Since You've Been Gone Novels & Stories

Ano ba kasing pumasok sa kokote ko’t uminom ako ng parang wala nang bukas? “See? I didn’t let go of you three years ago just to see you like this now. Drunk and wasted. It’s disappointing.”

"Miss na miss kita Ate! At oo nga, ang ganda mo, nag-mature ka!" I chuckled. Niyakap ko sila pabalik. I missed them too, it's been eight months of being away. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nakaya ko. "Paano niyo nalamang ngayon ang uwi ko? Hindi ako nagsabi!"

Tiara's POV "Tonton, ate missed you so much na. It's been a week since you left me. Bakit naman ang aga ninyo akong iniwan nila mama?" I asked emotionally. Nandito ako ngayon sa puntod ng aking kapatid, visiting him again because of loneliness. Mag-isa na lamang ako sa buhay ko at wala na akong masasandalan kundi ang sarili ko na lamang.

Hindi ko alam na nung huling 'goodbye' mo sa terminal, may tinatago ka na palang sakit. Na 'yung mga yakap mo, mas mahigpit pala kaysa dati. Na 'yung mga mata mong umiilaw kahit namumutla ka na was your way of letting go quietly. You were already sick at hindi mo sinabi. Ang alam ko lang, bigla kang lumayo. Tumira sa bahay ni Tita sa probinsya. Akala ko, napagod ka lang sa Maynila. Akala ko, nagpaalam ka lang pansamantala para alagaan si Tita.

My gaze fell on the photo I kept tucked inside my locker a picture of Azithere and me, taken during a rare moment of peace before the chaos of our lives spiraled out of control. A warm, bittersweet ache filled my chest. 6 months had passed since he left to handle things in England, and while I knew he was doing important work, I couldn't shake the feeling of his absence. And it's been 3 years since we have conquered our peace but that peace needs to be maintained so he has to handle things. "Malalim yata masyado ang iniisip mo. " Nagulantang ako dahil sa nagsalita. " I was calling your name but you're lost in your own thoughts that you didn't even noticed na nakapasok ako. "

Hindi na nga lang ngayon, dahil separated na ang bahay ko kina Mommy. "Ay ma'am, nag leave po siya for 2 days e. Baka po bukas pa ang dating nun." Tumango na lang ako at bumalik na sa loob. Ano ba yan! Bakit ba ang malas ngayon. Ay, lagi pala akong malas. "Where's Mom and Dad, and your parents?" salubong sa akin ni Nerd. "Wala, umalis." umupo ako sa tabi niya. "May emergency meeting raw."

Wala nang mababago. Mahina siyang tumawa, pero may mapait ang tuno. “Hanggang ngayon ba, you still haven’t forgiven me? Hanggang ngayon ba, galit ka pa rin? It’s been six months, Anessa. I gave you what you wanted. You told me never to show up again, and I respected that. I stayed away, hoping you’d forgive me…”

It's been a year since I left Philippine. It's been a year since My Baby's gone. And it's been a year na walang balita kay Zeb and My Families. Lumayo Ako ng walang paalam. Gusto kong makalimot sa sakit na dulot ng pagkawala ng aking Anak. Taon na pero sobrang sakit pa rin ng lahat. Hindi pa ako handang magpatawad na kahit ang sarili ko ay sinisisi ko.

Pagkawala nila ay agad kong binalingan ang kasama ko. “You didn't even greet your cousins. Baka ikaw talaga ang rason kung bakit sila nandito.” He just shrugged his shoulders. “May alitan ka din sa kanila?” He chuckled. “I'm never the same when you are gone. They're just curious now how I turned out after you returned.” Bigla tuloy akong napaisip kung ano ba siya ng wala ako. Bakit parang ang ilang nila sa isa’t isa. Even Kiara, ramdam kong medyo may gap sa pagitan nila ni Alaric.

Aatakihin ako sa puso! "I was away fixing some stuffs, fixing myself. I don't want to face you looking so miserable. And I just moved back in sa bahay ko noon.", pag-eexplain niya kahit wala pa akong sinasabi o tinatanong, for sure, nabasa na naman niya siguro nasa utak ko. Sir, you can't just disappear for weeks tapos babalik ng sobrang fresh, 'di kinakaya ng puso ko Prof!