Its 9am, its cloudy. I'm laying at bed, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. I misinterpret reality abnormally because of it. Everybody thinks that I'm insane but there's this one girl who I kept close to my heart.
I'm Rune, I'm 19 years old. I live at Vigan Ilocos Sur, Philippines. I'm friendless, I live alone. But it's fine as long as she's with me. 4 months ago, I met a girl. Her name is Malaya, Malaya is actually a Filipino word when translated to English it means "free". Everybody can't see her, I wonder why. They say she's only a part of my imagination because of my disorder, but I refuse to believe that she's only fiction that my imagination made, not until she disappeared one day.
Rune: Oh, it's raining i forgot my umbrella.
Shandy: Oh, would you look at that i brought mine, wanna share this umbrella with me?
Rune: You're not fiction, are you?
Shandy: Of course not, dummy.
Rune: Well, okay.
We walked home together, Shandy was a pretty good friend of mine. Oh, I have a friend right, i forgot. This makes me not friendless anymore haha. I'm glad she's real and that I'm not the only one who can see her.
Rune: Thanks for letting me share with your umbrella.
Shandy: No problem, see you tomorrow.
Rune: See you.
I'm finally home, away from the traumatizing reality. After taking off my shoes, i went to bed to sleep. I was too tired. Then I woke up at midnight.
Rune: Oh, I left the curtains open.
Then a flyer went through my window.
Rune: A flyer... oh a flyer about Calle Crisologo. That lovely place I better give it a visit.
Its Saturday, no school so I'm free to do whatever i want. How nice. Since its Saturday and I don't have anything to do, I'll go visit Calle Crisologo.
This place is beautiful as always, I wonder if the memory of grandma taking me here was real. That was fun though.
Rune: Aling Bebang, I'll buy one Latik. [Latik is a Filipino desert.]
Aling Bebang: Okay, here you go.
Rune: Thanks.
Aling Bebang: Have fun.
Calle Crisologo is a street of old Spanish structures, it's really wonderful. Good thing the government preserved it and didn't let it get ruined. This place has so much history.
Rune: Woah, this place is really old but still captivating.
???: It really is.
Rune: Oh, somebody's here. Hello.
???: Hello.
[This girl seems familiar.]
???: Is there something wrong? you're not responding.
Rune: Oh, it's nothing, you just look a bit familiar.
???: Oh really?
Rune: Yeah, have we seen each other before?
???: I believe it's our first time seeing each other.
Rune: Ah... I see.
???: My name is Malaya, what's your name?
Rune: My name is Rune, you have a pretty name.
Malaya: Thank you, your name sure is unique.
Rune: Thanks.
In that place Malaya and I talked a lot, we had so much fun.
Malaya: Today was fun.
Rune: It was fun meeting you Malaya.
Malaya: It was also fun meeting you Rune.
Rune: I wanna see you again.
Malaya: Me too.
Then we said farewell to each other and left.
Sunday night, I couldn't sleep. Monday came I have to go to school, I woke up late.
Rune: Aw man, I need to hurry or else I'll be late.
Shandy: Would you look at that you're gonna be late too.
Rune: Aw come on, hurry up and run quick.
Shandy: Yeah fine~~
We made it to school without being late, Shandy was a fast runner. She ran more faster than me.
Rune: That was too tiring.
Shandy: You're slow.
Rune: Shut up.
Teacher: Okay class will start, sit properly.
Its lunch break;
I remembered Malaya, it gave a smile on my face.
Shandy: Ohhh... you smile sweetly, I wonder who that is~~
Rune: Hey! You're only imagining things.
Shandy: Me? or is it you whose imagining things.
Rune: Tsk... Shut up.
Then I looked away, then she laughed evilly.
Its afterschool, I saw aling Bebang on the way and she's selling puto this time. [Puto is a Filipino desert.]
Rune: Aling Bebang!
I waved at her as I shout her name.
Aling bebang: Oh, Rune. Are you gonna buy some puto?
Rune: Yes!
Aling Bebang: Here you go.
Rune: Aling Bebang your delicacies are always tasty.
Aling Bebang: Is that so? haha, don't speak with your mouth full.
Rune: Mhmm!
That was tasty, aling Bebang's cooking skills is awesome! As I'm on my way home, I saw Malaya.
Rune: Malaya!
Malaya: Oh Rune, we meet again.
Rune: How are you?
Malaya: I'm doing well, and you?
Rune: Im pretty fine.
As I talk to Malaya, peoples just keep looking at us and gossiping about us.
???: Why is he talking to himself, is he crazy?
???: Who's he talking with.
Rune: How weird, what're they talking about.
Malaya: Yeah it really is weird. How bout we go somewhere, only the two of us.
Rune: Okay that's a good idea.
As Shandy saw us at a distance, she was intrigued of what's happening.
Shandy: Wait who's he talking to.
???: That guy is weird he talks alone.
Shandy: Wait what, I know he has a disorder how did it became this bad.
Me and Malaya decided to go to Calle Crisologo. We walked as we talked.
Rune: I have a disorder Malaya. Schizophrenia, I misinterpret reality abnormally.
Malaya: I'm sorry Rune, but still cheer up. If everybody thinks you're weird differ me you're not weird to me you're cool.
Rune: Thankyou Malaya, that means a lot to me.
As the both of us talk to each other, we also watched the starry sky. Malaya's eyes were shining wonderfully as she gazed up to see the starry sky. At that moment she made my heart race, looks like I like her now.
I went home blushing and fluttered, just like every in-love people would do I thought about her most of the time. Thursday morning; i woke up late again.
Gotta run quick, why do I always wake up late. Then i met Shandy along the way.
Shandy: Man, you're late again.
Rune: Woman, you're late too.
Shandy: Shut up and run fast turtle.
Rune: Who you callin turtle!
Good thing we managed to make it in time, before school starts.
The school ended and I'm on my way to see Malaya, we agreed to meet up at Calle Crisologo. Then Shandy called me before I leave.
Shandy: Hey Rune!
Rune: What?
Shandy: How bad is your disorder?
Rune: Really bad.
Shandy: Oh so that's why I saw you talking by yourself yesterday, but yeah you always do that.
Rune: What do you mean?
Shandy: You were talking to yourself and I think I heard you said Malaya.
Rune: Wait I was talking to myself?
Shandy: Yeahh... didn't you knew?
Rune: No I didn't, wait so does that mean Malaya is not true.
Shandy: Malaya? Looks like your disorder is really bad now.
Rune: No she's not fiction she's real, I'm going to meet her today you can come with me.
Shandy: Okay, but if ever I'm right go check the doctor. Your disorder wasn't this bad before.
Rune: Fine.
We went to Calle Crisologo, but we didn't found Malaya. We spent 3 hours waiting for her but she didn't came. Its 8pm;
Shandy: I think it'd be best if you would consult a doctor.
Rune: No, I may have this disorder that makes me see imaginary people but still I know in my heart she's true.
Shandy: Rune, its 9pm and your friend is still not here. Its either she just couldn't come or something else.
Rune: Your right she must've couldn't come.
Shandy: Lets go home for now, I'll help you search for her tomorrow.
Rune: Okay, thanks Shandy.
Shandy: And I'll also make sure to take you to a doctor this weekend.
Rune: Aw man, I can go on my own I don't wanna bother you.
Shandy: Oh come on, it's no big deal.
Rune: Aww you're making me blush.
Shandy: Eww, come on we better head home.
Rune: Haha... okay~~~
Shandy might get on my nerves a lot but she's still the best. The next day we went to Calle Crisologo we didn't found her. We went to Calle Crisologo again and again but didn't found her. Malaya, the girl who made my heart race. Where are you? are you really real? Are you really just a fantasy made by my head? There are so many questions that are stuck on my head hoping that I'll get an answer. A week passed since I last saw Malaya. So, I decided to go see a doctor, Shandy came with me of course. She was very supportive. The doctor said my disorder did went much worst, Shandy cheered me up, so it wasn't so bad. The doctor did say that Malaya must have been just an imagination of mine, well it hurts all right.
After some time, I stopped going to Calle Crisologo. I hanged out with Shandy a lot, then realized I have feelings for her. Well, i had a rough time confessing to her but yeah, she did say "yes". It was a mission success.
A month passed; I went to Calle Crisologo with her. I saw aling Bebang selling Latik, oh I love her Latik so much.
Rune: Aling Bebang!
Aling Bebang: Oh Rune! you're with Shandy.
Shandy: Hi there! it's been a long time.
Rune: Yeah, you know what aling bebang, Shandy is my girlfriend now.
Aling Bebang: Oh really? How wonderful.
Rune: Thanks! We'll have two Latik please.
Aling Bebang: Sure!
Rune: Oh Shandy, I'm just going to the rest room I'll be back.
Shandy: Alright.
I was on my way to the rest room, then I saw a familiar face. I turned around real quick to see her, It was Malaya. I grabbed her hand and called her name.
Rune: Malaya, is that really you?
Malaya: Rune.
Rune: Are you really just my imagination? Malaya please answer me.
As me and Malaya were talking Shandy and aling bebang were having chat;
Aling Bebang: Have you found that mysterious girl that Rune was trying to find a month ago?
Shandy: We haven't, we just guessed she's just a part of Runes imagination because he has this disorder schizophrenia.
Aling Bebang: I see, I did saw him going around here talking, but i didn't really saw anyone talking with him.
Meanwhile;
Malaya: I'm sorry Rune, I'm just your imagination.
Rune: Oh... I really am insane.
Malaya: No dont say that, remember when you said i looked familiar?
Rune: Yeah?
Malaya: I was that kid you met before, my real name is Lian.
Flashback; I have a heart disease, we were 8 when we met each other. You always mistake me as an imaginary character from your imagination. We always play together, not until my heart disease went worser, then i died. I am just your memory, you named me Malaya cause I'm finally free from my heart disease. So its time for you to let go of the pain your hiding inside, my death wasn't your fault.
As I hear those words tears flowed through my eyes as I watch her disappear from my sight.
Lian, it was nice meeting you, thankyou.
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