"Though we r miles apart, u r always n my heart. I close my eyes & there u r. Even if I never see u, I'll always b here 2 care 4 u, for as long as I live..."
One December night, she sent me this message. By that time we had been exchanging messages for more than a month. God knew how happy I was. She was right. Although we had not seen each other, what we felt was enough to make us both realize what was keeping us together.
"Loving u secretly is a hard thing 4 me 2 do, hoping, wondering that u will feel the same way 2, but I can't read your mind. do u love me 2? But whatever the case, I'll still be loving u."
"How I wish I could really tell u how much u mean 2 me, but I'm afraid 2 love, scared 2 get hurt... I hope that u will wait 4 me & I pray that u will not get tired of loving me...=)"
"The reason y I met u is becuz of destiny but if destiny will suggest that I'll live without u, then, I'll lie not by destiny but of free will."
Whenever I asked her when we would meet personally, she always answered, "Soon...soon, love...soon." Not seeing each other did not lessen, even a bit. What I felt for her, rather, it grew deeper and stronger each day. And I was sure, she felt the same way, too. Love messages continued to flow through our lines, and between our hearts; which made us go on each day with the thought that sooner or later, we would see each other, face to face, heart to heart.
Just a few days before Christmas, she stopped sending messages. At first I just thought she had run out of prepaid, but there was something that kept bothering me. I couldn't understand what it was, but it made me feel nervous. I tried to call her but she wouldn't answer. Nevertheless, I continued sending messages.
Suddenly one night, just three days before our Lord's birthday, I heard my phone's message tone again. At last! It was from her!
"Often times we have to say goodbye 2 the 1 we love without wanting 2. Though that doesn't mean we stopped loving them or we stopped caring. Sometimes, GOODBYE is a painful way 2 say I LOVE YOU."
I was dumfounded. I didn't know what to think. What did she mean? I texted her back, searching for answers but got nothing. I called her but she would not answer. For the first time in my life, I felt so miserable, desperate, and empty. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to lose her. I had learned to love her, and I wanted to be with her forever.
The following days, I felt nothing but emptiness. It seemed that Demi took the life out of me. I missed her so much, her messages, the tones that would tell me she'd sent another loving message. Nothing around me could feel the emptiness I felt.
Just a day before Christmas, my cell beeped again. It was her!
"Meet me at the café, 10 AM today," I read aloud, making sure the message was true. Then I jumped with joy. Hurriedly, I got myself ready and I went to the mall. I knew it was still early, but I wanted to be there before she arrived.
I arrived at the meeting place ten minutes early. I was surprised to see her already there, smiling at me. She was very beautiful, brown, deep-set eyes that spoke a thousand words; small, kissable lips; a nose perfectly chiseled and long black hair. Everything about her was beautiful. And yes, her eyes radiated kindness and love, but there was a flicker of something in them; sadness?
"Hi, Joe," said the angelic voice I had been dreaming of each night; the voice that I had waited to hear for so long. "Please sit down."
"I am very pleased to meet you, Demi," I said, as I took my seat and gave her the roses I brought for her.
"Thanks, Joe," she smiled, obviously pleased with the roses. I knew she loved pink roses.
"You are always welcome, Love"
"Joe, I can't stay," she said, sadness in her voice, and were those tears in her beautiful brown eyes? "I really must go."
"But we just met, Demi. Can't we talk a little longer?" I asked, pleadingly.
"I can't really. I just came here to see you and thank you for the time you shared with me. Thank you for everything, Joe. I will never forget you. You will always be here in my heart." She placed her left hand over her chest.
She was looking at me straight into the eyes, and I could really feel the sadness in her voice and I swear, there was something in her voice and there was something in those lovely yet lonely eyes…
She got up and smiled at me, lovingly. "Tomorrow morning, please come and visit me," she said and gave me a piece of white linen paper.