When the plane Cory boarded left the island, I feel like a part of me left, too.

I drove back to our house with lots of thoughts running around in my head. Letting her go would be a wise decision I did, even though I really don't want to see her go, I cannot stop her. Those words I said to her, I hated myself for blurting those words out. If she hated me, I get her point. 

No one would like to stick around with such an annoying boy.

Pagkarating ko sa bahay at maiparada ang sasakyan sa garahe, pagkapasok ko sa loob ng bahay ay nadatnan ko ang magulang ko kausap ang mga Vilacarte sa salas. They y were all looking at me as if they were waiting for an answer since the moment I rushed out of this place, it wasn't good.

I shook my head giving them the information that I wasn't able to stop Cory from leaving. Their shoulders dropped as soon as they got that news from me. I joined them in the living room and sat across them. I put my hands on my face as I felt so much disappointment in myself. I was on it for a few seconds until I felt arms hugging me.

When I removed my hands from my face and saw Jonathan and Hayley.

"We're here with you, Douglas..."

"Nandito kami... hindi ka namin iiwanan... kahit iniwan mo kami noon," patawa pa nito para lamang gumaan ang pakiramdam ng bawat isa.

"Salamat..."

Tinapik ni Jonathan ang balikat ko saka sila bumalik sa pwesto nila. Umayos ako nang pagkauupo ko at huminga ako nang malalim. After what happened yesterday and earlier this morning, I really don't know what to do and say to these people in front of me.

"I'm sorry," was the first word that came out of my mouth. "When I found out that Cory could be the lost Vilacarte, I was really positive and hopeful. Hindi ko sinasabi 'yon sa kanya dahil baka nagkakamali lang din ako. I could hurt her if I told her that. Assuming that it could be true and it's not, would totally hurt her. But I still ended up hurting her."

Mom came to my side and sat on the armchair while rubbing her hand behind my back.

"You did what you think was right, hun," she started. "Every person has different reactions when it comes to truth. Cory might not be able to understand it now. You said, what, it has been twenty years, right? Tama ba ako?" 

Tumingin din siya sa mga Vilacarte at tumango sila bilang pag-amin.

"It wasn't easy for her, too, and we should understand where she was coming from," Mom continued. "A lot of things happened to her that we literally have no idea about. We just met her, knew her name, and then her story. That's all we know and not the twenty years she has been struggling to."

"Mali rin siguro namin na ipinaampon namin siya no'ng napadpad kami sa Maynila," pagkukwento ni tita. "Sa hirap ng buhay namin noon, hindi namin maisip kung paano namin siya ibubuhay no'n."

"Napadpad kami no'n sa isang ampunan matapos manganak ng asawa ko," pagpapatuloy ni tito. "Dahil sa tingin namin na hindi namin kakayaning buhayin ang anak namin noon, napadesisyonan naming iiwan siya sa Bukang Liwayway. Nag-iwan lamang kami ng mga sulat no'n... ikinatuwa ko naman na dala-dala pa rin niya ang pangalang ipinangalan namin sa kanya."

"Kung hindi niya kami matatanggap, ayos lang... naiintindihan ko naman," dagdag ni tita at hindi na nito napigilang emosyonal.

Niyakap ni Hayley ang kanyang magulang at nilingon ako nito na para bang may ipinapahiwatig sa akin. Hindi ko maintindihan kung anong gusto niyang ipaalam sa akin. Pakiramdam ko wala na akong magagawa pa. Nagdesisyon na si Cory at may paynalidad na iyon.

"Pasensya na at umabot sa ganito ang lahat," ani papa. "Kung may magagawa ako, kung may pagkakataon na makakausap ulit natin si Cory. Douglas, magagawan mo ba ng paraan na makausap si Cory?"

Napakibit balikat ako. "Hindi ko alam..."

"Hmm... sige. Kung magkakaroon man ng chance na makausap mo siya, ako nang bahala at sasagot sa ticket niyo papuntang Maynila para makasama siya."

"Hindi ko pa sigurado 'yan, pa," aniko. "I feel like when she left Cuyo, she already ended her connection with me. She wouldn't come back. I feel like she doesn't want any of this. She even said... she didn't want to come back to Palawan anymore."

"Grabe naman?" komento ni Hayley. "Gano'n ba 'yong naramdaman niya? Feeling niya ba minalas siya na malaman na kami iyong totoong pamilya niya?"

"Hindi naman ata sa gano'n, Hay," aniko. "Wala akong ideya. Sa akin niya lamang iyon sinabi. Hindi ko alam kung may iba pa ba siyang ibigsabihin. But if I would get a chance, I'll talk to her..."

Tinapik ni papa ang balikat ko. "Tatagan mo ang loob mo."

Tumango ako.

"Bago kayo umalis lahat," aniko. "May gusto lang din akong ipaalam..."

Napasinghap si Hayley sa panimula ko. Base sa reaksyon niya, pakiramdam ko'y alam na niya kung anong ibigsabihin no'n. I know Cory would slip up and might tell anyone about it, pero hindi ko inasahan na kay Hayley niya mababanggit iyon.

All of their attention is on me. Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga. Pampalakas loob lang.

"Bago ako magsimula, 'wag sana kayo mabibigla at hayaan niyo lang ako magkwento, at saka ang mahalaga ay nandito ako ngayon."

Looking at them, Hayley was the only one who showed much concern while everyone was curious and confused.

"Okay... when Cory and I went to El Nido, I went cliff diving and I almost die."

They all gasped as soon as I said that. Pagtingin ko kay mama ay napatakip na lamang ito sa bibig niya habang si papa naman ay iiling-iling. Ang mga Vilacarte naman ay napanganga at nanlaki ang mata sa balitang ibinahagi ko.

"Paaano—paano nangyari?" nag-aalalang tanong ni mama.

"Ma, first of all, calm down and you should know that I'm doing well right now," I answered before proceeding to her question. "It was my decision to do that. Ayaw rin ni Cory 'yon. I was recording that jump, Cory got a copy of it on her camera. We watched how it happened. I was feeling great, but the way I fall and hit the water is where everything went wrong. I had a concussion. I stayed overnight at the hospital."

"Why didn't you tell us? You've been here for days na," ani mama.

"I know and I was just finding the perfect time to do it since I don't want you to worry about it. Kung pwede nga lang hindi ko na sabihin dahil maayos na naman ang pakiramdam ko, but I guess Cory might have told you, Hay."

Tumango si Hayley. "Nabanggit niya nga sa akin no'ng nakaraang araw... pero ang sabi niya sa akin, 'wag ko raw sasabihin kahit kanino kasi ayaw mo raw ipasabi. Kahit nag-alala ako no'ng time na 'yon, hindi na lang din ako nagsalita..."

"And thanks for that," aniko. "Now, I'm sorry for telling it now... it was my fault. But you know what, when I did that, I wasn't scared of anything—even death. It didn't bother me, but when I saw Cory worry so much for me, I knew I shouldn't take my life for granted... now that she's gone..." I sighed as I'm already out of words and the sight of her leaving is still vivid in my head.

"What are you gonna do, Douglas? How long will you stay here?"

I breathe out. "I was thinking of leaving tomorrow. I could catch the earliest flight tomorrow back to Coron. I don't know if I'm going to catch Cory there, but if there was a chance, I would..."

"I'll help you with your flight tomorrow," papa said. "I'll call my assistant to book you for a flight tomorrow."

"Thanks, pa..."

Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay nagpaalam na ang mga Vilacarte habang nagpaiwan si Hayley. Ang mga magulang ko naman ay umalis para pumunta sa opisina. Tumungo ako sa bakuran at umupo sa duyan habang sinundan din ako ni Hayley ro'n. Tinabihan niya ako habang dinuduyan kami ng hangin.

"Sorry ha..." panimula ni Hayley. "Feeling ko isa ako sa may mga malaking kasalanan kung bakit umalis si Ate Cory. Nakita niyang hinalikan kita. Narinig niya rin siguro iyong pinag-usapan natin no'ng gabing iyon. Sising-sisi ako..."

"No, don't..." Inakbayan ko siya. "Don't feel sorry about speaking about your feelings. Those are valid and I hated myself for breaking that to you. But you know why it happened, right?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah... I was so into you... pero siguro meron ding darating para sa akin, 'no?"

I smiled. "Sure, meron 'yan. Time will only tell kung sino 'yon. I never knew Cory would come into my life and become a part of this bigger picture. She wasn't just ready to be a part of it. She'll come back soon... I hope."

"Do you love her?" Hayley asked. "Alam kong kakakilala niyo pa lang, but do you love her?"

I shrugged off. "Love is hard to define. It was broad. I'm not sure how to explain it. But when Cory's around, I'm happy and she makes it easy for me. She loved my jokes even if it annoyed her so much, she was easy to get along with. I must say, I like her... I was just joking at first that I would because she's pretty, so my initial attraction to her was pretty solid then I get to know her... that's where all it starts."

"She didn't know she was lucky after all..."

"Hmm?"

"A lot of people actually wanted to see her and be around her," Hayley said. "May family siya sa Maynila. May family siya rito sa Cuyo. She got you and I'm sure she got a lot of friends din. She got it all..."

"Yeah... but I don't blame Cory for running away."

"Totoo naman," aniya. "Nabigla rin siya. Nabigla rin naman kami. Pero gano'n talaga ang buhay... tutuloy ka na bukas umalis?"

I nodded. "I have to. Nasa Coron ang trabaho ko and I need to be there kahit wala si Cory. Life must goes on..."

"Oo nga pala... nalaglag mo 'to kanina..." May kinuha siya sa bulsa niya at inabot sa akin ang pearl necklace. "'Di ba, ito 'yong suot-suot ni Cory? Binalik niya sa 'yo?"

"Yes, that was it... she gave it back to me when I told her to keep it," I said. "Do you want it instead?"

Hayley smirked. "As much as I want it and will look good in me, hindi ko tatanggapin. I wouldn't be the one to use someone else's belongings after they throw it away."

"Yeah, you're right... I'm sorry..."

"Okay lang, pero keep it and if you ever found her again, ibigay mo sa kanya ulit. If she will keep it or not, nasa kanya na naman iyon. At least, you're giving it back to her."

"Let's see... if I could still see her..."

"You will, in time..." aniya. "Pwede pa-hug na lang?" tanong nito.

Napangis ako. "Siyempre naman..."

Hayley hugged me tightly as these would be the last moments we'll have again. Maybe she was right too. What Cory saw the other night affected her a lot so I don't blame her if that was her reaction. If that happened to me, with all the crazy things happenings, hell would break.

Later in the afternoon, I received an email notification regarding my flight tomorrow back to Coron. Dad obviously paid for it. I wouldn't ask him to do it for me since I've got my own money, but I wouldn't also refuse to do it.

By night, I shared dinner with my parents and after that, I packed my stuff.

Heading back to Coron, life would be back to normal and I don't know what will happen after that, but I hope while she was still on the island, I get to see her, for one last time. Cory, let me see you...

***