Tell her I love her

Gladys is my neighbor, I always watch her from my house into her bedroom’s window. I really like her shiny, long, beautiful, black hair. She always binds them up with a very nice pink headband. She’s so beautiful and very wholesome. She is always with her mother to the grocery store. I always gazed at our window pane whenever she walked in there hallway. And said to my self “Oh, God Gladys is the girl I really dreamed, somehow I will dance with her” I never put that dream only in dream but somehow it could be put to reality. Well more for Gladys, I am Edward just a simple guy in the town with a wholesome attitude like Gladys, I am a good-looking guy too like Gladys, I also go with father at the grocery store like Gladys, what is only different is that I don’t tie my hair with a pink headband…..heehawed….yap that is true. Both of us is a first year student, Gladys is always included at the top five of there class. She is at first class of our school which focuses in academic event. And fortunately I am also at the first class of our school which focuses on the talent and other extra curricular event. When Gladys joined Quiz bee I always stay with the group of mine to present a dance number. And I always cheer wherever she got correct answer. It was the last week of October; the school conducted a big event to celebrate Halloween party. And all students are required to put their own costume. I wear a soldier costume with a big sword beside my lap. The party started exactly 6:00 in the evening and everybody was there before that time. But my eyes is always moving and staring at the entrance waiting for someone to arrive, yes it was Gladys I am waiting for.
Finally my suffering of waiting exactly ended when Gladys enter the Red carpet with her beautiful, shimmering and glittering fairy effect costume with her pink wings. It seems that everything in the gym stop except Gladys the fairy and I the mighty soldier…”WOW my princess come, come to me”…..
“Ladies and gentlemen” is the word which shock me because unknowing to me the emcee is starting now to talk and start the program. Everyone is enjoying, and I was enjoying too with my group of friend and I seen something at the corner of my eye, a lonely girl. It was Gladys lonely and no one is with her. I think this is the time I have to tell Gladys and approaches her. I slowly walked at Gladys side….”Ah….ah…am excuse me … Miss... May …May ahhh…I dance with you? ... “Oh Edward it’s you, yah my pleasure” Gladys answered very polite and I was amaze of how come to the point that she knew my name for the fact that we’ve never talked even once before this event happen. ”oh wow, thank you.” It is really hard to speak at the first time we step in the dance floor. We were just mannequins, no movement at all, no talk at all but a lot of feelings. We’ve dance as if we knew each other for a very long time. I’ve asked her “can I visited you in your house at weekend or shall we go out every weekend” my humble offer to Gladys “oh sure, I was so glad I have my new friend”….It is where the long conversation all started. It was like a dream come true. The night was ended I send her back to their home since we were just a neighbor; it is just easy to go visit her. It was a start of a new companionship.
The weekend came, the day was so fine and it is windy. I started to wake up exactly 5:00 at the morning to prepare our snacks because I decided to bring Gladys to the place where I really love to stay. I knock the house of Gladys and it is here mother who approaches me,” oh it is you Edward come in, and take a sit…. Gladys will be here in a minute she’s at the bathroom”…. Auntie Lisa said. “Oh it was very good to be here auntie” I replay. I seated in a very comfortable coach waiting for Gladys to arrive. I noticed a lot of medicines, injections, antibiotics and tablets and air pumped at the table, and some were all scattered at the floor. And so then, I watch her approaching and looking to the loveliest girl I’ve ever seen. This could make a man lose his heart into them. We are now trying to walk the nearby swimming area. I usually came here and bring food and eat them under my tree house build in an old oak tree. When we reach the lake I am the one who climb first and check if everything is okay. Then I went back down and said, “Do you like to come up?” she answered ”may I?” so I help her climb up and when she reach the top then she turned to me and said “by the way my full name is Gladys Sanchez, what’s yours? “ I answered, “My name is Edward ….”Even though I am not yet finished she continues saying Perez? “Yap, how did you know it?” “The truth is that I’ve known you for so long, mom always telling me about you because your mom is my mother’s friend, they tend to go together all the time at the grocery store” “oh really? How nice, also I have known you for so long since our grade school. I always tend to peep at our window to see you” I said. “Yap I always noticed that one, but I was just ignoring it or you.”
That time when she say those words, it put me into blush, it seems that I was ashamed of what I am doing, peeping to someone who notices you. ”Really? Oh I was embarrassed on that” I shamefully answered, then she tap my shoulder and said “don’t you worry it is just a normal behavior of a guy.” We laugh together. I offer her a sandwich and a soda pop. We watch the sunset in our very own front. Everything put into orange and I feel the essence of out togetherness. Gladys speak with her soft voice and said “I think we have to go home” and I answered “wait I have something for you. I offer her a wooden bracelet which I make out of mom’s wooden beads and she said “of Edward what’s this for” I answered “Just a sign of our new friendship, I just want to give you a remembrance of our first picnic “she finely get the bracelet from my palm and said “Thank you” then she jumped over the ladder and said “ See you next time, Thank you for the gift and I love it” I was amazed of what she say, I just want to take a reply but I am speechless. I was just alone in my tree house, the clouds runs darker and seems that a platoon of soldiers running up in the sky and suddenly a big heavy downpour of rain wet the soil. I hurriedly run home. I am wet when I reach the house. ”Mom it’s me Edward open the door,” while saying these and knocking the door my eyes were in Gladys’ house worrying if she got home safe before the heavy rain. Then Mom open the door with a towel. I dry myself and change clothes. I hurriedly run into my bedroom and dial Gladys’ landline…..ring….ring….ring…. In my surprise no one is answering the phone, I dial the phone for about ten times but I am always failed, no one is answering the phone “I think no one is at home” I said. When I try to watch her over there house I can’t see it because of a very thick fog. I can’t take calm and everything seems in mess, I can’t sleep; I am always thinking of her and wish that she is okay. I passed the whole night sleeping at the phone’s table. When suddenly mom awaken and said “Edward get up”….”oh mom sorry!! Where is Gladys, did she got home safely? ...Mother was confused of what I am saying….”What is the matter my dear, is there something wrong with Gladys?” I never take a chance to answer mom’s question. I directly call Gladys again and wishing again that she can answer my call. Then someone’s familiar voice answer the phone, it feel so sick and trebling. “Hello is Gladys around?” I heartily asked”…”yes speaking why?” she answer as if pretending that she is okay, “oh I was just wondering if you went home safe” I asked “oh how sweet, yeah I am okay never mind it, can I go with you to school today?” she said “what? Yes yes yes sure I will just go there and fetch you right away” My humble offer….okay bye.”
That was the happiest moment of my life. I give my self a satisfaction of a dream come true and a chance to know more the girl I really love the most, no doubt, no fear and no hesitancy. The next days were such a wonderful event of my life. At the lake was now our favorite hangout. We are now expressing words without ant doubt to talk and move everything without ant doubt to do so. We go to school together; we sometimes ride our bicycle toward school.
One funny event is that, she want to paint my bike with pink and purple, but that was against my like, we have argued for such a long time.. What I like Gladys the most is that, when she gives you an advice, she make sure that you can understand and relate to the things she want to express. I also tend to share with her my very big dreams to her to be come a doctor someday, she never, never laugh to it instead encourage me to do it harder, and that is one thing that make me fall in love with her. I sometimes help her to do her project and as a reverse one, she also tends to help with my assignment.
Years pass… it was now the four years of our stay in out school as a fourth year high school. Even though years fade, but my love to Gladys never fade, and never vanished. According to a great word “No smoke can keep in palm”. I never tell Gladys of what I fell. I stay mute even though I want to say I Love You. I stay freeze even though I want to touch here face. I even stay calm whenever Gladys storms my heart. But I can’t stop my heart to shout how much I love her. I keep this feeling inside in me for about more than four years. Four years is not easy to keep secret feelings and for the feelings which I am not sure that would possibly success. I am afraid to tell these three words to here in the way that Gladys could expect that I was just after of our friendship. Yes it is true, friend as I consider her in my life, but my heart want more than that. But I am willing to wait for the right time will come and offer me the chance. But when it could be? Extravagant days past, extravagant because staying with your dream girl is always more than one hundred percent happiness, this is a feeling beyond I can imagine. The only thing that gives me hope is the bracelet that until now she is always using it. But the time which I really do afraid is finally running on its way. The greatest news that burns me into fire is the only news that Gladys is not single anymore. Yes it is true she already have her boyfriend.
I never blame her, for the fact that I never shouted my feelings to her. I tend to laugh at my self once I caught myself peeping at Gladys with her boyfriend Jeffrey as they walk in the hallway. Jeffrey is a new boy in town. I’ve never seen him before. She waives at me and smile but I try not to be affected and pretended that I don’t see them. At that very moment my heart turns into pieces and I can’t stop my tears to fall down.
One moment Gladys asks me of what maybe a good gift for a man like Jeffrey. I really felt the pain and my heart start to cry, and shout the question why…why I never make the chance to say I love you. But I still keep on trying that someday this nightmare will be ended. And sometimes I always told my self that everything id too late.
I never like to listen to the class, I never put attention to my study and even my rehearsals are affected, and never make my assignment, in short I was tragically affected of my aching heart. It was Saturday, I asked permission to mom that I well spend the whole night in the lake in my tree house and mom agreed for it was not my first time. It was not yet dark when I reach the lake and it was sunset already…I was sitting in a modified big branch which reaches the ground and legs are hanging and no sleepers. I feel tired and I was like a battery to be charge in order to run again. I watch the sunset and repeatedly shout into the lake, “it is too late Edward…too late…too late…too late and the echoes make there response. Suddenly my tears fall and unknowing that I was crying. When suddenly someone tapped my shoulder and it was Gladys. I hurriedly wipe my tears but I can’t help my feeling but to let it calm. Then Gladys asked “Hey Edward, Prof. Tolintino call me up into his office asking if why you are absent for almost a week and never passed any requirement, your scholarship will be affected on that” she stopped and I just nod my head but no response at all and she continue again “why this is all happening and what is happening to you?” she asked I answered “Sorry, I will just fix all that problem and make sure that everything would be okay”. That was my response but I keep telling my self that this is all because of you. She again talk and said “I’ve been there in your house, your told me that you will be spending your time here until the morning, and then I decided to go with you in the ale and gladly mom agreed, that’s why I have here pillow and blanket”. And I reply “oh sure why not come and let us take some rest”. We spent the whole night at the lake. I try to bring everything out into normal as they do and indeed I make it, but still I can’t deny to my self that she belong to someone. While waiting for the day and while lying she told me “you know, I and Jeffrey broke up last night”…”what?” I shouted feels like I’m angry but inside I feel the joy and I said “well it’s okay there would be lot of boys there who likes you, so go to sleep and you will be okay”. At that time I was confuse that she never cry about the broke up thing. But all I know is that it is still not too late for me, chances still give me the opportunity. Everything is back to normal. But still the same thing is happening to me fear comes first than my heart. The days pass with Gladys off course; we do the same thing as normal. I spend now the class a very good one.
I can’t find any reason why I can’t really find myself in the middle of saying the words of love. I’m afraid that the same thing might happen.
It was now the time for our graduation I was excited to celebrate this kind of occasion. I consider this time as last time to tell her the true feeling that bothers me every second of my life. We spend our last time in the lake. As usual we bring food and them off course. But this time we tend to make swimming in the lake. We share lot laughter and a very unforgettable experience in my life. We tend to compete in swimming, even though I can do and easy to go over her I make everything easy and make Gladys win the race. ”yoo-hoo, Edward a loser, Edward a loser, Edward a loser” she shouted in a far side of the lake then I whispered into my self. “It is better to lose my self than to lose you”, then Gladys again shouted “what are trying to murmur, come here and let us eat the sandwich”. And I reply “yeah coming“. We eat a lot and drink a lot, we enjoy the moment as if there would be no tomorrow. We become quite for a while and let the tender wind dries up our wet clothes. Then she said “are you really willing to be come a doctor?” then I reply “yes”…”good for you” she reply then I asked her “how about you?” then she say “me? I want to become an interior designer, I really love it”. Both of us sitting in the modified branch of the oak tree. And the same way I am giggling my self to say the word but I can’t. My hand are moving forward here shoulder, but she notice it and look back then I hurriedly put them back in my side. Then suddenly Gladys takes a short talk “You know Edward? Your one of the best things that ever happens to me” then she put her head in my shoulder and in a quit time she fall asleep. The time for graduation had finally come. I and Gladys planned that we well be together to arrived at the gym. I am now ready to go over Gladys house with my full white tuxedo. I knock the door then it was Gladys who opened the door she’s very pretty with her white full dress then I put her red corsage and said “thank you”… It seems that everything back to start on the day that I met Gladys. When we arrive it exactly started the program. I sited far from Gladys it doesn’t mean I can’t see her, off course I always peek at her. Then Graduation Ceremony was ended and it is now time to celebrate a grand graduation ball. Same watt happen the other experience. I am busy with my friend that time when I suddenly notice Gladys, no one is with her. This time I am not shy, I said “Gladys watts up it’s time to celebrate come on.” We dance together in sweet mode. She is lying on my chest and I sing a song played and whispered “I love you” then she said “what? I can’t hear you the music was so loud. And I replay “Am I said I….” then suddenly Gladys phone rang. Then she said “wait for a while” she gut out the gym. It seems opportunity doesn’t cooperate with me. It was now really the same time I have to tell Gladys what I really feel. I nag my head and scratch my hair. I waited for Gladys to come back then I planned to get some drink so that when Gladys returns we have something to share. I waited for so long it finished eight songs yet Gladys is not around. I search her, the whole gym and yet Gladys not there. Then I decided to search her outside the gym. It was dark outside and only disco light lighted the outside it is not enough to recognize someone. Then suddenly I notice something in a dark, in my surprise it was Gladys I’ve seen I hide in the bush to surprise her but when I suppose to scratch on here, suddenly Jeffry is on its way to Gladys then kiss Gladys on her chick then take Gladys on its car. It seems everything stop, the world stop revolving. “Why lord, why?” I asked…. I supposed how to tell Gladys what I feel but still, now time is not with me. Really, maybe Gladys is not the right girl for me. I melted like ice chance to freeze again. The next day come. I never wasted time I left our town to enroll for my college level. I never even take waive and say goodbye to Gladys. “She said that they broke up then why everything turns to blue, why? I murmur in car…..That was the very waste day of my life. I left the town with heart crying. I never expected that everything will just be to nonsense. I will study hard to prove to Gladys that I am the right man to her. I take doctor, off coarse my very big dream. I take specialization in the heart. I maybe take ten years to finish this course. I really take focused on this. I never take any news from Gladys and nor give news from me. But still I can’t deny to my soul that Gladys is my girl. I even cry for a night when I remember the girl that I once love before. But the courage of my personality helps me to overcome this tragic event of my life. I never take denying that it hard to forget the girl that written in your heart. I suffered for ten years without any news from Gladys. If she is what now, if she’s okay with Jeffrey or I hope that she’s still single when I got home. Maybe it is too late but still I expressed the feeling that I kept of a long years. This feeling haunted me day and night, I never fall asleep, and always dream of her cause simply I miss the girl, Gladys. After ten years of focus study and heart ache I finally want to see Gladys. I want finally go home to see mom and Gladys. I am now a doctor, a full doctor when I got home. It was late at night when I arrived at home. I peek at Gladys bedroom and it was dark and also the house is dark. “But Gladys can’t take asleep without a light of her lamp, maybe she transfer to other room. I call up mom got inside. I can’t wait for the next day to come. When the sun start to shine over the town. I hurriedly prepare myself to see Gladys. I bring a little present for Gladys and a surprise then it was her mother again who open the door. I surprise said “hello surprise, hey auntie do you still recognize me, it’s me Edward. “Then aunties replay in a low voice and seem everything is in slow motion. “Yeah, Edward I can’t lose you in my memory especially to Gladys. Then I replay “yeah, so where is Gladys by the way?” Iasked... But auntie did not take any replay she holds my shoulder then she said “follow me”… Auntie brought me into the lake where we all started. It seems that I was only the man in the town and auntie, a strong wind as it forcing as to backward and dry leaves feels into cur very foot. When we reach the lake then in my surprise I saw a cross and it was written. GLADYS M. SANCHEZ. Everything stop I never hear any word hear the agony of my heart which slowly turns into a fire. I cry loud and blame my self. I can’t believe all these things happen. Then suddenly a sheet of paper was given to me by auntie it was sealed and looks very old. I slowly open the paper with my trembling hand and read:




Dearest Edward,

I never take a chance to lose our bracelet, maybe this is the only thing I can bring to heaven as a symbol of your kindness and care. You are the best things that ever happen to me. I LOVE YOU Edward, I feel these for a long time but no chance to say these all because I am afraid that I will just leave you cause I am living with my heart cancer and left you alone hurt and crying. One thing I want to clear is that, I and Jeffrey is not a boyfriend, Jeffry is my cousin, I make agree with him to make you jealous for you to react and tell me what you are screaming inside.
I loved you since the time you have not yet spoken that is why I know your name even though you have not yet finished introducing your name. I want to say sorry during the graduation party I left you and go over Jeffry because the doctor is at home my last check up for my chemotherapy. I’ve tried to search for your address but I can’t, that is why I was give my feeling is writing to tell you what I really feel. I have my cancer since 8 years old. And keep these all by myself and my family. But by the way, congratulation cause I know your now a professional doctor. Maybe when you finished it for a few years, maybe you can treat me. Yeah… so much for that... the only purpose I write these, is to tell you I LOVE YOU SO MUCH...

Endlessly loving you,
Gladys



I slowly fold the paper and cry out loud. I kneel down into her grave and no one I can say but blame it and said “it is very, very, very too late… no time to speak”. Then suddenly the rainfalls into me and wet my whole body and I utter these final word “oh GOD tell her I loved her!”
**** THE END ****