Rence, let's stop this. Masasaktan lang kita.
- Warren

Reading his text message, it hurts like hell. Maraming tao na ang nagsasabing iwan na niya si Warren dahil sasaktan at sasaktan lang siya nito kahit ano pang pag-intindi niya sa lalaki.

He's crazy. He's a bastard. He's cold. Aloof. Reserved. He can't love you.

Marami ng tao ang nangsasabi niyang sa kanya, they want her to stop loving man who would only hurt her. Physically and emotionally. But she didn't listen to them, she listen to what her heart says.

She dialled his phone number, hoping that he will pick it up. Two rings. Three rings. Almost ten calls, she got no response.

Rereading his text, she replied back.

Warren, let's talk about this. I understand you. I love you.
- Rence

After a few minutes, wala pa ring reply si Warren. She decided to come to his apartment.

-----------------

A few minutes ago, she was happy. She was sitting in her bed, hugging her knees with her head atop them. She was daydreaming of what will happen tomorrow, she's imagining Warren's suprised and happy expression for her tomorrow's surprise.

Tomorrow will be their 100th anniversary, dadalhin niya sa paboritong amusement park si Warren and they will play for as long as they can. Warren loves going to amusement park, gustong gusto niya 'yung sumasakay sa Pirate's Ship, Rollercoaster, Swing Ride and any rides that will scare a girl. She admit she hated riding those scary rides pero isinantabi niya 'yung takot para lang mapasaya si Warren and to receive skinship with him.

Warren isn't fond of skinship. Kahit kailan ay hindi nito tinangkang hawakan ang kamay niya, halikan siya sa noo o kahit anong gesture na ginagawa ng lalaki sa kasintahan nito. She never experienced sweet cute mushy things with Warren dahil alam niyang may disorder ito pag dating sa ganoon.

Warren is a victim of kaya ayaw niya sa ganoon, hindi rin siya pumapayag na hawakan and most of all kaya naging ganoon ang tingin ng tao sa kanya. He's violent; cursing and beating people was an easy task on him na kahit siya ay nasasaktan nito.

He's also cold. Hindi siya kailan man naging sweet sa kanya, he's always distant yet he protects her from enemies o kung sino man ang magtatangkang saktan siya. Inaalagaan din siya nito kapag nasusugatan siya o nagkakasakit pero aalis din ito kaagad, iiwan siyang mag-aasikaso sa sarili niya.

Kung tutuusin she doesn't deserve a guy like Warren, everyone says their completely opposite. She was the happy angel while Warren was the lethal devil.  They always say na iiwan din siya ni Warren, na sasaktan lang siya and worse hindi siya kayang mahalin ng lalaki.

But she didn't listen. She followed her heart. She loves him, she accepts him as he is. He may be violent and aloof but she love him, she can adjust and she understand.

She reached his apartment and knocked. "Warren, it's me Rence." Tears started to fall as she continues to knock. "Warren, let's talk. Open up, please." Her silent tears turn into sob. "Warren. Please."


------------------


"Why do you have to be so stubborn, Rence?" He asks himself as he stare at his door. He can hear her crying, he can't stand it. It hurts him but the fear creeping onto him hurts him more.

He sigh while raking his fingers in his hair, he sighed one more time before opening the door. He pitied Rence, kung sana lang hindi na siya pumayag hindi niya mararamdaman 'to. Hindi niya masasaktan si Rence.

"Warren." He closed the distance between them, pain is visible on her face. "Rence, go home. You don't deserve me. You deserve someone else." Someone who won't hurt you.

She shook her head, wipe her tears and look at him. "No! I don't care if someone else is better than you! I can't love them. I can only love you Warren."

"Do you love me that much? That you can't love anyone else except me?" It's impossible Rence. Iiwan mo rin ako. You're going to leave me just like the others if you knew the real me. I really don't have issues, it's actually trust issues.

"Yes, I love you that much Warren. I don't care what others say about you, I don't care kung sabihin man nilang hindi nararapat para sakin, na magkaiba tayo. I would rather die kaysa mawalay sayo. That's how much I love you Warren." Hearing those words from her, I can't just trust them. It's just words, they're not real. They are lies.

---------------------------

Believe in me Warren. Lahat ng sinabi ko totoo. I will do everything you want just to prove my love for you.

Warren just stared at her for what she felt like eternity, and to her surprised she close the distance between them by hugging her. "Warren..." She got no response but she can feel him assisting her to come inside his apartment. They stop at the center of it.

He frees her from his embrace, stare at her again then kisses her lips. Rence who was stunned at first but kisses him in return, she has been waiting for this. She's waiting for him to hug and kiss her, she's been dying to feel his warmth and now that she's feeling it. She was so happy, she felt like she was in heaven.

Warren lay her in his bed as he continue kissing her, just as she wrap her arms on his neck he stopped. He stared at her again, this time the blank stares are gone but it was replace by worry.

"Warren.."

"I kill her."

"What?"

Warren brushed some strands of her hair. "My ex-girlfriend. I killed her."

"Why?" Rence was shocked but she remained calm. Warren was just joking around, she thought.

"Because she said she will leave me. She said she can't handle me anymore, that's why she's leaving. I told her that I can't live without her but she didn't listen. I was furious that I stabbed her to death, I didn't knew it yet until I saw her tearful eyes, my hands holding the knife on her body and the blood."

When silence came, Warren, who was on top, pulled himself and sit in front of her. Rence did the same but she was looking at him, trying to understand as he read his expression. She saw hurt, worry and fear. She finally understand why people try to warn her about him, he's schizophrenic.

"Warren, are you afraid that I'll leave you too?" She's trying to read his face, pero kahit hindi niya makita iyon alam niya ang sagot. She may know the dark side of him, but she understands. She loves him.

Niyakap niya si Warren, tight but gentle. Letting him know that she won't leave him like what her ex-girlfriend did. "Warren, I love you. I won't leave you."

She smiled when she felt his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry Rence. But I don't think I can trust you." Bago pa makapagsalita si Rence, she felt a sharp pain on her back. "Warren?"

"I know you were lying. You can't still love me after what I told you." Warren says as he pushed the knife deeper into her Rence's body. He can hear her shortened breathe. "Iiwan mo ako Rence, sinasabi mo lang 'yan ngayon pero bukas makalawa lalayo ka na sakin. Ire-report mo sa police ang ginawa ko. You'll feel disgusted by me. You'll regret that you love me. Bago mo pa gawin 'yun, inunahan na kita."

Rence tighten her embrace kahit nahihirapan na siya sa sakit na nararamdaman niya, she will die anytime soon. Those people were right, sasaktan lang siya nito but she's happy that she'll die in the arms of the man she loved. Call her crazy but what can she do, she loves Warren.

Tears are now streaming down, with all the strength she can muster, she let our her final chuckle.
"At least napatunayan ko sayong mahal kita." She rested her head on his neck and kiss him, she felt like someone is pulling her to a deep sleep. "I love you Warren, to death." 

Warren removed the knife, lay her body in the bed. Inayos niya ang pagkakahiga nito, he even fixed the dress she's wearing. Kinuha niya ang mga kamay ni Rence at ipinatong 'yun sa ibabaw ng tiyan nito, inayos din nito ang buhok niya saka tumabi rito.

With same position as Rence habang nakahiga din sa sariling kama, he intertwined their hands together. "I love you too Rence, this is my way of keeping you forever."


THE END.
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