"I'm afraid if I don't stop right now, I'd lose my mind."

"But I was too busy reaching for the skies forgetting I already have the entire universe with me."

In which all Narda did is love Regina, but is love really enough to let oneself be hurt over and over again?

Or. Regina being stupid and a coward.

Narda held Regina's hand as they walk side by side, she had the brightest smile reaching her eyes, only when she's Regina the moment that smile is seen.

"Regi, are you going to come pick me up later after work?" she asks as they stood in front of the Custodio Hospital buildings. The woman insisted she'll take Narda to her work, spend time with her even for awhile given they're both busy with their careers.

Regina pondered for awhile as she lets go of their hand holding.

"I won't promise love, I'll be having meetings after meetings today, but if ever, I'll tell Ali to pick you up." she said, hands now typing on her phone, trying to call Ali.

Narda nodded in understanding, of course, Regina is busy. The woman's been busy ever since she's finally made a name for herself, without the last name she have being the reason to it.

She waited until Regina finishes her call with Ali before speaking.

"okay, I guess I'll see you at home?" she asks, taking Regina's phone off from her hand.

The woman glared at her but Narda smiled at her, love so evident in her eyes.

Regina sighed and went closer to her, touching Narda's face with both of her hands, looking straight at her eyes.

"I'll try not to stay late sa office love, but I won't promise." she said as she leaned in and kissed Narda's forehead.

The kiss lasted for a few seconds. It's enough for Narda to feel contented.

"okay, I guess you should go now Regi." she said with the same smile she always gives her.

"I love you." Regina tells her and she nodded, another smile slowly showed on her lips.

"I love you more." she replied as she watch Regina walk away and into her car.

With a wave goodbye, they parted ways as she also enters her building.

That same night, Narda went out from her work looking for Ali but instead she caught sight of her girlfriend, Regina holding a bouquet of roses, smiling at her, love also visible in her eyes.

"anong ginagawa mo dito love?" she asks as she went closer to where Regina is.

"sinusundo ka, how's work?" Regina asks her, giving her the bouquet.

"I thought you said you'll have meetings?" Narda asks as she holds the bouquet in hand.

"I do have lots of scheduled meetings, but I cancelled some of them, I wanted to spend the night with my girlfriend." Regina tells her, smiling as she kissed Narda's cheek.

Narda smiles at the kiss, "dinner?" Regina asks her and she nodded.

That night spent happily and full of love.

It had been a whole year since that day.

Gone are the days Regina finds time to spend with her.

She's also been busy with her work, so it really is hard for the both of them to find time together.

Indeed being a doctor and a lawyer as a couple is both a blessing and a curse. Money is a blessing, being too busy is a curse.

They rarely even see each other.

Hindi na halos umuuwi si Regina dahil sa sobrang abala nito, Narda doesn't want to go home as well since wala naman siyang uuwian.

Narda admits and recognizes how Regina and her are drifting apart. She's always the one to try and understand everything.

She's always the one to wake up early in hopes of seeing Regina before the woman heads to her work. She's always the one to give surprise visits sa office nito. The one to always calls and checks on Regina.

But all of it, for almost a year now, lahat napunta sa wala.

Regina does not meet her halfway. Lagi itong busy.

Narda feels like she's the only one left trying to work on what they have. On what they used to have.

She feels tired too. She is in fact very tired.

Siya nalang kasi kumakapit sa meron sila. Siya nalang.

See, she and Regina met during their darkest times, mga panahong hinahanap pa nila ang sarili nila, mga panahong gusto na nilang sumuko. They found strength in each other. They found a will to live and go on with each other. Slowly, they realize what they want and they dreamed of a future together. A future they'll both work hard for.

Fastforward to 13 years later, nasa kanila na lahat, pero yung future na pinangarap nila, malabo na.

She loves Regina. In fact, she knows that all she ever did is love the woman. Understand her. Give all of her.

She knows Regina did the same thing. But somewhere those months that passed, she thinks Regina stopped.

"hey Regi, do you have a free time? let's talk about us." she said after the beep. She waited for awhile na baka tumawag ito pabalik, pero wala.

Regina's too busy that she's going to just schedule a meeting just to meet her.

"hi Ali, can you help me arrange a meeting with my girlfriend?" she asks their friend and Regina's partner sa firm, Ali.

"Narda, sige, wait muna, I'll see what I can do ha?" she heard from the other line.

May narinig pa siyang usapan bago nagsalita ulit si Ali.

"sabi ng secretary niya full ang schedule ni Regi ngayon, may meeting daw sa big client sa lunch tsaka utos daw ni Regina na wag tumanggap ng sudden meetings since pag-aaralan daw niya yung big case after 3 p.m." sabi nito sa kanya.

"Ali, kahit isang oras lang, it's important." she tells him, voice visibly pleading.

She heard Ali talk to someone bago siya kinausap ulit, "Narda, sige. ihahatid ko si Regina sa hospital after ng lunch meeting niya with that client ha? kita nalang tayo dun sa café malapit dun." Ali tells her.

The guy's their friend ever since she can remember. She met him through Regina since mag best friends ang mga 'to, and she also found a brother dito.

"salamat Ali." she says and then said goodbye bago in'end ang tawag.

That call was 6 hours ago. Walang Regina na dumating, instead it was only Ali.

"Narda, sabi ni Regina she needs to finish things muna daw." sabi nito sa kanya.

She feels like she's going to cry, hindi ba naiintindihan ni Regina ang sitwasyon nila?

"Ali. Naiintindihan ko, pakisabi nalang kay Regina kausapin niya lang ako pag kailan na siya libre ha?" she said bago tumayo na.

Ali followed her, "Narda, saglit lang.." he calls and she stopped.

"I'll knock some sense kay Regina okay? I did not know ganito na kalala ang sitwasyon." he said that made Narda look at him.

"I asked her dati pa kung bakit hindi ko na kayo nakikita ng magkasama, kung may problema ba kayo, sinisita ko siya kasi parang ang tagal na simula nung lumabas kayo..but lagi niyang sinasabi na pareho kayong busy, na naiintindihan mo daw. and looking at you now Narda, alam kong hindi okay." sabi pa nito.

"I'll talk to her okay?" Ali tells her at tinapik siya sa balikat.

Narda appreciates Ali, he's always really like a brother sa kanila ni Regina.

"thank you." she said bago tuluyang umalis.

Now, she finds herself drowning in liquors, trying to forget the pain away.

Her work, Regina, nothing is going well for her right now.

This is what she needs right at this moment.

"hey stranger." someone calls for her, taking the seat beside her.

She did not acknowledge whoever it was. She's not here to entertain anyone, she's not here to cheat.

"hmm, let me guess..lovelife?" the person says, insisting on talking to her.

She chuckles at what's been said, lovelife, yes, of course.

"I see, you did not answer pero tama ako." the person tells her.

"don't worry, pareho lang tayo." sabi pa nito.

Narda turned to look at the person, "eh bakit mo ako kinakausap? shouldn't you be just drinking? cheating is not good." sabi niya dito and the girl laughs so loudly, she can hear it even with the noisy surroundings.

"I admit I planned to be flirty, but then, I figured I can't..lalo na't nalaman kong same reason lang yung dahilan ng pag inom natin." the stranger tells her.

"ano ba nangyari sa'yo?" Narda asks.

"well, she cheated on me. hindi niya yata alam yung cheating is not good." the person says and Narda remained silent.

Ano nga bang magagawa kung nag cheat yung taong mahal mo?

"naghiwalay na kayo?" she asked and the person nodded.

"hindi naman siya mukhang guilty eh, she did not even explain or stopped me when she saw me leaving. I guess wala na talaga yung pagmamahal." sabi pa nito at nag shrug, Narda studied the strangers face at kita dito yung sakit ng nararamdaman nito.

"eh yung sa'yo?" tanong nito, obviously changing the topic.

Narda sighed. Magkaiba talaga ng pinagdadaanan ang bawat tao. Is Regina also going through something? Ramdam ba ni Regina yung nangyayari sa kanila ngayon?

"we're drifting apart, pareho kaming busy." sabi niya dito.

"pareho kayo. maybe you just need to spend even just a day together?" suggestion nito sa kanya.

"I wish we can." she said at uminom pa ulit.

"did you think of breaking up ba?" the stranger asked.

Narda chuckled and shook her head, "that's the thing, I did not think of it, but sa tingin ko kailangan." she honestly said.

She's so close to breaking down.

She knows her love for Regina is too much. Too much na pag hindi pa siya tumigil umintindi, mauubos na siya. Ayaw niyang bitawan ang meron sila kasi mahal niya si Regina pero sarili niya ang kapalit pag pinagpatuloy niya pa.

That's what she wanted to tell Regina.

"I'm afraid if I don't stop right now, I'd lose my mind." she said and the stranger sighed.

"pag-usapan niyo pa din ha?" the stranger tells her and she nodded, drinking once again.

"Ali, ano bang problema mo?! kanina mo pa ako pinipilit na umalis?!" galit na sabi ni Regina kay Ali.

"if this is about Narda, I told you okay lang siya! she understands how busy I am!" she yelled and Ali looks at her straight in the eyes.

"talaga Regina? eh bakit parang ikaw mismo hindi sigurado sa sinasabi mo?" tanong nito.

Regina took a deep breath at sinara ang laptop. She figured there's no way she'll be able to hold everything in.

It was silence bago siya nagsalita ulit.

"we're drifting apart Ali." she says, finally opening up.

She stood from her seat at kumuha ng wine.

"sa sobrang busy namin, hindi na kami nagkikita. I try to go home as soon as I can, hoping I'd see her awake pero wala, sa umaga naman, kailangan ko ng umalis agad." sabi niya as she takes a sip of her wine.

"when she visits me, laging wrong timing kasi may malalaking meeting with the client." another sip.

"everytime she calls, it's either d ko nasasagot dahil nasa meeting ako, busy sa pag-aaral ng cases or nakatulog ako sa sobrang pagod." another sip.

"laging wrong timing Ali." she says as she took the entire bottle with her ng maubos na ang laman ng baso niya.

She took a seat sa couch na nasa loob ng office niya at ininom ito.

"and I know it's my fault, masyado akong nasanay na okay lang sa kanya ang lahat.. nagkulang ako sa pagpaparamdam sa kanya na mahal ko siya, na siya pa din..alam kong ang dami kong pagkakamali yet I chose not to talk about it dahil napapangunahan ako ng takot kong baka mawala na talaga lahat." ininom na niya lahat.

"she's a part of this dream Ali, she's my inspiration, para sa amin din 'to eh." she added at tumayo, kukuha ulit ng isa pang bote.

Ali just lets her. He knows Regina needed this.

"but I was too busy reaching for the skies forgetting I already have the entire universe with me." she said at ininom ulit ang isa pang bote.

Naubos na niya ulit 'to ng ganun kabilis.

Ali sighed.

"make up for it Regina. Simula bukas, I'll handle all your meetings, magse send din ako ng details about the cases you're handling. take all the time you both need, ayusin niyo ang nangyayari, ayusin mo." he said at tumayo na, lumapit siya kay Regina at kinuha na ang bote.

"don't let your entire universe collapse, ayusin mo ang kaya pang ayusin Regi." he said and as if on cue, Regina's phone started ringing.

Regina went to get her phone from her table, Narda's name flashing on her screen, the woman's picture smiling so beautifully at the camera as the contact photo.

"sagutin mo." Ali tells her and she nodded.

"Narda?" she asks and instead of hearing her girlfriend's voice, ibang boses ang narinig niya.

"hello, is this Regina?" tanong ng nasa kabilang linya.

"yes, why do you have my girlfriend's phone? is she okay? asan siya?" she asks.

The person from the other line chuckled, Regina should feel mad pero hindi eh, she's worried, whoever is on the line has her girlfriend, and that's hella worrying.

"she's fine, don't worry, nalasing lang ng sobra..we're here sa ******** bar, pakisundo siya." sabi nito and Regina tapped Ali, sabay kuha ng bag niya.

"okay, I'll be there!" she said at na end na ang tawag.

"let's go Ali!" she said at naunang tumakbo palabas, forgetting she's wearing high heels.

Ali drove so fast, almost breaking the law. Nang malaman nitong sobrang lasing si Narda, he also got worried for her.

Ilang minuto palang nakarating na sila sa bar and they both got out sa kotse at pumasok na.

Regina's eyes searched for her girlfriend, and like magnets being pulled together, nakita niya agad kung nasan si Narda.

"Ali, there!" she said and pulled Ali with her.

The stranger that's with Narda smiled at her ng makalapit sila, "I haven't paid for her drinks, figured you should do it?" sabi nito.

Regina nodded and signalled for Ali to pay, "kamusta ba siya? did she vomit? how much did she drink?" she asks as she went to hug Narda, supporting the girl with all her strength.

The girl stared at Narda and her, it felt weird but she did not say anything, Regina instead continued to check on Narda.

"she did not vomit and I honestly don't know gano na karami nainom niya, she's already drinking when I sat beside her.. and if ever, for your peace of mind, we did not do anything." sabi nito sa kanya and she nodded her head.

"alam ko, I trust Narda even when she's this drunk." Regina said and the girl smiled.

"mahal na mahal niyo isa't-isa, halata naman.. ayusin niyo kung ano man problema ha?" sabi nito at ngumiti sa kanya bago umalis.

Regina stood there with Narda in her arms. Thinking about the stranger's words.

Regina looked at Narda's sleeping figure. Napalitan niya na ang damit nito and pinunasan na din, she even made a hangover soup para dito para iinitin nalang once magising 'to.

"I promise I'll do better love." she says as she touches Narda's face, tears falling from her eyes.

Narda woke up to a very bad headache, she slowly sat up and checked her surroundings.

"pano ako nakauwi?" she asks herself.

And as if on cue, Regina came back from the bathroom.

"love, you're awake." she feels weak hearing the woman call her that.

Nakita niyang 10:30 na ng umaga pero nakapambahay pa din si Regina, a very unusual sight for her.

"oo, sinundo mo ba ako kagabi?" she asked and Regina nodded.

"yes, thank God ako pa din yung nasa emergency contact mo." the woman tells her and she looked at Regina, confused.

"pano namang hindi? eh ikaw girlfriend ko." she said and she did not miss the blush na nakita niya sa mukha nito.

"bakit nga pala wala ka pa sa opisina mo eh late na oh?" tanong niya dito..ayaw niya ng umasa na mapapansin ni Regina ang sitwasyon nila.

Pero susubukan niyang mas habaan pa ang pasensya niya. She won't end things with Regina, just one last chance kahit d naman ito nanghingi.

She followed Regina's movements as the woman came close to her.

"love." tawag ni Regina sa kanya sabay upo sa vacant spot sa paanan niya, reaching for her hand na inabot niya din agad.

"alam ko yung mga pagkukulang ko love and I'm sorry, sorry kung mas pinili kong iwasan na pag-usapan natin yun. sorry if I chose to believe na okay lang tayo. I'm sorry for not making you feel the love na deserve mo. I'm sorry for everything love." sabi nito sa kanya, looking at her.

Narda feels herself being able to breathe right once again, staring at Regina's eyes, nakita niya ang sincerity nito. The love Regina have for her, nakikita niya sa mga tingin nito.

"I'll make it up to you love, please give me a chance?" Regina asks her, voice pleading and she nodded right away.

"of course." she says.

"I love you Regina." she tells her.

"I love you more Narda." she smiled at that.

It had been 3 years since that day.

They're now married and is both being good parents sa anak nila.

Their line of work is still a curse, but they're doing their best as everyday passes.

It's not just about their dreams anymore, may kasama na sila sa pangarap nilang 'yun. May kasama na sila sa future na gusto nilang makuha ng magkakasama.