A S H Y

Nakasama ko sila ng matagal. Pero alam kong ito ang araw na talagang hindi ko makakalimutan. Swear! I am the happiest and luckiest woman in English University, in the whole society, and even in the world that life brings.

Pareho kaming nakaupo sa kama habang tinatanaw ang labasan.

"Are you going to sleep?" tanong n'ya at lumingon sa akin.

I held his head. "I'm going to sleep again with you, Rain."

At this time, ako ang lumapit sa kanya. Running my hand through his hair, I kissed him. That kisses were different. It would actually my last moment with him. The harder, the better.

I felt our deep kisses and even our sensual touches. I let him again. Feeling the fast-moving of our bodies, the sweet tempting voices came from us. Can't really breathe in.

Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan ang mga sandaling kasama s'ya lalo na ang mga maiinit na gabi na s'ya naming pinagsaluhan. Though I need to move forward for better and for good, pero s'ya lamang ang tangi kong iibigin.

Letting him slept with me was the best way to say Goodbye. Agad ko na s'yang na-missed. Sa ganitong paraan lang din ako makakaalis agad.

Leaning on him, "I Love You, Rain."

I gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. And fixing myself, I stood and turned back. My tears dripped out at pilit ko itong inaalis. As I opened the door, muli ko s'yang nilingon.

"I will always loved you, Rain." I closed the door and walked away.

•••
S K Y

Muling tumigil ang aming bawat mundo nang makita namin s'yang balisa.

"Nasa'n s'ya??" I saw his bad glare, his irritated eyes.

Umiling si Red, "I can't find her."
And yes, we are finding her.

"She's out of coverage," tugon ni Frank at hawak pa ang phone nito.

"Hindi ko s'ya makita," umiiling na sagot ni Jack.

"Where did the hell she go?"
Nag-aalala s'ya sa kanya. Damn this moment. May kung anong kumurot sa aking puso.

"Did she told anyone of you about leaving?" mabilis n'yang tanong sa amin. My heart was twitching.

"She didn't." Lex shook his head.

He went back to his room and packed his things. He was in a hurry.

"Listen, Rain. Baka may paraan pa?" awat ni Ford sa kanya.

"Paraan para saan?" giit n'ya. "I don't want to waste my time."

Without hesitation, we get our things at sinundan s'ya. Sakay sa bus, ramdam ko ang kanyang nadarama. It's just like a big disaster risk occurred.

He tried to reach her, but no one answering his call.

"C'mon Ashleigh, answer your phone. Don't make me wait. Please."
I saw his sadness, his wet eyes. He's really in panic condition.

"She didn't gave any answer from me," Jack said.

"No,no,no," he shook, worrying. "Try to check her social sites, her GPS or emails. Anything!"

"No, Rain. She's out of the site," Ford showed us his phone.

"Try another one," pamimilit nya.

"Ford is right," Frank said. "She deactivated her known sites."

"I can't send anything to her mail, Rain," Jack added.

"That's a F*CK!!" Rain almost shouting. His anger outbursts.

Nang makauwi na kami sa rest house, he suddenly ran upstairs and opening every rooms' door. We even looked around and roamed outside, at the pool and anywhere around the house. But, we can't find nothing. No one.

"I need to find her," sabi n'ya at nagmamadaling umalis. Agad kaming sumunod ni Jack sa kanya.

Alam ko sa sarili kong aalis s'ya. Ang hindi ko inaasahan sa lahat, ang maging ganito katindi ang emosyon ni Ulan.

We tried to knock the door and even ringing the doorbell. We hitted her intercom. No one answered. Until someone came and talked us.

"Umalis na ang nakatira riyan." Kumalma si Rain.

"Where did she go?" tanong n'ya.

"Any idea kung sa'n s'ya pumunta?" Jack asked. "Do you know?"

Umiling lamang ito. "The last time I saw her, she talked to someone over the phone. Umalis s'ya na walang anumang dala na gamit."

"Okay, thank you," sabi ko.
Umalis s'ya at nakasunod lang din kami sa kanya.

"Baka nag-appear sya sa University for Journal Papers," pagbabaka-sakali ni Jack.

Sunod naming tinungo ang E.U, at nakita ko sa kanya ang labis na pag-asa; ang pag-asa na s'yang inilaan para sa kanya.

We are expecting to find her, pero gano'n pa rin ang nangyari.

"F*CK this thing!" galit n'yang sabi habang sapol ang kanyang ulo at palakad-lakad sa aming harapan. "So SH*T!"

"Kalma ka lang," giit ko at palingon-lingon sa paligid. "Huwag dito, Rain. Umuwi na tayo." We controlled him na huwag magwala sa public area.

He's running through his veins. At ganunpaman, bumalik kami sa rest house without nothing. Tinungo n'ya ang bar counter at mag-isang umupo sa stool habang umiinom ng alak. Tahimik naman kaming umupo sa sofa.

"He needs a break," I calmly said. "He needs time for himself."

"I can't even believed na gagawin n'ya ito sa kanya." Lex met his brows. "Tsk!"

"I don't understand how this thing really happened." Ford glanced up to the ceiling.

"Rain, where are you going?" pagtataka ni Frank.
Agad namin s'yang nilingon. Huminto s'ya at bumaling sa amin. Pinanghinaan s'ya ng loob.

"No need to follow me. Aalis akong mag-isa. Walang sasama, walang susunod."

"Tawagan mo kami kapag kailangan mo," tugon ni Red.

Umiling s'ya, "I can manage myself. Don't worry about me."
Saglit pa ay umalis din ito.

The darkness of night fell. Tapos na kaming kumain, pero si Ulan ay hindi pa rin bumabalik.

"Sa'n naman kaya s'ya pupunta?" Bumaling si Lex sa akin.

"Sa lugar kung saan sila minsang nagkita," sagot ko at nakapirme ang mga mata sa mesa.

"Do you know where it was?" tanong ni Ford.

"Sa Light house," tugon ni Frank at tumayo. "Susunduin ko s'ya."

Nilingon n'ya ako. "At isasama ko si Sky."

Tumayo na rin ako saka kami lumakad palabas ng bahay.

Frank used our old fashioned car which is Limousine at parating pa lang kami nang biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan.

"Sh*t! Bakit ngayon pa?" naiinis n'yang usal.
Agad naman naming narating ang Parola. Dali-dali naming tinungo ang itaas na bahagi. We know he's here.

"Rain!"

Agad kaming lumapit sa kanya nang sya'y aming makita. He was sitting at nakaangat ang ulo. He even closed his eyes.

"C'mon, Rain. Get up." Pilit ko s'yang itinatayo at inalalayan namin s'ya pababa.

He and Franko used the Limousine, habang ako naman ang nag-drive sa kotse n'ya pauwi sa bahay.

"Rain, don't do it again," he angrily said, looking to his brother. "Do you understand?"

Rain said nothing and remained dumbfounded.

Pagkarating namin sa rest house, agad kaming nagpalit ng damit. We're wet by the rain. It took thirty minutes maybe, before he goes down. Tahimik s'yang umupo at marahang tumingin sa bawat isa sa amin.

"How can we find her?" panimula ni Lex.

"She leaved intentionally, and it means she settled that very plan of her," Ford said.

"There's no new locations of her," Jack scrolled his phone.

"Hindi ba natin s'ya hahanapin?"

"Hihintayin mo ba kung kailan sya babalik?" Sunod-sunod na tanong ng kambal.

"Hindi na s'ya babalik," tugon ni Rain sa mahinang boses.

"Hindi ka talaga sigurado na hindi na s'ya magbabalik pang muli," giit ni Frank.

"Umalis s'ya ng hindi nagpaalam. Iniwan n'ya sa hotel ang kanyang mga gamit para iisipin kong umalis lang s'ya saglit at babalik din agad. Ayoko s'yang hanapin. Alam kong babalikan n'ya ang Parola dahil paborito n'ya ang lugar na iyon." He began to sigh.

"Doon ko s'ya kusang hihintayin."

The silence spread out.

"Hindi man natin natapos ang bakasyon, sa ibang bagay tayo magtatapos. Salamat... Salamat kasi buo pa rin tayo hanggang ngayon. For being my buddies, and for everything about us."

He finally stood.

"Don't worry about me, I grow everyday. Twenty seven years of existence and I came from a broken family. But still, I've got everything in life. About us? Tatanda ako na kayo ang kasama. Infinite ang samahan natin. Matatag at matibay. Kayo pa rin ang uuwian ko."

He stopped as he turned back and took his deep breath.

"And about Ashleigh? I Loved her so much."
And suddenly, he walked away.