The Love for Tabitha

By Sean Jodi M. Cosepe

Seventeen years old, Tabitha graduated from senior high school at Naga College
Foundation in Bicol. As she studied for college, she transferred to her dream school, the
University of Santo Tomas Manila, to pursue Pharmacy. Her parents worked abroad while
her brother worked in Manila, and her grandmother took care of her when she was in
Bicol. She lived with her brother in a condominium near UST when she transferred. It was
never difficult for her to gain new friends and suitors as she carries her bubbly, carefree,
and loving personality.

One fine day, Tabitha was shocked after knowing that there would be a surprise
recitation, for she did not prepare for it. When the professor called her surname, she got
nervous. After the professor asked Tabitha about Pharmacology, a guy sitting next to her
noticed that Tabitha didn’t know the answer. The guy opened his notebook and wrote the
answer to the question. Luckily, Tabitha had seen it, and she was able to answer the
question in the recitation.

After class, Tabitha introduced herself to the guy who helped her in the recitation.
In return, the guy presented himself too, and his name was Andy. Tabitha treated Andy to
a restaurant to thank him. Later on, Tabitha and Andy often talked to each other even if it
was not academic-related. Eventually, Andy decided to court Tabitha since he liked her
personality. Andy courted Tabitha for three months before their relationship became
official. Tabitha liked Andy for his optimistic mindset, humor, and caring nature. Although,
as months passed, Andy started to change. He turned into a person Tabitha had never
imagined.

“What are you looking at?” Tabitha asked Andy when she saw him using her
phone. “Checking your social media accounts. I wanted to know if you’re cheating on me,”
Andy said before he gave the phone to Tabitha. She sighed in disbelief. “You said you love
me, but why can’t you trust me?” She sadly asked. “I trust you. I just can’t trust the men
around you. Anyway, I need to go. I’m going to be late for my first class. Talk to you later,”
Andy said before he left. Tabitha tried to understand Andy.

One day, Ashleigh, a friend of Tabitha, invited her to attend a farewell party for their
friend Alliah since Alliah will move out of the country a day after the party to study in
Australia. Tabitha immediately responded that she would attend even though Ashleigh
informed her that it would be a night party. Before the event, Tabitha prepared a farewell
gift for her friend and got dressed. Tabitha wore an above-the-knee pleated mini skirt and
a thin strap crop top. Tabitha was about to go outside her condominium when Andy video
called her. “Babe, we have a family dinner later, come and join us. Wait, you looked
dressed. Where are you going?” Andy noticed Tabitha’s upper clothes. Tabitha awkwardly
smiled and showed her whole outfit to Andy.
 “I’ll attend a farewell party for my friend, Alliah. I’m sorry, I can’t attend your family
dinner,” Tabitha replied, making Andy mad. “Then bail. You choose, is it me or your
friends?”Andy asked. Tabitha was lost for words. “I already said yes to them,” she
responded as she trembled in fear. “Fine, but never go out with those clothes. You might
get raped or sexually assaulted. I just want to protect you against sexual offenders. Take
care, bye.” Andy hung up before she could even say goodbye. Tabitha had no choice but
to change her clothes into white polo long sleeves and black pants before going outside.

When Tabitha set foot in Ashleigh’s house, Tabitha was not in the mood. She went
to her friend’s area to give her gift to Alliah. Tabitha took pictures of herself with her
friends and sent them to Andy as proof that her clothes had changed. She tried to engage
in her friend’s conversations, but she was not as cheerful and bubbly as usual. She
excused herself to her friend for a minute to pee.

As she made her way to the comfort room, she saw Case, a friend of Alliah, inside
Ashleigh’s room. She entered the room, then sat on the bed with Case and asked him if
something was wrong. Case told Tabitha that his brother died in a car accident. Tabitha
hugged Case to comfort him. Unexpectedly, Case took it differently. He hugged Tabitha
back and then started to kiss her lips. Tabitha pushed Case when she had the
opportunity.

“What? I thought you liked me?” Case asked in confusion. Tabitha sighed, “It’s not
like that, Case. I hugged you since I thought you needed comfort from a friend,” she
explained. Case shook his head in disapproval. “You liked me. You even looked at me as if
you begged me to do it with you!” She was left speechless as it shocked her, “I’m going.
There was a misunderstanding here, Case.” She was about to walk away when Case
pulled her to bed and locked the room's door.

Tabitha tried to scream for help, but Case had covered her face with a pillow. Case
raped Tabitha. She was too scared to tell their friends as she felt no one would believe
her. She decided to meet up with her boyfriend in her condominium to inform him about
it. When Andy arrived, Tabitha expected that he would understand it and make her feel
less pain, but she received the opposite. Andy beat her up.

“Flirt! If you did not hug him in the first place, this would not happen to you! Maybe
you also liked it,” Andy said as he was raging mad. He punched Tabitha in the face for the
fifth time. “How could you say that? I followed what you said. I changed my clothes. I just
did not expect that he would give meaning to it,” Tabitha said in a low voice as she broke
into tears. “I don’t know what to do with you anymore. You’re destroying me, Tabitha!”
Andy said before he stormed out of the condominium.

The next morning, Quinn, brother of Tabitha, paid a visit. Quinn saw his sister with
bruises on her face. When Tabitha woke up, Quinn asked her about the bruises on her
face and other parts of her body. Tabitha had no choice but to tell the whole story to
Quinn from the start of her relationship with Andy, and she cried in front of her brother as
she nervously confessed.

“Tabi, listen. The guy who took advantage of you, the problem is with him. It’s not
your fault. It’s not with the way you treated him or your facial expression. It’s not a card for
permission. I will not let gaslighting lead its way to victim-blaming. As for your boyfriend,
you don’t deserve that kind of love. It’s not love. It’s domestic violence. He disguises his
manipulative personality as love and protection. It breaks my heart that you have gone
through these horrible experiences. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I’ll assure you that
they receive the punishment they deserve,” Quinn stated with love for his sister and anger
for those men that abused Tabitha.

Weeks passed after Tabitha and her brother, Quinn, filed a case against her
boyfriend, Andy, and Alliah’s friend, Case. A friend of Tabitha, Ashleigh, found out Case
molested Tabitha as she saw the recorded video of the CCTV in her room. Ashleigh talked
to Tabitha about it, as she knew that Tabitha had already filed a case; she then gave the
recorded video to Tabitha as evidence. Even though it’s hard for Tabitha to accept that her
boyfriend would be in prison once the court finds Andy guilty, she still provided the court
with the evidence that she had, the CCTV on her dining room where Andy beat her.

After the trial, the court found the Case guilty since the evidence that proved
Tabitha was raped was strong enough. There was also evidence of signs of extragenital
injuries in the body of Tabitha. Same with her boyfriend, Andy, was found guilty as he
could not provide substantial proof that he was not with Tabitha since their conversation
on their social media and the recorded CCTV footage served as evidence. Andy and Case
were both imprisoned and locked up in jail.

As for Tabitha, she got the justice she deserved. However, her mind still couldn’t
rest in peace as she consistently had nightmares of her traumatic past. “No! Please don’t!
Stay away from me!” Tabitha screamed in the middle of her sleep. Her brother, Quinn, ran
to her in haste as her brother heard her. Quinn immediately hugged his sister. “Shush,
everything will be fine. I’m here. Don’t cry. Kuya loves you. I won’t leave you,” Quinn
assured his sister, even Tabitha was in a deep sleep. Gradually, Tabitha stopped talking.
Even though Tabitha didn’t want to drink sleeping pills, she had no choice, for she couldn’t
sleep.

Every day, Tabitha hopes that she can get back on track. She even went to a
psychiatrist every week to heal from her past. “How are you now, Tabitha?” Doctor Jacinto
asked Tabitha during one of her sessions. “I’m already doing fine, doc. As of now, I rarely
dream of nightmares, especially the things that happen in the past. However, I could not
say that I’m already healed, but I can say I made progress,” Tabitha responded. Doctor
Jacinto smiled at Tabitha, “That’s good to hear. You see, healing is not a linear process,
which means there will always be ups and downs, but I know you will get better each day,”
Doctor Jacinto said to Tabitha with a simple smile.
 Years had passed, and Tabitha had already graduated college from the University
of Santo Tomas. Tabitha can now walk outside without negative thoughts. She can
already sleep in a bed without bad dreams. Fortunately, Tabitha passed the board exam
for Pharmacy. She’s now on her way to Medical School. Five years later, Tabitha is already
a licensed medical doctor. In the end, Tabitha decided to choose self-love as she focused
on her career and achievements than being in a relationship.