“I Love you”

Precila Camile B. Boco

“I love you” Venice whispered while looking up the skies, “Do you think there is a time that I
will be able to hear that?” she sweetly asked her friend, Mazikeen. “I don’t know, maybe
someday in the right time, and from the right man. Maybe find your kuya Yuan, but you can’t do
that here, it sucks being trapped in the orphanage at the age of 17” Mazikeen laughed
sarcastically. “Or maybe, I would not ever hear that after all” Venice softly shrugged and little by
little losing her hope.

It was a gloomy day and the two best friends have been talking for almost hours, Venice and
Mazikeen. Living in the orphanage for all most 16 years of their existence there were no day,
which they were hoping that some parents would like and adopt them, but until now no one ever
tried. Hours of talking, Mazikeen saw the fence, the broken fence and mischievous idea came in
to her mind. “Venice, what if we use that fence to escape?” Venice just ignored Mazikeen and
continues staring at the gloomy skies.

“If it was just easy as we think, maybe I would. I can’t leave you here Mazikeen, I can’t allow
you to suffer the loneliness alone, and I can’t leave you here with hypocrite sisters. But if I
would ever escape and given a perfect chance, I promise I would get you out of this cage” and
that all in her mind.

It was late in the evening, the stars and moon are so bright, she looked outside from her window
and fresh wind kissed her skin. While looking outside, she accidentally saw the fence, and a lot
of fictions things influenced her mind. “What if I successfully scape then find a job that can
provide for me”. “what if I would finally find my true love in there?”, “what if I can find my
parents?” after saying those things, she take a deep breath and look up again in the stars and
moon “Lord, guide me from what I am planning”. It’s final, she was finally leaving. She kissed
Mazikeen’s forehead and carefully escape.

Venice found herself lost in the field, but she didn’t stop running. She keeps running and running
until she finally saw a big house. She was hesitant at first to knock the big door, but she knows
she needs help to survive this new world. With her sleeping dress, she knocked the door 3 times,
no one answered. She then shout and ready to knock the door with her full force when suddenly
the door opened. And there is a fine young man who was staring at her. He’s tall and handsome!
So manly! Her mind shouts at her. And she just stood there for a long minute, shocked and
amazed by the new creature in front of her.

The young man was shocked, seeing a beautiful, soft and gentle face in front of him with her
sleeping dress. What a young lady doing in his door in the middle of the night? He asked
himself. Venice suddenly smiled at him sweetly. Of course being Venice, she sweetly lends her
hand and giggled when the man wasn’t moving at all.

Venice softly told him the recent happenings, but not all of it. She lied; she told him that she
escaped from her parents’ house not in the orphanage. He was still shocked but he generously
opens his house for her. He offered her meal, but she decline, he offered her TV but she declined.
“What a dumb question, of course it’s in the middle of the night, she wants to rest!” his mind
shouts at him. He offered her a room for her to sleep, and she sweetly agreed and followed him.

Venice was lying down in bed, tired from the long run she did. The guy wants her to rest so
without any words he slowly walks to go outside, but before he even leave the room Venice
called him using the word “hey”. “My name is Venice; can I know your name? I would gladly
pay you back for letting me stay here for the night” she sleepy told him. He didn’t look back, but
before he closes the door. “Juan Karlos, it’s Juan Karlos” he then closed the door. Venice smiled,
“Juan Karlos, hmm”

Days and months have passed. Karlos and Venice enjoy each other’s company. Venice finally
tames Juan Karlos’ cold heart. It’s so unexpectedly but it was so magical. Juan Karlos have
always seen something with her. Days passed by they've been together and he seen parts of her
that no one knows. He saw her side where she can be care free as a child, she laugh without
exceptions, her eyes when she sees something simple, and her appreciation in small little things.
His heart's pounding and felt like the butterflies in his stomach can reach this rib cage heart of
him. The way she makes him dance in the middle of the night and as a man, He can feel a safety
in a lady's arms. He know he have been fallen for her. In every stop light kisses, those gentle
touches, and those random smiles. This lady deserves the universe.

 "As an appreciation for this woman, she deserves to see the universe" shouts Karlos mind, As
they were in the field full of stars, laying in this cloth and playing with her hair. "I love you"
Karlos whispered in Venice ears softly. And Venice knows that deep inside of her heart his loved
for this boy even flourished now and even before.

One late evening, Juan Karlos were back from is 3 days trip for his work. He left Venice for a
while and expected her to decorate their big house. But some unexplained things happened.
Karlos loved Venice so much, so when he saw her laughing with a guy while helping her gives
him irritation and anger to the fullest. His mind can't digest what he is seeing right now. Instead
of confronting them, he stopped for a while and watch as they laugh and flirt together, "looks
like a sweet couple, how she can do that to me" his mind shouts at him. The two were sweetly
sharing conversation, after a while they stood up and walk away while holding hands, anger
filled his whole body again. He followed them slowly and ended up in there house. From the
windows of his car, he can see them passionately touching each other in the fond of love. Soft
laughter as if they own the world and as if it is the last day they can feel each other. They get out
in the car, holding each other's hand running like a child, they entered the house and while the
door was closing he saw them tasting each other's lips passionately. He immediately get out of
his car to follow them and Venice with random guy end up in one of the room. He grabbed the
two flower statue and hit them two in the bed. He hit them both couple of times like an angry
animal who wants to kill his prey. He ends up murdering them.

His another side finally showed up and he can’t control it. He was crying while looking at
Venice body. How could he do that! But when he saw the guy besides her, he wiped his tears,
planned what he will do and carefully buried the two dead bodies.

And for one last time, he kneeled in Venice’ grave. He put down the flower in her tomb and
cried. “I’m sorry, I’m a monster” he stood up and slowly walks away. Lastly he whispered, “I
love you”

Little did he know, from a far the real Venice was watching him. Venice witnessed all the things
he unexpectedly did. Juan Karlos killed her twin sister with her sister’s husband. Venice’ soft
heart can’t accept it. It just triggered her to be mad at him so much. She looked at him with her
bloody shot eyes “I don’t love you, Yuan”