WE WERE BUT WE WERE NOT

Year 1968... Divina Aljuega was very exhausted from their travel. She went along with her friends and co-teachers in the city. The province where she is staying at is really far away from the city and it can be counted with the fingers in her hand how many times her friends had forced her to come with them. Divina was a lonely soul and an introvert. Divina looked at the wide and cloudless sky. Unlike in the city, you can really see the stars twinkle clearly in here. The stars look so beautiful. They're like diamonds in the sky., Divina thought as she gazes at them. The moment Divina laid her eyes on the sky, her tears also fell at the same time. She remembered what happened to her last year. A year ago… 'Divina! My child, there's someone who wants to talk to you on the telephone.", Mrs. Salazar shouted from her window. She was Divina's elderly neighbor. Divina's family is not rich, they're considered to be society's poor category. They don't have a telephone or other luxurious things at that time, even a television. Mrs. Salazar is their kind neighbor. She and her husband allow her to use their telephone from time to time. Mrs. Salazar is already old, she has no children and last month, her husband, Mr. Ricardo just recently died. Divina doesn't know why the elderly couple had adored her, even when Mr. Ricardo was still alive, it was as if they were treating her as their own daughter. 'Yes Mrs. Salazar! Thank you!", Divina answered while smiling back at Mrs. Salazar from their window. Divina hurriedly ran with excitement towards her neighbor, she was thinking that maybe it was Alfredo on the telephone, her beloved. "Is it Alfredo?". Divina asked. "It's a girl, my child.", Mrs. Salazar answered quietly while handing Divina the receiver. Divina was curious as to who might it be. She has no female friends who own a telephone. "Good morning. May I know who is calling?", Divina answered politely on the telephone. "Divina? Are you Divina Aljuego?", a woman on the other line said. Her tone sounded shrewish. "Yes. I am Divina Aljuego. May I know who this is?", Divina answered. "I am Belen Cruz.", the woman answered with a sharp tone. Silence. "Then Ms. Belen Cruz, may I know the reason why you are calling?", Divina broke their silence and she was not feeling a good vibe with the one she was talking with on the line. "I just want you to know that Alfredo is my man… we had a misunderstanding but we truly love each other and you, you evil witch, you are the obstacle to our loving relationship! It's hard to accept but you were just someone else's lid hole.", Belen continued speaking in her sharp tone. Divina is so confused, even though Belen's words were clear but she couldn't comprehend what she is trying to explain 'I apologize Ms. Belen Cruz but I can't seem to understand what you want to say.", Divina said and angrily dropped the telephone's receiver. She was feeling pain in her chest. She couldn't believe what she just heard. She wanted to cry but her anger is the more dominant feeling right now. She wanted to see Alfredo in person. After receiving the telephone call, she hurriedly went to see Alfredo to make things clear. She almost tripped on her way to see Alfredo to their usual meeting spot, she is really eager to her answer from her beloved. 'Tell me, Alfredo! What does this Belen Cruz mean?! Speak to me!", Divina almost yelled in anger when she saw Alfredo waiting for her in their meeting place. Alfredo didn't answer and just bowed his head as if he was embarrassed of what he had done. Divina shook her head in disbelief but she knew what Alfredo was trying to imply. "I'm your darling, right? We are each other's significant other… but this Belen is trying to say, I'm just your another.", Divina added… but Alfredo remained silent. He was not even denying what Belen Cruz had just told her or just defended her position on their affair. "What Belen Cruz had said to me were all true. She was not lying.", Divina confirmed. She answered her own questions. Divina gathered all her strength because she knew that anytime right now, her tears will betray her. "Do… do you really love her?". Divina again. Alfredo nodded slowly while still avoiding Divina's eyes. Divina couldn't stop her feelings anymore, she couldn't hold back her tears. She couldn't believe that her beloved Alfredo, the man whom she gave her heart to and was preparing to give her whole self to him on their wedding day, had betrayed her… because her beloved loves another woman. "Am I really just your lid hole? I thought you couldn't hurt me? Have you forgotten the promises you gave me? You said that you'll marry me and I will give myself to you… that we will make a happy family together. Have you forgotten all of this?", Divina cried but Alfredo still hesitates to answer or even face her. 'What did you do this to me? What did I do wrong to you… or to that Belen?", Divina cried louder. "You made me look stupid and I became your lid hole… why is that woman insisting as if I am the villain in your romance? You, Alfredo! It was you who entered and ruined my life!", Divina angrily shouted while pointing her finger at him. "If that is the case! Then be with your Belen Cruz! Remember this! I will never waste my tears for a betrayer like you and that Belen Cruz!", Divina said with all her might while wiping her tears away. She hurriedly ran away from Alfredo. What happened pains her, but it pains her more because the man she truly loved never chased for her or stopped her from leaving… and never went to see her again. Year 1968… 'It has been already a year since that happened… but why does it still saddens me?"