Chapter 69

Sixty-nine

Have you ever dealt with something you can't handle? Dealing with it, until you realize something won't be the same again. Maybe that's how it really works, that you can't hold everything, that there are things that you need to let go for you to hold yourself from falling apart.

"Ate, you're drinking again?" Ella asked as soon as she saw me at the veranda.

"I'm not drinking, I'm just unwinding," I plainly answered as I drink in one shot the beer in can I'm holding.

I heaved a deep sigh as I stared blankly at the sky above us. Even the sky is freakingly not on my side, there's no stars, even the moon is hiding from me.

It's been a week since I decided to get back. As soon as the gallery finished, I immediately booked a flight. Wala na akong rason pa para mag stay sa Pilipinas. Yes, I do have my family there and friends, but I don't think it's enough for me to stay.

"New York is still the same," I muttered to myself as I pursed my lips and closed my eyes intently when a