Holly assailed through the dark canopies of the woods, her eyes blurry with the tears raining from her eyes. Hindi niya alam kung saang dako na siya ng madilim na gubat napadpad. Hindi na rin niya alam kung saan ang daan pabalik sa camp site ng religious retreat na sinalihan niya sa kagustuhan ng kanyang lola.

"I named you after the holy grail because I want you to be as close as possible to God. I don't want you to repeat such social disgrace your mother had put herself into. Tama na ang isang kahihiyan sa angkan ng mga Innocencio!"

She closed her eyes shut and desperately shook her head as her grandmother's words occurred her chaotic head.

Social disgrace...

Social disgrace...

Social disgrace...

Gusto ng sumabog ng kanyang dibdib ng mapatid siya sa nakausling ugat ng puno at sa bilis ng pangyayari'y hindi na niya nabalanse ang katawan kaya't tuloy- tuloy siya sa pagbagsak sa medyo basa pang lupa.

Tuluyang pumatak ang kanyang mga luha.

20 years....

For 20 years she was living her life the way her grandmother wanted. For all those years she was waking up each morning to do things that pleases her. For each second of her existence she never did things that might hurt her. But never did once that she asked her about her feelings. Never did once that she asked her what she really wanted.

Nakuyom niya ang mga palad na nakapatong sa lupa.

Would God punish her for feeling this way? Would He hate her for having hesitations on the path she's going to take?

Sobs finally escaped her burning throat just as raindrops from heaven started to cascade throughout the dark canopy of the woods. At ilang sandali pa'y tila nakigaya sa kanya ang kalangitan at lumakas ang buhos ng ulan. Ngunit ng masundan iyon ng malalakas na kulog na sinasabayan pa ng sunod- sunod na pagguhit ng nagngangalit na mga linya ng liwanag sa madilim na kalangitan ay nagsimulang bumangon ang takot sa kanyang dibdib.

Iniyakap niya ang mga kamay sa mga tuhod at pumikit ng mariin.

Were the Heavens punishing her for doubting her faith? For trying to run away from the path fated for her?

Was she starting to give her grandmother disgrace, too? Like her late mother?

Nanginig ang buo niyang katawan. Magkakatotoo ba ang sinabi ng lolo niyang magagaya din siya sa kanyang ina? Kung hindi ay bakit nagawa niyang tumakbo palayo sa lugar na makapagliligtas sa kanya? Napuno siya ng takot.

Nagdasal siya...

She prayed that her fears be removed...

She prayed that her hesitations be washed away by the rain...

She prayed to find the way out this darkness... to see the light that would make her way towards God's will.

Then the galaxy calmed down muffling the threatening noises and appalling flashes of lights. Slowly the heavens stilled dissolving its tears away.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and the dark heavens opened revealing the glorious moon hovering from above. It lighted a certain spot of the woods and suddenly air seemed to block her parched throat as she saw a shadow. Her chest seemed to jerk out her chest when wings suddenly spread out from the shadow's shoulder.

An angel!

God had sent her an angel!

Gradually, the shadow grew smaller as it drew closer her. Then dark clouds moved from above covering the glory of the moon. The woods darken and the shadow faded.

At unti- unti, sa kabila ng kadiliman ng lugar ay naaninag ni Holly ang papalapit na pigura ng isang matangkad na lalaki. At huminto ang pagtibok ng puso niya ng huminto ito isang metro mula sa kanya. That's when the dark clouds left the moon and the place lit up. And for a moment there she saw a glimpse of heaven upon seeing the face of the glorious angel in front her.

His hair were as dark as a moonless night, his lips a kiss of cherry, a perfect nose that she would even envy and his eyes...it was the most intense brown she had ever seen. He was the fairest among all the earthly existence she'd even laid eyes into. Without doubt, such beauty was only deserved by an angel like him.

"You shouldn't be here." His voice was deep; it resonated to the deepest of her soul. At bigla'y isang kalapati ang dumapo sa kanang balikat nito.

Tumayo siya sa kinauupuan at tila'y naipasailalim sa isang mahika ang kanyang katawan. She couldn't take his eyes away from his orbs of russet brown. No way would she ever miss the warmth his eyes were giving her. The angel stayed still as she took steps towards him, slowly crossing the margin between heaven and earth.

Then one sinful hand reached for his cheek, feeling its softness and warmth. The dove on his shoulder flew away

He was clearly dazed but he never moved, he never flinched away from her touch.

So this is how it feels to touch an angel...

Boldly, she reached her other hand to caress his other cheek, encaging his beautiful face with her palms. And slowly...

So slowly... she tiptoed to reach for his lips.

And the distance removed...

Space faded...

Her sinful lips touched his divine lips.

And for a moment she touched heaven.