, okay na ulit lahat??"

I've told myself over and over that whatever happens, I needed to calm down.

Gab told me her story and I felt bad that she had to go through it all pero..

Paano naman yung nararamdaman ko?

Do I need to hold back just because she's sick??

"Do you even know how much I love you?"

She slowly nodded.

"You knew pero nagawa mo parin.."

"H-hindi ko sinasadya.." Sagot niya. "Believe it or not, hindi ko gustong saktan ka."

"..."

"You always prioritized my happiness, Ry." She said. "Sa dalawang taon na nagsama tayo, never akong umiyak ng dahil sa'yo."

Hearing her say it made me realized that she was the sun for me.

I just didn't expect her to be the cloud as well.

"G-gusto din kita maging masaya pero hindi yun yung nagawa ko." She whispered. "Breaking your heart was never my intention, Ry.."

Totoo kaya yung sinabi ni Gab na mahal niya rin ako?

"Ivy.."

She didn't looked up.

Hawak hawak niya lang yung mukha niya habang umiiyak.

"Sorry, nasigawan kita.."

"..."

"Hindi mo naman kailangan mag-sorry kasi napatawad na kita." Sabi ko. "Do you really think hanggang ngayon galit parin ako sa'yo?"

Tinignan niya ko. "Edi bakit kanina--"

"Because you're not just here to say sorry." I said. "Nung nakita ko yung bracelet, alam kong iiwan mo ulit ako.."

"..."

"You're really leaving.."

I was right..

She nodded. "Balak ko sanang umuwi muna sa province namin. Tita said it will be best for me to think about things ng malayo sa inyo.."

"Kailan ka babalik?"

"I don't know.." Sagot niya. "Hindi ko alam kung gusto pa ba nila akong makita pagkatapos ng mga nangyari.."

"Paano kung hintayin kita?"

"Ry.."

"Will you come back?"

"..."

"Sabihin mo lang sa'kin na babalik ka, maghihintay ako, mahal."

I still love her.

Ayaw ko pa siyang pakawalan.

She stood up and hugged me.

"Then wait for me." Sagot niya. "I'll do everything to return, mahal."

******