I inspired this love story because in some way, this story relates on who am i in terms of LOVE. I honored the name of Mr. Michael Jedd Anjelo Z. Isaac a BSN student of STI- College Lucena who posted this story on our official magazine STIMULI which was issued last february 2008.
A year has already passed, and Ninia still clings to the past memories of her and her ex- boyfriend. Back then, they were happy in each others company. To others, they seemed like a perfect couple, destined to be together for a lifetime,or even longer. They met during Khael's second year in Saint Thomas Institute. Ninia was a transferee, and Khael was the first student who welcomed her.
At first, Ninia thougth he was like the other boys she had met before-full of arrogance and hot air. But she was proven wrong. She saw Khael as a true, humble, caring, respectful, sweet, and honest friend.
As time went by,she slowly began to like Khael more than as a friend, in which she got a little conscious about herself whenever she was with him. The more she spent time with Khael, the deeper her feelings grew.
Nina recalled how Khael never smiled; he seemed like a person whose happiness had been sucked dry. But still his outlook toward life seemed happy and colourful, which somehow attracted her to him.
Then one day, Khael surprised Ninia with a sudden question.
"Ninia, by any chance...can you be my girlfriend?" Khael asked Ninia as he knelt down one knee, holding Ninia's hands. Ninia felt a mixture of excitement and confusion, but she still wholeheartedly said 'YES' to Khael's question. And the rest as they say is history.
Their relationship became the testament of love at its best, they became what other couples stirved to be. As the days passed, Ninia saw a glimpse of Khael's elusive smile; she thought she would never see his smile but now that she saw it, she can't take her eyes away from it. His smile put her into a trance that made her happy.
Everyday, Khael gave something to Ninia. On the first day of their first month anniversary, he gave her a budding flower. On the fifteenth day, he gave her a teddy bear. The day after, he gave her a puppy. This went on for two straight years. But then something happened.
One day, they were talking when Khael suggested that they make a pact. A promise that if ever anything bad happens to any one of them, they would accept it and move on. Khael insisted, so Ninia agreed. As the days passed, Khael's smile which Ninia looked forward to everyday was slowly disappearing. Khael became frequently absent and tardy, irritable and secretive. Khael still never missed to give Ninia a gift everyday, but after giving her the gift, he would suddenly disappear. Ninia sometimes caught Khael talking to other girls, but Ninia let those instances pass. She could see something was bothering Khael, and Khael was not telling her.
There were so many questions in Ninia's mind, and she needed to have answers. She needed to talk to Khael.
While Khael and Ninia were on their way to her house,"Khael, is there something wrong?Do you need someone to talk to?" Ninia asked as she embraced him tightly.
"I don't have a problem...what you think I have a problem?" Khael answered in a harsh tone.
Khael and Ninia saw dark clouds rooming the sky, both thought that it was going to ran, they were right. Khael then stopped his bike, and stepped off, Ninia followed Khael as he walked towards the big mango tree.
"well, I know there is something bothering you, so it's better if we talk about it." She continued.
"You really want to know what my problem is?",Khael asked Ninia.
"Yes, Yes i do, after all i'm still your girlfriend." Ninia said as she hugged his arm.
"i don't..."Khael whispered.
"What?I can't hear you. You were saying something?"Ninia teased Khael.
"I will go to Manila. I will stay there indefinitely".Khael said as he tried to pull his arm away.
"Why?don't you love me anymore?"Ninia asked as she hugged Khael's arm even tighter.
"Yes...I'm sorry,"Khael said as again he tried to pull his arm away.
Confused with the answer Khael gave her, Ninia looked into Khael's eyes. She tried to read them but it frightened her. He was serious. He was living her.
"Ninia, Im sorry, but I think I have outgrown you..."Khael said as he looked into Ninia's eyes.
Besides, i feel that I,....don't like you anymore." He continued.
Ninia stood there like a stone, it was as if he heard a roaring thunderclap, she tried to speak, and as the rain poured hard, her tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Khael, why are you doing this to me?" she asked, as she held his arm tight.
"Ninia, What part of ' I dont like you anymore' didn't you understand?!" Khael shouted. With that, Khael pulled his arms away from Ninia, and rode off on his motorcycle.Ninia tried to catch up with Khael but he sped fast away Ninia's line of sight. Khael left Ninia alone in the rain, crying there.
The very next day, Ninia sped to school to talk Khael, "It is all a big misunderstanding...we can fix this,'Ninia repeated this to herself as she travelled to school. But when she reached Saint Thomas Institute, she was aghast; Khael had already filed his form of absence. He was gone.
It was raining again. It was like that same unfortunate day; the day Khael left Ninia.
Ninia was back there, at the same spot where Khael left her like she was nothing, insignificant, worthless.
The same stretch of pavement, where Khael rode off, where Khael left her to cry in the rain.
It has been exactly a year since that fateful day. But the pain has yet to disappear. She kept everything she wore that day, hidden inside a box and kept it there. But something made her open the box, her intuition told her to look for something.
There she found Khael's cap, the dress and skirt she wore that day, still with stains of muds and twigs. She also found the bag she carried that day, filled with the broken eyeglass and shattered pieces of her ensemble.
Looking further, she felt something was attached to the cap. She prowled through it and found an envelope, with her name was written on it, Inside, she found a diamond ring together with a letter, she began to read the letter and she cried again.
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Dearest Ninia,
I am a hopeless romantic, I believe in true love, in destiny, in soul mates, and in happy endings. I could say that I'm somewhat an expert in things concerning love, but even though I am a know-it-all, I can honestly say I'm still unlucky, I have been in and out of relationships many times. I've had my fair share of tears and heartbreak. After my seventh attempt in finding my perfect love story, I guess it opened my eyes that: Love and I just don't mix!
But then I met you. When I fist saw you, right then and there, I knew, fate gave me another shot to try to love again. You really showed me that love is indeed magical, that love is a treasure. And I am thankful for having the opportunity to love and care for you.
I guess fate played a cruel joke on me, I did find my happiness with you, but I am losing the battle against my sickness. I am suffering from leukemia. I was too afraid to tell you about my condition, because i didn't want you to be sad, and to worry about me. The doctor said that I only had a year to live, but with you as my inspiration, I strived to live, so that making sure to wake up to see tomorrow, to see your smile.
I figured that it was better for you to move on rather than stay by my side as I fade, so tried to give you reasons to leave me, I can see that you really do love me so much, but I guess I can't forgive myself if I was to blame for your sadness. I want to ask forgiveness, I broke your heart; I did it so that you would be angry with me, forget me, and move on. I really hope I did the right thing. I really did love you with all my heart.
We made a promise that if ever anything bad happens to anyone of us, we would accept it and move on. I hope you keep your promise, because by the time you read this, I might have already lost the battle against leukemia. I just want to make sure that you receive the last present I failed to give you. A diamond ring, I really wished to ask you to marry me, but i guess I will never have the chance.
I hope you could find in your heart to forgive me.
I love you very,very,very,very,very much!
Sincerely,
Khael
The MV Princess of Stars Ferry after it was sank last June 22, 2008
