Prologue

De·fine /dəˈfīn/

verb

Gerund or present participle: defining

Describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of.

Synonyms: Interpret. Clarify. Designate. Determine.

Grav·i·ty /ˈɡravədē/

noun

In physics, gravity is the natural force that causes things to fall toward the earth.

Hindi ko alam na nahuhulog na pala ako.

I was already falling..

But not towards the earth.

It's towards her.

Synonyms: Attraction.

Gravity is a force of attraction that exists between any two masses, any two bodies, any two particles.

I was already attracted to her.

Drawn to her from the moment we met.

Wala akong plano na magpakilala sa kanya nung una.

But I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

"Lucas?"

"Hmm?"

I suddenly heard her laughing. Napatingin tuloy ako sa kanya.

"Papanuorin mo lang ba siya umalis?"

"Huh?"

She raised her eyebrows at me.

"We both know what that look meant."

Umalis ako sa counter para ayusin yung mga gamot na nasa likod ko.

"I'm not doing anything."

"Yan." Sabi niya. "Yan yung dahilan kung bakit hindi ka parin masaya."

"..."

"If you want to follow her, go."

Hindi agad ako nakagalaw.

Is she really telling me this?

Lumapit siya sa'kin tsaka hinawakan yung mukha ko.

"Are you that scared to atleast take a risk?"

"..."

"Alam mo ba, hindi ako naniniwala sa sinasabi ng iba." Ngumiti siya sa'kin. "Na makakahanap ka ulit ng taong para sa'yo."

"Because true love only comes once in a lifetime, Lucas." She said. "Gaano katagal pa ba ulit ang hihintayin mo para makakila ng isang tulad niya?"

Everytime we lose someone we love, every after break up or heartache, sinasabi ng mga tao sa paligid natin na makakahanap pa tayo ng iba.

"Marami pang lalaki dyan."

"Marami pang babae dyan."

I wanted to answer them this way.

"Marami ngang iba. Pero yung iba na yun, siya parin ba?"

"I won't ask you where you first met kasi mukhang kilala mo siya."

Paano niya nalaman?

"But if this was really the second time, doesn't that mean you need to try?" Tanong niya. "Kung ibinibigay na sa'yo, bakit papakawalan mo pa?"

"Ma.."

"Kailangan mo rin gumawa ng paraan para sumaya ka."

"But Jace.."

"He's your son." She answered. "Maiintindihan niya. Who said there's no second chance at love?"

Second chance?

Am I even allowed to be happy?

"..."

Natatakot ako.

"Kung naliligaw ka, sundin mo to."

Tinuro niya yung puso ko tsaka tumingin sa babaeng nakatayo sa labas.

After what she said, I just found myself in front of the lady who caught my eye.

"I'm Lucas." I extended one hand to her and smiled. "Lucas Hernandez."

"The name's Blythe. Blythe Santiago."

That was the first time I felt hope.

The moment we held hands, I knew that I can no longer control my feelings.

Posible na kaya akong sumaya?

"Sometimes I think gravity may be death in disguise. Other times I think gravity is love, which is why love's only demand is that we fall."

-Shaun David Hutchinson, We are the ants

And I've fallen.

"You can't blame gravity for falling in love."

-Albert Einstein

And I don't.

Because falling in love with her was the greatest thing that happened in my life.

But people in our lives tried to define us.

Defined what our love meant.

Even if it weren't theirs to define.

"Blythe, stop! Hinding hindi ako papayag na makasama mo yang lalaking yan!"

"Pero, Pa--"

"I'M TELLING YOU, NO!"

"Mr. Santiago---"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE!" Sigaw niya sa'kin. "THIS IS A FAMILY MATTER!"

"..."

"I will never allow this!" He said. "Hinding hindi mo makukuha ang anak ko!!"

Gusto ko lang sundin yung puso ko.

Kahit isang beses lang..

So I did.

Kahit ang daming pagsubok, sinubukan ko lumaban.

Ayaw ko pa siyang mawala.

Pero hindi ko akalain na dadating yung araw na ikinakatakot ko.

I needed to leave her.

But I can't.

The deeper I fall, the harder it gets to stop.

"Hindi dapat kita tinulungan." Sabi ko. "I shouldn't have gotten involved with you in the first place. I shouldn't have.."

"Pinagsisisihan mo ba na nakilala mo ko??"

"..."

I wanted to tell her "no" pero kabaligtaran nun yung lumabas sa bibig ko.

"Yes."

"Y-you're lying.."

"Blythe.."

"You're lying, Lucas!" Sigaw niya. "Please tell me you're lying.."

Yung luha na ayaw kong makita, lumalabas na sa mga mata niya.

Kasalanan ko lahat..

Dahil sa'kin, nahihirapan siya..

I wanted to take back everything that I said. But if I stayed, baka piliin kong yakapin siya at punasan yung mga luha niya.

"You can't leave.."

"I'm s-sorry.."

"N-no.. hindi pwede.."

"Blythe..."

"You said you love me, right??" Sabi niya. "Kaya bakit mo ko iiwan??!"

I do.

I love her..

Pero bakit kailangan ko piliin na saktan siya?

I ended up blaming Gravity.

For everything.

Our pain. Our sacrifices.

They were all useless.

Kasi kung tadhana yung nagdala sa'min sa isa't isa, bakit sobrang sakit?

Gusto ko lang sumaya.

And I wanted that happiness with her.

My Blythe Santiago.

Hanggang kailan ba nila ididikta yung pagmamahal na dapat sa'min lang?

Will they even stop defining our gravity for a second chance at love?

Sabi nila masakit maiwanan.

But they were wrong.

Mas masakit mang iwan.

And if it meant that she won't lose her one and only family, then I will gladly lose her.

***