Stolen Heart

Keisha’s POV Thirteen months. Thirteen months since Jc started treating me like I was someone worth choosing everyday, every hour, every chance he had. Thirteen months since he stood in front of me with flowers and chocolates, smiling like I was sunshine… even if I felt like a storm inside. And three years… Three whole years since he first told me he wanted to court me. Three years na hindi ko siya sinagot. Three years na hindi ko kayang magtiwala. Three years na takot pa rin ako kahit anong gawin ko, kahit anong pilit kong ngumiti, kahit anong sabi nila na “move on ka na.” Trauma doesn’t listen. Trauma sits in your chest and tells you the worst stories about people. Kaya ngayon, habang nakatayo siya sa harap ko hawak na naman yung bouquet na paborito kong kulay, at isang box ng chocolates na lagi niyang binibili kahit minsan di ko kinakain, my heart didn’t know whether it wanted to run away, or collapse right into him. “Here’s flowers and chocolates para sa aking binibini" Jc said, soft smile, soft eyes… like always. Tinanggap ko. Of course. Tinanggap ko lagi. Pero I rolled my eyes, gaya ng nakasanayan ko. “You look… not happy, princess.” His brows knitted, worried. “Don’t you like them? Sabihin mo lang if you want something else. I can change it for you.” Ang dali dali niyang magsalita ng ganun. Ang dali dali niyang kapitan yung mundo ko at ayusin. If only my heart was that easy to fix. “Do you have problems?” he asked again, softer now. “You know you can tell me anything, right? I’ll listen. Kahit buong araw pa.” And that broke me. Before I knew it, napahawak ako sa sleeves niya and I pulled him into a hug something I never do. Something I’m scared to do. Something that makes me feel weak. I felt his breath hitch for a moment, then his hands were on my back, patting me gently. “Bakit umiyak ang aking binibini?” His voice lowered as if the whole world suddenly disappeared. “Are you questioning yourself again, aking binibini?” I nodded, because I didn’t know how to speak because every fear I buried suddenly pushed itself out. The past. The pain. The ex who broke me so badly that I sealed the door of my heart forever. Or… I thought forever. Then Jc whispered, so quietly it felt like a vow: “Alam mo ba? No’ng una kitang makita… I felt it. Love at first sight. Hindi agad—I denied it, kinontra ko, tinawanan ko sarili ko… but it grew. It became real. And before I knew it… you stole my heart.” I stilled. “You didn’t mean to,” he continued. “But you did. And I love you… because you’re you. Not because you remind me of someone. Not because you’re perfect. I love you because it’s you, Keisha.” My tears slowly stopped. I looked up. He kissed the top of my head. “I’m all yours,” he whispered. “Whenever you’re ready.” And for the first time in years… For the first time since everything shattered… Someone didn’t force the door open. He waited outside. And maybe… maybe that’s why my walls started to c***k. Just a little bit. Just enough for a stolen heart to slip through. Jc’s POV Thirteen months. Thirteen months since I asked her if I could court her. Thirteen months since she didn’t say yes. But she also never told me to stop. Everyone keeps calling me impatient, short-tempered, makulit, balagbag at mabilis magalit. Pero sa kanya? Kay Keisha? My patience is endless. Because loving her never felt tiring. Everyday I make time kahit sobrang busy ko. Everyday I check if she’s okay. Everyday I try to make her laugh kahit rolling eyes lang yung binabalik niya. People don’t understand. Pero I see her. I see the hurt she hides behind her quiet face. I see the fear na pinipilit niyang takpan with annoyance. I see the broken pieces na hindi niya pa kayang buuin. And I want to be careful. Kailangan ko maging gentle. Hindi pwedeng biglain. Hindi pwedeng pilitin. Kasi once upon a time… Someone broke her enough to make her believe love was a trap. And I’m here trying to prove na love is safety. She finally calmed down after she cried kanina after she hugged me like she was drowning and I was the only thing she could hold onto. “Thanks for your patience, Jc… I appreciate all your efforts.” She wiped her cheeks. “Thirteen months of courting me… hindi madali yun. You’re known for having short patience pero you stayed.” I swallowed hard. She continued, voice softer: “I don’t have problems because of you… I’m thankful for that. I’m just overthinking. Sa future. Sa mga mangyayari. I’m happy because of you… pero hindi ko alam paano ipakita after I lost my smile.” That hurt. More than anything ever did. She lost her smile because someone taught her to fear happiness. “Hindi na ako nagdududa sa sarili ko,” she whispered. “Because you’re by my side. You became my comfort zone. My crying shoulder.” I couldn’t breathe for a second. “Kung ikaw, narealize mo ng maaga yung feelings mo…” I leaned closer. “…ako, late ko narealize.” She touched my hand, gently, timidly. “I fell for you,” she whispered. “You made me see the real world again. You gave me freedom back. You made me realize boys aren’t all the same. You stole my heart, Jc… because of your patience. Your personality. Your consistency.” Then she hugged me again, tighter than before. “I’m yours now,” she murmured. And there, right there, my entire world stopped. Because after years of waiting… after months of slow, painful, quiet longing… after holding on to hope even when it hurt… She said the words I prayed for. She chose me. And maybe this is what stolen hearts look like not theft, not force, not breaking in. But opening the door after someone waited long enough outside.