I’m just wearing my school uniform, I didn’t go home to change. After class, Austin took me to the flower field together with his telescope—to spend the last of my remaining hours.

Habang nakasakay ako sa bike niya ay nakayakap ako sa kan’ya, I’m feeling his presence. Wala naman siyang malisya at hinahayaan lang ako, total na sa bisikleta naman kami’y para ’di na rin ako mahulog.

Austin is also wearing the Saint Anthony’s uniform. The familiar scent of his cologne—I can smell it, I can feel his warmth. This is the last time, it will all end today. So, kailangan ko nang lubus-lubusin ang mga oras kong kasama siya.

I wanted him to be the last person I’m seeing before I go back, I said my goodbyes to my parents here. Even if iba ang meaning ng pagpapaalam kong ’yon sa kanila, akala nila’y pupunta lang ako sa school pero...

Babalik na ’ko... Babalik na muli sa dati ang lahat.

Saka na lamang ako natauhan nang huminto ang bike na sinasakyan namin, narito na pala kami sa flower field, bumitaw ako sa pagkakahawak kay Austin at bumaba sa bisikleta. Kinuha naman niya ang mga parte ng telescope na ia-asemble pa niya mamaya.

Pasado alas sais na nang makarating kami rito, medyo dumidilim na. Pero kahit gano’n ay nangingibabaw pa rin ang kulay ng mga bulaklak dito sa flower field, saglit akong umupo habang pinagmamasdan si Austin habang ina-assemble niya ang kan’yang telescope.

He assembled it as soon as it got dark, he sat down with me as we witness the stars shine. Dumidilim na, naririnig na rin namin ang tunog ng mga kuliglig sa mga kalapit na damuhan. Naramdaman na rin naming dalawa ang pag-ihip ng malamig na hangin, sabay kaming humiga ni Austin sa damuhan.

Suddenly, there were these fireflies. They started flying while they glow as the day turns to night. The blue sky was replaced with a violet one, it compliments the twinkling stars as fireflies around us flew gently.

It’s just like a lullaby, I can hear the sound of crickets from the distant bushes. The grass calmly moves as the gentle wind blows towards my body, I can feel Austin close to me.

I held his hands as we look up the night sky, the moon shines bright as the stars twinke above our eyes. Our heads meet, our hair collided as it blows by the calming wind.

We were both smiling, lying down the dense grassfield. I can feel that Austin is happy. I can feel him close to me. My eyes then widened as I saw a falling star, I pointed at it and uttered.

“Look, Austin, it’s a shooting star!” I exclaimed as I pointed up the sky. Those stars I pointed suddenly became a shower of beautiful meteors.

Naalala kong muli ang panaginip ko, parang gan’to lang ’yon. O gan’tong-gan’to talaga siya, Austin and I holding hands like this. I can clearly imagine how that dream of mine goes, and... here it is, coming true.

Napangiti ako nang dahil sa mga nangyayari, I never expected this to happen but just shortly it began. Hindi ko na kailangang magpaliwanag, matagal ko nang hinihiling sa Diyos na mangyari ang bagay na ’to.

Matagal na ’kong nagtatago, matagal na ’kong nalulungkot, matagal na ’kong umaasa. Umaasa na sana’y may magbago, umaasa na sana’y sumaya man lamang kahit sandali.

“It’s beautiful, I-I can’t believe what I’m witnessing. It’s very amazing.” His husky voice echoed through my ears, just hearing him talk makes me fall for him more.

“Now, let’s make a wish together.” He uttered again.

Bumaling ako sa kan’ya at pinagmasdan ang mga mata niyang nagniningning. I smiled as I wondered. Ano pa ba ang hihilingin ko?

“I wish that you can find true happiness, Gael. That happiness that doesn’t die, that kind of happiness that doesn’t have any limits.” I held his hand tightly as I come to my senses, tears suddenly flowed through my eyes.

“The happiness you surely desire, that kind of happiness that warms your heart. That kind of happiness that you’re still longing to.” Napangiti na lang ako.

Hindi ko alam pero no’ng sinabi niya ’yon ay basta na lang tumulo ang mga luha sa ’king mga mata.

May mahihiling pa ba ako kung ang sinasabi niya ay kasalukuyan nang nangyayari? Ito na yata ang pinakamasayang naranasan ko, ito na yata ang kasiyahang sinasabi niya—all of this, this life and this world. 

“Austin, you’re the happiness that I’ve wished for.” Nakita kong nanlaki ang nga mata niya at dahan-dahan siyang napatingin sa ’kin, his bright twinkling eyes met mine.

“And you’re the one I always wanted to be with.” He replied.

The cold wind suddenly blew as the grass dances through the gentle touch of that cold breeze. I wanted to cover myself by ravishing my body by my hands. But suddenly, I felt Austin’s arms wrapped around my waist—he was hugging me from the back.

His warm body counters the cold that the night breeze bring, I can feel his gentle touch even though I’m already covered by my shaggy polo shirt.

“Kung matupad man ang mga hiling ko, siguro’y natupad na ’yon ngayon.” I giggled.

Once again our eyes met when I turned to meet his face. His smile from earlier doesn’t even fade, that tender smile that I’m still longing to see.

“Hey, Gael. I’ve been thinking... I never even thought that our friendship will last until now. It’s just lately that I  realized, we’ve been hanging out by just only the two of us.” He began uttering.

“I really wanted to say this to you.” He then whispered. I know it, alam ko na ang sasabihin niya. Finally, nagkaro’n na rin siya ng tapang.

But then, silence grew between us as he whispered, he just took a deep breath and he looked at me with a smile. I did looked into his eyes, deeper plunged my gaze into him as seconds go by.

I could only hear the sound of the crickets, and as I turn my gaze into the fireflies that glows around me and Austin, I broke the silence in our boundary.

“What’s that you wanted to say?” I asked.

I then followed by asking, his face then turned red and he couldn’t look at me in the eyes. But one thing is certain, he’s still got that warm smile even though he’s nervous.

“I think that I have a crush on you, even more than that, I guess. I have this feelings I once felt when I first saw you at Saint Anthony’s, I can’t explain what I felt but it was surely warming and full of joy.” He then looked at the stars, his eyes twinkled once again as he gazed.

“Parang itong mga bituin sa langit. Kapag nakikita ko sila, may nararamdaman akong hindi ko maipaliwanag. I once thought that it was only happiness, pero nalaman kong hindi lang pala ’yon.” He gigled, he then turned his sight to me.

Kung kanina’y hindi niya ako matingnan nang mata sa mata, ngayon ay direkta na siyang nakatingin sa ’kin.

Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang pakiramdam, kinakabahan ako habang nag-uumapaw sa saya. Hindi ko alam, pero ito na yata ang pakiramdam na ’yon.

Ang nararamdaman ng isang tao kapag in love ito.

“You’re the first person that made me feel this way, I really like you... Gael.” I almost trembled when I heard him said those words, I feel like I’m going to explode because of joy.

“The same I felt to you, matagal ko nang inililihim sa iba at sa ’king sarili ang nararamdaman ko para sa ’yo. Pero ngayon, hindi ko na pakakawalan pa ang pagkakataon.” I smiled and I returned to him what he said to me.

“I really like you, too, more than anything.” Again, tears flowed down my eyes. I can’t control these emotions inside me nor I can’t react to anything.

I then came to my senses when I felt Austin’s lips on mine, as it met there was only silence. Only the sound of the crickets, I closed my eyes as I leaned on his chest.

I’m sure, that right now, we’re feeling the same. Ito lang naman ang nais kong marinig, ang matagal nang nais kong maranasan. Kaya napakasaya ko, kaya walang katumbas ang nadarama ko.

Pero, hindi na rin ito nagtagal.

Bigla na lamang nagdilim ang lahat at naramdaman kong nag-init ang buong katawan ko. Napapikit ako, at sa mga sumunod na nangyari ay natagpuan ko ang sarili kong nakahiga sa isang kama—may nakakabit na incubator at life support sa ’king bibig at katawan.

Unti-unti kong namalayan ang lahat, narinig kong may isang babaeng sumisigaw. I noticed that it was Mama, I saw my parents hugging each other as they both cry in joy. So that was it, that was the fifteen days of staying in that world. I enjoyed every single bit of it.

“Gising si Gael! Panginoon ko, salamat po!” I can hear Mama exclaiming.

She thanked God that I’m already awake, ako nama'y pinapasalamatan ko rin ang Diyos dahil kahit paano’y itinakas niya ’ko sa malupit na reyalidad.

Babalik na sa dati ang buhay ko, pero alam kong hindi ko makakalimutan ang mga nangyari sa mundong ’yon. Alam kong hindi na ’ko makakabalik do’n, alam ko na rin ang mga mangyayari sa hinaharap.

Matapos kong magising ay bumalik na nga sa dati ang buhay ko, saka ko lang din nalamang napakaraming nagbukas na oportunidad para sa ’kin pagkagising ko.

Tinulungan kami ng mga kamag-anak namin sa probinsiya para sa pagpapagamot ko, nang nalaman ng school ang situwasyon ko ay nag-raise sila ng fund raising program para maipang-tulong sa gastusin ko sa ospital.

Pressy and Austin are still together though, hindi rin ako ang valedictorian. Pero masaya ako dahil naranasan ko ang mga ipinagkait sa ’kin dito sa mundong ito kahit na panandalian lang.

Sa kabutihang palad ay sinuwerte si Mama sa pagkayod niya bilang isang tindera, nabawi namin ang puhunan bago pa man magpasukan at nakabalik ako sa pag-aaral. Sa mga pagkakataon ding ’yon ay nagkaroon ako ng mga kaibigang nakakaintindi sa situwasyon ko, sa kung sino ako at ano ako.

Sila Mama at Papa, dahil sa nangyari sa ’kin ay mas naging compassionate sila sa pakikitungo sa ’kin. Nakita nila kung ga’no ako ka-importante sa kanila at tinanggap nila ang identity ko bilang isang tao—bilang anak nila.

Out of the blue, Pressy stood down and she let me strive for the title of being the top one in class. Na-achieve ko nga ang goal ko at ang pangarap ko, pero wala pa rin sa ’kin ang isang bagay na hindi talaga magiging akin—ang pag-ibig.

The following year, Sir Lorenzo left the Sainy Anthony’s Catholic Academy because of the regret he felt and he said that he was done in that school. Umalis siya dahil nagsisisi pa rin siya at nakapagpasalamat pa ’ko sa kan’ya bago siya makaalis.

I’ve never seen Sir Lorenzo again since he left. Pero, mananatili sa ’kin ang ginawa niya para mas gumaan ang pakiramdam ko noong mga oras na sa tingin ko’y wala akong silbi at dapat na lang akong mamatay.

He’s the one responsible for all of that, siya ang gumawa ng mga bagay na ikinatuwa ko. Ang mga bagay na maituturing ko bilang ang mga pinakamasayang sandali ng aking buhay.

I’ve never felt so loved in my entire life, and that he made me feel the bliss of getting what I wanted for a short amount of time. But as days go by, all of those memories are just written in the past. Hindi na muling mauulit pa, at hindi na ko na muling mararanasan pa.

I guess, what happened in the parallel world, may have been the greatest memories...

The greatest memories that I will someday forget.