Chapter forty: Goodbye

Isang buwan akong nagkukulong sa kwarto ko sa bahay. Wala akong ibang ginagawa dito. 6th day ko na in suspension. Nakuha na nila Kaede at Hailey lahat ng benefits. Money, new house, airplane, cars, lahat na. I am left here in the house, walang pera. Just my passport.

"Baby!" Katok niya sa kwarto ko, masaya akong binuksan yun. There he is, Cassian. Dad allowed us to be together for one more week. At bukas na ang last day niya.

He gripped my waist and placed me down on my bed. He kissed me and I laughed before I responded to his kiss. We were kissing passionately when someone knocked at the door.

It was dad and ate. "One more day left Cassian, baka kasi malaman nila Kaede ang ginagawa niyong dalawa sa likod nila." Sabi ni ate.

"Pag natapos ang one month suspension mo anak, you will have to leave this house. Find a place to stay. That's why I'm giving you Fifteen thousand dollars only before you leave next month. Use that money wisely anak." Sabi ni daddy at niyakap ako ng mahigpit.

"Bakit ba parang mawawala ako? Wag kayong magalala I can take care of myself." Sabi ko at tinapik balikat ni daddy.

Umalis sila sa kwarto ko at naiwan ulit kami ni Cassian. "Kakayanin mo bang wala ako?" Tanong ko, he's been avoiding that question ever since.

Bukas after we break up. Titira na siya sa bahay nila Kaede. His reason kung bakit hindi pa siya nagmomove in doon ay dahil binibisita niya yung mommy niya.

"Magbihis ka, we're going to meet my mom." Sabi niya, at nagulat naman ako.

"Ayoko, baka ayaw sa akin. Isumpa ako." Natatarantang sabi ko, he laughed at me, cupped my face and gave me a soft kiss.

"Don't worry she won't bite." Sabi niya at lumabas na ng kwarto giving me privacy to change my clothes. I just wore a sleeveless white flowy dress ending above my knees paired with yellow boots.

Lumabas ako ng kwarto at nandoon na si Cassian naghihintay. "What is she like?" I asked while we were in the car, I was playing with my fingers kasi kinakabahan ako.

Nagtaka ako nang pumasok kami sa isang sementeryo. Wait... Hindi nalang ako nagsalita at sinundan nalang siya maglakad papunta siguro sa puntod ng mommy niya.

Cassandra Priam

March 9, 1980-September 16, 2017

It's his mom's death anniversary . I hugged Cassian from the side to let him know that I am here hanggang bukas.

"Mom. Pinapakilala ko sa inyo ang babaeng gusto kong pakasalan..." Naluluhang sabi niya sa puntod.

"Pero mommy bawal eh, aalis na kasi siya next month. At kailangan ko nang bumalik sa trabaho." Naiiyak na din ako, kaya umupo ako sa harap ng puntod ni tita at niyakap ang sariling tuhod.

"Mommy sana kapag umalis na siya, bantayan niyo po siya. Wag niyo pong hahayaan na may ibang lalaking lumapit sa kanya." Natawa ako sa sinabi niya.

"And please, give her another lifestyle that will put everything in her life back on track. Mahal na mahal ko tong babaeng to mommy. So kapag nakahanap na siya ng panibagong buhay, sana bumalik siya sa akin. Kasi maghihintay ako, basta malaman ko lang babalik siya."

Naluha na si Cassian at pinunasan ko luha niya.

"Pangako ko, babalik ako." Sabi ko at hinalikan siya sa labi. We didn't move, it was just a kiss with no tongue included.

Tumayo na ako at umalis na kami. Nagising ako sa kama ko na kayakap pa din si Cassian. Normal na saaming natutulog nang magkatabi so it's okay.

Bababa na sana ako ng pigilan ako ni Cassian. "Baba na tayo, we have to eat." Sabi ko.

"Let's stay here for a bit, I want to cherish our last moments as a couple." Pumayag ako sa sinabi niya. hanggat sa makarinig akong malakas na putok sa baba, baril ba yun?

"What are you doing? Hindi mo titingnan?" Tanong ni cassian.

"I don't have my badge anymore, and also suspended akong lumaban sa kahit saan." Sabi ko at humiga ulit sa kama.

"Ravenna!" Sigaw ng boses ni ate. Shit! Mabilis akong bumaba at nakita kong nakapatay lahat ng ilaw pero pumapasok pa ding sunlight dahil maraming bintana.

Nagulat ako nang may pumutok na part poppers.

"Happy birthday to you...." Kanta nila. Nagulat ako when I saw Kaede, hailey, Calyx and Ryota standing in front of me. Alam nila na kami pa ni Cassian.

Nilingon ko si Cassian na may dalang cake. Pagkatapos nilang kumanta I blowed the cake.

"A-anong ginagawa niyo dito?" naiilang kong tanong.

"Pinilit kami," Kaede said coldly. Nakita kong bago lahat ng cellphone nila. Pero di ko nalang pinansin.

"Aalis din kami agad after kumain." Sabi ni Hailey. Ang cold nila huhu.

Si Ryota at Calyx pinanlilisikan lang ng mata si Cassian. Mabilis lang kaming nakakain at umalis na sila kaagad.

Gabi na nang ayain ako ni Cassian sa bubong ng bahay namin. Nakita kong may picnic mat doon at telescope. "Stargazing!" Sabi ko at lumapit doon.

"I figured out on your birthday and last day as a couple we would do this."

"Yeah... Pero ang lungkot lang." Sabi ko at kumunot noo niya.

"They're all mad at me, at us I think. Sana bago ako umalis maging maayos muna kami. kasi ayokong umalis dito nang may galit sa akin." Sabi ko at tumingin doon sa telescope.

I saw that he took a picture of me pero hindi na ako tumingin nagnotify ang phone ko nang ipost niya agad yung picture with a caption. 'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?'

How can I be your moon when you keep looking at the stars? Paulit ulit na tinatanong ko sa utak ko, naalala ko yung time na hinalikan niya si Avalon.

Saktong 12 tumayo ako, at tumayo din siya. Niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit bago ko siya halikan.

"Happy break up, baby." Sabi ko at bumaba na ng bubong.

October 10 na at nakaisang buwan na ako. I have already packed my bags and decided to go to a different country.

Nagkita kita kaming lahat doon. Nakita ko na ulit silang lahat.

Biglang yumakap sa akin si Kaede at Hailey. "I'm sorry." Sabay nilang sabi, at nagulat ako. Niyakap ko nalang din sila.

"Hey, wag kayo umiyak. Hindi ko planong magdrama ngayon." Sabi ko at nilayo ang mukha ko sa kanila.

"Kaede, you will be a great leader to them. And I am happy for every one of you. Ryota alagaan mo to, kung di baka patayin kita. Joke lang." Sabi ko.

"Hailey, magiging masaya kayo dahil wala nang kontrabidang bestfriend niyo. Mahal na mahal ko kayong lahat." Sabi ko nakita ko si Cassian na palapipt pero tumalikod na ako.

Alam ko kasing magdradrama to. Naramdaman ko ang hawak niya sa wrist ko.

"I don't get a good bye?" Inis na tanong niya.

"What?" I tried not to show emotion.

"Lahat sila may paalam pero ako wala? Ano 'yan, Ravenna?" naluluhang tanong niya, not now cassian.

"You know what after all the things we did together, helped each other through these past few battles. I can't believe this is how you want to leave things between us."

"Ganyan ba kababa ang tingin mo sa akin?" 'Di ko na mapigiling hindi magsalita. "I cannot believe that after what you said that we have been through tough battles you do not know one thing about me. "

"Kaya pala wala kang sinabi?" Sarkastikong saad niya.

"Because it was too damn hard, Cassian!" Sigaw ko. Feeling ko nag scascandalo kami ngayon sa airport. "I can't even begin to explain to you how much I'm going to miss you."

"After we broke up, not seeing you everyday makes me not want to go. I'm trying to avoid you right now because I don't want to make an impulsive decision and stay. You mean more to me." Binalot muna kami ng katahimikan bago ako magsalita ulit.

"So there, alright. That's your goodbye." Sabi ko at naglakad na papuntang boarding area.

We should chase our stars in separate ways.

I will always love you for who you are and what you are, my love.