WORK OF ART

SLEEP

" Ang bango ah" napangiti ako nang maramdamang may yumakap sakin mula sa likuran. "Yung ulam o ako?" Bahagya ko'ng nilingon ang mapupungay niyang mga mata. Halatang inaantok pa.

"The dish smells good pero mas mabango ka pa'rin" he said in a husky voice dahilan para matawa ako. "Is that my favorite?" He asked as he planted a peck on the back of my shoulder.

"Hmmm" I hummed in response while putting the last ingredient in the pot."Let's wait for three minutes" I giggled when I felt his soft kisses in my nape then to my shoulder.

"Your birthday is near" he said as he faced me. I smiled at him,gently nodding my head. "What gift do you wanna receive this time?" He asked. I looked up at the ceiling like as if I was really thinking.

"You," I answered, making him frown. "You have me already" he said, a li'l bit annoyed, I think? I turned to check the dish I am cooking as a smile crept into my face.

"It's already cooked" I sang gleefully.

"Smells so good... just like you"

I was walking towards the living room when I saw him, when I saw Caleb. I smiled at him and he smiled back, his eyes were sparkling but his smile says otherwise, making me worry. "Is there something wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"N-Nothing" his voice changed, as if he's weakening.

"You look pale, tell me what's wrong." I asked again but he just smiled.

"Do you still remember what I said 6 years ago?" He asked, making me confused but I managed to nod.

"Y-You told me that you won't leave me no matter what. You said that you'll be my anchor in times that I can no longer understand myself, in times that I'm losing my strength and when I feel like the world is cheating on me. It even sounded like a wedding vow" natatawa kong sagot nang maalala ang nakaraan. He smiled melancholy.

"You know how much I love you, right?" He asked again so I nodded in response.

"Why are you asking me such?" I asked, confusion in my voice. My heart is beating so fast and I don't know why.

"H-Hon, I h-have- I have Lou-Gehrig's Disease. I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis which commonly called ALS. Honey... It's an incurable disease." He confessed, making me stop from moving. I looked into his eyes and there I saw pain, suffering and sadness.

"Lou-Gehrig's Disease? Y-You gotta b-be k-kidding me," I shook my head as tears started to loom in my eyes, making my vision blur.

"It's t-true hon, I have ALS" his voice cracked.

"N-No, no. Y-You're not sick. You don't have ALS " I insisted.

"I was diagnosed with ALS a year ago,"

"Then why didn't you tell me?!" My voice raised as I sob uncontrollably.

"It's incurable, it's no use" he shook his head.

"We can find a cure" I said between my sobs. "You won't die. Don't let that ALS get the best of you. P-Please..." I begged as I held his hand into a tight grip.

"That's impossible."

"Then we'll make it possible! Just stay by my side. Don't leave me, don't die" I knelt infront of him.

"S-Serrah, stand u-up..." He's also crying. I've never seen him this hopeless before.

"Promise me first! You won't die... Gagaling ka. We'll get the best of all the best doctors in the world para lang gumaling ka," instead of answering me, he hugged me. He hugged me tight as if it would be the last time he'll be able to hug me tighter than before.