Hopeful Hearts

WAKAS : HOPEFUL HEARTS

[HOPEFUL HEARTS]

"Paano ba?" tanong ko Karyl.

She eyed me first bago nagkibit-balikat. Nandito siya sa bahay namin ngayon dahil pinapunta ko siya para humingi ng advice.

She's close to Marie and I trusted her.

"Confess your feelings!" she said, as if it was so easy to confess everything!

So, ano ang gagawin ko? Tell my best friend that while she's busy treating me as a brother, I was also busy falling for her? Would she buy that one? Well, I doubt it.

"I can't risk that much, Karyl. Baka ayaw niya..."

Karyl rolled her eyes at me. Ngumiwi ps siya, sabay kagat ng mansanas na kanina niya pa hawak, bago nagsalita.

"Loving someone is really risky. If you can't take the risk, then you do not deserve my cousin, Jared."

I clenched my jaw at her statement.

"I'm afraid that he doesn't feel the same towards me... I was away for two years because I'm afraid my feelings would destroy our friendship. She values our friendship too much, Karyl, at ayaw kong masira iyon—"

"Aish! Kung hindi ka ngayon aamin, kailan?"

I pursed my lips into a thin line. She's right.

Heaving a sigh ay pinikit ko ang mga mata ko sabay sandal sa sofa. I do not actually know what to do.

I'm so afraid to confess everything... I'm afraid to lose her after revealing everything... I'm so scared.

Isang tapik sa balikat ko ang nagpamulat muli sa akin. It's my Dad, and he's smiling at me.

"If the woman doesn't like you back, make her like you. It's the best way, anak."

Parang may nabuhay namang kung anong pag-asa sa puso ko dahil dito.

"Paano?" tanong ko.

"Make her fall... Treat her like your most precious treasure."

Ngumisi ako sa tatay ko and thanked him for his advice.

I'll take that one...

For Marie, I'll make some efforts.

Marie...

It is the name of the person who I always call when everyone turns their back at me. The person who always understand me. The friend who never let me feel that I was just a friend, but a brother to her.

She's a shoulder to cry on. A person you can always call on. A person who would always care for you.

When I'm sick, she will always rush in our house to take care of me. When I'm sad, she would always try her best to make me laugh. She won't just let your day end without a smile. And I like her for being so positive in this world that is full of negativity.

To everyone, Marie is caring, loving, sweet, and honest –she's perfect, I think. She's the kind of woman that every man would wish for.

Tinitigan ko siya habang nakahiga siya sa damuhan. My Marie has now grown up to a beautiful woman.

After two years, nasilayan ko rin siya muli. I have been missing her. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ko nagawang tiisin ang dalawang taong malayo sa kanya.

"So my status really bothers you, huh? Funny!" she said.

I was asking her why she remained single the whole time, and my heart was hoping that it might be because of me. I was hoping so dearly and prayed to the Almighty that Marie also feels the same way I do.

Ang hirap lang kasing umamin sa kanya. I'm afraid my feelings for her would scare her.

"Nah, look, you're the most caring, loving, and honest person I've ever met-"

She cut me off and said.

"It's because I'm not Selena Gomez nor Taylor Swift."

I chuckled.

"Eh? They're celebrities, you're different, you're Marie, who has a good heart!" I said while looking at her as she stares the sky above.

She laughed softly, still staring the sky above.

"That's it!" she said as she snaps her fingers. 

"I only have a good heart, never had the good looks."

I frowned. Why is she belittling herself? She's more than she sees herself.

"You are beautiful..."

If other people doesn't find you beautiful, that means that your beauty is for me to see only. And I have to thank the Almighty for that, dahil wala akong kaagaw.

I wanted to tell her those words, pero mas pinili kong lunukin na lang ang lahat ng mga salita ko dahil natatakot ako na baka mabigla siya.

I am not certain with her feelings for me. Hindi ko alam kung kapatid pa rin ba ang tingin niya sa akin o higit pa. Pero ang puso ko ay patuloy na umaasa na sana higit din sa pagkakaibigan namin ang hangad niya.

Marie and I have been friends since young, and we've sworn that we will be friends for life. At first, I was contented with that, but as the time goes by, I wanted more than friendship. Pero hindi ako sigurado kung gano'n din ang gusto niya.

She's four years younger than me, and I was so tempted to have her as my girl despite of our gap. But I have to be considerate to her, she's too young and she needed to focus in her studies.

I can wait for my Marie, that's what I told myself. I waited for her na dumating na sa hustong gulang bago ligawan. I have been waiting for her almost my entire life, with my heart hoping that one day Marie would love me back.

And I must have been the luckiest person in the world, for all my hopes and desires really came into reality. But then again, I have to wait for her before I finally call her mine... Patience is a virtue.

Si Marie ang tipo ng babae na may paninindigan. When she told me that I can't change her mind no matter what, she was indeed serious and true to her words.

Marie still left and pursue her education abroad even after I confessed my feelings for her that night, and after we savor the taste of each other's lips. At hindi ko siya pinigilan.

Mahal ko siya kaya nirespeto ko ang desisyon niya. Hinayaan ko siya na abutin ang pangarap niya. Hinayaan ko siyang umalis. Pero hindi ko siya hinayaang maramdaman niya na nag-iisa siya.

Dahil na rin sa sinabi nila na dapat habulin mo ang mga pangarap mo sa buhay, ay sinundan ko siya abroad, dahil siya na lang ang pangarap ko sa buhay na hindi ko pa nakakamit.

"Kanina ka pa rito?"

Napaayos ako ng upo nang marinig ito. Inangat ko ang tingin ko at pinagmasdan si Marie na ngayon ay nakangiti na sa akin.

Tumayo ako at saka niyakap siya, saka ko hinalikan ang noo niya.

"Hindi naman masyado. You're worth the wait, baby."

Her cheeks blushed upon hearing the word baby. I am calling her with that endearment since the day I confessed to her, and it's been five months already, at hindi pa rin siya sanay.

My Marie is so adorable!

"Saan mo ba balak pumunta ngayon?" tanong niya na lang.

Ngumisi naman ako. "Sa buhay mo."

Natawa ako nang pinanliitan niya ako ng mga mata. May kapilyohang pumasok sa isipan ko at agad ko siyang ninakawan ng halik nang ngumuso siya.

Tinampal niya naman ako sa balikat ko.

"Jared!" saway niya.

Tinawanan ko lang siya at niyakap sabay bulong, "I love you."

Naramdaman ko naman na niyakap niya ako pabalik.

"I love you too... Baby."

Napangisi na lang ako nang malapad.

I didn't really regret telling all my hopes to God. Dahil lahat ng hinaing at sana ko ay pinakinggan niya.

Totoo nga na when we feel that the ropes of life are slowly wearing off, the hopes in our hearts will keep us hanging on.

But even if I finally have Marie with me, my heart will still continue hoping. It will hope that God might give me a long life to take good care of her, because my baby deserves to be loved in a way she could never imagined...

The End...

Hi! Can you drop your thoughts about this story? For evaluation purposes only.

Your words will really be appreciated. ❤️

I accept criticisms po.

Anyway, just wanna share. Jared was the man who intruded my dreams. Hindi naman talaga Jared ang name niya, ginawa ko lang. But I have dreamed of him. Hahaha.

First draft lang po ito ng kwento nila, at hindi na proofread (pati ibang stories ko HAHAH) kaya sana mapagpasensyahan niyo ang errors ko hehe.

Sana nagustuhan niyo po ang kwento ni Marie at Jared. ❤️

Salamat sa pagbabasa.

(2 days and 3 nights )