Despite knowing the fact that Aisleen was going on dates with someone else, William still did his best to reach out to her. Alam niyang mahirap pero hindi siya nawalan ng pag-asa. He tried to contact her through social media, pero ni minsan, hindi ito sumagot sa kanya. Ni hindi nga nito binasa man lang ang mga mensahe niya. He was literally inbox-zoned, but he didn't mind. In-expect naman na niya 'yon.

He wanted to reach out to her in other ways but he wasn't sure kung ano na ba ang cellphone number nito kaya hindi naman niya ito mapadalan ng text o matawagan man lang.

And so he asked for Jiv's help again.

"Jiv, I really need your help. Wala ka bang mapagtatanungan man lang ng number niya?" William asked his friend. Magkasama sila ngayon sa condo ng kaibigan. Doon muna pansamantalang namamalagi si William, afraid that his parents would drag him back to the US kapag sa condo niya o sa bahay ng mommy niya siya nagpunta.

"P're, ilang tao na ang napagtanungan ko. Puro hindi na rin nila nakakausap si Aisleen. Alam mo namang masyadong mailap sa tao yung isang 'yon. Ni wala nga yatang naging kaibigan 'yon nung nag-aaral pa tayo," Jiv said, which caused William to sigh. Of all people, he should know how difficult it is to approach Aisleen. Because of the wall that she built around herself, it took an intense amount of effort before someone could even reach or befriend her.

Pero bakit nagawa agad nitong makipag-date sa iba? Was the guy that great for her to let him in and to move on that fast? William couldn't help but wonder.

William shook his head because of the ideas that were starting to cloud his thoughts. He should be level headed when it comes to this. If he couldn't be calm enough while coming up with a plan to win Aisleen back, it might only cause more trouble to him and he didn't like that. Alam niyang malayo pa ang kailangan niyang lakbayin para lang mapalapit ulit sa dalaga, and he's willing to do whatever it takes para lang magkasama ulit sila.

"Wait. Did you try asking your aunt already? 'Di ba siya pa rin yung dean sa course nina Aisleen?" William asked out of the blue. Ngayon lang niya naalalang kamag-anak nga pala ni Jiv ang dean ng college nina Aisleen. That connection should strong enough para makuha na niya ang impormasyong kailangan niya.

"Negative, p're. I tried asking her already, pero hindi rin binigay sa akin. Confidential daw at dahil na rin sa mga nangyari kay Aisleen after the accident, matindi na ang takot ni Tita sa pamilya nina Aisleen. They threatened to withdraw their investments sa school dahil na-bully si Aisleen noon," Jiv explained and that caused William to feel worse. Kung nandoon lang sana siya sa tabi ni Aisleen, none of those would have happened.

"Oh, wait. I just remembered. Yung isang professor niya, pinsan ko. Let me try asking him," Jiv said at tila nabuhayan ng loob si William. He knew that his methods of acquiring Aisleen's cellphone number weren't the best, but he had to do it. He was desperate already and he just couldn't let Aisleen slip away from him.

***

William desperately waited for feedback from Jiv. Everyday, kinukulit niya ang kaibigan kung nakuha na ba nito ang number ni Aisleen. For him, every moment that was passing by without him talking to her felt like he was losing Aisleen little by little. Without any assurance, he knew that he was slowly losing the fight.

And so when he finally got what he was waiting for, he did not waste more time.

"O, ayan na. Tangina, ang hirap makuha niyan. Ilang suhol pa ginawa ko sa pinsan ko para lang ibigay sa 'kin 'yan," Jiv said as he threw a piece of paper to William. Agad naman itong sinalo ni William at pagkakita niya sa nakasulat doon, nanlaki bigla ang mga mata niya.

Sa wakas, ito na ang pinakahihintay niya.

"Thank you, p're! I owe you one!" masayang sabi ni William.

"Last na 'yan, gago. Ayaw ko nang makigulo sa love life niyo," napapailing namang sagot ni Jiv pero hindi na siya pinansin pa ni William. Nakatutok na ito sa cellphone at nagtitipa ng mensahe para kay Aisleen.

+63927*******

Aisleen, can we talk?

Agad niyang pinadala ang mensahe sa dalaga. Minutes turned hours pero wala man lang siyang nakuhang sagot mula rito. And so he decided to send her another message.

+63927*******

It's me, William.

Please, I really need to talk to you.

Miss na miss na kita...

Please give me a chance, will you?

+63927*******

Love, let's meet. Please?

I still love you.

William sent multiple messages to Aisleen but to no avail. Ni minsan, hindi ito sumagot sa mga text niya. When he tried to call her, natapos na ang ring pero ni buntonghininga nito ay hindi niya narinig. He tried going to Aisleen's house just to get a glimpse of her. He knew na nagmumukha na siyang desperado, or worse, a stalker, pero wala siyang pakialam. He just wanted to see her and be able to talk to her.

Pero parang sobrang hindi pabor sa kanya ang tadhana.

Madalang niyang makitang lumabas ng bahay ang dalaga. Sa ilang oras niyang pagtambay sa labas ng bahay nito, ni anino nito ay hindi niya nakikita. Napapansin naman niyang may dumarating na ibang tao roon pero hindi talaga umaalis si Aisleen. At that point, he actually wondered if sinasadya na ba ng dalaga na huwag lumabas para lang makaiwas sa kanya.

And so he tried another method. He would send her flowers, gifts, food, and other stuff. Madalas, may kasama pang sulat para ikwento ang mga nangyari sa kanya at ang nararamdaman niya. William knew that what he experienced after the accident was much less worse than what happened to Aisleen, but at the back of his mind, he believed that if Aisleen found out how he struggled, she would finally understand the situation.

But it did not happen at all.

One day when William was just about to park in front of Aisleen's house, bigla niyang napansin na papalabas ito. Nagmamadali siyang lumabas ng sasakyan at tumakbo papalapit kay Aisleen.

"Ano na namang ginagawa mo rito?" Aisleen coldly asked. William had to swallow the lump that was forming on his throat because of longing and fear of rejection.

"Love, please naman, o... Pag-usapan naman natin 'to," pagmamakaawa ni William kay Aisleen. He was on the verge of breaking down already. Ang tagal na niyang nakikiusap sa dalaga pero ni minsan, hindi siya nito pinagbigyan sa pakiusap niya.

"What for? Hindi pa ba malinaw sa 'yo ang lahat? I don't want any connection with you anymore. The moment you left me in the dark, natapos na rin ang lahat sa pagitan nating dalawa.

Anong explanation pa ba ang gusto mong sabihin? Okay na, I get it. You were left with no choice. But please respect my choice, too. It's over. Wala ka nang babalikan pa," Aisleen said while looking straight into William's eyes. At that moment, unti-unti nang nararamdaman ni William ang pagguho ng mundo niya.

"N-no... You're kidding, right? Naguguluhan ka lang kasi ang tagal kong nawala. W-we love each other... Imposibleng—"

"We loved each other. Past tense na. Everything's in the past now. In case hindi mo pa rin naiintindihan, I don't love you anymore. Please lang, move on and leave me alone," malamig na sabi ni Aisleen. Just when Aisleen was about to ride her car, mabilis na lumuhod si William sa lapag, making the people around them gasp.

"Aisleen, please... 'Di ko kayang mawala ka..." lumuluhang pakiusap ni William but Aisleen remained unfazed. Nakatingin lang ito kay William at walang kahit na anong emosyon ang mababakas sa mukha nito.

"How many times do I have to repeat it to you ba? Ayaw ko na sa 'yo. We're done. Wala ka nang aasahan sa akin at wala ka na ring babalikan. Anong masasakit na salita pa ba ang dapat kong sabihin for you to understand what I'm trying to say?"

"N-no... Aisleen, 'di ko kaya..." umiiling na sagot ni William. He was literally crying his heart out and he didn't care if he looked pitiful in front of her. He was willing to do everything to have another chance with Aisleen. Alam naman niyang malabo naman na pero hindi pa rin niya magawang sumuko. He loves her too much and letting her go would mean that his world would start to go and crumble down. Hindi niya kakayanin 'yon. He went through so much para maipaglaban ang pagmamahal niya kay Aisleen and he couldn't afford to let it go to waste.

"Pwes, kayanin mo," Aisleen said and she immediately rode her car, leaving William behind.

At that point, despite his heart rejecting what he had just heard, William knew that he had lost the fight.

***

William's mom came home after a few days and it hurt her seeing William so down. Madalas itong tulala at walang ganang kumain. Palagi rin itong nagkukulong sa kwarto at halos ayaw nang lumabas, maliban na lang kung pipilitin ito.

There were days that William would find himself typing a text message to Aisleen or driving on the way to her house but he would stop half-way, realizing that he shouldn't be doing those anymore. Mapapasabunot na lang siya sa buhok o kaya naman ay mapapasuntok sa manibela dahil sa frustration na nadarama.

Kahit mahirap, he knew that he needed to move forward. Ever since he knew Aisleen, all he ever wanted was to see her happy. If he could see her smile even if he wasn't by her side, he would slowly accept that.

And so he did just that.

"Son, saan ka pupunta?" William's mom asked one morning when he saw him with a car key in his hand. William then looked at her and gave her a sad smile.

"I just need to see her again, Mom..." mahinang sagot nito na ikinalungkot naman ng ina. It was pretty obvious na sobrang nasasaktan pa rin si William sa mga nangyayari and here he was, trying to inflict more pain to himself by seeing her happy with someone else.

"William, anak, tama na... I know no amount of sorry could change the fact that we were at fault kung bakit nagkaganito kayo ni Aisleen pero tama na. Let her go already. Nasasaktan din akong makita na nagkakaganyan ka..." William's mom said, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Last na 'to, Mom. I just need to see her smile for the last time. After this, I promise to fix myself and move forward," William said and his mom didn't have a choice but to let him go and probably get hurt even more.

***

The drive going to Aisleen's house felt too long for William. Every minute that passes by felt like a torture to him. He knew that this would probably be the last time that he'll get to see the girl that he loves. It would be difficult for him to find someone like Aisleen again but he didn't have any choice. Kailangan na niyang ibaon sa limot ang pagmamahal na nararamdaman niya rito.

Pagka-park ni William sa tapat ng bahay nina Aisleen, pakiramdam niya ay pinaglalaruan talaga siya ng tadhana. Nakita niya itong ngiting-ngiti at nakayakap sa isang binatang hindi niya kilala. Happiness and love was written all over her face. Memories of when she was smiling like that at him flashed back in his mind. Heck. Para bang mas masaya pa nga ito ngayon kaysa noon.

Mapait na napangiti si William. Matagal naman na niyang alam na malabo na silang magkasama pa ulit ni Aisleen. But he still tried his luck, even if it meant na siya mismo ang masasaktan. And now that he could see it in his own eyes, unti-unti, nare-realize niyang ito na talaga ang wakas.

As he brushed away the tears that fell from his eyes, William softly whispered, "We may not be together anymore, but in my heart, I would always love you so. Goodbye, love... Until we meet again..."