My Love, Annie

"Can you come over?" Jemi asked me on the other line.

Pauwi palang ako dahil kakatapos palang ng shift ko sa trabaho. Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang ginawa ko bago ako sumagot ulit.

"Ano bang problema?" I asked lazily as I massaged my neck while walking to my car.

"He wants to die, I think," she answered back.

Alright so here's the thing, I have three best friends named, Jemi, Riz, and Elijah who happens to be the only guy. Yes, he's a hundred percent straight. And Jemi called me because our dearest friend Elijah was heartbroken.

"Tell him I'll kill him with my own hands when I arrive." sabi ko saka binaba ang phone.

I drove to his place with a heavy heart, it's not that I hate him for not talking to me for three consecutive weeks but it's the fact that after all those weeks of not talking to me this is the first news I'm going to hear from him.

Hindi pa ako nakakatatlong katok ay pinagbuksan na nila ako agad ng pinto.

I frowned after seeing their long faces.

I walked through the living room and found Elijah looking like a mess.

"What happen?" tanong ko nang maupo ako sa isa sa mga couch.

Jemi and Riz shrugged their shoulders while Elijah kept silent with his brows furrowed while chugging down his beer.

"They broke up." sagot ni Riz.

"Obviously." I snapped in sarcasm as I eyed Elijah.

Exactly three weeks ago since the last time, I saw him and heard from him. Walang call, text, or kamusta galing sa kanya. And ito ang bubungad sa akin? Ang sarap magtampo but right now looking at his face, I can't seem to be mad at him. He's hurt. Pretty bad.

"He doesn't want to talk." segunda ni Jemi.

I stared at the man in front of me. He really looked like a mess, his hair was pretty dishevelled, I wonder if he's taking a bath too. It's not that he's stinking or what but mukha siyang maligno sa paningin ko ngayon. His stubbles were showing already which clearly he hasn't shaved yet. Those dark circles under his eyes were evidence that he didn't sleep much, I also noticed that he lost some weight too. This man was totally wrecked. Tsk. I wonder what happened to him and his girlfriend, samantalang inlove na inlove naman sila sa isa't isa.

"Eli.." I tried to call him.

Silence.

"Maybe it's better if we leave you two alone." Riz stated as they stood up.

I eyed them hesitantly ready to protest but Riz lifted her index finger to shut me down while raising her brows at me.

"Shut it Anj, we both know na sayo lang naman nakikinig 'yan." she warned me.

And with that wala na akong nagawa kundi ang tumango nalang at panoorin sila habang lumalabas ng apartment ni Elijah.

I sighed as I rubbed my temples in stress.

"They're pretty bad company." he spoke and my head snapped at his direction.

He's opening another bottle of beer, I sat across from him and folded my arms against my chest, eyeing him with so much concern.

"Seriously Elijah, what the hell happened between you and Amber?" I asked him with my forehead slightly creased.

He sighed as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. She broke up with me without telling me any reasons." he said bitterly as he chugged down his beer.

I stared at him, he looked so hurt.

"Pero paanong nangyari na ganon? I mean, you two were so in love with each other. How come you're breaking up just like that?" I was confused.

"Exactly, right?" he scoffed.

I looked at him dumbfounded.

I just can't understand, how dare her broke my bestfriend's heart without telling him any fucking reasons? I mean she should have reasons right? And Elijah deserves to know, how come she just left him hanging here? For real?! Tsk.

I watched him walk to his refrigerator and took the bottle of hard liquor so I stood up and rushed to stop him. Masyado na siyang maraming nainom at hindi ko alam kung plano niya bang lunurin ang sarili niya sa alak but I won't let him do that, not on my watch.

"Give me that, stop drinking. You've drunk so much--" I stated as I grabbed the alcohol in his hands.

"Anj, stop, give me back--" he whined as he kept on getting back the damn bottle and I kept on swinging it away from him.

"No!" I firmly said as I stared at him.

"Damn it, Anj! Give me back that fucking bottle." he warns as he step forward.

And I step back, hiding the bottle in my back.

"I said no! Enough of that, you've already drank so much--"

But his stubborn ass won't just listen so he walked forward and tried to get the bottle from me.

"Seriously! Elijah! Stop it. I'm not going to watch you drown yourself in alcohol---"

"You know what! Just leave me alone!! It's not like I need you anyway!! All of you! Just fucking leave me alone! I don't need your pity!!" He yelled which made me jump.

And I just stared at him. I know he didn't mean that, sinasabi niya lang yan kasi nasasaktan siya, he's emotionally frustrated that's why he's lashing out his anger to everyone. I get it, and I'm not mad at him for that. He doesn't need pity, yes, and all he needs right now is understanding. Patience. And I'm doing that for him.

He then turns his back on me and leans to the kitchen sink looking so wasted and emotionally frustrated.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!" he screamed while kicking the sink cabinet and shoving all the things above the sink till it crash on the floor.

I swear this is the second time I've seen him looking so broken, first is when his parents separated, and my heart can't stand seeing my best friend looking like this. My tears started to pool in the corners of my eyes when he started crying out loud and screamed. He cried desperately while tugging his hair in frustration until he slowly fell to his knees and I couldn't take it anymore, I walked and caught him.

My heart was beating fast as I ran out of words, I honestly didn't know what to say or if I should open my mouth when the only thing I could only say to him is 'everything's gonna be alright' when I know it's not.

I took him in my arms and I hugged him tightly as he cried on my chest.

"I.. just.. I just want this pain to go away! Why.. why is everyone leaving me?!!" he screamed in my chest while crying.

And my heart broke hearing him saying that, I rubbed his back to give him some comfort..

"I know.. I know.. just cry it out.. everything's gonna be alright, you're gonna be okay." naiiyak kong sabi habang masuyong hinahagod ang likod niya at kinakalma siya.

He hugged me tightly as if his life depends on it, and my heart broke for my best friend.

"Don't.. don't.. leave me.. Anj."

And that's it my tears were falling as I'm getting hurt too. Seeing him this way hurts me too. Hearing these words coming out from him breaks me into pieces, he was a loving person and he doesn't deserve this.

"Shhh, I'm here.. I got you, okay? I'm not going anywhere, I will never leave you.." I assured him while hugging him tight.

Of course, I won't leave him. That's an oath we made to each other. We'll stick to each other no matter what happens. We promised to have each other's back.

I thank the heavens when he finally calmed down and stopped his crying. I watched him silently laying on the couch, his tattooed arm covering his swollen eyes from crying even his nose were red too. I can't believe I'm seeing him again like this.

Amber better have a valid reason for doing this to him or else I'll be the first one to jump on her and beat the shit outta her.

I sighed.

Sinimulan ko na rin linisin ang living room dahil sa mga nagkalat na bote at balat ng chips, I even saw pack of cigarette and lighter, he's not a smoker so I wonder if he did try this, I opened and saw that its almost complete isa lang yata ang nabawas. I shove it inside my jacket, Jemi, Riz and I were the smokers while Eli despises the smell of cigarettes so to think that he even tried this is a big thing for me. He's badly hurt.

I sighed, glancing again at my best friend.

Tsk.

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❤️