Stolen Glances

Chapter 6

[Allison's POV]

Hi… I’m Allison. Kealen’s cousin.

I’ve known Navy for too long, hindi lang dahil kay Kealen, but because she became someone important too. Someone I genuinely care about.

And right now, she’s hurting because of what happened.

I stood in front of Navy’s house, holding my phone tightly.

I wasn’t even sure if I should be here but after hearing everything about the accident, about sa kanila ni Kealen, and about sa pag alis ni Kealen I knew I had to come.

“Kealen would want this,” I whispered to myself before knocking.

A few moments later, a helper opened the door and let me in.

Nasa labas ako ng room ni Navy, staring at the door for a few seconds.

Tahimik ang buong bahay, pero ramdam ko yung bigat ng hangin. I raised my hand and gently knocked.

Tok… tok… tok…

I was a pause, then I heard her voice from inside, weak and tired.

“Mom…?”

My chest tightened a little and I took a small breath before answering softly,

“Not her… it’s me, Allison.” there was silence again.

For a moment, I thought she wouldn’t open the door. But then... click.

The door slowly opened and there she was Navy.

Her eyes were swollen, her face pale, halatang matagal nang umiiyak. Seeing her like that… it hurt.

“Ally…” she whispered.

That one word was enough for me to know, she wasn’t okay.

Her room was messy ang kumot niya, pillows everywhere, and her phone beside her like she’d been holding onto it for hours.

I sat beside her without saying anything first. Minsan, hindi kailangan ng maraming salita.

“I tried…” she said suddenly, her voice breaking.

“I really tried, Ally…”

I looked at her gently. “I know.”

“I wasn’t late… I woke up early… everything was fine…” Her hands started shaking.

“But then… may accident… everything happened so fast…” I stayed quiet, letting her continue.

“I kept telling them I needed to go… I needed to see him…” Her voice trembled more.

“But when I got there…” She covered her face.

“Wala na siya…”

“I didn’t even get to say goodbye…”

I comfort her gently held her hand.

“Navy… listen to me,” I said softly.

She looked at me, her eyes full of pain.

“Kealen knows you. He knows you wouldn’t miss that moment unless something serious happened.”

She sniffled. “But what if… he thinks I didn’t care?”I shook my head.

“No. Hindi siya ganon.” I smiled a little.

“I grew up with him, remember? Kilala ko ‘yon at kilala mo siya.”

“And the way he looks at you… the way he talks about you…” I paused. “He cares, a lot.”

She stayed quiet for a moment. We talk and talked then let out a small, tired laugh.

“Masungit pa rin ba tingin niya sa’kin?”

I chuckled. “Very.”

She shook her head slightly, a faint smile appearing.

At least kahit papaano, napatawa ko siya and we stayed there for a while. Talking, sitting in silence and just being there.

“You don’t have to go through this alone,” I told her. She looked at me.

“I’m here, okay? Always.”

She nodded slowly. “Thank you, Ally…”

As I watched her, I realized something. Now I understand why Kealen fell for her.

She’s not just someone you like but she’s someone you fight for.

Before I left, I glanced back at her. She was holding her phone again… still hoping, still waiting." I sighed softly.

“Kealen… ang swerte mo sa kanya,” I whispered and deep inside,

I made a promise... I’ll help them. No matter how far apart they are.

****

[Navy's POV]

Sunday mornings used to feel normal. But today same… everything felt heavier.

I woke up early, even though I barely slept. My eyes were still swollen, but I forced myself to get up.

“Maybe… I need this,” I whispered. I needed peace.

Naligo na ako nag nag ayos sa sarili ko, white dress ang sinuot ko and white heels.

Hours later, before going inside the church I stopped by a small stall outside.

“Pabili po ng sampaguita,” I said softly.

The vendor smiled and handed me a small garland.

“Para po kay Lord?” she asked.

I nodded. “Opo.”

I held the sampaguita gently in my hands. Its soft white petals and light fragrance felt… calming.

“Please… help me,” I whispered under my breath.

I walked slowly inside and sat on one of the benches. The church was quiet, peaceful.

I placed the sampaguita near the altar and clasped my hands together. I closed my eyes.

“God…” My voice trembled.

“I don’t even know where to start…” my tears slowly fell again.

“I tried… I really tried to be there for him… but something happened and I couldn’t…” I took a deep breath.

“Please,take care of Auri… wherever he is right now.”

“Guide him,protect him, and remind him that…I didn’t mean to miss that moment.” My voice broke.

“And God… please help me too.“I’m hurting… and I don’t know how to fix this.”

“Please help me heal, slowly…kahit paunti-unti lang hanggang sa maging okay na ako”

After a while, I opened my eyes. That’s when I saw two people sitting a few benches away a boy and a girl.

They were laughing softly, whispering to each other, sharing a small prayer booklet. Best friends, maybe.

The way they looked at each other… it felt familiar. My chest tightened.

“That used to be us…” I whispered.

Yung simpleng tawanan, yung comfortable silence, yung feeling na okay ka lang kahit walang salita."I looked away, blinking back my tears.

“Bakit ganun… ang dali mawala ng moment…”

______________________________________

After praying, I stood up and walked to the candle area.

I lit one candle, watching the small flame flicker. “This is for you, us…” I whispered.

“Para sa dreams natin… sa future natin… and I pray that God will guide me to my new journey, a journey without him. And also I pray to God that he will guide to reach my dream, especially now sa pasukon I'm college na and I really need a guidance from God.” I lit another one.

“And this one… for myself.“For healing, for strengthen, for everything that I felt right now. I hope makakaya ko lahat ng ito, but there's no impossible in Jesus name.”

Before leaving, I looked at the altar one last time. I held onto the last bit of hope inside me.

“God… if he’s meant for me.“Please, bring him back to me.”

I took a deep breath and wiped my tears. Then I walked out of the church, holding onto something new.

Not happiness yet…but faith and maybe… that’s enough for now.

****

[Auri's POV]

Nakatulog ako sa sakit nang nararandaman ko, hindi man lang ako maabutan ni Navy kahit nayakap ko man lang siya or kahit makita lang.

I can’t believe this is happening.

The plane took off, and all I could feel was… emptiness. Empty because she wasn’t there.

I wanted so badly to hold her, to see her face and o tell her I’d be okay pero wala eh. She wasn’t there and I couldn’t reach her.

I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against the window.

The clouds blurred past, but nothing could blur the ache inside me an it hurts more than I thought it would.

Hindi lang dahil naiwan siya sa airport…hindi rin dahil hindi ko siya na yakap… kundi dahil hindi ko man alam kung okay siya.

Ang sakit… parang may kumakagat sa dibdib ko every second.

I tried to distract myself and I read the safety card. I checked the map and I watched the clouds change colors.

Pero lahat ng iyon… useless. She was all I could think about.

I finally reached for my phone, it was off, as I turned it off earlier and I unlocked it… and my heart stopped.

A message... a message from her.

"I had an accident."

My chest tightened, I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to jump off the plane and go back to her but I couldn’t, not yet.

I couldn’t see her like that. Not to be hurt and not to be scared.

I stared at the message for what felt like hours.

I typed a reply. Deleted it. Typed again. Deleted it!

“What if she sees I’m breaking down?” I whispered.

I couldn’t because I had to be strong. I had to.

****

Hours later, the plane finally landed. The engine’s roar was loud, but I barely heard it. All I could feel was Navy.

Every thought, every memory, every stolen glance flashed in my mind.

When the doors opened, cold air hit my face, and I took a deep breath.

The airport was huge, busy and no Navy. I wanted to text her, to call her pero hindi ko kaya hindi pa ngayon.

I just walked, dragging my luggage behind me, every step heavy.

The taxi ride to my dorm was so quiet and I looked out the window at the city lights.

It was beautiful. New, exciting pero walang saya sa puso ko. I saw couples walking together, friends laughing and families hugging.

And I just…thought of Navy.

I whispered to myself, “Sana… sana ayos ka na.”

Every little thing reminded me of her....her laugh, her eyes, her stubbornness and everything about her.

By the time I reached my dorm, I was exhausted. I opened the small fridge, unpacked my luggage, and sat by the window, staring at the city below.

The night was quiet and peaceful, pero sa puso ko… hindi mapawi ang sakit.

I pulled out my phone again, her message. I read it again and again.

“ I had an accident…” I closed my eyes.

Naby,” I whispered her name.

“Soon, Navy… soon we’ll see each other. I promise. I’ll make you proud… and I’ll come back for you as what I've promise.”

****

I set an alarm for my early tour and training. I made a cup of tea and I wrote a little in my journal, sketching ideas for our future, for the company we’d build together… for us.

Even here, thousands of miles away… Navy was still my world.

And I promised myself… because no matter what it takes, I wouldn’t let go.

Shitt!! Her smile, her laugh and her heart I missed everything about her.

She’d always be with me.