Amara Kimberlie Fernando Velasco Age: 26 Personality: Bubbly, friendly, energetic, and sentimental. Has a habit of writing letters she never sends. Amara's POV "Nay, alis na ako." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I didn't wait for a response. I couldn't. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay much longer in that house, not with the eyes of my family watching me, still unable to accept the reality of the loss. I couldn't pretend to be okay when I was anything but. I had to leave. For just a little while, I had to escape. I wasn't going far - just to Evergarden, the hilltop where I used to go to feel close to him. I carried with me a basket of food, something simple, something to feel productive and somewhat distracted. I also carried tulips, his favorite flowers. There were plenty of tulips around here in the area, especially during the summer when the colors were at their brightest, just like the life I thought I'd be sharing with Marco. A life I would never experience again. The walk wasn't long, just a few minutes, but those minutes felt like an eternity. I had been walking this path for years, but now, everything seemed different. He wasn't here to walk beside me. And the weight of that fact made every step feel heavier than the last. A year had passed. It still didn't feel real. A year since I last saw him, held his hand, heard his voice. And now I was alone, carrying memories instead of him. The thought felt like a rock lodged in my chest. Finally, I reached Evergarden, the same place I had visited with Marco countless times. The familiar path felt different now, as if the place itself had lost its brightness, its warmth, in the absence of his presence. The place that once held light now felt heavy, each step toward the hill a reminder of what I had lost. I gently set the basket down, making sure not to disturb anything as I laid out a cloth on the ground. My hands trembled as I carefully unpacked the food I had prepared, but I couldn't bring myself to look at what I was holding. My eyes were fixed on the gravestone, and I couldn't look away. I set the tulips in a green vase and placed them gently next to the stone. "Hi, Marco," I whispered, my voice small and fragile. I felt ridiculous talking to a stone, to an empty space. But somehow, it felt right. "It's been A year now," I spoke softly, still not sure if he could hear me. I sat down beside the gravestone, the wind blowing through my hair, my thoughts wandering to the past. The memories flooded in, uninvited, overwhelming me with the intensity of what we had shared. I was silent for a long time. The quiet around me seemed to speak volumes, as though the earth itself was grieving with me. The wind grew colder as it swept across the hill, and I wrapped my arms around myself, not for warmth but to protect myself from the cold that had settled deep inside me. The memories were alive in this place. I could almost hear his voice in the wind, his laughter in the rustling leaves. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Flashback "Where are you taking me, Marco?" I asked, my voice a little shaky with anticipation. My hands were gently wrapped around his arms as he led me somewhere, my eyes covered by a cloth. "Just trust me, okay?" he replied, his voice filled with playful assurance, and then I heard the familiar sound of his laughter. It was a laugh I could never forget. "Okay, we're here," he said, and we stopped walking. He gently removed the cloth from my eyes, and I was greeted by a breathtaking sight. "Wow!" was all I could manage, my words caught in my throat as I took in the view before me. It was a hill, surrounded by a sea of flowers, their vibrant colors swaying in the breeze. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. I stood there, frozen in awe, not knowing what to do except take it all in. Marco smiled at me, his eyes sparkling with something I couldn't quite place. "I wanted you to see this," he said softly, stepping closer to me. "I thought you'd like it." "When I discovered it, I was like, Kim would love this place." I smiled, my heart swelling with affection for him. He always knew what would make me happy. I wandered around, taking in the beauty of the place. Everything felt magical, as if time had stopped, and the only thing that mattered was this moment. The flowers, the breeze, the sky - it was perfect. But then, Marco's voice broke the silence. "Kim," he said, and I turned to find him kneeling on one knee, holding a ring. I froze, unable to comprehend what was happening. "I really don't know how my life would be if I don't marry you," he began, his voice filled with sincerity. I saw the emotion in his eyes, something raw and real that made my heart race. "You changed me to become a better person. You loved me, you cared for me, and I am forever grateful for your love." Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him, my heart brimming with emotions I couldn't describe. "And now, Amara Kimberlie Fernando Velasco," he continued, holding out the ring, "will you marry me?" I didn't know what to say at first. I was overwhelmed with joy and love, but fear also crept in. This was everything I had dreamed of. I managed to say one word, the only word that mattered. "Yes!" And in that moment, he pulled me close, and we kissed. The flowers around us seemed to dance in the breeze, and the world felt like it had stopped spinning, as if our love had stopped time itself. It was a perfect moment, the beginning of a perfect life we had planned to share together. Present Day A year had passed since Marco had asked me to marry him. A year since everything changed. A year since he was taken from me. The pain of that day still felt fresh, still felt raw. I closed my eyes and tried to hold back the tears, but they came anyway. "Maybe you took me here with your ex, huh?" I said quietly, forcing a laugh through the lump in my throat. I wasn't sure why I said it. Maybe I was trying to pretend that I was okay, trying to convince myself that I had moved on. But the truth was, I hadn't. Not even close. "I baked a cake for you," I whispered, my voice barely audible, my hands trembling as I lit the small candle on top of the cake. It was a simple cake, but it was our cake. It was for our anniversary, and even if Marco wasn't here, I wanted to celebrate him, to celebrate us. "I hope you remember," I said, the words catching in my throat. The candle flickered for a moment, and I closed my eyes, wishing with all my heart that he were still here. "I wish you were still here," I said softly, the tears falling freely now. I blew out the candle, watching the smoke curl and disappear into the night. It felt symbolic, in a way. All my hopes, all my wishes - they just faded away, vanishing like the smoke. The wind picked up, and I wrapped my arms around myself tighter, trying to hold on to whatever warmth I could find. I couldn't hold on to Marco anymore. I couldn't hold on to the life we had dreamed of together. "I miss you, Marco," I whispered, my voice breaking as I leaned my head against the gravestone. The cold stone pressed against my forehead, a stark reminder of the reality I had to face. A year had passed, and I was still here, still grieving, still lost in the pain of losing him. I didn't know how to keep going, but I knew I had to. He wouldn't want me to stay stuck in this place of sorrow. He had always been my rock, my support. But now, he was gone, and I had to find a way to move forward. I didn't know if I would ever be able to let go of the memories, of the love we shared. But I had to try. For both of us. Because if I didn't, then I would lose him completely. So I sat there, in the quiet of the evening, my heart heavy with grief, but also filled with love for him. I whispered one last time, "I love you, Marco," and as the wind blew softly around me, I felt his presence, as if he was still with me, still holding me. And for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, it was enough.
