“You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.”

***

It was 2020, when I decided to write a stories with my friend May.

Months fly so fast, I decided to entered a writer community where I met my fellow writer. I was with my friend on that time, named May.

One of them caught my attention, the iceberg member of the group. The cold one, his pen name was Cinco. The way he write was so good and he's into painting also, I saw it one time, he my day it using his writer account. I added you, gladly you accepted me.

I know am not the only girl who's admiring you from afar. Countless of writers' also are and you're close with some of them. Until the first anniversary of that group came, it was full of fun and they had booths. I took all my courage to marry you, silly of me.

We both says our vows, and when you say yours I felt the unfamiliar sound of my beating heart. One of the happiest day in my life, but afternoon came someone paid for our divorce. I was still at awe when the admin added me on the divorce booth. I can't accept that we just ended up like that. "Hindi man lang tayo pinaabot ng bukas." It was the words that I told myself. I felt something heavy inside my chest.

I know I shouldn't felt like this, because it was all just for fun when I married you. The head facilitator give us extension. When saturday came, June 20, 2021 we both get divorce.

Your last message was "Thank you for agreeing on our divorce. Yet, it was too late. I badly want to marry her, yet I can't."

"Thank you for liking me, babe. When it still early, I want you to be happier. Choose another one, but not me. I already had my moon." Isang sampal ang mga salita na iyon sa'kin Cinco, para lubayan ka.

It's been three years and I'm still into you. It's already 2023, few days from now the group decided to have a meet and greet virtually. I'll able to see the face of the man I am admiring the most. Imagine that? I've only known you through internet. I told myself, that I won't fall inlove to a man I've met on internet. Ngunit kinain ko lahat ng sinabi ko no'ng nakilala kita.

You're faceless, a cold one. Little did you know, behind of your coldness. I was there, admiring you from a far. You're too impossible to reach.

***

"Nak, kain na." Natigil ako sa pagsusulat ng tinawag ako ni mama. I saved it to draft, bago ako bumaba.

Pagkarating ko sa baba ay agad akong umupo at sumabay sakanila na kumain.

"Nak, huwag laging magpuyat. Yung eyebags mo mas malaki pa sa'yo." Sabi ni mama. Tumawa naman ang pinsan ko na kasabay naming kumain.

Binilisan ko nalang kumain, bago pa nila ako maasar ulit. Masyado akong busy, kaya lagi akong puyat. Mabuti nalang, may nakilala akong pangalawang pamilya. My friends.

Bumalik ako sa taas para tapusin ang sinusulat kong kwento. It's for our project purposes. Sabi ng isang guro namin, we need to share our talent and and share it to class. I write the last sentence of the story and save it.

Kinabukasan ay maaga akong gumising at ginawa ang dapat kong gawin bago pumasok. No'ng natapos ako ay nagpaalam na ako kay mama. I've reached the school and I saw my two best friend. May and Aaron.

COVID was still here, ngunit pwede ng maka pasok ang mga students but limited. Gatherings are still not allowed.

"Nagawa niyo yung pinapagawang output ni sir?" May asked. I nod, and also him.

"Paano kaya ako na walang talento, charot." Natawa ako sa sinabi ni May. This girl is really humourous. Hindi pangit ka bonding.

"Singko na naman score ko pag nagkataon." When I heard the number. I remembered him again. Uso move on, 'te. I told myself.

"Hindi naman siguro ganon kasama si Sir." I chuckled.

Habang ang isa naming kasama, tahimik lang. Bakit nga ulit namin naging kaibigan ang lalaking 'to? Pangit ka bonding nito eh. Charot, we're friends because the three of us are neighbors and into writing.

Nakarating din kami sa classroom, first subject namin si Sir. Hindi nagtagal ay dumating din si Sir.

"Okay class, let's start. Ibahagi niyo ang inyong talento at para kanino niyo ginawa iyan." Sambit ni Sir. Nagsimula ng magbahagi ang mga ka klase ko, hanggang si May na.

She sang, and it was for the man she love. One of our classmate in this subject. She smiled on her boyfriend lovingly. Sanaol, may jowa, when kaya?

Bigla ko na naman siyang naalala. I just smiled bitterly. Sha, napaka rupok. Tinawag na si Aaron, he showed us a painting of a silhouette girl watching the moon. I'm not a fan of night, I like daylight more. Kaya alam kong hindi ako ang pininta niya.

"She's the girl I've ever dreamed to be, but she never let me hug her free." She glance on someone but he immediately look at the painting again.

Now, I'll already concluded who's the girl behind of that painting of him. Akala ko ako lang ang marupok, siya rin pala. Mag best friend nga kami.

"Please be happy, but don't be happier, buwan." He says, before he went back to his chairs.

"Miss Monte," our professor called me. Tumayo ako at pumunta sa harapan nila.

Binahagi ko ang kwentong ginawa ko. Ang kwento nating dalawa, na kailanman ay hindi mawawala sa puso't isipan ko.

"That's all, thank you." Bumalik ako sa upuan ko. Noong inanunsyo ni Sir ang score ay hindi ko mapigilang magdiwang. I am one of those who got the highest score.

"Congrats, and please move on. Lol," Aaron says.

"Thank you, congrats din sa'yo, tol. Walang mag mo move on, pareho tayong marupok." Wika ko, and I laugh a bit. Though he didn't, masyado siyang seryoso.

"Owshii, sanaol hindi niyo na ako sinasama ha. Magsolo kayo jan, lovebirds." Nakangusong sambit ni May. If she just knew.

Dumating ang araw kung saan ang meet at greet naming lahat.

Pinamunuan ang program ng ADMODS the program went well. Nagsimulang magpakilala ang bawat isa. Pinagpapawisan ako, why am I feeling this? When I heard his name, I immediately glance at my laptop.

"Cinco," Right at that moment, I didn't able to flinch even a bit.

"Hi, its me Cinco."

Sana, noong una palang tinigil ko na. Hindi sana ako masasaktan ng ganito. The man that I admired the most, and my best friend are one. Now I understand why moon. Dahil buwan, and buwan is month and month is my best friend, May.

"Bakit po number five ang napili niyo?" One of the our co writer ask.

"Because of the girl that I've ever dreamed until now."

May, it's the fifth month. Even if he won't tell exactly why number five. Alam kong siya pa rin ang dahilan kung bakit.

I couldn't reach you, so maybe it's the sign that I'll walk on a separate path from now on. Far from you. Me loving you, you loving her, and it's hurt like hell.

She sing for her lover,
Everyday,
I write for you,
But sadly,
You paint for your moon.

I write, and you paint, but we write and paint for different people. I write for a painter, and you paint for a singer.