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It has been five years! For Skye, it felt good to be back home.

Sobrang na-miss niya ang Baguio City, mula sa mga matatayog na pine trees hanggang sa mga wild sunflowers na namumukadkad bulubunduking siyudad. Summer noon, kaya naman dilaw na dilaw ang paligid dahil sa mga sunflowers.

Na-miss niya rin ang mga local foods na parati niyang kinakain at mga local shops na parati niyang dinadalaw.

Sinalubong siya ng malamig at preskong hangin na may scent ng pine trees nang ibaba niya ang bintana ng kaniyang sasakyan. This is what Baguio is all about, kahit summer ay malamig ang simoy ng hangin. Kaya naman gustong-gusto ng mga turista ang umakyat sa lungsod dahil sa malamig na klima nito.

She considered the city as her hometown, kahit hindi siya dito ipinanganak. Baby pa lamang siya noon nang magdesisyon ang kaniyang parents na tumira sa Baguio at duon na mamirmihan.

She smilingly breathed the fresh air and continued to drive home, where her beloved mother was waiting for her.

.....

Five years ago, iniwan niya ang Baguio upang makalimot at magsimulang muli after a major heartache caused by her first love. She thought she badly needed it. She thought she could only get over with it if she will be staying in a place where nobody knew her, and vice versa.

Biktima siya ng isang toxic at abusive na relationship. Hindi niya sukat akalaing ang naging boyfriend niya na first love niya rin ay short-tempered, narrow-minded, at sobrang seloso.

Pareho silang nagtratrabaho nuon sa isang insurance company at doon na rin sila nagkakilala at nagkamabutihan. She managed to finish her studies before going into a relationship, ayon na rin sa hiling na kaniyang ina. She didn't want to let her down, lalo at nag-iisa siyang anak.

Hindi niya nakitaan ang nobyo ng anumang hindi maganda noong nanliligaw pa lang ito sa kaniya. Hindi rin sila madalas magtalo nuon kaya naman na-inlove siya nang lubusan at sinagot ito.

Ngunit lumabas ang tunay nitong ugali nang maging sila na. She experienced her first abuse when they had a small fight inside his car. Parati siya nitong pinagbibintangang may iba. Sa kalagitnaan ng kanilang sagutan ay bigla na lamang siyang sinampal. Natigilan siya at napaiyak.

"I am s-sorry, I-I did not mean it. Oh, I am sorry." Niyakap siya nito habang humihikbi. Yet right there and then she forgave him. Naisip niya, baka kasalanan niya rin kasi. She promised to herself it would not happen again.

However, every time they fought, the abuse happened repeatedly.

That was when she realized how understanding she could be and how much love she could give to make the relationship work. Umaasa rin siyang baka magbago ito.

But she was wrong.

Dumating din kasi sa puntong pati sarili niyang ina ay pagselosan nito. Lalo sa mga pagkakataong nag-ba-bonding silang mag-ina at nagtra-travel. He could be jealous of everyone else, but not to her mother. She and her mother were the only ones left for each other.

Fifteen years old siya noong mamatay ang kaniyang ama, nakita niya kung paano naging depressing ang pangyayaring iyon sa kaniyang ina. Nagawa pa nga nitong iwanan siya sa poder ng kaniyang Auntie Myrna isang linggo pagkatapos ng burial ng kaniyang ama.

The death of her father and the absence of her mother broke her heart twice. Pero hindi niya iyon ginawang tungtungan upang hindi magpatuloy sa buhay. Life goes on, aniya sa sarili.

A year later, Bumalik ang kaniyang ina. Walang pagsidlan ang kaniyang tuwa. Her mother realized that what she needed was her in her life. She had forgiven her mother long before she asked for it. Ang importante ay umuwi na ito, and they lived happily since then. Naging best friends at kaagapay nila ang isa't isa.

That's why she could not stand the jealousy of her boyfriend towards her mother. Duon niya naramdamang hindi na niya ito mahal at gusto nang tapusin ang lahat sa kanila.

Kaya naman sa isa pang pagkakataong inaway siya nito ay hudyat na rin para hiwalayan niya ito.

Ngunit hindi naging maganda ang paghihiwalay nila. Isa iyong masaklap na ala-ala.

Na late siya noon sa kanilang dinner date dahil all of a sudden ay sumama ang kaniyang pakiramdam nang hapong iyon. She told her the reason pero hindi na maganda ang mood nito.

They managed to finish their dinner nang walang tensyon sa pagitan nila, kaya inakala niyang okay na ito.

Ngunit bigla syang binulwayan at saka sinampal nang makasakay sila sa sasakyan nito sa parking ng restaurant.

"Sa susunod, huwag mo akong ipapahiya nang ganun! Don't make me look stupid waiting for you!"

Natigagal siya. And that ended it. "Ayoko na! Hiwalay na tayo!" Akma siyang lalabas na ng sasakyan nang hilahin siya nito at hawakan nang mahigpit sa magkabilang braso. Ngumiwi siya sa sakit nang pagkakahawak nito.

"You think this is easy? Huh?"

Marami pa itong sinasabi ngunit hindi na niya iyon alintana, pati ang mga pananakit nito sa kaniya ng mga oras na iyon. Nanlaban siya hanggang makalabas siya ng sasakyan at makatakbo palayo.

Sakto namang may dumaang bakanteng taxi nang marating niya ang kalsada. She felt relief! It looked like the heavens were on her side at that moment. Nang makaramdam siya ng safety sa loob ng taxi, she held her chest and let out a painful cry.

She thought first love is the sweetest. But that was not the case for her. It was a nightmare. But she was thankful it was over, after three years of enduring it.

Kinabukasan, she decided na umalis ng Baguio agad-agad with her mother's permission. Wala siyang alam sa lugar na pupuntahan niya, wala din siyang kakilala. Pero wala siyang pakialam, ang importante ay makapagsimula siyang muli at tuluyang makalimot.

.....

She had a smooth start in the province. She got a job as a cashier in a department store and found an apartment near her workplace. Nagkaroon din siya ng mga bagong kaibigan. Masaya siya sa naging takbo ng bago niyang buhay doon.

She remained single during her five years of stay in the province. She did not entertain any suitors even if she was also attracted to some. She shrugged off love for the time being and focused on her job and herself.

Hindi pa niya kayang magmahal. Her bad experience from her first love set fear in her heart. However, she's not closing all her doors. Naniniwala pa rin siya sa true love at sa tamang panahon, at hindi iyon ang tamang pagkakataon.

Her dedication and hard work towards her job paid off twice. She was promoted from a cashier into an assistant supervisor, and into a supervisor a year after for the department store's new branch... in Baguio City!

Saglit niyang ikinalungkot ang magandang balita. Parang hindi pa siya handang umuwi. What if she bumped into her ex-boyfriend on the streets or wherever in the city.

But how will she know how to deal with it if she will not give it a chance to face it! So, nonetheless, she accepted the offer.

Isa pa, limang taon na rin niyang hindi nakikita nang personal ang kaniyang ina. She missed her so much at hindi iyon kayang gamutin ng mga naging tawagan nila at palitan ng mensahe. She could not wait to see her, hug her, and spend time with her again.

So, she packed her bags, bade farewell to friends, drove her car, and headed straight to Baguio City.

She couldn't wait to see what's in it for her sa siyudad na minsang niyang iniwan.