His Story (History)

I was so frustrated. I can't handle myself, so I drown myself with alcohol. I drink until I get drunk. It was already 3 in the morning. I feel so helpless. My heart is aching. I sneak into Tito's car to return to Alex's house.

I woke up in a white room.

Am I dead?

But I have many apparatuses attached to my body. When I woke up, I saw Aunt Alice's face with a tear in her eyes.

Where am I?

What's happening?

What happened?

"He's awake, Doc!" Aunt is shouting, and I don't know why. I don't have any idea why I'm here.

Where the hell am I?

"Alex, you're awake! Finally!" Aunt said, hugging me while wiping her tears.

I can't talk. My face is covered with an oxygen mask.

What really happened?

I saw the doctor and nurses rush into the room. I could see the concerned faces of the people inside.

"I can see his vital organs are working fine. Let's pray that everything will be okay after this. He might experience some memory loss, but eventually, he'll remember it over time. This might be a reaction to his shock," the doctor said.

Memory loss?

Shock?

What really happened?

I see my Aunt talking to the doctor intently. The doctor and the nurses beside me aren't Filipino.

Are they foreigners, or are we the foreigners?

"Thanks, Doc!" Aunt replied, still holding her tears.

I wanted to talk, but I couldn't. I lost my speech. I wanted to move my right leg, but I couldn't. I tried looking for my leg, but that made me miserable. I feel hurt and devastated at the same time. Suddenly, tears fell from my eyes. I lost my right leg.

How? Why?

I can see how my Aunt feels so depressed but still hopes that I will be okay after all. There are so many questions in my mind that I don't know how to answer. One of the questions I want an immediate answer to is:

Where is Alex?

I can't forget her. She's always in my memory.

I wanted to contact her, but my phone was not there. I guess it's already broken. I borrowed Aunt's phone and stalked her on Facebook, but I couldn't find her, so I deactivated mine.

Two months ago, I sneaked into Tito's car to return to Alex's house. I was so wasted and really desperate. I drove the car, and unexpectedly, I got into an accident. It's a miracle that I'm still alive after two car accidents. But this time, I lost my right leg.

It was really difficult for me at first. I was in a coma for two months. The doctor said that I only have a 10% survival rate since my vital organs are not cooperating. But my Aunt did not lose hope. She knows I'll come back just like what happened eight years ago.

Hospitals in Cebu have given up on me already. I'm not responding, and they even opened my head to remove the clots. This accident was no joke. So they hurriedly flew me here to London so the best doctors could save me. Same with the doctors in my hometown; they gave up also.

Oxygen and medications are the only way why I've been breathing for two months. Chills and fever attack me from time to time, which makes my pulse drop down. The doctor even suggested euthanizing me to stop me from suffering, but Aunt Alice said No!

She believes a miracle will be sent from above one day, and I'll wake up. And God did not fail my Aunt from praying so hard. He saved me twice.

Fast forward

I recovered my speech from practicing for a year. And I even have a steel leg this time. I do homeschooling since I don't have the guts to talk to any people yet. And it finds me so difficult to remember things from the past. I am still stuttering, and I still need a lot of practice.

I wanted to see Alex, but I had no way of communicating with her. I miss her every day. It hurts not to have proper closure. But I wanted to forget her as well. So I asked Aunt Alice to change my name from Patrick Vonne Alex to Patrick Vonne only. I think in that way, I can forget her. I don't like people calling me Alex. It's suffocating.

Did she look for me? Does she know what happened to me? Did she miss me like how I used to miss her?

Four years of recovery, and I finally made it. I am no longer stuttering, and I can now confidently face people. I know it's embarrassing to show people I'm a one-legged man, but who cares? I still thank God that I'm still alive. Maybe he wanted me to do something.

I wanted to forget her, but I couldn't. So, I tried Tinder to divert my attention. I've been using Tinder for months and saw Michaela Beatrice Lorejo's profile. I tried to contact her, and we matched.

We chatted for months, and it was good. I feel relieved as if I am talking to my best friend. She's easy to be with. She listens when I share. I didn't find any flaws in her, that's why I liked her. Maybe I should give it a try. Slowly, I fell for her. Her carelessness and being frank all the time captured my heart. I guess I finally moved on.

End of flashback.

I sprawl on the bed, overthinking things again. It never crossed my mind that Alex is here in Manila. She's still the same Alex that I know, except for being a crybaby. She was never like that before. She used to be strong and straightforward, but now, she can't even express her true feelings.

My cellphone rings. It's Miyah calling.

"Hello?" I answer the phone. I can still feel the same feelings. She makes my heart skip a beat.

"Are you asleep?" she asks shyly.

"Not yet, baby. Why?" I know she's asking something.

"We wanted to have a vacation in Baguio. You mentioned you have a rest house there, right?" she carefully says. I told her everything except about Alex and our history.

"Yes, baby? You want to stay there?" I ask.

"I hope so... anyway, we're just five, and then you, and Ken, that makes us seven. Can we stay for just two days?" she timidly asks.

"Sure!" I reply. I always give her what she wants.

Alex's POV

Three days after graduation, we had a friendship outing. Miyah and I have friends from other departments, classmates, and close friends since elementary and high school.

Jajas (Jasmine Lareign Salvador)

Mitch (Mitchelle Grace Santos)

Dian (Dianne Keith Lorejo), Miyah's cousin.

Since they were close since elementary, I became close to them because of Miyah.

We're on our way to Baguio, and Ken couldn't join us due to a sudden meeting in Japan. Ken is a very competitive engineer. My mindset is far from him. I have no idea where in Baguio we're going, but Miyah said she's taking care of it.

I woke up the moment we reached our destination. The place looks familiar, so I glance around. I wasn't wrong; it's Alex's villa.

Alex is here?

"Hi, babe! Welcome, girls!" he greets us happily. He even smiles at us and kisses Miyah in front of everyone. He was never like that with me before. We used to manage to keep our affection private. Maybe it's because we were still kids back then.

I feel a pang of pain, but this time, I can't cry. I won't cry. I should not cry. Miyah is happy with Alex, and Alex pretends not to know me, which makes everything more complicated.

"Enjoy and make yourselves comfortable," he adds.

We all walk into the villa. I'm at the front and can't help but look around. The moment we enter, all our memories flood back. I see both of them entering the room where I used to sleep.

That should be me!

I envy Miyah for having Alex. I know she deserves him, as how Alex deserves her. I should move on. I have Ken now, and it's wrong to think of someone when I shouldn't.

Alex comes downstairs again and guides us to our rooms. Jajas and I stay in the room next to the mini-library, while Mitch and Dian stay in the visitor's room.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me, okay?" he jokes. He still looks good, except for the fact that he's aged. I notice a scratch on the left part of his forehead that wasn't there before. "I'll go upstairs, okay? Just sorting things out with Miyah," he adds.

"Hey! That sounds naughty!" Dian teases her cousin.

"Might do what you are thinking!" he jokes back. He smiles and walks away.

How can I move on if he keeps making me jealous?

No! I'm not jealous! Why should I be?

"Tss!" I sigh as I enter the room.

It's past 7 in the evening when Miyah calls us for dinner.

We all gather in the kitchen, eating together. Alex cooked to feed us tonight. It brings back memories because he used to cook and feed me.

"Eat this," Alex says to Miyah while feeding her.

"What is this? Have some respect for the singles!" Dian interrupts her cousin.

"Yeah! Save the romance when you're alone!" Jajas jokes while chewing her food.

"Yes, maybe Alex will get jealous. Ken isn't here yet," Mitch playfully says. "The three of us are used to being alone, but Alex? Oh! Oh!" she adds while pinching my left arm.

"By the way, where's Ken? Miyah said he's coming," Alex asks, looking at me. I pause chewing. I want to cry, but I can't. That was the first question he asked since we arrived. He's talking to me, and my emotions are mixed. I want to be happy because he acknowledges my existence, but I want to cry because he's pretending like I never existed in his life.

...to be continued.