Chapter 1

It was rainy in the town of Sentiniente City, the place where Ella resides. She and her co-teachers were still inside the school, finishing the checking of papers that were due that day. Malamig na sa labas ngunit dumagdag pa ang lamig sa loob ng kuwarto dahil sa bukas na aircon at mga electric fan. 

"Excuse me po, sino po ang gusto ng kape sa inyo? Papa-order ako sa canteen, baka gusto niyo pong sumabay," magalang na tanong ni Ella sa kaniyang mga kasamahan. She was known in the school as a kind and soulful woman. In her nearly five years of service in Sentiniente High School, neither students nor teachers and school staff has ever complained about her. In fact, she was the most praised person in the whole department. She achieved high feats at the age of 25, and that says something about her. 

"Ms. Ella, paki-add ng coffee sa akin!" tawag ni Anne sa kaniya. She was her best friend among all her other co-workers. 

"Ako rin, Ms. Ella!" dagdag pa ng iba.

Ella wrote their names on the paper patiently. She was never impatient, especially when it comes to other people's needs. She has always liked the idea of helping other people. One could say it was her form of pleasure, a kind of self-gratification that she wouldn't hesitate to do in an instant.

Matapos isulat ang lahat ng mga pangalan, bumaba na siya ng opisina para pumunta sa canteen. She was greeted with a friendly welcome by the designated cashier woman of the place. 

"Miss Ella! Mabuti po at naparito kayo. Kape po ba ulit ngayong tag-ulan?" tanong nito sa kaniya. 

"Opo. Maraming salamat, Manang. May mga iba rin pong nagpasabay, heto po ang listahan. Paki-dala na lang po ulit sa office, Manang. Maraming salamat po," she said before taking out the money to pay and exiting the place.

Bukod sa kilala siya bilang isang mabuti at napakagaling na guro, kilala rin siya ng halos lahat ng tao na nagtatrabaho sa paaralan na mahilig mag-kape lalo na't tuwing umuulan. Sa tuwing may makakasalubong siya ay agad niyang tatanungin kung gusto ba magpabili ng kape sa canteen, maulan man o maaraw. Others find this trait of her eccentric. Some think she's weird, but most of the population in the school think she's always thoughtful and kind. 

Sa tanang buhay niya, kahit pa na marami ang pumupuri at tumitingin sa kaniya bilang isang mabuting tao, wala pang umaway at nagsabi ng masama sa kaniya. Ella thought it was because people were just too shy to bash her or something like that, but, that wasn't the case at all---entirely. Wala lang talagang nakikitang masama ang mga tao sa kaniya. To others, she was like a God-sent angel that comes once in a lifetime. 

Aside from that trait, there's another thing why people compare her to an angel. It was because of her looks. To say she's beautiful was an understatement. Her beauty was beyond the word gorgeous and almost looks like a goddess. With her beauty inside and out, people around her look up to her and see her as a good role model. 

Nang makabalik na muli si Ella sa kanilang opisina, bumalik na rin siya sa kaniyang paggawa ng mga gawain. Ever since a child, she knew what her passion was, and that is teaching others and sharing the knowledge she has with them. Kaya naman kahit maraming gawain ang pagiging guro at kadalasan pa ay hindi natutumbasan ang kanilang mga gawain ng sapat na sweldo, malaki pa rin ang kaniyang pasasalamat na nagkaroon siya ng oportunidad upang tahakin ang kaniyang gustong trabaho. 

Maya-maya pa ay dumating na rin ang kape galing sa canteen. Sakto at break na rin nila kaya naman nagpahinga muna ang karamihan sa pagtatrabaho. Lumapit si Anne kay Ella at umupo sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi nito. Dala-dala ang kaniyang kape, nakipag-kuwentuhan siya rito.

"Ella, nakakaloka, teh!" pasigaw na bulong ni Anne sa kaniyang matalik na kaibigan. Mahihimigan sa kaniyang tono na may nais siyang sabihin na isang kagyat na impormasyon. Tila ba hindi na siya mapakali sa pagsiwalat ng kung ano man ang kaniyang nais sabihin sa kaibigan.

"Oh, bakit, Anne? May nangyari ba?" Katulad ng dati, nahiwagaan na naman si Anne sa paraan ng pagsagot sa kaniya ng kaibigan. Ella's voice is very unique. It was soft, almost like the clouds in the sky, and was very sweet, like cherries that you can taste in the air. Anne has known her friend for more than ten years but she still couldn't grasp how heavenly her friend sounds at times. More like, she's always bewitched every single time. 

"Anne?" tanong ni Ella upang makuha ang atensiyon ng kaibigan. Hindi niya alam kung bakit nakatingin lang ito sa kaniya gayong tila may importante na sasabihin sa kaniya ito.

"A-ah, pasensya na, may kung ano lang ang pumasok sa isip ko. So ito na nga, kilala mo si Chris diba? Chris Morales, iyong all-time crush ko simula undergraduates pa lang tayo? The varsity player of our basketball team and was crowned as the most gorgeous man back in our university? Teh, we met on Tinder last night and guess what? We clicked! I was so glad he swap right at me! Ngayon, he's asking me for a date, like, oh em gee! Sobrang hindi ako makapaniwala!" nangigigil na sabi nito kay Ella. Sino ba namang hindi? That was her ultimate crush and one that almost felt like unreachable. Ngayong nagkatotoo na ito, sobrang napaka-imposible pa rin para sa kaniya. 

"That's amazing, Anne! Finally, your dream of dating your ultimate crush has come true!" sabi ni Ella habang suot-suot ang isang malaking ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi.

Ella was very happy for her friend when she heard about it. She witnessed how madly obsessed her friend, Anne was, about Chris, when they were still college students. Alam nito ang mga ganap tungkol sa public life ng lalaki dahil sa 24/7 kaka-stalk niya rito online. Lahat din ng tsismis ay sinasagap niya, totoo man o hindi. Ang importante noon kay Anne ay makarinig ng kahit na anong kuwento tungkol sa kaniya or else, hindi buo ang araw nito at magiging balewala lamang ang kaniyang pagpasok.

"Thank you, bestie! Pero hoy ikaw, kailan ka naman magkakaroon ng boyfriend? Sampung taon na tayong makakilala at sa sampung taon na 'yon wala naman akong nabalitaan sa'yo na may gusto ka. Seryosong tanong lang, Ella ha. Are you gay?"

The question that came out from Anne was hilarious enough that Ella laughed out loud. Their other co-teachers looked in their direction and were enticed by the mellifluous laugh Ella blurted out instantly. Her laugh was easy to describe yet it was vague. The sound of her laugh was plain beautiful as if it came from heaven, for they heard angels singing when her laugh dawned upon them. It was colorful like the rainbow yet was profound and moving like the water. Realizing these thoughts in their mind, they found Ella's laugh to be complex yet lovely. 

After Ella stopped laughing, ibinaling na rin ng iba ang kanilang mga atensiyon sa dati nilang ginagawa. Muling bumalik na rin sa wisyo si Anne gayong tila ba na-kontrol na naman siya ni Ella nang wala man lang ginagawa.

"That was funny, Anne. Seryoso ring sagot ha, I think I like you kaya wala pa akong boyfriend." 

"Na-uh. I don't buy that. How I wish, though. I'd trade anything in this world for you."

"Lah, seryoso ka? I doubt that. Let me rephrase what you just said. You'll trade anything in this world for Chris," may kumpiyansang sagot ni Ella at diniinan pa ang kahuli-hulihang pangalan ng all-time crush ng kaniyang kaibigan. 

'Nah. I'd do both if I can. I'll trade any material things in this world for the both of you,' Anne thought in silence. She decided it wasn't worth mentioning since Ella might think of her weirdly. She knew her best friend wouldn't get how perfect she was and how she's making her feel gay every single time. 

"Hindi rin. Pero balik ulit tayo sa kanina nating pinag-uusapan. Bakit ka nga wala pang boyfriend?" nagtatakhang tanong ni Anne. It was a wonder to her why her perfrect friend hasn't gotten any boyfriends or heck--even girlfriends! It's impossible that nobody woudn't like her. Maybe, it's because of Ella herself. Kaya lang, hindi naman kasi pala-sabi si Ella pagdating sa mga bagay na ito. Kahit anong usisa niya, hindi siya nito nasasagot at laging naiiba ang usapan. 

At that exact moment, the mahogany grandfather clock hanging on the wall in their office created a noisy sound. It means it's already three-thirty in the afternoon and they need to go back to work again. 

Anne groaned in annoyance when she realized Ella was able to escape from her question again. Looks like fate always seemed to favor her best friend. 

Minutes later, nalimutan na ni Anne ang tanong niya kay Ella na tungkol sa kung bakit wala pa itong ka-relasyon. However, it wasn't the same for Ella because, for the first time in her life, this question stayed in her mind, wandering around and questioning herself. 

***

The day has ended quickly than Ella thought it would be. Nagsi-sialisan na ang kaniyang mga co-teachers habang siya at si Anne ay nasa opisina pa rin. Sinasamahan niya ang kaniyang kaibigan sa paghihintay sa lalaking susundo rito. 

"Ella! Nag-text na siya! Nag-text na siya!" kinikilig nitong sabi habang may pahampas pang nalalaman sa balikat ni Ella. 

"Oh! Nandito na raw sa school? Edi halika na para ma-meet mo na ang prince charming mo!" said Ella in a supportive manner. Kinuha niya ang nakahandang bag ni Anne at mabilis na inabot ito sa kaniya. 

"Halika na, halika. Let's go downstairs so you can meet your man," dagdag pa niya.

"Lah. Anong man, man? Hindi pa nga kami eh. Baka ma-jinx mo Ella ha. Kidding aside, can I ask you a question?" tanong ni Anne sa isang seryosong tanong. Hindi masabi ni Ella ang ibig sabihin ng ekspresyon sa kaniyang mukha kaya naman medyo kinabahan ito. 

"Yes?"

Anne sighed before continuing her question. "Do I look pretty?"

Sa tanong niyang iyon, muntikan nang mapanganga si Ella. She thought her best friend was joking but she can't find any trace of humor on her face. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ito natanong ni Anne dahil para kay Ella, isa siya sa mga napakagandang taong nakilala niya. 

"Anne? Are you seriously asking me that question?" sabi niya ng may pagkadismaya sa kaniyang boses. 

"Ha? Why?" nagtatakhang sagot ni Anne. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ganoon ang sagot ng kaibigan gayong puwede namang sagutin ang kaniyang tanong sa simpleng oo at hindi.

"Because you're one of the prettiest people I've ever met in my entire life! Beautiful inside and out, no one can compare to you," Ella said, her voice overflowing with sweetness and comfort. Dahil sa kaniyang sinabi, nakaramdam ng kumpiyansa sa sarili si Anne. If the most perfect human being on Earth says that she's beautiful, then she'll gladly accept this compliment. 

"Sige na nga, sabi mo eh. Hayst alam ko namang mana ako sa'yo at parehas tayong maganda," Anne joked before she flipped her hair back on her shoulder. 

The both of them went outside after their discourse, easily spotting a gray-colored Chevrolet near the front gate of the school. Ella watched as her friend excitedly walked towards the guy leaning on the car. She thought Chris didn't look much different than before. He still had his lovely eyes and the charming smile plastered on his handsome face that was once directed only to her.

Ella averted her eyes from the retreating figure of the two. She heaved a loud sigh while treading the path to her favorite coffee shop near the school building in search of a relaxing ambiance. To give a little background about her love life, she had a thing in secret with Chris when they were in college. Their chemistry was admired and at the same time envied by many, those people who see them in public places. Although it almost seemed unparalleled by strangers, it was a burden to Ella. She didn't really love Chris, heck didn't even like him in a romantic sense. She was pressured, that was all. It was short-lived, but the experience was also memorable to her. Kung bakit nila ito sinekretong dalawa, parehas kasing silang sikat, it would be better kung hindi alam ng nakakakilala sa kanila para wala nang maging isyu. 

Biglang lumakas ang ulan sa siyudad. Mabuti na lang at malapit na ang kaniyang paboritong coffee shop, isang tawid na lang sa highway. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, bigla na lamang dumulas ang kaniyang paa sa tubig na nasa kalsada, dulot na rin ng kaniyang pagmamadali. At that exact moment, a big truck was fast-approaching her direction with a drunk-ass driver currently not aware of his surroundings. In a second, Ella was knocked-out. Her cold body is on the street, blood is scattered all over the floor, hospital sirens are heard, and people are gushing with each other. 

Sa isang banda ng senaryo, nakatayo ang kaluluwa ni Ella habang naiiyak na tinitingnan ang kaniyang kaawa-awang katawang duguan.

"Hindi! Hindi pa ako patay! Bakit nangyari 'to! Hindi ko naman sinasadyang hindi tumingin sa highway!" nag-hihisterikal na sigaw niya.

Pilit niyang kinakausap ang mga tao na nakatunghay sa kaniyang patay na katawan, ngunit wala siyang nakukuhang kahit na anong sagot. Marami pa siyang gustong abuting pangarap, marami pa siyang gustong maranasang mga bagay. She was only 25 for Pete's sake! Ang bata niya pa para mamatay at kunin kaagad sa kaniyang mga mahal sa buhay. Ni hindi pa nga niya nararanasan ang magmahal!

Hindi niya namalayan ang paglapit ng isang lalaki sa kaniyang likod. 

"Ms. Raphaella Morales?" tanong nito kay Ella na ngayon ay kasalukuyang nakaupo sa sahig at umiiyak. 

Iniangat ni Ella ang kaniyang mukha sa estrangherong nagtanong. She was surprised to see a man wearing a hooded jacket standing beside her and talking to her!

"S-sino po k-kayo?" nauutal nitong sabi dahil sa napakaraming emosyon na kaniyang kasalukuyang nararamdaman. 

She heard the man clicked his tongue. As if it was in slow-motion, she watched how the man took down the hood of his jacket from his head. Ngayon, hindi na natatakpan ang kaniyang mukha. At ito ang senaryong kahit kailan man ay hindi naisip ni Ella na magyayari sa kaniya dahil napanganga lamang siya sa itsura ng lalaki.

To her, the man was utterly and inconceivably gorgeous. From his black hair that falls down perfectly behind his ears, his long eyelashes, his jet-black eyes that looked scary for some reason, down to his prominent jawline. She can also see how well-built the man was based on his buffed shoulders. He was the literal definition of a "man with perfect physical features" to her.

"I am Eric, the grim reaper, and I have come to collect your soul," the man said coldly, his eyes not leaving hers. Despite the lack of body, Ella felt as if chills just went down her spine.