A L o v e S to r y
T h is s to r y is in s p ir e d b y c e r ta in in s ta n c e s a n d s to r ie s th a t c h a n g e p e o p le ’ s li v e s th a t b r o u g h t th e m
to r e a liz e th a t a l l o f u s s h o u l d le a r n to p u t v a lu e in e v e r y t h in g
a n d e v e r y p e o p le t h a t w ill p a s s e d in o u r life . B e fo r e w e n o tic e o n e d a y th e y w il l n o t b e w ith u s a n y m o r e . A n d w e w ill r e g r e t th e tim e w e d o n ’t le t th e m th e m ....
fe e l o u r lo v e fo r
O n e d a y , A lv in a n d L ir a a r e ta lk in g a t L ir a ’s h o u s e . I t’s b e e n f i v e y e a r s s in c e L ir a a c c e p te d A lv in ’s p r o p o s a l to b e h is g ir lf r ie n d . T h e y w e r e in c o lle g e th e n a n d n o w
th e y a r e s u c c e s s f u l in th e ir o w n c a r e e r . L ir a is a s e g m e n t p r o d u c e r in a w e ll
k n o w n T V s ta tio n w h ile A lv in is a n a r c h ite c t. I n s p ite o f th e ir b u s y s c h e d u l e s th e y a lw a y s fin d tim e to b o n d w ith e a c h o th e r . L ir a w a s s o h a p p y w h ile l is t e n in g to A lv in ’s s to r y a b o u t h i s n e w
“ I ’m
a s s ig n e d p r o je c t fo r th e n e x t m o n th .
s o p r o u d o f y o u , h o n .” L ir a s a id .
“ T h a n k y o u , h o n . I ’m
d o in g th is f o r o u r f u tu r e .” A lv in a n s w e r e d h o ld in g L ir a ’s
h a n d w ith h i s . L ir a ju s t s m i le d fo r w h a t A lv in h a d s a id .
A fte r ta lk in g f o r a fe w
m in u te s ,
A lv in d e c id e d to g o h o m e b e c a u s e i t’s a lr e a d y 1 0 ’o c lo c k in th e e v e n in g . L ir a d o e s n ’t w a n t A lv in to g o h o m e in tim e lik e th a t.
“ H o n , ju s t s ta y h e r e p le a s e ? ” L ir a c r ie d h o ld in g A lv in ’s h a n d .
“ I c a n ’t I h a v e to p la n th e h o u s e d e s ig n f o r to m o r r o w . I ’ll te x t y o u , o k a y ? ” A lv in r e p lie d
“ O k a y !”
“ C o m e o n , I h a v e to g o n o w .”
L ir a a c c o m p a n ie d A lv in o n th e s ta ir s . B e fo r e , g o in g d o w n A lv in le a n o n th e s ta ir c a s e h a n d l e a n d s m ile d a t L ir a .
“ W h a t? ” L ir a a s k e d s ta r tin g to la u g h .
“ I t’s n o th in , I ju s t c a n ’t im a g in e w e ’v e g o t th is fa r .” A lv in r e p lie d .
“ W h y a r e y o u s a y in g th is ? Y o u k n o w y o u ’v e g o t m e w ith y o u r c a p tiv a tin g s m ile .” L ir a s a id b e tw e e n h e r la u g h .
“ Y e a h , I k n o w . A n y w a y , I h a v e to g o n o w , b y e . I lo v e y o u .”
“ O k a y , I l o v e y o u t o o .”
A lv in w a v e a L ir a , L ir a s m ile d a n d w a v e a t A lv in to o .
A fe w
m in u te s h a d p a s s e d a n d
A lv in is g o n e . L ir a s ta r t s to fe e l s le e p y . S h e d e c id e d to ta k e a b a th . A fte r ta k in g a b a th L ir a g o s tr a ig h t to h er b ed ro o m
a n d d r y h e r h a ir . W h e n
h e r h a ir is d r y s h e p r a y s f o r A lv in s a fe t y . T h e n s h e f e ll a s le e p .
I t w a s 8 ’o c lo c k in th e m o r n in g w h e n s h e w o k e u p . S h e g la n c e d a t h e r p h o n e a n d s e e i f A lv in h a d s e n t h e r a te x t m e s s a g e . A n d h e w a s , h is m e s s a g e is l ik e th i s :
“ G o o d m o r n i n g , h o n . I ’ll b e b u s y t o d a y b u t d o n ’t w o r r y I ’ l l h a v e a su r p r ise fo r y o u . S e e y o u th e r e . I lo v e y o u !”
L ir a s m ile d w h il e r e a d in g A lv in ’s m essa g e. S h e co m p o sed a m essa g e a n d s e n d it to A lv in . A ft e r in s u r in g th a t h e r m e s s a g e is s e n t s h e g o t u p a n d p r e p a r e fo r b r e a k fa st.
F iv e h o u r s p a s s e d b y b u t s t ill A lv in d o e s n ’t r e p ly in a n y o f L ir a ’s m e s s a g e . S h e s e n t m e s s a g e lik e “ H a v e y o u e a t y o u r l u n c h a l r e a d y ? A r e y o u s t il l a t w o r k ? W h a t t im e a r e g o in g to b e h ere?”.
L ir a is g e ttin g b o r e d in w a itin g
f o r h e r b o y f r ie n d ’s r e p ly . A n o th e r h o u r h a d p a s s e d a n d L ir a is g e ttin g im p a tie n t so sh e tu r n e d o ff h e r p h o n e a n d th r o w it in th e s o fa .
“ I w ill n o t o p e n th is p h o n e u n le s s h e w ill c a ll m e o n o u r la n d lin e p h o n e .” S h e s a id fr o w n in g .
A n o th e r d a y h a d p a s s e d a n d L ir a fe ll a s le e p a g a in w a itin g fo r A lv in . S h e e x p e c te d h e w il l c o m e lik e h e s a id o n th e m e s s a g e h e s e n t h e r . B u t d in n e r h a d p a s s e d b u t th e r e is n o A lv in a p p ea red .
S e c o n d d a y , s till L ir a w o k e u p e x p e c tin g th a t A lv in te x t e d h e r a lr e a d y . S o , s h e o p e n e d h e r p h o n e to h e r d is m a y s til l n o m e s s a g e fr o m
A lv in . B e c a u s e o f
h e r ir r ita tio n s h e t u r n o ff h e r p h o n e a g a in . S h e q u ic k ly g o t u p in b e d a n d g o o u t o f h e r r o o m . S h e w a tc h e d T V th e w h o le d a y . A fte r w a tc h in g s h e t u r n it o ff a n d g o s tr a ig h t to h e r b e d r o o m .
L ir a d e c id e to c a ll A lv in a lr e a d y s h e b r o w s e h e r p h o n e ’s p h o n e b o o k a n d w h e n s h e f o u n d A lv in ’s n u m b e r s h e q u ic k ly c a ll it. A fe w
seco n d s h a d
p a s s e d b u t th e o th e r lin e i s ju s t r in g in g w h e n L ir a th o u g h t th a t s o m e o n e w il l a n s w e r s h e a lw a y s h a n g e d it u p .
“ W h a t’s h a p p e n in g w ith y o u A lv in ? D o y o u s til l lo v e d m e ? ” L ir a a s k e d h e r s e l f.
S h e th in k fo r a w h ile a n d d e c id e d to w a tc h th e T V a g a in .
A fte r tw o h o u r s w a tc h in g T V L ir a fe lt s le e p y a g a in . S h e s le e p w ith o u t tu r n in g o ff th e T V . S h e w a s s le e p in g w h ile h o ld in g h e r p h o n e in h e r h a n d .
T h ir d d a y , a p h o n e c a ll w a k e L ir a u p . S h e lo o k e d w h o is c a llin g , it’s A lv in . S h e q u ic k ly a n s w e r e d it.. “ H e llo ? ” o n th e o th e r lin e , “ H o n , I lo v e y o u v e r y m u c h ..” th e n it g o t b u s y .
S h e a n g r ily s to o d u p th e s o fa , w h e n s u d d e n ly s o m e o n e k n o c k o n th e d o o r . S h e w a s s u r p r is e d w h e n s h e o p e n th e d o o r . I t w a s A lv in w e a r in g a n a ll w h ite c lo th e s th a t m a k e h im
v e r y g o o d - lo o k in g . H e
w a s ju s t s ta n d in g th e r e s m il in g a t L ir a .
“ L ir a , c o m e w ith m e . L e t m e m a k e u p fo r m y w r o n g d o in g s .” A lv in s a id b r e a k in g th e s il e n c e .
“ W a it I ’ll ju s t c h a n g e .” S h e a n sw ered .
A fte r a fe w
m in u te s ...
“ C o m e o n le t’s g o .”
L ir a w a s s u r p r is e d to s e e w h e r e a r e th e y g o in g , it w a s A lv in ’s h o u s e . S h e g o t n e r v o u s b u t s h e d o e s n ’t k n o w
w h y.
T h e y w a lk e d n e a r th e d o o r o f th e h o u se.
“ W h a t a r e w e d o in g h e r e ? ” L ir a a s k e d b u t A lv in ju s t a n s w e r h e r w ith a s m il e . “ Y o u ’r e a c tin g r e a lly s tr a n g e h o n .” S h e a d d e d . B u t a n o th e r s m il e w a s A lv in ’s a n sw er.
L ir a r e a c h th e d o o r a n d s a w A lv in ’s m o m
fu ll o f g r ie f th in k in g th a t A lv in
w a s ju s t b e h in d h e r s h e a p p r o a c h h is m o m .
“ T ita w h a t’s h a p p e n in g h e r e ? W h y is th e r e m a n y p e o p le in h e r e ? A n d w h a t’s th e r e d l ig h t fo r ? T e ll m e w h a t h a p p e n e d ? ” L ir a a s k e d a ll o f th o s e q u e s t io n s tr a ig h tly w i th o u t l e tt in g A lv in ’s m o m
u tte r a n y w o r d .
“ Y o u ’d b e tte r c o m e w ith m e .” S h e a n s w e r e d c o n fu s in g ly .
B e fo r e L ir a g o t in s id e th e h o u s e s h e c a n ’t b e li e v e w h a t s h e w a s s e e in g , a c o ffin . H e r m in d w a s s ta r tin g to fille d w i th m a n y th in g s a n d th o u g h ts.
“ H e ’s g o n e , h e ’s g o n e L ir a .” A lv in m o m
s a id w h ile c r y in g .
“ T ita , I c a n ’t u n d e r s ta n d w h a t w a s h a p p e n in g .”
A lv in ’s m o m
h u g g e d h e r lik e s h e n e v e r
h u g a n y o n e b e fo r e .
“ L ir a , A lv in is g o n e . W h y d o y o u ju s t g o n o w ? I te x te d y o u b u t y o u r p h o n e w a s o ff.”
L ir a o p e n e d h e r p h o n e a n d s a w th e m e s s a g e th a t A l v in ’s m o m
sen d h er.
F ir s t m e s s a g e : “ H ija , m y s o n is n o w 5 0 / 5 0 . C o m e h e r e , h e n e e d s y o u ...” S e c o n d m e s s a g e : “ P le a s e c o m e h e r e o r
r e p ly ... I n e e d it n o w . .”
T h ir d m e s s a g e : “ M y s o n is o n c o m a to s e ... C a n y o u v is it h im
n o w ? ... Y o u 'r e h is
s tr e n g th .”
L a s t m e s s a g e : “ H ija , m y s o n is d e a d .”
A fte r r e a d in g th e la s t m e s s a g e A lv in ’s m o m
s e n t m a d e h e r c r ie d to
th in k th a t h e r lo v e is n o w
g o n e in h e r
lif e . S h e c a n ’t h e lp b u t to h u g h i s m o m . T h e y b o th c r y fo r th e d e a th o f th e m a n th e y b o th lo v e d . A lv in ’s m o m
a s a m o th e r , a n d L ir a a s a
lo v e r .
“ I ’m
s o r r y , T ita . I f I h a d o p e n m y
p h o n e e a r lie r m a y b e I ’d b e th e r e f o r A lv in . M a y b e h i s s ti ll h e r e if I g o . I ’m s o r r y , I ’m
s o s o r r y ...” L ir a c r ie d .
“ I t’s o k a y L ir a , w e b e d o n ’t w a n t th is to h a p p e n . S o , a s A lv in .”
A lv in ’s m o m
le t L ir a ta k e a r e s t fo r
a w h ile s h e w o n ’t s to p c r y in g b e f o r e sh e g e t to sle e p . S h e w a s e x h a u ste d a b o u t th e th in g s th a t i s h a p p e n in g to h e r . S h e e v e n th in k th a t t h i s w a s a ll a p a r t o f a n ig h tm a r e . A n ig h tm a r e th a t w il l e n d u p w h e n e v e r s o m e o n e w ill w a k e h e r u p .
I t w a s m o r n in g w h e n L ir a w o k e u p . S h e w a s a t A lv in ’s h o u s e . S h e s m il e d w h en sh e sa w
t h a t th e r e is n o c o ffin
in th e li v in g r o o m
s h e th in k th a t
s h e ’ s r ig h t th a t i t w a s a ll a d r e a m
sh e
lo o k e d d o w n to fin d h e r s lip p e r s w h e n s o m e th in g d r o p fr o m
h er eyes.
S h e is c r y in g s h e d o e s n ’t k n o w w h y s h e lo o k fo r h e r h a n d k e r c h ie f to d r y h e r te a r s w h e n s h e is w e e p in g h e r te a r s sh e sa w o f h er.
S h e s ta n d u p a n d lo o k a t h e r b o y fr ie n d fr o m
h e a d to to e .
“ H o n , is th a t y o u ? T h a n k g o d it’s n o t tr u e .” S h e s a id b e tw e e n h e r cry.
“ I ’m
s o r r y , h o n . B u t it’s tr u e I ’m
d e a d ... I ju s t c a m e h e r e to te ll y o u o n e la s t th in g .”
“ W h a t? Y o u ’r e ly in g . T e ll m e th e tr u th A lv in ! I t’s n o t f u n n y a n ym o re, o k a y?” sh e a n sw ered w h il e g e ttin g c lo s e to h im .
A lv in s ta n d in g in fr o n t
“ I ’m
s o r r y , h o n I d id n ’t w a n t to le a v e
y o u . B u t th e a c c id e n t I w a s n ’t a b le to c o n tr o l it. I ’m
so rr y . A n y w a y ta k e
th i s .” A lv in s a id h a n d in g th e c a n d le .
“ W h a t’s th is ? ” L ir a a s k e d g e ttin g th e c a n d le in A lv in ’s h a n d .
“ I b r o u g h t th is t h e t im e b e fo r e th e a c c id e n t. I w a s a b o u t to a s k y o u r h a n d in m a r r ia g e b u t I w a s n ’t a b le to g o . J u s t lit th i s c a n d le a n d I w ill a lw a y s b e w ith y o u .”
“ I ’m
s o r r y , if I ’d ta k e n th o s e tim e to
v is it y o u m a y b e y o u ’ll s til l h e r e . I ’m s o r r y .” L ir a s a id w h ile h u g g in g A lv in .
“ B y e h o n ! I ’ll w a it f o r y o u in o u r n e x t life . I lo v e y o u ! ” A lv in s a id t h e n h e d is a p p e a r e d . L ir a w a s le ft th e r e a l l a lo n e lo o k in g a t th e c a n d le .
L ir a fe lt s o m e o n e w a s w a k in g h e r u p . S h e o p e n h e r e y e s to s e e A lv in ’s m o th e r ta p p in g h e r s h o u ld e r .
“ T ita ? ” L ir a a s k e d .
“ L ir a it’s tim e f o r th e b u r ia l c o m e o n .”
“ T ita , A lv in ta lk e d to m e . H e e v e n g a v e m e th is .” L ir a s h o w e d th e c a n d le to A lv in ’s m o m .
“ T h is is im p o s s ib le ...a ll o f th i s c a n d le s w h e r e m a s h e d u p in th e a c c id e n t i t c a n ’t b e th i s o n e w a s s a f e . W a it I ’ll ju s t c h e c k o n t h e d o o r .” A l v i n m o t h e r s a i d r e tu r n in g th e c a n d le to L ir a ’s h a n d . T h e n L ir a w a s le ft a lo n e a g a in .
L ir a lo o k a t th e c a n d le a g a in a n d s m ile . S h e k n o w a lw a y s b e th e s ig n o f A lv in ’s lo v e f o r h e r . F r o m
th a t th e c a n d le w ill
th e o n s h e p r o m is e to ta k e c a r e o f
th e c a n d le a s lo n g a s s h e li v e d . S o m e tim e s s h e lig h t u p th e c a n d le a n d c lo s e h e r e y e s . A c o ld b r e e z e w ill b lo w
in h e r r o o m
a n d sh e k n o w
h e r a k is s ....
T h e E n d !!!
th a t it w a s A lv in w h o g a v e
P r o je c t In E n g lis h ( P ic tu r e B o o k )
S m ilie s : N e il R o s a le s - A lv in M ic a e la M a n u n d o - L ir a S h e e n a O a b - A lv i n ’s m o t h e r J a m ie S e r a p io -W r it e r & A r t D ir e c t o r J o y S u g u ita n - P h o to g r a p h e r S a c h ik o M iz u h a ta - C r e w R ig il J u a n g a - L ig h tsm a n