Author's Note:

Dahil stressed ako sa  work at gusto kong kiligin...

*WARNING: Not proofread. Just posted on impulse.

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I smiled at the mirror in satisfaction after fixing the bow in my now silver ombre hair's half ponytail. All third year students from the Biology program including the university's Supreme Student Council joined a nationwide Tree planting activity and luckily our school was only sent to Tagaytay Highlands so I could still meet my carrots tonight and we plan on dining on his favorite Indian restaurant around the area. What's not lucky is he's with that Riza the whole day and I couldn't insist to tag along as the activity was strictly for Biology program only.

I added some blush on my cheeks and matched it with my favorite Dior lip shine to complete the look. I missed him the whole day and I was so excited to be with him tonight. I smiled even more wider when my phone rang thinking that it was my boyfriend only to frown when I see Heaven's name on the screen.

"What now?" I answered tersely still not forgiving him for two- timing his "wife".

"God, Oreo. You're still not done giving me cold shoulders, eh?" He frustratedly huffed.

"Not until you get back to your senses and stop denying that you're married just to chase around that duckling ballerina!"

I heard his audible sigh from the other line and I can almost imagine him rubbing his palm on his face in exasperation.

"You can rant on me all you want next time 'til my ears fall off. But for now, listen to me, okay?" His voice has the hint of urgency that made suddenly anxious. "I already asked my friend Kalidasa Dela Cuesta to come pick you up."

"What is this all about, Heaven?" I sighed in irritation. "I'll go meet my carrots and I don't have time to—"

"This is about him, Oreo. Just listen to me, please." He was calm but there was a strain in his voice.

"What do you mean? Nasaan ka ba? Are you with him? This is not funny at all, Heaven!" This is what I hate the most, when I am kept hanging. I couldn't control the shaking of my hands and the loud throbbing of my chest.

I heard him heaved a deep breath before he started talking, "It was raining hard, Oreo. The break failed and the bus swerved directly in a cliff..."

"Which bus? For God's sake, Heaven! There isn't only one bus in that damn excursion!" I was frantic now, leaning against my vanity for support as I feel my knees slowly giving out.

"It's his bus number, Oreo. His name is on the list." I almost did not hear the last part when I melted on the floor like a puddle of mud. Heaven was still speaking in the background, but it was distant like I cannot almost make out what he was saying. I was able to pick up some like "rescuers are still searching", "he will be fine", and "he will come back to you" but my throat was so parched so as my chest, my eyes were bleeding tears but it's funny how my sobs cannot escape my burning throat.

I was thankful when my cousin Healia bolted from my door to assist me and help me get up. Behind him was Heaven's good friend Kalidasa Dela Cuesta.

"You hang on there, okay? I will bring you to him and you will be with him again." He said, his eyes not a mask of sympathy but of assurance and it made me somehow grasp on my faith that Vitto is alright and he will be waiting for me once I arrived there.

The whole ride was suffocating and although I don't want to think about it, the images outside the window were like blurred lines of what ifs and fear all coming together to haunt me. I closed my eyes and rested my back on the seat, my warm tears constantly wetting my warm face. I saw how Healia looked at me with concern from the passenger's seat, perhaps my silent cry made him panicked as I was never someone who cries silently. But this time, I couldn't compel myself to even say a word. Its just my tears that kept on pouring out and it's already draining me. Right now I only want my Vitto. I only want to be squeezed on his side, latch onto his arms and never let go of him again.

I can hear the blaring of siren from the distance and I open eyes, gripping on my tote bag so I could just bolt right out the car once it stops. In my bag was Vitto's favorite green tea and change of warm clothes in case he feels cold. And if he's hurt... I closed my eyes tightly and shook my head. I don't ever want to think about it.

The sirens grew louder and I opened the door as soon as Kalidasa unlocked them. The wind was blowing cold, the asphalt was wet from heavy rain. On the side of the road were rescue vehicles and police cars, the sound of crying drowned me and my knees tremble as I near the area which was now barricaded with yellow tape.

"Miss, hindi po kayo pwede dito." Pagharang sa akin ng isang pulis.

"B- Blake Vitto Alonzo... t- that's my boyfriend's name... P- Please, tell me he's safe." I was frantic and shaking and kept pushing on the officer so he'll let me pass but he held on my shoulder to stop me from moving. I can hear voices calling me but those were just distant voices. They're not the voice I want to hear. I want Vitto. I only need to hear his voice.

"Oreo, please. They're looking for him." Heaven's voive snapped me out from my painful reverie. This time he was the one who was holdingme. I looked up at him and see his pained eyes. I disorientedly looked around, seeing Healia, Kalidasa and his twin Rumi Dela Cuesta, and there was Giro, looking at me sympathetically from a distance while his girlfriend was crying in his arms. I dismissed all of them, pushed Heaven away and faced the officer again.

"O-Officer, he might be cold right now. He has colds, h- he needs to take his medicine. I- I brought his favorite jacket with me." I frantically rummaged his jacket from my bag and showed it to the police, "I- I have to give this to him. P- Please... Please." My voice almost couldn't come out, it was shaky just like my whole body. My chest was hurting and if only I could stop breathing just to stop this pain.

A group of rescuers arrived carrying someone on a stretcher and my heart jumped out of my chest. I shoved the officer out of the way, not looking back at the persons calling behind me, and ran towards the incoming rescuers but it wasn't Vitto they're carrying.

"Where is my boyfriend?" I asked one of them who wasn't bust carring the patient. "Vitto is his name. Nasaan na siya? Bakit hindi ninyo siya hinahanap?" I was shaking the rescuer and I got even more frustrated when he just keep on telling me that they'll do their best, that the'll look for him and save him but that's all bullshit. Bakit hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin si Vitto?

I was hysterical, shaking, screaming my lungs out calling for his name until Heaven were able to get ahold of me and everything just blended in the background, the cries, the siren, voices calling my name, then my vision blurred and my knees gave out.

It's been an hour sitting in Heaven's car but I still couldn't process everything. They almost found everyone... but where is Vitto? Where is he? What if he's already so cold? Baka nagugutom na siya. Pano ako kung may sugat siya? Paano kung sa sobrang pagod niya'y 'di na siya makasigaw para makahingi ng tulong?

I want to be there and look for him instead. But the police were blocking my way, and they injected something that made my body numb, like all energy were forced out of me. Only my eyes were working, continuously shedding tears while looking at the area where Vitto could possibly be arriving from. I heaved a deep shaky breath and sobbed silently.

"Ate, you need to drink some water." Healia worriedly offered but I shook my head and closed my now swollen eyes, trying so hard to find comfort with the scent of Vitto on his jacked draped around me.

Carrots, you have to come back. It's okay if you stop tutoring me, or stop going with me in the salon or the mall... I'll stop nagging you to let me ride your bike... I will not complain whenever you ask me to eat some vegetables and will never steal your shirts again... Just stay with me... come back please, please...

"Oreo! Oreo!"

I opened my eyes seeing Heaven's relieved face in front of me and my heart was suddenly filled of hope. "He's here, Oreo. Vitto's safe and he's here."

I forced myself to move inspite my numb legs. Perhaps it was adrenaline, but I was able to shove Heaven away and run with my shaky legs. One of the rescuers were shouting, asking for a stretcher as I saw Vitto assisting Riza to a stretcher. He's here... Vitto is here. He came back. He will be with me again...

My throat seemed to regain my voice at that moment as I start to hiccup and sob loudly. I cried even more when Vitto's eyes meet mine and in there I saw relief as he gave me a faint smile. One of the rescuers approached him but he avoided her and walked to meet me halfway. I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms around his neck so tightly I was worried for a moment whether he could still breath but when he squeezed me tighter, it's when reality settled in that he's really here, warm and moving and hugging me that I continued sobbing loudly like a child.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

"Oreo, your boyfriend is just doing an Xray and CT scan. Why are you bawling like he's in the ICU, for godsake?" Heaven complained while rubbing his ears.

"Stay away from me, you moron! I hate you!" I threw fit at him, still crying. I sniffed and looked at my heartless cousin, "Have you not seen his scratches? Both of his arms are bruised and his left knee was bleeding. He will get upset if he couldn't write because of his swollen arms and couldn't exercise in the morning because of his knee. But of course he won't tell anyone about it and pretend as if he's okay when in fact he's in pain. My poor carrots." I wept.

"I can hear you, Oreo." Says Vitto in a wheelchair. Mabilis akong tumayo sa kinauupuan at lumapit rito.

"Were the results out?" I asked the nurse.

"No major injuries to be worried about." It was Vitto who answered. "Stop crying now, please." He reached for my hand.

"How can you say that? It was the longest one hour of my life. You were bruised and bleeding. How can I not worry?" I was sobbing again.

"Future bayaw, iuwi ko na ba?" Singit ni Heaven sa likuran ko. Agad ko itong tinapunan ng nakamamatay na tingin. I felt Vitto's hold on me tightened.

"I'll try not to make you worry again. Please stop crying now."

"If I may, ma'am, the patient had no broken bones but has strained ligaments and few bruises but still he needs rest and proper medication." Informed the nurse. "It would be better if we bring him to his room so he could lie down."

"You're tired, come lay beside me." Vitto offered while I was fixing some of his things on the table. Heaven went home to bring me and Vitto some of our things since we're in a private hospital here in Tagaytay and we have to stay here for another day as the doctor required. The others were here too and fortunately everyone was safe. It was a good thing that the cliff was not that steep. The vehicle slid off the road because of the slippery asphalt and were overturned fell off the cliff. The reason why Vitto and Riza took an hour to be rescued was because the latter were trapped in a hole and Vitto couldn't leave her to ask for help because apparently she was so scared which was valid given the heavy rain plus the accident they'd just experienced. It was thanks to the lush vegetation below the cliff that it served as a net to stop the bus from sliding down further. It's all thanks to those plants that I still have my Vitto. I cannot thank the Lord enough for this. But now that the adrenaline has gone, I can feel all the energy leaving my body.

"I might accidentally touch your wounds while sleeping. I can sleep on the chair." It was a small hospital so even the private suites has no sofa or large chair where I can lie down. It has a bathroom and a small TV and nothing more. I tried asking for a VIP suite thinking about Vitto's comfort but it was packed since everyone involved in the accident were here.

"You wouldn't. Come now." He asked softly in his beautifully hoarse voice and I didn't have the heart to say no. And it was the first time actually that he asked me to lie with him. He slid further on the side to make room for me. I turned on the lamp and switched off the lights before  laying beside him careful not to touch his body. "I'm sorry I couldn't offer my arms for a pillow."

I moved to my side to face him. He was looking up at the ceiling morosely and my heart aches for him. Today must be really hard and traumatic for him but he was acting as if it was nothing. Why do you need to hide your pains and fears, Vitto? I wasn't aware that I was silently crying 'til he noticed it. He faced me and wiped my tears.

"You're crying again." His voice was sad, almost regretful.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." I whispered, my voice hoarse with constant crying. "You must be so cold out there. In pain and scared." I sobbed.

He smiled sadly as he caressed my face. "I was scared, yes..." His soft whisper resounded beautifully yet painfully in the four corners of the tiny room. "I was never scared of death... I grew up with no one waiting for me to come back everytime I leave... but when the bus was sliding off the cliff and everyone was screaming for their lives amidst the heavy pelting of the rain, I hear your voice crying and that was when fear hit me. I was scared... am still scared that I couldn't go back and can't do anything to stop you from crying. I'm scared because of you... because you always wait for me and I make it a mission to always come back to you, Oreo. And today, like the rain that soaked me, you drowned me with an affection I thought was never possible for someone like me. You feel so much like the rain. I hate the rainy days yet I found myself loving the sound it makes. Now, I always look forward to another day with you."

The confession, the thing I have been waiting for, should make me feel at ease, instead, it made my heart ached more for him. I sobbed silently as he smiled lovingly and caressed my face. My gentle soul, my only perfect in this flawed world, has been waiting for someone to wait for him... All those years he felt alone and unwanted, and what was I doing during those times? How can I make him wait that long? But he would never wait again... there will never be a reason to. You only wait for someone who leaves, and I don't have any plans of leaving him.

"I love you, Oreo."

His faced lowered down to mine, his lips softly grazed my lips and I closed my eyes. Letting the salty tears flow down as I savor the sweet movement of his mouth. I could only pray that this sweet feelings never end. And if fate says otherwise, then I have to fight fate for it.