SYNOPSIS (Chapter Twenty: First Anniversary) [Dawn's P.O.V. Its !een a year...

It was "#rnin$ when I w#%e &p !esi'e hi". (e is sti)) s)eepin$. It was ni*e t# w#%e &p )i%e this+ ,esi'e a pers#n I )#ve+ the pers#n I want t# !e with an' spen' "y )i-e with -#rever. T# $r#w #)' with. I *ant he)p the s"i)e #n "e. I r&! his *hest where .y han' has #n. I !&rrie' "y -a*e #n his *hest. /0##'"#rnin$./ (e $reete'. I raise "y -a*e a !it )##%in$ at hi". I s"i)e an' h&$ hi" a$ain /0isin$ na. .a$sisi"!a tay# #h. Its a)rea'y ei$ht./ (e sai'. I was a!#&t t# stan' &p rea)isin$ I sti)) have "y *)#thes #--+ that "a'e "e )ay '#wn #n the !e' a$ain /Oh1/ (e as% s"i)in$. /I')) 2&st ta%e "y sh#wer.../ I sai' havin$ the *#"-#rter with "e insi'e the C3. I #n the sh#wer that t#&*hes "y -a*e '#wn t# "y sh#&)'ers an' r&nnin$ thr#&$h "y s%in '#wn t# "y -eet an' the ti)es -)##r that *a&ses a s#&n'. 4ith that+ The -ee)in$ #- what was happene' )ast ni$ht+ I -ee) it a$ain+ -ee)s )i%e it was happenin$ a$ain. The "#"ent that I share with the "an i )#ve. A $)a' -ee)in$ I have ri$ht n#w. The way I re*a)) th#se ti"es+ th#se "#"ents+ th#se... 5#ve that I -e)t... 6%n#*% %n#*%6 /5#ve1/ /4hat is it !a!e1/ I as% /Can we "a%e sa!ay na)an$1/ /4hat17 N#7/ /8h7 Si$e na7/ /4a$ na "a%&)it .r. 0#"e97/ /Ay#%#7/ Then he #pen the '##r that "a'e "e hi'e !ehin' the *&tain. /4hat the17 5a!as7/ I sai' /4a$ "# nan$ tinata$# yan7 Na%ita %# na yan$ tinata$# "#. I even t#&*he' it.../ /3i*har'7/ I sai' havin$ "y $)are #n hi" (e )a&$h na&$hti)y an' s)#w)y step *)#ser t# "e... /Dyan %a )an$7/ I warn. (e st#p. ,&t then he st#p a$ain with his %i))er s"i)es

/Isa7/ I sai' /Da)awa/ he a''e' /.r. 0#"e97/ /Tat)#/ Na%a%ata%#t na"an t#n$ )a)a%in$ t#. Paran$ "&)t#7 /,a!e+ p)ease1/ I as% with the p&ppy eyes /5#ve+ p)ease1/ (e threw. /8h7 ,a!e na"an %asi eh7 O%ay na. Nas#!ra %a na %a.../ /Ay7 O# n$a pa)a7 (ahaha7 Si$e si$e 5#ve. D&n na %#. ,ye7/ (e sai' with a $##'!ye. I was a!#&t t# step &n'er the sh#wer when he #pen the '##r a$ain that "a%e "e hi'e a$ain./ /3i*har' na"an eh7/ I sai' with a "e'y# irritate' na t&ne Tinaas niya y&n$ t#we) %# an' &"a)is na. /5#%# )#%# ta)a$a.../ A-ter a ha)- an h#&r insi'e the sh#wer+ i $et #&t havin$ "y t#we) *#verin$ "e an' the #ther t#we)+ &sin$ it t# 'ry "y hair... /Oh+ 5#ve7/ (e sai' /Yes1/ /.a$!ihis %a na+ "a$sisi"!a na tay#. I')) 2&st wait at the *ar./ /S&re./ Na$!ihis na a%#. I wear "y -)#ra) s&n'ay 'ress an' $&**i -)ats an' "y -av. 0reen IVI wa))et. I -#&n' hi" waitin$ an' )eanin$ at his *ar. (e #pen the '##r -#r "e an' 'rive. 4hen we arrive at the *h&r*h we sat '#wn... The priest starte' t# have his ser"#n. /5et &s n#w sin$ the 5#r''s Prayer./ The priest sai' 4e h#)' han's. 3i*har' was h#)'in$ "y ri$ht han' whi)e "y )e-t... I was sh#*% when s#"e#ne h#)' it. I )##% at it. An &n-a"i)iar $&y. Pina!ayaan %# na %asi the 5#r''s prayer na"an. ,&t when the s#n$ en'e'+ hin'i pa rin siya na!itaw. /,a!e.../ I sai' in an a)"#st whisperrin$ v#i*e. (e )##% at "e. I si$ne' hi" a!#&t the $&y h#)'in$ "y )e-t han'.

6ahe"76 he has his -a%e *#&$h /Yes1/ The $&y as% /Pare+ y&n$ %a"ay.../ 3i*har' sai' )##%in$ at "y han' whi*h the $&y's sti)) h#)'in$ /,a%it pare1 (in'i "# na"an siya %asa"a 'i!a1/ /Pare+ $ir)-rien' %# yan./ (e sai' with a "e'y# naiinis na v#i*e. /Ay7 S#rry pare./ Then he &nh#)' "y han'. /Dit# %a na sa %a!i)a./he sai'. I n#''e' an' siya na y&n$ t&"ani '&n sa )a)a%i. The "ass en''e'. /5#ve+ san "# $&st# %&"ain1/ (e as% /:ahit saan ,a!e./ /Si$e./ (e 'rive the *ar an' t&"i$i) %a"i sa "ay ;#))i!ee. /Dit#1/ I as% /Yep7 .asarap spa$hetti ni)a./ (e sai'. I s"i)e' an' he #pene' the '##r -#r "e an' ina)a)ayan niya %# pa!a!a. /<p# %a "&na 'it#. .a$ #=#r'er )an$ a%#./ (e sai'. I s"i)e' an' p)ay #n "y pn#ne n&n$ 5#$# >&i9. I was #n "y 5eve) e)even. /Yes7 .atatap#s na %#7/ I sai' .aya "aya... /5#ve7/ /Ow7/ Sa!ay !a!a %# n&n$ ph#ne %#. /8t# na y&n$ spa$hetti ni)a. I a)s# #r'ere' ? Cha"ps an' Pineapp)e 2&i*e7/ /Na%a%a$&t#"1 Da)i+ %ain na tay#7/ I sai'. I #pen the spa$hetti an' starte' eatin$. 4e have #&r )a&$hters an' %&)itans '##n. /5#ve.../ (e sai'. I st#p. (e $ra! the tiss&e -r#" the ta!)e an' pin&nansan niya y&n$ $i)i' n$ )a!i %#. I s"i)e' /than%s7/ A-ter an ha)- an h#&r %&)itan+ we 'rive h#"e an' na$pa)it n$ 'a"it. [thir' pers#n

@:AA Dawn was sittin$ at the *#&*h whi)e wat*hin$ TV. She was wat*hin$ this v#))ey!a)) event. ,ar*e)#na ves&s A&stra)ia. She was eatin$ p#p*#rns -r#" %ett)e *#rn whi*h they !#&$ht #n the way h#"e -r#" *h&r*h. Na%atiti$ ta)a$a siya '&n sa )ar#... /4hy s# seri#&s1/ 3i*har' as% -r#" her !a*% !&t she 'i'int t&rn. /(a)i%a+ n##' tay#. I wanna )earn h#w. I've !een )#n$in$ t# p)ay this. ;&st wat*hin$ their strate$ies./ (e was )##%in$ at her -a*e. 8atin$ th#se p#p*#rns. /Pen$e./ (e sai'. Dawn #--ere' the p#p*#rns t# hi" an' he $ra! s#"e. She sti)) has her -a*e eatin$ th#se p#p*#rns. S# seri#&s -a*e whi*h he -in's her "#re *&te. (e pin*h her *hee%. /4hy1/ She as% /Y#&re s# *&te %ahit na sery#s# "&%ha "#./ (e $i$$)e /I *an ta%e that as a *#"p)i"ent./ She sai' s"i)in$. /5#ve.../ /(""1/ /,i)his %a./ /(&h1 4hy1/ /,asta. Da)i7/ /O%ay.../ She prepare herse)[Dawn's P.O.V. /4hat is he &p t# na na"a %aya this ti"e1/ She as% herse)3i*har' a)ways int# s&rprises whi*h I -in's it r#"anti* an' sweet. I )#ve 3i*har' int# his s&rprises. .apa si"p)e #r $ran'B+ I 2&st 5#ve it. 3es&)tin$ "e t# -a)) in )#ve+ "#re+-#r hi". A-ter I prepare "yse)-. I $# '#wn an' s&per 'i)i". /3i*har'1/ I sear*h -#r the swit*h per#+ it '#esnt t&rn #n. Nawa)an !a n$ %&ryente1 /3i*h1 ,a!e1/ I as% #nes "#re. ,&t sti)) n# #ne answers /,a!e na"an eh7 Ta%#t a%# sa 'i)i"./ I sai'

I step #nes "#re then s#"e#ne *#vere' "y "#&th. /("7 ("""7/ I trie' t# sh#&t+ !&t hin'i a%# "a%asi$aw. The an#ny"#&s pers#n $et "e insi'e the *ar an' y&n$ isan$ )a)a%i+ na$ 'rive. Nara"'a"an %# an$ %a!a at the sa"e ti"e ta%#t sa sari)i %#. /3i*har'+ where are y#&1/ That was the w#r's -r#" "y "in' The *ar st#p. :inar$a a%# n&n$. 5a)a%i #&tsi'e... /5e "e $#7/ 4hi)e na$p&p&"i$)as I 'i'nt have an answer. Dina)a a%# sa )##! n$ isan$ "a'i)in na p)a*e an' iniwan. /An# t#7 Any!#'y ar#&n'1/ I as% whi)e "y v#i*e sha%in$... /3i*har'7/ I ye))e' whi)e "y tears !e$&n t# -a)) -r#" "y eyes .aya "aya+ the sp#t)i$ht #pene'+ it was in-r#nt #- "e. 4hi)e the s#n$+ F#rever"#re was p)ayin$ !y a "an #n a pian#. S#"e#ne sp#%e -r#" s#"ewhere in the 'ar%... /5#ve+ Y#& "a%e "e s"i)e.../ ,#ses pa)an$+ %i)a)a %# na... It was 3i*har'.. The "&si* pr#'&*e' !y the pian# st#p %asa"a narin y&n$ sp#t)i$ht. An#ther 'ar%ness an' si)en*e #**&r. /3i*h1/ The sp#t)i$ht was #pen a$ain+ it was the )a'y in a vi#)in wh# was the p)ayin$ the *#ntin&ati#n #- the s#n$ whi*h was p)aye' an' *&tte' %anina n&n$ pian#. This ti"e+ it is "#re sweeter. 3i*har' spea% a$ain... /Y#& "a%e 'ay+ every'ay *#"p)ete. Y#& "a%e "e happy with 2&st a sin$)e s"i)e #y#&rs. 4hen y#& h&$ "e+ it easi)y ease the pain. 4hen we -i$ht+ it was easi)y 'isappeare' when y#& %iss "e.../ The "&si* -a'e' a$ain an' the 'ar%ness... F#r the thir' ti"e+ the sp#t)i$ht #pen #n 3i*har'. (e was wearin$ a t&Ce'# an' !)a*% sh#es. Napa%a $wap#... (e has this three -)#wers na hawa% niya... T#$ether with the !a*%$r#&n' "&si*+ per#+ siya )an$ y&n$ "ay sp#t)i$ht... /An' I pr#"ise t# 5#ve y#& -#rever an' ever. T# ta%e *are #- y#&. Y&n$+ "a$i$in$ "asaya %a sa%in. I wi)) never h&rt y#& an' I')) never+ ever '# thin$s that')) *a&se y#& pain an' "a%e y#& *ry.../

.y tears -a)) "#re )i%e a river. I -ee) the "iC e"#ti#ns+ %ini%i)i$+ 5#ve an' naiiya%... /...I %n#w that y#&re the w#"an I')) wait in the ais)e. Say "y v#ws with y#&. An' I pr#"ise+ that I wi)) !e the "an wh#')) p&t this rin$ at y#&r -in$er.../ (e sai' h#)'in$ the rin$ whi*h was serves as the pen'ent #n his ne*%)a*e. (e )##% at "e... /,&t -#r n#w... F)#wers.../ (e wa)% t#war's "e an' #--er "e the -)#wers. 3e' r#ses -#r eCa*t. I $et it... /(appy Aniversary 5#ve. I )#ve y#&+ an' a)ways re"e"!er that./ (e sai'. I h&$ hi" ti$ht an' *rie' even "#re. /Shh. Di!a sa!i %#+ hin'i a%# $a$awa n$ !a$ay na i%a%aiya% "#1/ (e sai'. :&"a)as a%# sa pa$%a%a ya%ap. /I%aw ta)a$a7/ I sai'. (e wipe "y tears &sin$ his th&"!. (e s"i)e. I h&$ hi" a$ain. /I )#ve y#& t## !a!e. An' I')) wait -#r that ti"e+ I')) wait -#r that rin$.../ I sai' *ryin$. The )i$hts went #pen where a)) the p)a*e was $iven a )i$ht. It has #&r *#=stars an' the 'ire*t#rs. They a)) has their s"i)es in their -a*es whi)e app)a&'in$. I s"i)e' at the". /:iss.../ /:iss.../ /:iss.../ They a)) sai'. /5#ve+ it #%a.../ (e 'i'nt a!)e t# *#ntin&e his w#rhs when I %iss hi". I has "y han' ar#&n' his ne*% whi)e his ar"s ar#&n' "e+ e"!ra*in$ "e. The %iss t##% a -ew se*#n's. An' we h&$ a$ain...