He turned to another page…………. There’s another poem……

I love you
By me

Another day had just past….. 
Another hour had just last…
I’ve waited since from the start….
And…I’m still waiting in my heart….

I asked myself why I let it fade….
The hopes of my mind for it let me made….
A decision that I truly hate….
To gave up the one who’s my true fate….

But who am I to ask…..
If he can only give what he was task….
Under the moonlight I wish from the musk…
For him to love me…not just because I ask…

Three words may not be much…..
But my heart was longing for to be touch…
Three words that I wanted to catch…
For him….it was too much……..

Now that I made up my mind…..
For the two of us is lost…and hard to find…
The true love that wasn’t supposed to end…..was gone unkind…
For my heart was still longing for the words that was not bind….

It hurts to see you gone…..
It bleeds my heart to see you none……
But it hurts more to see you here….
If you’re heart wasn’t ready to say………”I Love You”…. in my ears……

I love you Gerald with all my heart….
My soul ….my life…was broken the day you are gone….

But I’d rather see my self crushed…..
Than knowing….you don’t love me….from the very start…..

“I Love you”…is all I wanted to hear….
Even up to know……words haven’t touched my ears…

I let you go…but remember this…
My heart will always loving you near…..
I love you Gerald…and that’s a fact…
I won’t get tired to scream it from my heart……..

Loving you always………………KIM………

Gerald lift his face…..he close his eyes…………… and tried to remember the past…….

“I Love YOU”….kelan nga ba niya nasabi kay Kim ito?…..hindi niya matandaan……… .. Ito ba ang naging dahilan kung bakit lumayo ito?……….

Sa ilalim ng poem…napansin niya ang singsing…………… He touched it……. The ring…….

(flashback………..)

Balisa si Gerald……katatawag lang ng mommy niya…. Gusto nitong bumalik na siya sa Amerika……. Dun na daw niya ulit ipagpatuloy ang pagaaral niya……

Graduating na siya ng High School……..sila ni Kim….. Kung hindi dahil kay Kim…baka hindi na niya natapos ang High School….

He told his mom na ayaw niyang umalis…. Na sa pilipinas na lang siya magaaral… Pero nagalit ito……. Puputulin daw ang sustento sa kanya ….kung hindi daw siya susunod dito…………

He didn’t want to leave Kim…..his life is here now….with her……

He made a decision……. He brought the ring…

Kim just got home……Nagtataka siya kung bakit hindi sumabay sa kanya si Gerald pauwi…..

Bago niya mabuksan ang pinto….may note sa harap nito……….”Sa Rooftop……..Gerald!”….

Ano na naman ang drama ng lalaking ito………lumabas siya ng bahay….at umakyat sa rooftop……. Pero walang Gerald…. “Tignan mo ang lalaking iyon…..papagurin ako…wala naman pala dito!!”…angal niya….

She sits on her favorite spot…and waited for Gerald….papadilim na…..kaya nakita niya ang paglubog ng araw…. She was busy watching the sunset….at hindi napansin na nakaakyat na rin si Gerald…..

Gerald watch her……the golden sun rays was shining on her skin….at dahil Kim have a porcelain skin….. She was like an empress of China…..na kumikintab……. He smiled…. This is the right choice……

He sat beside her….

Nagulat si Kim…. “Oh….anong drama mo?…..bakit mo ako pinaakyat dito?”….she asked….. But Gerald face was serious….. “Gerald….may problema ba?”….nagaalalang tanong niya….

Umiling ito…..

“Bakit ganyan ang itsura mo?….may nangyari ba?”…..tanong ulit ni Kim…

“Kim…..can I ask you something?”…..

Kim nodded…..

“IF I ask you to stay with me forever……will you?”….he asked….

Kim frowned….,”ano bang tanong iyan?”….

“PLease Kim….answer me?”….nagmamakaawang tanong nito……

Kim look straight in his eyes…. “Yes….I’ll stay forever with you! Wala na yata akong makikitang katulad mo………..endangered species ka yata eh!!”….she said…

Gerald finally smiled…. He took out a small square velvet box on his pants….

Kim eyes widened…….

“Naubos ko na yata lahat ng savings ko para dito…..pero worth it naman……… “…he said. Trying to relieve his tension…..”Ms. Kimberly Chiu…………. Will you be my Mrs. Kimberly Chiu Anderson?”…he opened the box…. “I know the ring is not an expensive one………..pero galing yan sa puso ko ha…………..saka…bayad na yan!!!!”….pinagpapawisang sabi nito…….

Kim was overwhelmed…….nakatitig lang siya sa singsing……… natatakot siyang hawakan iyon….at baka biglang malusaw sa kamay niya…… nanginginig ang kamay niya……… “I-is t-this for r-real?”…nagkandabulol na tanong niya……..

Gerald smiled…….”Hindi ko kayang mawala ka pa sa buhay ko……. Please…..accept me to be yours forever!”…he said….

Kim was waiting for more…………. Wala pa rin ang inaantay niya……… YOURS Forever……..yun lang ang sabi niya………………. She look at Gerald…… naawa siya sa itsura nito….he’s sweating….and felt unsure kung tatanggapin niya ang alok nito……

Kim felt guilty……..sino ba siya para ayawan ito……. Siguro matututo din itong mahalin siya ng totoo….kapag nagkasama na sila………………. “YEs!!”…she whispered….

Gerald face lighten up……… niyakap niya si Kim….”Thank you!! Thank you!! You won‘t be sorry!!”….

Kim close her eyes……….ayaw niyang makita ni Gerald ang disappointment sa mata niya………Sana nga…. Sana nga………

Gerald planned everything…….. From the license…..to the judge…..to the witnesses…….. Gusto nito civil wedding lang…..

Kim couldn’t understand kung bakit minamadali nito ang kasal…….. Pero she just go with the flow……..ayaw niyang madisappoint ito….. She love him so much ….and hurting him is the last thing she wants to do……….

Hindi pa rin alam ng Kuya niya ang plano nila…… She was planning to talk to him that night…dahil bukas na ang plano nila ni Gerald….gusto sana niyang pasayahin ito….bago niya gawin ang binabalak…….…..

Kakatok sana siya sa pinto ng kwarto ng Kuya niya….ng marinig niyang may kausap ito sa phone….nakaawang ng konti ang pinto kaya narinig niyang lahat ang paguusap nito……….

“TIta? Napata wag kayo?”……dinig niyang sabi ng kuya niya……. “Pababalikin niyo na po diyan si Gerald?……………wala pong nasabi sa akin si Gerald………………..OPO……………………kung yun po ang gusto ninyo……………………………….hayaan nyo po tita………………………kakausapin ko po……………………..sige po tita”……….pinatay nito ang cellphone………

Kim went on blank……….pumasok siya sa sarili niyang kwarto…………. “Yun ba ang rason ni Gerald kung bakit gusto nitong magpakasal………….kasi ayaw nitong bumalik sa amerika!”………

Bukas na ang plano nilang tanan at kasal………… …..planado na ang lahat………na hihintayin siya ni Gerald sa may munisipyo…kasama ang ilan nilang kaklase…….at ang judge………. Uuwi sila pagkatapos ng makatatlong araw……… ready na rin ang sulat niya para sa kuya niya………….

She wanted to scream……………….ang daya-daya naman………pakiramdam niya ay gumuho lahat ng pagasa niya…………she was on tears….when her phone rang…. Si Gerald……

“Hi mrs. Anderson…..”..bati nito….

She wanted to confront him……pero natakot siyang malaman ang totoo galing sa bibig nito……..”h-hi!”…..

“Hey….okay ka lang?…..may sakit ka ba? ….bakit ang tamlay mo?”…sunod-sunod na tanong nito…..

“I-I’m fine!….medyo masakit lang ang ulo ko…….tense siguro…for tomorrow!”…she tried to sounded happy…..

“Gusto mo pumunta ako diyan……… I was trying to be a good groom……..diba bawal tayo magkita hanggang sa kasal mismo……….. But if you need me……..puntahan kita!!”…he said….

“Nope…I’m fine…….actually………..mas maganda nga na dun na tayo sa munisipyo magkita……….para mas may excitement!!”….

“Are you sure?”…..tanong nito…..

“I’m sure!!”….she said…….

“ok!! …….you’re the boss….Mrs. Anderson!………I’ll see you tomorrow!”…….he said….

“Yeah!!……….I’ll see you tomorrow………”…she turned off the cellphone……..I’ll see you………..tears fell from her eyes……….

Kinabukasan……..

Gerald has been waiting for an hour now………………..tawag siya ng tawag sa phone ni Kim…..pero walang sumasagot……….nagaalala siya para dito………

Then he received a text……………..”I’m sorry…………….kim!”……….

NO!! NO!! Kim……….don’t do this……………he dialed kim’s number………..wala pa ring sumasagot…………… Kim no!!!!

Nanghihina ang tuhod niya…………..he couldn’t believe Kim will do this to him……..tears slowly fell on his cheeks……………. No!!

He found himself on the floor……….with people around him………….pitying him………… pitying him……

Why?……….Kim….why?

Gerald felt a tear fell from his eyes…………na nagpabalik sa isip niya………

He continued to scan the page………then he noticed a small print under the ring………

“Up to now……….you still can’t say you love me……..up to now!!”……….

Gerald grinned……………..I’m sorry babe……… I didn’t know!!!!!!