TITLE: JUST ANOTHER SAD STORY
WRITTEN BY: Ethernica

Laury's POV

"Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous, love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes." A tear fell my eyes as I closed the book I was reading, it was Nicholas Spark's 'A Walk To Remember'.

It is indeed true that love is always patient because love will always make a way for lovers to meet in the same end. Love is never selfish because love will make you selfless for someone's happiness. Love is always to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes because love isn't always just a happy feeling, love is a trial of your heart's endurance.

The pain lingered for a moment and I was back to the reminiscence of a yet to be happy-ending-but-not story of a person named Laury Mae Abella.

-Flashback-

It was December last year, I was walking in the city downtown, when I bumped into someone. Nagkasalubungan kami ng daan, I was about to step in the right when he did the same, to the left when he followed again!

I smiled looking down the shoes colliding, I remembered someone! Someone I last saw three years ago.

"Here's the thing, I'll go left and you go right. Okay?" said that person and I automatically brought my head up to see the face of that person. I was taken aback! This can't be---

"F--Flo--Florence" It was the same person I saw three years ago and he didn't change at all. Just the same old Florence! The same old Florence who was onced mine before!

"Laury Mae Abella, it's been a long time" he plastered that very familiar smile. Damn! This can't be real! Florence Beryll Ignacio is in front of me right now!

Inayos ko ang tindig ko at pinakalma ang sariling hindi makapaniwala sa taong nasa harapan ko. Rinig na rinig ko ang kabog ng dibdib ko, ganon parin ang epekto ng isang Florence sa akin.

"It's been a long time Florence Beryll Ignacio" I smiled as well but inside of me was yearning for that man I used to let go nine years ago.

We both stared into each other unmoving!

If only I could change the past. I would be the happiest person to do so.

He suddenly broke the awkward silence. "How are Laury?"

I saw the hint of concern in his eyes or was I just imagining things? Or maybe it was just a plain concern to an old friend.

"I'm good. How about you?" I asked him back. Pero sa loob ko it was supposed to be 'I'm not good. How about you and Patriz?'

"I'm happy, now that I have found my love" and that's when I mentally heard my world collapsed again and again. He was probably happy with his wife, Patriz. I was envious and for the nth time it was still painful. My first heartbreak!

I faked a smile at kunyaring nagmamadaling kinuha ang phone sa bulsa ng coat ko at may tiningnang text.

"Ahmm, Florence I would be glad to talk with you long but I guess the timing's not right . I have an urgent meeting" palusot ko sabay taas ng phone ko. Wow. Laury Mae Abella ang galing mo!

He nodded a reply at magsasalita pa sana ng nagmamadaling nagpaalam na ako. Funny, how I want to see him badly but now that he's right in front of me, nabahag naman ang buntot ko.

'You're doing good Laury. He's now happy with his wife and you're not allowed to have feelings for such committed man' I told myself.

"I-I--It's nice to see you again, Florence. Goodbye" I took the steps to leave when he called again for my name.

"Laury" I stopped but didn't look back because the tears about to fall again! Masakit parin pala. Tangina naman Laury!

He continued "I'm really happy, I hope you are too"

Doon na nga tumulo ang luha ko. I'm so pathetic that I'm sad that he's happy for finding his love. I'm so pathetic that I have the guts to be in pain when I was the one who ended us. Pasimpleng pinahid ko ang luha ko.

"I-I am ha-happy too Florence, Bye" I hid the sob which is about to escape my mouth as I continued my way to escape again. To take my step away further to Florence Beryll Ignacio who was my living regret!

Nagpatuloy lang ako sa paglalakad hanggang sa umabot ako sa isang coffee shop. Pumasok ako at pumunta sa pinakadulong table. And there, I cried freely!

Hapon na ng makauwi ako. I stayed in that coffee shop for hours thinking. Natulog lang din ako maghapon sa unit ko. Yes I had a unit. I moved out and decided to live on my own! Kaya ko na ang sarili ko!

Ang tagal na pala ng panahong lumipas, parehas na kaming may kanya kanyang buhay at propesyon. Ngunit, siya masaya na malamang sa asawa niya o baka nga may anak na sila ni Patriz. Three years na mula ng magkita kami at sinabi niyang he just got married with Patriz and I doubt if wala silang anak.

I tried to relieve my self with some music habang nakahiga sa kama ko. 

"Kung sana hindi ko siya pinakawalan, ano kaya kami ngayon?" nabigla ako mismo sa sarili ko when I absentmindedly said that!

They said it's very hard to move on from your first love and in my case I have proved it really was! Nine years na when I decided to break up with him and I am still hurting. I was the one who ended our relationship but I was the one left hurting for the past nine years!

After knowing that he's married three years ago, nawalan ako ng gana sa life. Nawalan ako ng gana to meet new persons, because for me they are bound to leave anyway! Wala akong inentertain na lalaki kahit isa, probably because I'm not interested with them all or maybe I was only thinking of a specific person?

Naging mahirap ang mag move on, I cried every night and one day I decided to finally move a step forward. I moved out from our house, ayaw sana ng parents ko but I insisted dahil malaki na ako and with kuya Laurence's help they allowed me.Sinubsob ko ang sarili sa trabaho, I didn't dare to ask the whereabout's of Florence ang huling balita ko lang sa kanya noon ay nagmigrate sila ni Patriz sa New York after marriage. I stopped tormenting myself. Nagfocus ako sa work, I travelled, I spoiled myself, I tried to be happy and finally I was back on track. Finally I can say I have moved on but one unexpected meeting crashed that! One mention of my name from that person and I was abck to the same old brokenhearted Laury! Nakakagago lang! Nasasaktan parin ako.

I snapped out of my deep thoughts when suddenly I heard a beep from my phone.

One message received

From: +639875XXXXXX
Hi, Laury

It was an unregistered number.

Me:
Who's this? Where did you get my number?

The phone beeped after few seconds.

From: +6639875XXXXXX
This is Florence, you left me a calling card remember? 😂

Nalaglag ko yung phone after reading that message at doon ko naalala, probably nahulog yung isa sa mga calling card ko sa bulsa ng coat ko when I got my phone for my escape route. God!

Kinuha ko ang phone kong nahulog and replied.

Me:
Ah okay.

Yun lang ang nireply ko sa sobrang kaba at taranta.

From: +639875XXXXXX
I'm happy to see you again, Laury😊
Goodnight😘

Shit! Is this right? Anong ginagawa mo Florence? I decided not to reply, I can't because it's wrong kahit pa isiping it was just a friendly goodnight. It was still wrong for me because If I was Patriz who won't get hurt if your husband's texting a friend goodnight with a kiss emoji who happens to be his ex?

Nagtuloy tuloy ang ganoong pagte-text ni Florence sa akin. I never clicked the bait, nagpatuloy ako sa neutral and casual talks lang. When he asks to meet me I always decline for some fake reasons. Kahit gustong gusto ko siyang makita, pinigilan ko ang sarili because I know it was wrong.

He kept texting and calling me for days, for weeks, until one day I woke up replying to his text with my true feelings.

Me:
I missed you so much Florence Beryll Ignacio❣️

I know it was very wrong of me and so I decided to end it. I allowed myself for the last time to meet him as he asked to meet me during Christmas.

We met on the park he frequents way back noong kami pa. Nostalgic! How we we're happy back then here and now I am finally ending our story here.

"Florence, I'm sorry but please let us set our boundaries" I told him trying to suppress my tears.

I was about to leave when he handed me a winnie the pooh plushie. He remembers my fave!

"Merry Christmas Laury"

He said to press the stomach of the plushie and that's when I heard those words I long to hear.

"I love you Laury, I love you Laury" paulit ulit na sabi ng plushie and I cried. He held my hand.

Sinubukan kong alisin ang mga kamay niyang nakahawak sa akin but I'm too weak to push him away! I cried!

"Florence this isn't right! We can't hurt other people just because we love each other! I love you! I know this is a mistake and I am here to correct what's wrong! Please let us get a hold of ourselves? " I shouted at him as my eyes never stops watering!

I love him but this love is a mistake! I'd rather hurt myself than be the reason for hurting another woman!

I tried to let go but his held was so persistent.

"Laury, please hear me out! I love you and please let's get back! He pleaded.

Patuloy lang ako sa pag-iling at sa pag-iyak. Nasasaktan ako, nasasaktan din siya. When will this pain end?

I was too tired of this pain. I love him but my love isn't enough to cover the mistake! I can't covet someone's husband! I can't love someone who is now committed and I can't ruin a family.

Pinilit kong kalasin ang mga hawak niya with my remaining strength. I turned my back to the man I loved for my fucking whole life.

I need to escape again when suddenly he hugged me, I missed this embrace! So much that I'm crying.

"Do you remember when I told you I was happy because I have finally found my love? It's you Laury, It's always you" he confessed and held me into his embrace tightly as I cried.

He told me everything! Three years after their marriage, both of them decided to get divorced! It was a mutual agreement because after they married, doon nila nalaman na hindi pala sila ang para sa isat-isa. Their marriage was a sudden wrong decision of their lives dahil alam nilang sa iba pala nakatali ang kani-kanilang puso. Pagkatapos nilang ikasal at magsama sa iisang bubong sa New York ay doon nagsimulang magkaroon sila ng mga simpleng 'di pagkakaintindihan na nauuwi sa isang away. They always argue until they found themselves regretting their marriage decision. Hindi pala sila ang tunay na destined because they were just the temporary comfort of each other. Nakita nila ang sarili sa isat-isa because they were both rescued by each other's salvation from their momentary heartbreaks. I cried so much after Florence told me such revelations and that tears was nothing but tears of joy. Finally, my man was back!

That Christmas was the happiest Christmas I ever had and that was the happiest gift I had received in my entire life, Florence Beryll Ignacio!

We started our 2020 with a new life, with a new story of our second time around love. Nagtravel kami locally, we patch up things, we enjoyed every moment and planned to finally get married after their divorce. It was March hindi pa na cacancel ang flights in and out of the Philippines dahil wala pang masiyadong cases ng COVID dito kung kaya't he took the chance para umalis at nang makabalik agad bago pa mag lockdown. He said he needs to go back to New York to obtain Patriz' approval on their divorce papers and to personally end their story.

It was the 18th of March when he called me.

"Baby, finally I'm going home. I miss you so much" he said on the other line.

"I miss you so much too. I can't wait to see you"

But shit happens! Florence was held on quarantine because of COVID, nag-uumpisa na kasing dumami ang cases dito sa Philippines.

Since he was quarantined we enjoyed ourselves calling each other nalang muna while he is on quarantine.

"Kamusta kana baby? I miss you so much. I hate COVID for existing!" he said and I laughed on the line.

"It's okay, ilang araw lang naman yan. Don't worry mabilis lumipas ang oras baka bukas malay mo magkasama na ulit tayo"

"Okay okay I'll keep that in mind. I love you so much Laury Mae Abella. I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle and going out of the church as Mrs. Ignacio. I love you so much Laury"

"I love you too Florence" and I ended the call.

I was so happy, I was so overwhelmed with the sudden twists of the events! I was brought up too high, that my fall was very overwhelming. My fall was double the pain I had on my first heartbreak.

Sa pagbalik niya sa Pilipinas ay sobrang saya niya telling me that finally we can get married after this COVID. But, good thing doesn't last dahil naging positive si Florence sa COVID. He was held for quarantine but after that call ay lumabas pala ang resulta ng test niya and he was COVID positive. That was the last time I was able to talk to him because he started to feel the symptoms the following days and was brought to the hospital. He was infected abroad and just a month ago my first love died for the second time.

-End of Flashback-

I placed the book in my cabinet at muling natulog. Lockdown kung kaya't wala akong magawa kundi ang magbasa na lamang because I was too bored in the house. I decided to leave work for the mean time, to get my self healed again! To get myself healed from this tremendous pain again!

When I thought Florence and Laury still had a chance for a happy ending, I was wrong!

Funny is it? When we are about to continue the Florence and Laury lovestory for the second time around and that's when unforeseen twists happen!

Flaurence Beryll Ignacio and Laury Mae Abella was indeed just another sad story.

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