I

Nanlalamig ang dating nagbabaga. 

Kung maibabalik lang sana. 

Iindahin ko ang sakit na gumuguhit, 

Ngingiti sa likod ng luhang pumupunit

Baka masulyapan mo ‘yung dulo

Kasi sabi mo walang hanggang,bakit nandito tayo, sa dulo?

- Walang Hanggan, Quest

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Tears in Heaven – Chapter 29

“YOU promised! You promised that we would be together!” Her eyes were full of tears. Never, even in her wildest dream, could things go like this.

"S-Sorry...Sorry, Camille."

That apology made her cry even more. It feels like a dagger is piercing her heart.

"Is there something wrong with me? Tell me!” She demanded an explanation! Is he just going to throw away their 6 years of relationship? Is that it?

“Nothing! There is nothing wrong with you, Camille! You are…you are a perfect partner everyone could ask for.” His eyes are also starting to get wet. "But she needs m-me."

"What about me? Do you think…do you think I don't need you?”

That broke him.

He tried to reach her with both hands. When she doesn’t resist, he holds her hands tightly. "You are a strong w-woman, babe. I know...I know you'll be okay. Even without me.”

She can see the desperation in his eyes and that hurts her more. He was desperate to get rid of her, while she almost knelt in front of him so he wouldn't leave her.

“Do you know…do you know you're hurting me right now, Leo? You s-said the least you could do is to hurt me." She didn't bother to wipe the tears that were falling from her eyes. For what? Tears will fall again in no time after.

"I'm s-sorry." His voice cracked, a sign that he was trying not to cry.

She knows this man in front of her as a strong man. He has been her support in all her hardships. He was her strength. But right now he is in front of her, asking for forgiveness for the things he did.

Under the moonlight and fine sands, a place where the sound of the waves collides and the only thing you can hear. In the same place where they created beautiful memories. The same place he decided to destroy her heart and her dreams. Dreams they both created.

They are just staring at each other, no one dares to talk again. She does not know what is going on in his head, but Camille keeps on looking at his face. Memorizing every corner of it.

She used to have all of these, but now she will try to let go of the person who gave him so much happiness…and pain.

She tried to squirm and remove his hold on her.

"I h-hope...I hope Ellaine can give you complete happiness. I…I pray for your h-happiness. I hope she’s worth it.” Then, with a heavy heart, she turned away from him. He screamed her name, but she didn't have the strength to turn around.

Why is it that out of all the people in the world, it has to be his sister?

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***

“INFINITY! The comment section of your Tears in Heaven update is a huge mess again! Aren't you afraid of being attacked by your readers? You always want to hurt them." Robin laughed at her while holding a tablet, probably reading the comment section of her newly uploaded chapter.

"I wanted to tweak Infinity when I read the recent update." She even rolled her eyes at her, proving her dissatisfaction with the new chapter. Her name is Pipay, and like her and Robin she is also a writer for The Journal.

She just looked at her friends and laughed it off.

"Look at the comment section, Pipay! Someone already wanted to assassinate her character!” Robin said while showing the comments section to Pipay.

"OMG, Infinity! One of your readers is already having a heart attack due to so much anger because of your recently updated chapter!” Pipay said while browsing the tablet and reading some of the comments.

"Please ask the writer if she’s not happy with her life. If she’s not, why implicate the pain and sadness to her readers?” Pipay read one of the comments. “HAHAHAHAH Infinity! Your readers are going crazy!” Robin can’t contain the amusement in his voice! He is too overwhelmed with the response her story is getting from her readers.

Her friends keep on reading some comments. Some are hilarious, others want to ambush her in the corner, and some completely understand her character's choices.

"If I were Camille, I would fight! Leo's mine, to begin with! Why would I give away something that's already mine?" Pipay said her opinion towards her character's circumstances.

“Exactly! Also, the sister, Ellaine. Out of all the boys in the world, why would she covet her sister’s boyfriend? Knowing that Leo, the boyfriend, is the only person that makes her happy and sane in her insane world! The only person that she considered as her home.”  Robin said he was a little bit annoyed.

"You are right! That sister of hers!” Pipay is talking about Ellaine, the protagonist of her story.

"But..." She cut off her friends. "Leo also liked Ellaine. During Camille's absence, he focused on Ellaine. He channels his attention to Ellaine. Meaning…”

"Meaning?" The two asked curiously.

"At some point, Leo already chooses Ellaine the moment she leaves and focuses his attention on her. He lost confidence in their relationship and in Camille herself.”

"But Camille left for her dreams. Didn't he become a little bit selfish there?" There was a surprise in Pipay's voice.

"Camille left to pursue her dreams. So her parents would be proud of her and have a name of her own. Leo knows what the girl went through in the family. He is Camille's rock and wall when no one believes in her. And one more thing, she explained why she had to leave. It is for herself. Because if she doesn't, she will be exhausted. And the time will come when nothing will be left for her.  Because she gave everything to everyone, all she needs is a recharge. But Leo didn't understand her. Between the two of them,  who do you think is the real selfish?” She asked back to her friends.

"Oh! I didn’t think of that in that way. You are right! And out of all the women, he chose Ellaine. The same person her parents kept on comparing with her and their achievements. Both parties made a mistake, but Ellaine and Leo hurt Camille in the worst possible way. They betrayed her.” Pipay said.

"But you know, I still hope that this story of Camille and Leo has a happy ending," Robin said while scanning his writing table.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Robin. But no. It doesn’t have." Louise, who is also her editor, suddenly appeared. She heard something fall, it was the tablet Robin was holding.

And then Robin raised his head to look at her with a face full of disappointment. Louise handed her the draft of the last chapter of her story and she asked her to check it.

"Sir June wouldn't have called her The Tragic Writer if she wasn't good at breaking her readers' hearts.” Louise looked at her. “For me the draft you submitted is okay, I've edited some parts. You can use what I suggested or not. It's up to you. Or if you have a change of heart, you can alter the ending, so your readers won’t cry a river. I don't mind re-evaluating your work, Infinity.” She said while laughing.

"Sorry Louise, the moment I started writing this novel, this is the ending I already had in mind. I'm sorry, but I won't change it. Thanks by the way.” She said in an apologetic tone.

"O-Okay." Louise was shocked, but she kind of expecting that answer from her.

Robin sat down in his chair, while Pipay shook her head as she went back to writing. Pipay sighed and lay down on her chair before saying "There are lots of people who will cry."

She just ignored their tantrums and continued working.

Leo and Camille's story is not far from her own. The only difference is, that Leo chooses to hurt Camille. While she was hurt by incidences that she didn't have any control over. While the similarity is that, like Camille, she chooses to let go. Because maybe, there are things that would be much better without her.

She looked at the draft of the last chapter that Louise had just checked. When she opened the folder her eyes blurred for a moment.

There is a blue sticky note on the first page of her draft, and it states:

Everything will be alright, Infinity. Trust His plans and His process. If it's still not okay, then it's not the end.

It will happen in His perfect time.

She simply wiped away her tears.

She hopes so. She hopes that that time will come.