Chapter 49--- The Closure
STEFFANY’S POV.
Nakaupo ako sa isang sun lounge malapit sa dalampasigan sa tapat lang ng beach house. It’s almost sunrise at naisipan kung lumabas at abangan ito. I been staying here for a week now and somehow I find peace in here. I felt the sea water beneath my feet and it calms me. After all the trouble I been through, I just need all of this.
About Issa itinuring ko pa rin itong kaibigan sa huli. I can’t kill her kaya mas mabuti ng nandun s’ya sa lugar na alam kung wala siyang takas. It’s either keep her sanity intact or loss it in the process. Kahit pa patayin ko ito hindi na maibabalik pa ang mga buhay na nawala dahil sa kanya. She was devoured by her monster, too bad for her.
Maya-maya pa ay may naramdaman akong lumalapit sa kinaruruunan ko. It’s unusual kasi ako lang ang bukod tanging nandirito sa lugar na ito kaya hinanda ko ang sarili kung sakali.
“Hey!” bati ng taong kilalang kilala ko.
“What are you doing here? It’s cold..” sabi nito at umupo sa tabi ko.
“Waiting for the sun to rise.” sagot ko at nilingon si Calex sa tabi ko.
“How’s it going...I mean are you okay?” tanong ulit nito.
“I’m okay, actually I’m good. Ikaw kamusta? Sila Addie?”
“I’m also doing fine, I’m coping up with my new setup as a father to Addie. He is recovering really fast, thanks to your immediate help when I was not there to help them.” I just smile genuinely as a response at napatingin ulit sa papasikat ng araw.
“You know that I love you but I think this is not the moment for us. Our relationship is just a glimpse of a moment. Maybe we are destined to meet each other halfway so that we can easily recover from the wound of our past and eventually continue moving forward. Hiram lang ang sandali para sa atin and I’m thankful to that kahit na nagdulot ito ng panibagong sakit sa atin.” sabi ko na hindi nakatingin sa kanya.
“Then, you are my greatest glimpse from a moment babe..uhm I mean Steff.” sabi nito.
Ang sakit lang pakinggan dahil alam namin pareho na hindi na kami para sa isa’t-isa. We can’t hold on to each other now. But I knew for sure we can always have each other’s back..as friends and not lovers.
“I wanted to hold you so badly but you are slipping away and as everyday go-by, I realized that I’m slowly accepting the fact that I can no longer hold you. I can’t keep you forever Steff, that is too selfish of me.” mahina nitong sabi.
“Sorry if it took a while for me to find courage and face you here. I really wanted to make you stay..I do. You also knew how much I love you but somehow I find it so hard..it’s like I am not meant for you to hold on. I am here to love you but not for a lifetime. I knew very well that my love for you will always remain and I’m accepting the fact that we can no longing stay in this complicated relationship.” at hinawakan nito ang mga kamay ko. I felt a droplet of water in my hand kaya napatingin ako sa mukha ni Calex..he’s crying.
“You will always be the person that once captured and owned my heart. Everyone that surrounds you want to love and take care of you Steff. Maybe there’s a better plan ahead for you. Maybe there’s a person meant for you in the first place. In God’s perfect time maybe.” at mas hinigpitan pa ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko.
Bigla nalang tumulo ang luha ko kasi alam ko na ito na ang oras na kailangan na naming maghiwalay. Masakit pa rin kahit alam ko na naman na ito talaga ang patutunguhan namin..it’s for the best.
“Just be happy Cal, ingatan mo sila Addie ng mabuti. Seek deeply into your heart, alam kong alam mo na may puwang pa rin si Blythe d’yan sa puso mo. We need to accept certain things for us to be able to move on freely. I will be okay..we will be okay.” nagulat nalang ako ng bigla n’ya akong niyakap.
“I am so lucky to have you once and even though I knew I don’t deserve you, I still took the oppurtunity to be with you. Thank you for coming into my life Steff, you are my life-saver.” at hinalikan n’ya ako sa noo dahilan para mapapikit nalang ako, as I cherish this moment for the last time.
“I think this doesn’t belong to me.” at tinanggal ko ang engagement ring na bigay n’ya sakin at nilagay sa palad nito.
“No, it really belongs to you but it’s not for our time. What we have is a genuine love at a wrong time. Let’s better do it this way.” bigla nalang itong tumayo at inihagis sa dagat ang singsing at kita pa ang  kislap mula dito na nasinagan ng kaunting sikat ng araw bago ito umabot sa tubig.
Humarap ulit ito sakin and hold both my hands as he look me into my eyes and genuinely smile.
“This is our place, our moment, our time and our love. We can move on without forgetting something beautiful from our past. It will actually define us in the future. Let us keep this place, it’s yours anyway.” I just nod to what he said.
I will keep this place, hindi dahil sa gusto kung pahirapan ang sarili ko. This place is important to us and I want to keep it. Gaya ng sabi ni Calex hindi namin dapat kalimutan ang mga magandang bagay mula sa nakaraan.
“I love you, Steff..” at muli n’ya akong niyakap.
“I love you too, Cal.” I answered back without hesitation.
Sabay naming pinagmasdan ang pagsikat ng araw sa huling pagkakataon para sa amin. It maybe hurts like hell pero makakaya namin ito para sa ikabubuti ng lahat. Ito na ang panibagong yugto ng buhay namin kung saan hindi na kami sabay na tatahak, na bawat isa sa amin ay may bagong yugto na tatahakin mag-isa. Malungkot pero higit sa lahat ay masaya kami na naging parte kami ng buhay ng bawat isa sa amin.
“You sure your okay in here?” tanong nito ng nasa tapat na ito ng sasakyan n’ya.
“Yup, kunting oras pa. Gusto ko lang mag relax dito. One of this days uuwi na rin ako but for now, I’m enjoying my stay here.” sagot ko.
“Take care of yourself then. I need to talk to my parents about Addie, they want the kid to have our surname.”
“He should be, that kid deserve to have the best and also Blythe. They already suffered enough, it’s now your turn to take care of them. You are responsible to them now.” he just nod to what I said.
“Bye, Steff. Just always remember I am always be here for you no matter what happened between the two of us, you can always count on me.” and he smiled so I did the same.
“Bye, Calex. So, see you around then?”
“See you around, Steff.” huling sabi nito bago pumasok sa loob ng sasakyan nito.  He wave his final goodbye before starting the engine and leave.
I just thought of one thing, moving on and letting go doesn’t have to be always fainful. Meron na kailangan mo itong gawin dahil iyon ang kailangan and it’s not that bad. Gaya ng beach house na ito, hindi ko ito kailangang kalimutan dahil lang nagkahiwalay kami ni Calex. I can always keep this place because it makes me happy and I find comfort in here. This is it, my new life begins....again.
...................
One year later...
It’s been a hell of a year for me, lalo na ngayong nalalapit na ang graduation. I choose to stay and continue my study as a normal college girl named Uriel. Mas gusto kung mamuhay muna ng ganito kahit na alam kung may nag aantay sa aking mas mabigat na responsibilidad bilang Steffany.
Calex and I choose to remain friends after we broke up. Unti-unti na rin nawawala ang pagkailang namin sa isa't-isa tuwing nagkakasalubong kami at paminsan at sabay pa rin kaming nag lu-lunch. He’s doing good as Addie’s father, unti-unti na rin silang nagkasundo ni Blythe because of Addie. Meron kasi talagang mga bagay na pwede pa rin namang ayusin kahit alam mo dating nasira na. Dapat doble ingat ka kasi alam mo dating may sira na ito and this time ay mawawasak na talaga ito at hindi mo na ito maaayos pa.
“Hey, anong oras ka pupunta? Gusto mo sabay na tayo?” tanong ng lalaking umupo sa tapat ng inuupuan ko.
“Maybe later.” sagot ko as I sip from the cup of my latte.
“Maybe time really heals, parang kailan lang kasi ang nangyari at hindi natin namalayan isang taon na pala ang lumipas.” sabi nito kaya napatango nalang ako at nilaro ang cheesecake na nasa tapat ko.
“Ikaw Louise, anong balak mong gawin sa buhay mo?” tanong ko dito.
“Me? I’m enjoying my life as of this moment. Lalo na pag wala akong gawain bilang foreshadow at walang pinapaasikaso ang Tatay ko sa arena, I can easily relax myself here. This cafe is my escape Steff.” at ngumiti ito.
He owns this café kung saan ako palaging tumatambay dati at ang café kung saan palaging may nagbibigay sa akin ng cheer up notes. Kaya pala parang kilala ako ng nagbibigay sa akin ng mga note at pinapangiti ako dahil pala malapit ito sa akin.
“Thank you Louise for being their for me always..I mean si Calex ang bestfriend mo talaga but you're always in my side at alam ko naman na hindi lang ‘yun dahil nagtratrabaho ka sa pamilya ko.” and I smile at him.
“Pareho kayong importante sa akin at nasa tabi mo ako palagi kasi alam ko na mas kailangan mo ako. Having a friend is not limited to only one person Steff. Kaya nasa tabi n’yo lang ako palagi, you can always count on me.” tango nalang ang tanging naisagot ko.
I’m thankful kasi I also consider Louise as a close  friend. Kahit nawala si Issa I found a new close friend na nasa tabi ko palagi sa katauhan ni Louise.
“Uhm, una na ako..you sure na susunod ka nalang?”  tanong nito at tumayo na.
“Yeah, mamayang seven pa naman ang party diba?”
“Oo, tsaka pinapasabi ng makulit na pumunta ka daw at missed kana daw n’ya.”
“Kaya nga eh. I received bunch of messages lately ng umuwi sila. Punpunta ako and don’t worry because I am okay..I am okay now.” pahayag ko na tinanguan n’ya at pagkatapos ay umalis na rin.
Tonight is important for the Montereal’s because they are officially announcing Calex to take over their company. Hindi pa naman mag re-retire ang Daddy nito, it just serves as a training ground for him until the time comes na kaya na nito. It’s also a night for Calex and Blythe’s engagement party.
Sa totoo lang ilang araw na simula ng matanggap ko ang invitation ay kinakapa ko pa rin ang mararamdaman ko. It's just odd kasi wala akong maramdaman na sakit, paghihinayang o kahit na ano pa maliban sa pagiging masaya para sa kanilang dalawa. They both deserved to be happy and now I'm glad that they finally get the happiness that they deserve.
I stand up and started to walk away from the table. But for the last time I glance back to the table where I been and look to a particular sticky note. A smile plaster on my face as I continue walking out of the café..you’re right Louise.
Learn to be free. The world is big enough, soon you will find your own happiness. Just leave your burdens away so that you can run freely.. be free.
____________