Epilogue:

My phone keeps vibrating on the table. Agad kong niligpit ang mga materials na nasa mesa. My laptop, magazine clips, my notebook and pens. Siniksik ko ang mga ito sa aking back pack saka sinagot ang tawag.

"Hey, Pia!"

"Where are you, Isabelle? We're going to be late."

"I'm coming. May tinatapos lang ako."

Nagmadali akong lumabas mula sa coffee shop. Halos tumatakbo akong tumungo sa meeting place namin. Sa park malapit sa downtown. Napangiti ako nang makita ang familiar na minivan. Matagal ko din itong hindi nakita.

Naghihintay ang aking mga kasama. There's Pia tapping on her phone, probably texting another member na tulad ko ay late din. There's Rhea and Stephen. Charlie is already inside the open van.

Sandali akong tumigil para pagmasdan ang aking mga kasama. We often see each other every now and then. Kahit nakagraduate na ang halos lahat sa amin at may kanya kanya ng trabaho, we always make it a point to see each other at least every other week, other than late night group chats and video calls.

Dalawang taon na ang lumipas. Two years since that day. His grin flashed in my memories. Kamusta ka na, Gavin?

Lumapit ako sa mga kasama ko. Rhea hugged me immediately once she saw me. Rhea is a teacher now, a kind and dedicated one. Tulad si Charlie ay nagtuturo siya ng secondary education sa kanilang bayan. Pia works in an advertising agency in Makati. Lawrence works in Quezon City as an IT specialist. And Stephen in one of the tech companies in Clark. Me? I've graduated business course, cum laude of my class. Yes, a rank lower than my parent's expected from me. But for the first time in my life I heard those words from them.

"I'm proud of you."

Now, I'm studying. Again. I'm taking film and creative writing in a higher university here in Pampanga.

"Isabelle!"

Nagtatalon kami ni Rhea habang magkayakap. I hugged every member of my group. Dalawang taon. Madami na ang nagbago. Pero mas pinagtibay kami ng pagkakataon.

Hindi naalis ang simangot sa labi ni Pia. I turned to Stephen. "Ano'ng meron?" I mouthed.

"Si Lawrence hindi nagre-reply," bulong niya. "Ilang oras ng nasa byahe pauwi."

Oh. Mukhang nasa boss mode nanaman ang EIC namin. Maya maya pa tumawag si Lawrence.

"Darating ka pa?"

Pinigilan ko ang aking ngiti dahil sa sagot ni Pia. Hindi na nagbago ang dalawa. Habang nakikipag usap si Pia kay Lawrence, isang lalake ang naglalakad palapit sa amin. Walang malay si Pia dahil busy siya sa phone. Lawrence placed his fingers on his lips, silently telling us not to say a word.

"Ano na? Hindi ka sasagot?"

Umakbay si Lawrence kay Pia. And because it's Pia, her first reaction is to nudge the ribs of whoever it is. Lawrence let out an 'ow' at napahawak sa tyan niya.

"Yong ibang girlfriend halik ang bati, ikaw sakit ng katawan."

Pia didn't look guilty at all. "Kasalanan mo, hindi ka nagrereply."

Natawa si Charlie at Stephen. "Lawrence, panay pasa ka na ata," biro nila.

Lawrence chuckled with them. "Pasalamat ka Boss, mahal kita."

Pia rolled her eyes. Pero nang pumasok kami sa minivan narinig ko ang nag aalalang tanong niya kay Lawrence.

"Ano ba kasing nangyari?"

"Nasiraan kami eh."

Pia and Lawrence have been together for more than a year now. Saka lamang nagkalakas ng loob si Lawrence nang maka-graduate sila at magkatrabaho. He said that he finally have something to be proud of. Pia's been waiting for him to have the confidence, and when he asked her to be his girlfriend, she said yes. Pero halos hindi nagbago ang pakikitungo nila sa isa't isa. They still treat each other as best friends. Pia is serious and yep, sometimes brutal. Lawrence loves to joke around, but is responsible. They compliment each other.

Nagsimula kaming magbyahe. Napatingin ako sa bintana. Gavin, namimiss mo na ba kami? Magkikita na ulit tayo.

I opened my bag and brought out the magazine. Napalingon sa akin si Rhea na aking katabi.

"Meron ka paring kopya niyan?" Sinabi niya. "Nakatago parin ang akin."

Maging ang mga kasama ko ay napalingon sa akin.

"It's been two years."

"Maayos paring ang akin."

"I read it every now and then."

Napangiti ako sa kanilang sinabi. Hindi na muli pang naibalik ang Arcadian sa university. The issue in my hand was the last issue of Arcadian. I flipped through the pages to relieve the memories. Pictures. Quotes. Poems. Essays. Stories. And our last moments with Gavin. Isa ito sa mga bagay na iniingatan ko.

Lumipas ang kalahating oras bago kami nakarating sa aming destinasyon. Ipinasok namin ang sasakyan sa loob ng mataas na gate. Trimmed green grass lined the sidewalk. Palm trees and flowered bushes adorned the place. Every now and then, we would passed carved squares made of marble situated in the grass.

Huminto ang sasakyan sa familiar na lugar. For the last two years, I've been here many times than I could count. Bumaba ang aking mga kasama. Ang ilan ibinaba ang mga dala naming pagkain. This is our time with Gavin.

"Ano na, brad?" Sinabi ni Lawrence. "Namiss mo ba kami?"

Inalis namin ang mga tuyong bulaklak sa kanyang puntod at pinalitan ng bago. Inayos namin ang lugar so we can lay the picnic blanket and our food.

"Kamusta dyan sa itaas?" Tanong ni Stephen.

"I'm sure he's goofing around with angels," said Charlie.

I stared at the marble plate engraved with his name. Gavin Nicholo Javier Delos Reyes. We are here again Gavin. Did you wait long? Did you miss us?

Kinausap ng mga kasama ko si Gavin na tila nandito parin siya, kasama namin, nasa harap namin, talking and laughing with us.

"Ang hirap nung company project namin, brad. Magdamagan kung mag encode ng data. Ikaw magaling dito eh," sinabi ni Stephen.

"Alam mo Gavin naalala kita doon sa mascot na nakita ko sa park last time. Niyakap ko nga eh," said Rhea.

"Baba ka na dito, brad. Walang beer dyan sa itaas," biro ni Lawrence.

Nang maiayos namin ang mga pagkain, binuksan namin ang kahon ng cake.

"Happy birthday, Gavin."

Dalawang taon na mula noong nawala siya sa amin. And in the past two years, I've been braver. Natapos ko ang aking kurso at hiniling kay Dad na mag aral ulit. And this time with the course I wanted. I've been writing, doing creative projects. But there are times I still search for him in every person I meet. I still search for his smiles in the crowd, or the way he called me babes, or his words that became my strength. I keep his old phone and pay network bills, so I can still hear his voice on the voice mail saying:

"Yo! Si Gavin 'to. May mensahe ka ba para sa akin?"

I do, Gavin. I have a lot of things I wanted to say to you. I miss you. So bad. I miss your grin, your laugh, I miss your comforting words whenever I was having a hard time. There are still times I cry myself to sleep thinking of you. Whenever I achieved something, I always hope you'd see me and be proud of me.

I miss the way you tease me and the way you make me laugh. People still see me as someone serious and cagey, but I'm trying to reach out the way you reach my hand when I was lost and drowning. I miss everything about you, the way you lean your head on my shoulders, or your arms resting on top of my head, the way you held my hand on crowded place, and the way you sing on the phone. I miss the way you assure me with your low and warm voice.

But Gavin, I know I have to let those memories go. I know you don't want me to put myself into another cage. I want to keep you forever, but I know you don't want to cage anyone with your memories. I'm holding on to you by letting you go. Accepting the fact that you'd never come back, but keeping your words for me to move forward.

Is it beautiful in there? What does heaven looks like? Are you watching us now? Are you grinning that familiar grin of yours?

Maulap ang langit noong hapon na yon. Large pluffy clouds lazily roam the clear blue sky. Matapos naming kumain at kumanta ng happy birthday, at makipag biruan at kwentuhan, nahiga kami sa damuhan kasama si Gavin. We were in a circle and Gavin is beside me. Pinagmasdan namin ang mga ulap.

"Medyo mahirap sa Maynila," sinabi ni Pia. "Pero kakayanin."

"Adulting is hard," I said.

Sumang ayon ang aking mga kasama.

"Nakakaligaw, nakakapanghina ng loob na hindi lahat ng tao ay excited makita ang pangarap mo," sinabi ni Stephen.

"Minsan, mahirap ipaglaban ang pangarap na ikaw lang ang nakakakita," sinabi ni Lawrence.

"Pero nandito parin tayo," sinabi ni Rhea.

Tumango si Charlie. "Kahit gaano kahirap ang buhay sa labas, kaya natin. Madami na tayong napagdaanan. Ito pa ba?"

Ngumiti ang aking mga kasama.

"We may not get our life together just yet, but our twenties is our time to take risk, to wander and wonder, to get lost and be found," I said.

Pia smiled at me. "We still have a long way to go. We are Arcadian, and no matter how many years had passed, nothing can dim our light."

Rhea raised her hand as if touching the sky and the clouds.

"That cloud looks like Arki." Bumaling si Rhea sa akin. "How's Arki?"

"He's in the apartment. He's good. Always sleeping and invading personal space."

Natawa si Rhea. Nanatiling nakatitig ang mga kasama ko sa langit.

"Can you see us from there, Gavin?" Asked Pia.

Natahimik ang aking mga ka sama.

"Wherever you are I know you're here with us."

Umihip ang hangin sa paligid. We continued to look at the sky, knowing fully well that Gavin is with us, pointing at the clouds, naming it's shape, chuckling, and hearing our stories.

Bandang hapon kinailangan na naming umalis. Nag paalam kami kay Gavin. But it doesn't change the fact that he's here. With us. Always.

Nagpaalam kami sa isa't isa at nangako na muling magkikita sa mga susunod na linggo. Sa ngayon kailangan ng bumalik ni Pia at Lawrence sa Manila at sa kanya kanyang trabaho ng aking mga kasama.

Nang makabalik ako sa downtown, muli akong bumalik sa coffee shop upang tapusin ang aking ginagawa. Pumunta ako sa madalas kong pwesto sa sulok kung saan nakikita ko ang kabuuan ng coffee shop at ang tanawin sa labas.

Binuksan ko ang aking laptop. I opened the files. Pinangako ko na tatapusin ko ito ngayong araw.

I sipped my coffee and caught sight of the small tattoo in my wrist. BE BRAVE. I smiled as I typed the last few paragraph of my story.

Remember when you ask if people will remember you, Gavin? I want you to be remembered Gavin that's why I wrote this story. And I hope for your story to reach out those Isabelle's like me. I hope to share your words the way you taught me. I'm building another bridge Gavin, from you and Arcadian, to people who needed it the most. I wish it would reach them out, and pulled them up, and let them breathe.

Because you, Gavin, you deserved to be remembered. You and Arcadian taught me to live when I felt like this life is nothing but routines, and plans, and schedules, and deadlines. You taught me to laugh at my mistakes, that it's okay to feel scared as long you won't let your fear paralyzed you. You taught me to fight for something I believe in, and to work hard to live the life I imagined. Because life is too short to settle. Life is too short to fit in. We may be misfits, society's outcasts, but there's always a place where we belong with people who will understand.

Two years ago I met a guy, with faded jeans, and dark printed shirt, with worn out converse and tousled hair, and a carefree grin and warm voice. Two years ago I met Gavin Nicholo Javier Delos Reyes and The Arcadian. And they taught me that life is worth living if we are brave enough.

As I typed the last two words of my story, whatever scar this journey imprinted on me, I'm now healed.

We may go on separate ways when time comes, but I will never forget that certain moment in my life when the seven of us met as one group and shared memories.

Two years ago I was lost and drowning. Two years ago, in the crowded university campus, I met a group of people who became my greatest adventure. A group who became my Something Spectacular.

THE END.

***

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for the response in the previous chapter. I was surprised! I didn't expected the volume of feedback I received/ and still receiving from Something Spectacular.

The moment I finished the story, I was drained, a good kind of drained. Because I know I created something out of those difficult times.

Thank you! I can't express how much I want to thank you for loving Gavin, and the whole Arcadian and for being part of this journey.

And I hope that this story reach out to you like a bridge, and a hand that will somehow lift you up whenever you're feeling down. And just like Gavin said, BE BRAVE.

Thank you also for the #IWillBeBrave #BeBrave project on twitter and the AAS group, of seeing the word Be Brave written on your wrist. I got a bit emotional. This means so much to me.

Sa lahat ng nakilala ko dahil sa Something Spectacular, at sa mga makikilala ko pa, I hope I can give you all a hug. Thank you for sharing your own stories with me, and for being your own version of brave.

I'll end this note here. And if you ever miss Arcadian, they are always here waiting for you to come back.

You can also tweet me your thoughts, opinions about the story, or simple chat with me on twitter @breatheapril or use the hashtag #SomethingSpectacular

Until then, brave souls!
@april_avery

PS: You can also check my second teen fiction story entitled Something Phenomenal.

Synopsis: Gabriel is sick and Shane is beside her during her ups and downs. But with both of them losing time and connection, will they be able to pull off an adventure of a lifetime?

"This is not a love story. This is a story of falling in love... with being alive."

See you there!