Chalk Something Up

“With the power vested in me by  ____ University, I proclaim you graduates!”
The stadium errupted into loud cheers and chants and laughter, along with the shower of graduation caps thrown to the air by the graduates. Everyone was so busy looking for their loved ones, congratulating their friends, it was a large huddle of joyous entities. Amongst the crowd, there was young lady, finding her way to a beloved friend. And there her friend was..

“Ate Maaaaxx!” she shouted as she ran towards Maxene

“Sweetie!” Maxene exclaimed as she saw her face and opened her arms to meet her in an embrace

“Ate, congratulations po! Yiieee! Graduate ka na!”

“Thanks dear!” and again enveloped her the young lady in her arms, who she has thought of as her sister already.

“Pero you’re leaving, paano na ko?” with pouting lips she crossed her arms

“Oh, you’re a strong babe, you’ll live!” she said while laughing.

“It’s gonna be different without you around. Thank you for being my ate.”

“Aww.. I’m gonna miss you sweetie! Hey, I’m having a party tonight at my house. Be there!”

“Pero ate…”

“Hep! No buts, last na to, wala nang next time. So I’ll be expecting you.”

She was just about to reason out when an unfamiliar male voice called out from the crowd and a hand appear from nowhere grabbing the hand of the woman in front of her.
“Maxx, let’s go!”, he said

“Uy wait… Julie Anne, tonight ah!” Maxene shouted as she was dragged away from her.

She was left there standing, thinking,  ”That was rude”, referring to the man who dragged Maxene, though she did not see him.

Music was blasting from the stereo,  both whispered and yelled chatters echoed around the house, familiar faces at every corner.

“Well, this isn’t too bad, though medyo maingay” Julie thought to herself as she continued her conversation with the little group she was in.

“Excuse me guys, I’ll just freshen up. Uhm, saan yung restroom?”

“I think it’s upstairs, last left door down the hall.”

“Thanks” and so she went up the flight of stairs

As she opened the door to the restroom, she was taken aback with eyes wide open, mouth agape, and cheeks ruby red.

“Aaaaaaaaahhhh!” She shrieked

There they were, with her back towards her, a shirtless girl sitting on top of a fully clothed man, doing god knows what.

“Di ka ba marunong kumatok?” the girl cried as she disentangled herself from the man.

Surprised by what she saw, she lowered her head and uttered her apologies.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. Akala ko ito yung bathroom”

“It’s the one opposite this. Yun oh” the guy said nonchalantly, eyes filled with naughtiness, his hands behind his head, as he motioned to the door behind her with his mouth. The man was attractive, he was fair, he had droopy hooded eyes, a beautifully angled nose, thin pink lips and a thick head of hair with slight waves in them.

Julie Anne froze as those smiling eyes looked at her longer, a smirk growing on his face, obviously amused by her overreaction and by the statue she has momentarily become. The man tilted his head seemingly asking her what else she needed, and with that she snapped out of her daze.

“Oh, ah, thank you. Pasensya na, uhm… ah.. well.. carry on.” She stuttered waving her right hand while closing the door, again lowering her head, blushing furiously.

“Can you believe her? Tsk. So, where were we?.” the shirtless girl said,

“Carry on?” The man muttered to himself, amused, “Hmm.. Interesting. Ah… Well, if you excuse me, I’m  gonna go join the party now.” He jumped of the bed And went for the door, leaving the shirtless lady furious, displeased and unsatisfied.

“Left daw, left. Eh right door pala. Eeeh, that was embarrassing and I shrieked. Spell OA, Julie.” Julie said to herself as she descended from the stairs. Heading to the kitchen for a glass of water, she needed one for the blonde moment she had.  And then she thought “In fairness, ang gwapo niya and ang ganda ng boses. Come to think of I think I heard his voice before”

As she went through the swing doors to the kitchen, there she saw
“Ate Maxx!”

“Oh Julie, kanina pa kita hinahanap. Are you having fun?”  Maxene asked while arranging some party food on the platter.

“Yes” She answered, shoving that embarrassing moment to the depths of her brain. ” Ate, I’ll help you.”

“Oh thank you Julie. Can you put some more on that platter, dalhin ko na to sa labas.” referring to the platter she was holding.

She was starting on the platter when a man spoke, his voice from behind her

“So you’re Julie Anne!” he said

I opened my eyes and looked around, and I saw I was alone.  I realized I was lying by the lake, surrounded by wild flowers and birds singing their morning melodies. I stood up and walked towards the dock and saw that it was just a little after sunrise. I was just about to sit on the edge when I heard footsteps. I turned and saw a man looking my way. He was smiling at me, that familiar smile which always made my heart melt. I smiled back and walked towards him but the nearer I got the less clearer I could see of him, his smile slowly disappearing. He was fading away, I panicked, I ran towards him with my arms outstretched,

“Elmooooo!” She cried gasping for air, waking up from her sleep with cold sweat on her face. “A dream, another dream”
She looked at her alarm, and it said 2:30am; March 26.  She had barely slept, but she knew she couldn’t sleep again. “It’s been a year. Ang tagal mo nang wala…” She opened her bedside drawer, took a piece of paper and looked at it. “Come back to me,  please.” Julie looked up to stop her tears, shook the sadness off and rose from bed.
————
“Si Julie? Gising na po ba?” Frencheska asked, she thought it was unlikely for her best friend to not be out of her room at this time ” Pakitawag nga po please manang, so we can have breakfast na.”

“Oo nga po pala, nakaalis na si Julie. Pinapasabi na lang niya, ayaw na daw kasi nya kayong gisingin.”

“Sinabi ba kung saan siya pupunta? Ang aga pa eh.” she asked, for she knew that it was too early for her to leave especially after coming in late from their grad party last night.

“Hindi eh”the househelp answered

“Ah ganun po ba? Sige, thank you manang” she sat down and started to eat, when it hit her. “It was today. Haaay Julie… Nasa lake ka na naman.”
————-

“Nothing’s change much, the only thing that’s changed is I’m here and you’re not”, Julie thought to herself as she went out of her car. The view of the lake was still scenic as she remembered, and there not so faraway near the dock was a wooden bench. She went there, sat down and felt the morning breeze while she watched the sun which was just about to rise.

“I missed this place, I miss us here. Why did you leave Elmo? You didn’t have to face it all alone.” She looked at the paper she was clutching to her chest and for the hundredth time since she had it, she began to read…

Dear Julie Anne,

I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry I made you wait. I love you dearly Julie, but right now I  have to make things right. You deserve only what is right and nothing less. Please forgive me for not facing you, for not saying this to you personally. I’m not strong Julie and I need to be. I need to be strong for us, to be deserving of you.

But I want to promise you something and I fully  intend to keep it. I’ll come back for you Julie Anne, I promise you that! If it’s not too much to ask, I know this is shameless of me, but will you wait for me? Please wait for me, my love. Have faith in me.

Till our next meeting, I leave my heart in your keeping.

Forever Yours,
Elmo

“It’s been a year, nakakainis ka na, ang tagal mo na kong pinaghihintay. I waited for you, I still am waiting. But I guess it’s time to let you go. Mukhang di mo na matutupad yung promise mo, Elmo” And with that, tears flowed freely from her eyes with her lips touching the pendant of a necklace she wore.

The sun is nearly setting in the horizon, it’s almost dusk and I’m almost there. Dusk, it has always been our time together, it had meant Elmo to her and her to me. And now, it will become a daily reminder of our times together. It will be the daily reminder of the pain that I will cause her. It will be the daily reminder of what I must do for us. And of the darkness I will be in without her by my side.

Like a picturesque scene, she was there–waiting for me by the lake, our lake. Oh what a sight she is. Sitting on our wooden bench with her eyes shut,  her sultry long curls smoothly caressed by the breeze, her flawless skin kissed by the rays of the setting sun, the dim light illuminating her sweet face.

She looks so calm, so serene. serene as she could ever be, but I know deep in her heart she is wounded. I have wounded her. I pray that I would not scar her, that her heart would be healed… soon, i wish. Not now, I know. Not like this.

I could not muster the courage to go near her for I know, I would break the tranquil peace she may be feeling right now. “I’m giving you this moment my love.” I can only look from afar for I fear that I may lose resolve, that my weak heart will shatter and I may ask her to come away with me. No, I must not do that. I need to stay strong–for us.

“I’m sorry my Julie Anne, my love. Goodbye…”

Frank: It’s 2:53AM here now, I alarmed to listen to my lil bro @SuperElmo’s #3StarsAndTheSon. Well I now call it, “Five Stars And Then Some”

Elmo: @frankmagalona thank you frank!! I only just needed ur approval to find out if the song is good. Now that I know you like it, it feels good!

That’s how important his big brother’s opinion is. So Sweet!

julielmolang:

Wala pang official winner… votes are still increasing! :)) JuliElmo FTW! GV!