Ronnabelle Lora

As Long As It’s You | Pages: Short Story | Fiction

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<p>Matiyagang pinagmasdan ni Harvey ang bihasang pag-ahon at paglubog ng matalik niyang kaibigan na si Ezekiel habang lumalangoy ito sa hindi kalakihang swimming pool sa loob ng kanilang bahay. Hawak ang isang box ng bagong init na cookies, hindi maiwasan ni Harvey na dumapo ang kaniyang tingin sa malapad na balikat ng binata. Hindi nakatakas sa kaniyang mata ang kayumanggi nitong balat na isa sa maraming dahilan kung bakit siya nahumaling sa kaniyang best friend.</p><p>Maingat na inabot ni Harvey ang tuwalya ni Ezekiel nang umalis ito sa tubig. Nanliit ang binata matapos lumapit sa kaniya ang morenong lalaki. “Here. I also brought you your favorite.”</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907057152SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P02.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Aba! Nagpa-brown hair pala ang best friend ko,” natatawang sambit ng binata. “Mas lalo tuloy lumitaw ‘yung kaputian mo. Kailan mo pala kinulayan ‘yan, Vee?”</p><p>“Ah, ito ba?” Maang-maangang tanong ni Harvey. “Kahapon lang, habang hinihintay matapos ‘yung mga binake ko.”</p><p>“Nga pala,” pahabol ni Ezekiel habang naglalakad patungo sa sala ng bahay nila.</p><p>“Today pala ang first day of classes natin bilang graduating students. Sabay na tayong pumunta ng campus after ko magbanlaw.”</p><p>Ginawaran ni Harvey si Ezekiel ng isang matamis na ngiti bago umupo sa sofa. “Of course, Zeke.”</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907071570SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P04.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907093858SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P05.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907251859SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P06.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907265497SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P07.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907278381SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P08.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907291420SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P09.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907304160SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907316398SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Sa hindi malamang dahilan, hindi pa man siya na-te-text ng matalik na kaibigan ay nasa tapat na ng restaurant si Ezekiel. Masaya at excited siya para kay Harvey, pero may isang parte ng katawan niya ang hindi mapakali. Tanaw niya mula sa kaniyang puwesto ang nagtatawanan na si Harvey at Gabriel. Pansin niya ang kakaibang ningning sa mga mata ng kababata.</p><p>Napapangiwi siya sa tuwing dumadampi ang kamay ni Gabriel sa palapulsuhan ni Harvey. Kalaunan ay nagsawa siyang panoorin ang tagpo sa kaniyang harap at napagdesisyunan na iuwi na si Harvey ngayon din.</p><p>“Zeke? Ang aga mo naman. May nangyari ba?” takang tanong ng mestisong binata.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907330441SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P13.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907343341SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P14.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907354481SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P15.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907372839SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P16.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907384521SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P17.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Matapos nakitang naghati si Harvey at Gabriel sa dala niyang ice cream ay dumami pa lalo ang mga pabulong na insulto ni Ezekiel sa singkit na binata. At dahil nasa tabi niya lang si Harvey ay rinig ito lahat ng kababata niya.</p><p>“Tsk, akala mo kung sinong expert sa love,” bulong ni Ezekiel sa isang gilid. “Hindi na lang manood nang tahimik eh. Kung ano ano pang sinasabi na akala mo ikinatalino niya.”</p><p>Napuno rin si Harvey pagkaraan nang ilang minuto. Bumangon siya mula sa kama at hinila palabas si Ezekiel ng kwarto. “Akala mo hindi ko naririnig ‘yung mga pinagsasabi mo?”</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907413461SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P19.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907430658SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P20.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907445402SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P21.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907459421SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P22.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907471381SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P23.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907495479SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P24.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Pero, for some reason, sa’yo at sa’yo pa rin ako bumabalik. Sinusubukan ko naman eh. Siguro… siguro sagutin ko na lang si Gab. Baka makatulong sa’kin.”</p><p>“Pero paano ako?” pabulong na wika ni Ezekiel sa tainga ng matalik na kaibigan. Malaki ang pasasalamat niya sa ulan dahil natakpan nito ang luhang bumabagsak mula sa kaniyang mata. “Gusto rin kita, Vee.”</p><p>Tinulak ni Harvey palayo ang mas matangkad na binata. “Hindi magandang biro ‘yan, Zeke. ‘Wag ngayon please lang!”</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907509921SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P26.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787916711248SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P27.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787907536299SS-AsLongAsItsYou_P28.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><div><em>* Images enhanced using AI filters <br/></em></div><div><em>* All characters and events in this work are fictional. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or actual entities is unintentional and coincidental.  </em></div>

<p>Pages: Harvey has long loved his best friend Ezekiel, but when Gabriel starts courting him, Ezekiel realizes that his feelings for Harvey may be more than friendship.</p>

Pages: Harvey has long loved his best friend Ezekiel, but when Gabriel starts courting him, Ezekiel realizes that his feelings for Harvey may be more than friendship.

As Long As It’s You | Pages: Short Story | Fiction

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As Long As It’s You | Pages: Short Story | Fiction

Aaron Bernardino

Published August 28, 2026 05:17 PM PHT

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Updated August 28, 2026 07:32 PM PHT

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