Summer
of 2007
I
know that there is already something wrong with us. Although I am still uncertain of what really
is keeping us from being like what we used to, I still held on and believed
that our relationship is worth fighting for.
We were having problems, fights would always ensue between us, but I
still thought at that time that it was normal because couples do fight,
right? I thought that those clashes would
eventually keep us stronger because we would find out each other’s weaknesses
and strengths, and maybe, the love for each other would blossom even more
because of our imperfections. But I
guess, I was again, assuming (for the nth time).
It
was summer, and I know we wouldn’t be together and that’s alright. That has
always been the case, I stay with my family in the south, and he stays with his,
in the north. For three years, it was
always like that especially on special occasions and holidays, and I got used
to it already.
I am
not really the type of person who involves other people in our
relationship. I guess that was a wrong
move because I let my world turn around him, in the same way that I wanted his
to turn into mine. Maybe that is the
reason why it was hard for me to get in touch with his family because we never
really get to bond at all. But that
week, I had no choice but to ask her sister through a text message because he
was no longer answering my calls, nor replying my messages. I had no idea why that’s why I thought that
her sister could enlighten me of what is really happening to him.
Honestly,
I wasn’t expecting any reply since I know we were not that close, but
surprisingly, she did. But her message
said: "I am driving, I'll bring Jay to
the hospital, he met an accident". It felt like I had a heart that is rapidly
beating, it was too fast, I was so nervous I can no longer breathe
normally. I was crying inside, if only I
could fly up to the North just to reach him in no time, if only I could make
the clock turn faster, I would do them, but I just can't.
I
can't because at that time I was too far away, plus I was with my family, and I
couldn't just leave them. And one more thing, they would not allow me to travel
alone, to somewhere I have never been to, to somewhere too far. My parents are not that strict, in fact they
have always been supportive of me. I
know that when I tell them my reasons, they would understand. They have found
me independent but I know they care about my safety and security all the
time. One thing that bothers me is that
that they have not really met my boyfriend in person (because he refused to
meet them, he always said he wasn't ready) and so they wouldn't know what to
expect at all if they let me go there alone.
My
sister and mother were so concerned that they were asking how he is, but I was
saddened because I do not know what to tell them. Even I do not have any idea what really
happened. I called up his sister, I sent
messages, but I got no reply. I really
did not think they are preventing me from talking to him, I just thought that
maybe they are too busy taking care of him and making sure he is okay. Maybe they are still in shock of what
happened, just like I was.
Later
on, I found out that the reason he wasn't replying, not returning my calls, is
because he was too busy in his drinking sessions with his friends. That was too lame excuse and too shallow to
even think about. I wanted to find out
the deeper reason, but then, the unfortunate event happened and I never had the
chance to ask. They told me that he was
driving too fast to get another case of liquor when the vehicle he was riding
crashed into another vehicle. And he fell off a bridge, that's where the
rescuers found him half-dead.
At
that moment, it seemed that all my anger for him just faded away. All the doubts, the pains, and the hurts just
drifted away just like that because the thought that I should be there on his
side at that very moment is consuming me.
And because I couldn't be there, the more that I felt the guilt that I
cannot perform the responsibility of being his partner.
The
moment my family and I got back to Manila, I wasted no time in finding out how
I can rush to his place even it meant travelling alone, and taking risks, not
really knowing what to expect. It even
came to a point that I had to lie to my parents and invent a lot of excuses
(like there was an out of town teambuilding, or work to be done) so as I could
leave the soonest. But I just lied because I don't want them to worry or think
about anything else. I know I had to go because
I wanted see him, I want to find out what really happened, I wanted to be there
for him, and most of all, I want to fix whatever it is that there is to be
fixed in our relationship…
