All Chapters of Before You Let Go: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

I felt like a stalker.Okay, correction.I was a stalker.Not the creepy kind na sumusunod sa tao habang naka-hoodie sa dilim. More like the desperate kind na nakaupo sa kwarto, naka-open ang laptop, habang paulit-ulit na sinasabing, last search ko na ’to, kahit alam mong hindi naman.The number on my wrist was already 20.Twenty days.Parang ang dami pakinggan, pero hindi. Not when every day felt like a door closing. Not when Caelan still had more walls than answers. Not when the only things I knew were pieces he gave me by accident, by exhaustion, or by trust na parang anytime pwede niyang bawiin.Dario Vasquez.His father.The name sat in my head all morning like a warning.I told myself hindi ko siya ise-search. Kasi private. Kasi Caelan trusted me. Kasi sabi ko nga, stop treating him like a mystery.Pero habang nakatitig ako sa laptop screen ko, my fingers were already moving.Dario Vasquez case San AurelioThe results loaded too fast.I hated that.I hated how easy it was to fin

My phone started ringing habang nasa kalagitnaan ako ng sobrang peaceful na tulog.As in iyong tulog na parang deserve mo after surviving emotional damage, grocery chaos, and Death casually appearing sa tea aisle ng supermarket.I groaned and slapped around my bed until my hand found my phone.Hindi ko pa binubuksan ang mata ko when I answered.“Hello?”“Gising.”I froze.That voice.Low. Flat. Annoyed.Caelan.Napaupo ako so fast na nahilo ako. “Bakit ka tumatawag?”“Good morning din.”I checked the screen.Unknown number.“Wait. How did you get my number?”“My mom.”“Of course.”“She said tawagan kita kasi dinner starts at four.”I blinked.Dinner.Kape Amparo.Thanksgiving dinner.My soul left my body.“What time is it?”“One-thirty.”“WHAT?”Caelan sighed. “Buhay ka pa naman, so stop shouting.”“Oh my God. I overslept.”“Clearly.”“I’m sorry. I’ll get ready. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”“Lyra.”“What?”“Breathe muna.”Nakakainis, kasi tama siya. I was already halfway out of be

Hindi ako nakatulog nang maayos.Obvious naman siguro kung bakit.Every time I closed my eyes, bumabalik iyong kitchen ng Kape Amparo. Iyong tahimik na sink. Iyong kamay ni Caelan sa cheek ko. Iyong way na nag-pause siya, like he was waiting for me to stop him.And then the kiss.God.The kiss.Hindi siya perfect-perfect na parang sa movies. It was soft, hesitant, medyo shaky. Pero maybe that was why hindi siya mawala sa isip ko. It felt real. Too real.Which was exactly the problem.Because I wasn’t supposed to be lying awake thinking about his mouth.I was supposed to be saving his life.Very different priorities, Lyra.Very different.When I checked my wrist that morning, the number was still there.16.Sixteen days.My stomach twisted.I got to Kape Amparo before six, still half-asleep, hair damp from a rushed shower, and brain very much not ready to face the boy I kissed last night.The back door was open. Lights were already on sa kitchen.Great.I stepped inside quietly, hoping

For the record, hindi kami nagde-date ni Caelan.At least, Hindi officially.Hindi ko siya boyfriend. Hindi rin niya ako girlfriend.We just… kissed.Twice.Okay, technically more than twice, kung bibilangin yung hallway kiss na medyo public, at medyo dahilan kung bakit buong San Aurelio Academy ay parang nawalan ng sariling buhay.By lunch, ramdam ko na agad.Pagpasok ko pa lang sa cafeteria, halos sabay-sabay lumingon ang mga tao. May nagbulungan. May nag-smirk. May isang girl pa na muntik nang matapon yung iced tea niya sa kakatingin sa akin.Honestly?Wala akong pake.Or at least, pinipilit kong wala.Bumili ako ng sandwich at juice, then dumiretso sa table kung saan nakaupo na si Caelan. Naka-hoodie siya kahit bawal, slouched as usual, parang hindi siya yung kaninang umaga na nakipaghalikan sa akin sa hallway habang may maraming audience.He looked up when I sat down.“Regretting it already?” he asked, one brow raised.I opened my sandwich like it personally offended me. “Regrett

Mom kept staring at me over her coffee.Not once.Not twice.Parang buong morning niya naka-schedule lang sa pagtingin sa mukha ko at pag-decide kung may mali ba sa anak niya.Which was weird, kasi usually, Mom barely noticed me unless may grade na kailangang tanungin or school form na kailangan pirmahan.I placed my empty bowl in the sink and turned around. “May dumi ba sa mukha ko?”Mom’s brows lifted. “Don’t use that tone with me, Lyra.”I almost said something sarcastic.Almost.But I had been around Caelan too much lately, and honestly, baka lumabas sa bibig ko yung vocabulary niya. So I swallowed it down.“Sorry.”She took a slow sip of coffee. “How’s school?”I stared at her.“School?” I repeated.“Yes, school.”“Fine naman.”“Your Math grade?”“Eighty-six,” I said. “I got a high score sa last quiz.”“Keep it that way.”“Okay.”There was a pause.Too long.Too awkward.Then she said, “And your job?”Ah.There it was.“Okay naman po,” I answered carefully. “Kape Amparo is fine.”