II | The Air He Breathe

RIGHT on the moment, she went out of the comfort room she saw two sweet people, instead of feeling cringe or happy for the two. She thought of it as suspicious... and felt jealousy. Her forehead creased looking at them and thinking that kind of thing.

It is Pyros and Alexis... being sweet like how Pyros was sweet to her back then. He's just sweet because that's my best friend. She thought she's just being overreacting. She walked back to their table and that caught the two's attention.

"H-hon you're back." aligagang pagbaling sa kanya ng binata. Nakita niya ang pag-irap ni Xis sa kanya kaya bahagya siyang napataas ng kilay.

"Yup. Nag-order na kayo?" tanong nito sa dalawa at pareho silang napailing. "Ganun? May errands pa kasi ako, I need to go." dagdag pa niya, but actually wala siyang gagawin, she's just uncomfortable kahit hindi niya alam kung bakit.

"Okay!" masiglang tugon ni Xis. Bakit sobrang saya naman ata niya? Napaisip siya. "Okay, hindi nga pala kita mahahatid pauwi mamaya." sabi naman ni Py.

"Sige! Bye!" sabi niya but instead leaving ay inantay niya itong lumabas. She moved her car farther doon sa pinarkingan niya but she's still able to clearly see the entrance and exit of the café.

She felt her tears flowing her eyes. She saw them, happy like a couple. Pyros' hands in Alexis' shoulders and her in his waist. They were laughing genuinely until Xis tiptoed and kissed Py on his lips, it was supposed to be a smack but Py insisted for more.

That made her cry.

"Kung kelan ako nagpaplano ng future natin; kung kelan ikaw na ang comfort zone ko, mundo ko, reason of my existence... tsaka pa nangyari to?" she cried her tears out and not realizing that the two already left the parking.

She followed them and her heart ripped more seeing that they are in his condo. She waited for them to come up before she would. And when she got up to his floor, she entered the passcode. The passcode hasn't changed, siguro para hindi halata? she said to herself.

When she got inside smoothly, she wanted to keep quiet. And she heard laughs at the kitchen that's where she saw them, like how they used to be. Did he found his happiness from another woman? she asked herself, she can't help but to sob quietly and only watch them do the things they both did before.

She went to his room and left a note.

I love you, and you loved me. Sa iba mo na nahanap ang saya, and I want you to be happy. I don't need your explanation, save it. I'll just understand it kahit na masakit at mahirap. Sayang, I have many plans for us, for our future. Akala ko tayo na hanggang huli, umasa ako. Again, I love you. But I guess I'm letting you go.

Love, Zaphyra.

She continues to cry as she leaves his condo unit. She didn't run and walked faster, hindi dahil inaantay niya na habulin siya ni Pyros, but because she's in pain and she's hurting.

Nang makalabas siya at nasa parking na siya, she heard someone calling for her name. It was the guard, "Ma'am nahulog mo ang panyo mo." Agad itong inabot sa kanya, nagpasalamat naman siya at mapait na ngumiti.

When she got home ay pagang paga ang mata niya. Nakita siya ng nga kuya niya at mabilis siyang niyakap ng kuya Zac niya. Muling bumuhos ang luha niya.

"Shh.." sabi ng kuya Yoh niya.

"What happened Princess?" asked her Kuya Zio.

"I-I decided to let him go," nauutal niyang sagot habang humahagulgol.

"And?"

"I saw him with someone else... he's happy..." tila napitlag ang tenga ni Yex. Agad siyang namula at kinuha ang susi ng kanyang sasakyan.

"Yex! Where are you going?!" sigaw ng Kuya Zio niya kay Yex.

"I'm going to teach that asshole a lesson he'll never forget." sabj nito at mabilis na sumakay ng sasakyan.

"Kuya!!" sigaw ni Zaph.

"S-stop him... please..." pagmamakaawa ni Zaph sa mga kuya kaya tumango sa kanya ang kuya Zio at Yoh niya at sumakay rin sa isang sasakyan upang sundan si Yex.

Habang napapahagulgol si Zaph ay dinala siya ng kuya niya sa sala nila.

Naramdaman niya ang pagbigat ng talukap ng kanyang mga mata kasabay ng kanyang pagod at pag-hikab, tuluyan niyang ipinikit ang mata.

Nagising siya sa malambot na kama sa kanyang silid. She was smiling and happy because she woke up but then in just a matter of seconds reality struck her.

She's single again, and he cheated on her. Plus the fact that she'll be leaving tomorrow.

Nakatitig siya sa kawalan habang inaalala ang lahat. Napangiti siya nang maalala ang sweet moments nila.

"Girlfriend na kita ha!" sabi ni Pyros at yumakap sa kanya.

"No." she said, suppressing the butterflies in her stomach.

"Asawa nalang?" muling banat ng binata at hinalikan siya sa pisngi. She didn't looked at him dahil baka makita nito ang pagpula ng kanyang mga pisngi.

That was years ago, a week before her 16th birthday. And also a week before they became official.

"I love you my Zaphyra." he kissed her on his forehead and hugged her tight.

"I love you more Pyros." she replied and kissed him on his cheeks.

This was their first anniversary and her seventeenth birthday. They celebrated it with just the two of them. It was also the day that he promised to never let her go.

"Hon! It's our fourth year together!" she shouted as she hugged him. It was always the happiest day for them because it's her birthday.

Then she picked the wrong date. because she will never forget it while she's moving on. It's her birthday and this year she'll celebrate it as her birthday only and without their anniversary.

Her tears rolled down her cheeks again as she remembers that next week is her birthday. It is painful and bitter for her.

Someone knocked on her door, "Zaph..." voice of a girl mimicked. It was Mira, her ate na anak ng Head Maid sa bahay nila.

She heard the door open and close and heard footsteps also.

"Zaphyra..." sabi nito at niyakap siya.

Miraphea Orqiez is beautiful, simple but with elegance. Her fair skin and a nose that isn't pointed, her red lips, her eyes with the color of darkness and those long eyelashes that made her more attractive. And her short hair.

This woman served as her ate, she is the head maid's daughter and she has this secret love towards Zaccary.

"A-ate..." she sobbed in pain, again.

"He's waiting for you in the dirty kitchen. Pinayagan siya ni nanay para makapag-usap kayo, kaso sa dirty kitchen dahil baka makita siya ng mga kuya mo. Gusto mo ba siyang makausap?"

"Hindi ko pa kaya." sabi niya at sumubsob sa balikat nito. Tinanguan siya nito at marahang hinaplos ang kanayang likod para tumahan siya.

"Sasabihan ko na lang—" napatigil sila pareho dahil sa gulat nang may narinig silang sigaw sa baba.

"Anong ginagawa niyan dito!" 
"Paalisin niyo yan! Ako kakaladkad palabas diyan!"
"Gusto ko lang siya makausap!" 
"Paano mo kakausapin ang taong iyak ng iyak dahil sayo!"
"Umalis ka na rito bago mandilim ang paningin namin sayo!"
"Hindi ako aalis! Gusto ko siyang makausap!"

Lumabas sila pareho at nagulat sa nakita, isang lalaking nakaluhod at nagmamakaawa sa harap ng mga kuya niya.