I love you, goodbye.
Short story by: Red Herrera

I remembered the day I first saw you. It was bright and sunny. I saw you smiled right to the guy I knew was your friend? That day, that very moment I told myself "Ma-akoa jud ka"

Days passed by unya tadhana kept us into often seeing each other. Every lunch break, makit-an gyod tika. You looked way cuter each new day. Makita tika sa corridor, sa pathway, sa locker ug bisan aha sa campus.

New sem, new classmates. One class nako is 7:00am. Siguro no, walay ganahan musod ug ingon ana ka sayo? Pero my inner instinct tells me "kaligo na, adto nas skwelahan"

Katugon pa kay ko nga ga baklay paingon sa room. I entered and took my seat. I rubbed my eyes to ease my sleepiness, keeping it cool kumbag. Until I finally saw someone familiar right beside me. I once again rubbed my eyes to see clearer. I nearly jump off my seat pagkakita nako nga ikaw akong katapad. Shet. Akong balahibo nanimbarot ug akong sleepiness nawala.

Ug diadto nag sugod ang atoang pag-ila2. Amazing lang kay God gave me the chance to finally know you more personal. Bataot man sab diay ka. Kind-hearted nga bisan wala na kay gikaon, i-hatag pa gyod nimo imong food sa mga street children. Ikaw ning kuripot nga galante. Ikaw ning down to earth ug kusog murespeto. That time, I realized I wasn't wrong in admiring you.

Nag court ko nimo tas mga 4 months nahimong kita. I was the luckiest guy that time. Nag paparty gud kos atoang ka block kay tungod sa kalipay. Sige tikag i surprise, sige tikag kumustahon, sige tikag pakiligon, wala ko nagkulang sa comfort and all. Gihatag siguro nako ang tanan? Just to make you feel special.

But things went wrong after our 3rd month. I planned a surprise sa atoang monthsary. I ordered helium balloons and green roses, imuhang favorites. The night before our day, wala jud ko natulog just to make things the best and perfect the next day. Kay I don't want to disappoint you. I want you to feel happy with sa ginagmay nga mga efforts. I want you to feel treasured. Kana bitawng makafeel kag ikaw pinakagwapa sa kalibutan? I want you to feel that.

Pasulod na kos inyong village with my friends ready.

I feel heavy that time, wala ko kabalo ngano or naunsa. Gibalewala ra nko kay I don't want to ruin our day.

Hapit na kaayo mis inyo. Nakita na god nako inyong gate.

Suddenly, na open ni and a guy came out. Just a sec after, you came out also. I saw you smiling perfectly. A smile as genuine as I could describe.

I don't want to overthink. Basin diay cousin nimo or unsa. Gasumbagon nako pero akong gipug-ngan. Giduol ko skong barkada saying "Mao na akong giingon nimo brad, last month pman mi nakabntay ana nila"

Tears started to fall from my eyes. Shet? Blind ra kaayo ko. Na connect na dayon nako ang dots. Mao diay kung mutext ko murag wala na siyay gana. Almost all her replies were as cold as Baguio's. Mao diay katong nag dinner mi nagdali2 siyag uli, kay diay naa siyay lain ginaulian? Mao diay ktong nakig study out ko niya, wala siya musugot kay busy siya. Mao diay, mao diay.

I cant step even an inch forward. Mura kog ice nga nitikig sa akong gitindugan. Tears kept falling ug akong heart murag gikumot

Sakita bitaw kaayo?

➖

3 years na since that time, wala gihapom tay formal closure. Pero I know you're happy now with someone else.

Nibalhin kag school just to get rid of me. I understand that. Siguro you wanted to get away from me kay wala koy pulos? Nga wa koy klaro pagka-uyab?

As I scan over our pictures, di gyod mawala ang luha sa akong mata. Dugay bya sab ta nag-uban sa? We had memories built as tall as a tower and I can't afford to take it down. 3 years had passed unya wala ra gihapon tika nalimtan, salamat bitaw sa tanan.

Karon nga happy na man ka, di nako magsamok. Kinsa rgod ko? Kung asa ka mas happy, I will support you. Ingon ana tika ka love.

One thing I learned from this experience, siguro if you give love, do not give your all. Magbilin ta gamay for ourselves. Once you've given all unya they kept on asking for more tas wala na kay mahatag... dira na sila mubiya.

Letting you go is painful, yes. But if uyab pa man gali ta unya lain ang imong kalipay, mao nay mas sakit nga pasumbingay.

You're a blessing in disguise.
I love you, goodbye.