Summer Rain

HEY THERE. KUMUSTA ka na? Matagal-tagal na nang huling beses kitang nakita. Matagal-tagal ko na ring hindi naririnig ang boses mo. Wala ka man lang bang balak na magparamdam? Just a simple ‘hi’ would do, you know. Hindi naman ako mapili. Alam mong napakababaw lang ng kaligayahan ko. Hindi na ako galit sa iyo. Nagtatampo pa rin, oo. Pero hindi na ako galit. Napagod na lang siguro ako at ang tanging hiling ko na lang ngayon ay makita kang muli at makausap. Puwede bang magkita uli tayo? Doon sa traffic light kung saan tayo unang nagkita. Naalala mo pa? Umuulan nun kahit maliwanag pa ang sikat ng araw nang hapong iyon. Nakakatuwang tingnan ang paligid dahil ang liwanag at napakaaliwalas ng panahon sa kabila ng pagbuhos ng mahinang ulan. Medyo nasisilaw pa nga ako dahil direkta akong tinatamaan ng sikat ng araw mula sa kinatatayuan ko nun. Pero gandang-ganda ako sa patak ng ulan, habang ang mga tao sa paligid ko ay hindi na alam kung saan pupunta para lang makasilong. Pero ako, hayun at hindi umaalis sa kinatatayuan ko habang hinihintay ang pagpapalit ng ilaw trapiko. Una dahil may payong ako, pangalawa ay dahil gusto kong sumali sa kakaibang tanawing hatid ng mayuming ulan na iyon sa gitna ng sikat ng papalubog na araw. And that’s when I saw you standing on the other side of the pedestrian lane. Gaya ko, parang naaaliw ka rin sa buhos ng ulan sa gitna ng katirikan ng sikat ng araw. And then our eyes met. You slowly smiled at me and I thought the day couldn’t get any better. The traffic light turned red, the cars stopped, and we walked across the street without taking our eyes off each other. You greeted me through a whispered ‘hi’ as you walked past by me. I smiled and continued to walk away, praying that it wouldn’t be the last time that I’ll ever gonna see you. And it wasn’t. Because we met again at a train station. The train I was in just closed its door when I saw you entered the platform. Our eyes met as the train started moving. I was very surprised to see you, and very happy too. And I knew you were too, coz I saw the look on your face when you realized you were moving along with the train. We weren’t able to talk to each other that day but I knew, and I prayed, that we could meet each other again. And we did. I was on a bus on my way to Tagaytay when you turned up again in my life. You sat beside me and for the first time, I finally heard your voice. You had the gentlest voice I had ever heard, and the warmest smile I have ever seen up close. I could only watch you as I listen to your stories  that I couldn’t even remember a single thing about. I’m sorry for not focusing on your stories. I just couldn’t stop watching you. I don’t want to stop watching you because I’m afraid that I might not see you again. I heard somewhere that if you meet a special stranger three times, it’s either you will stay with that stranger forever or never see him again. I just wanted to have your image embedded in my mind so that if God decided not to let our paths cross again, I’ll have enough memories of you to last me a lifetime. Because God only knows how much I wanted to see you, again and again, everyday of my life. But I guess God had some other plans for us. Remember that day when we parted ways in Tagaytay? In all our times talking to each other, I didn’t know why we never did get to the part of taking each others’ names. Or asking for each other’s numbers. Again we walked away never knowing what would happen next. I’m thinking of jumping off that bus so I could ask you the things I wanted to know about you. But my feet seemed to be planted on the ground and all I could do was to ask God once again to let me meet you again. And He did. From then on, never again did you ever make me feel alone. You were always by my side, always trying to assure me that I’ll always have you with me, making me happy everyday, letting me know how important I am to you. Even during those times when I was doubting my feelings for you, you always give me reasons not to. You said you will never ever lose me again, that you would do anything just to keep me with you. You promised you will not allow fate to keep us apart again. You promised we will never have to look for each other again in this big and crazy world, because you will hold on to me no matter what. You promised… You promised you will never leave me. So why am I alone now? Why am I looking for you everywhere again? And why couldn’t I find you? I’m shouting for you even in my dreams. Why can’t you hear me? I’m sad and lonely, hurting and alone. Please come back to me… I’m not asking for too much. Just to see you was enough. Even if its just a glimpse of you… I’m reaching out my hand to you, to feel your touch once again. But I was only met by the cold wind and an empty space between my fingers. … … Dear God, please let me see him again. Please give me one more chance to see him again. I promise I’ll be good for the rest of my life. I’ll do anything for that one last chance… Just one more…