SECOND CHANCE?
1139 Words
I fake a smile. “Yeah,” I said flatly. “’You're a party goer, right? Imposibleng wala kang babae.” Naiiling kong sabi.
His jaw tightened. The air shifted. He stepped closer and handed me his phone. “Bakit hindi mo tingnan? Feel free to check my mèssenger, instagràm, telegrám, everything, Rumi. Kapag may nakita ka, hindi ako magdadalawang isip na lumuhod sa harap mo.”
Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. “You're kidding, right? Sa tingin mo maniniwala ako? Baka nakadelete—ano ba!” Umiwas ako nang pilit niyang ipinapakita sa akin ang kanyang phone.
“I'm not the type of person who delete messages. Kilala mo ako—”
I stared blankly at him. “Hindi na kita kilala, Nero,” sansala ko sa kanya sa malamig na tono. “Pakiramdam ko hindi na ikaw 'yong Nero na... minahal ko.” Nag-iwas ako ng tingin.
“Isang beses mo lang ako nakita sa isang party, and now you're acting like I betrayed you?” His voice was sharp, bordering on desperate, but there was a vulnerability behind it I couldn’t ignore.
I laughed bitterly. “Betray me? Nero, you don’t even know what that word means when it comes to us. Or maybe you do, and that’s what scares me the most. Hindi ba talaga?”
He stepped closer again, lowering his voice. “Rumi… listen. I swear, walang ibang babae. You’re the only one I—”
I cut him off, shaking my head. “Stop. Just stop. I can’t do this right now. I can’t… I can’t be the one who trusts blindly while you parade around, showing me phones and everything. Hindi ko kayang maniwala sa ‘yo... ulit.”
Nero’s expression faltered. His hand twitched as if he wanted to reach for me but held back. “So that’s it? After everything, you just… shut me out?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t know if I could. The weight of hurt, suspicion, and doubt pressed down on me like a physical force. Instead, I turned and walked away, leaving the phone dangling in the air between us.
He called my name once, sharply. “Rumi!” but I didn’t look back. Not yet.
Naramdaman kong sinundan niya ako, kaya binilisan ko ang lakad hanggang sa mahuli niya ang aking siko na nagpatigil sa akin.
“Bakit ba?!” Marahas akong pumihit paharap sa kanya at pinanlisikan ito ng mata. “Marami pa tayong gagawin. Hinihintay na nila tayo.”
His eyes softened. “Wala akong babae, Rumi,” giit pa niya.
I laughed bitterly. “Right, like I was born yesterday.”
He didn’t look angry. He looked... hurt. At ayaw na ayaw kong nakikita 'yon dahil pakiramdam ko, ako ang may kasalanan kung bakit kami naghiwalay.
“For once,” he whispered, “listen to me.”
And before I could turn away, he took a deep breath.
“Wala akong babae, at kung meron man…” patuloy niya. His eyes locked on mine. “Ikaw lang.”
Nagkatitigan kami ng ilang segundo bago ko pinilit bawiin sa kanya ang kamay ko.
“Wala na tayo. Let’s stop this nonsense. Don’t make me feel like ako lang ’yong may kasalanan,” mariin kong sabi. “Nagkulang ka rin, Nero. Nagkulang ka sa oras. Nakalimutan mong may girlfriend ka. Nakalimutan mo ’ko.”
It was like something hit him. I could see him blink, his chest rising sharply as if he’d been holding his breath for too long.
“Hindi kita nakalimutan,” mahina niyang sagot. “Not even for a second.”
Mapakla akong tumawa, hindi dahil natatawa ako, kundi dahil masakit.
“Then why did I feel alone during our relationship? Bakit tuwing tatawag ako, lagi kang busy? Bakit pakiramdam ko, lagi akong namamalimos ng atensyon mo? Ganun ba talaga kapag nasa relasyon ka, Nero?”
He took a step toward me, but I step back. “I was trying to build something, for us.”
Umiling ako habang malungkot na nakatingin sa kanya. “Pero habang binubuo mo ’yon,” mahinang sabi ko, nanginginig ang boses, “ako naman ang unti-unting nawawala. I didn’t need grand plans, Nero. I just needed you. Kahit saglit lang. Kahit konting oras.”
Natahimik siya. And that silence said more than any excuse he could’ve given.
I swallowed hard, feeling my chest heavier. “Love isn’t just about staying loyal. It’s about showing up. And you weren’t there when I needed you. No'ng kailangan na kailangan kita, nasaan ka, Nero?”
He reached out again but stopped midway, his hand hovering in the air. “Kung bibigyan mo lang ako ng isa pang—”
“Hindi na,” mahina pero buo kong sagot. “Pagod na akong umintindi. Pagod na akong maghintay. This time, pipiliin ko naman ’yong sarili ko.”
I turned away, my chest tight, my eyes burning in tears. Every step felt heavy, but I didn’t stop.
Behind me, Nero didn’t follow. And somehow, that hurt more than if he had.
Buong byahe hanggang sa distribution ng kits, hindi kami nag-usap. Alam kong napansin ‘yon ng mga kasama namin. But I didn’t let it affect me.
Pagbalik namin sa barangay hall, nagmeryenda muna sila, pero ako, nagpaalam na. I was too tired—emotionally and physically.
“Ihahatid na kita,” Nero offered, standing up. “I have to talk to your father about something.”
Hindi ko siya pinansin at walang imik na naglakad. Pagod na ako para kausapin pa siya.
“Rumi…” He called, but I feigned ignorance. “Pwede ba—”
Paglabas namin ng hall, pumara agad ako ng traysikel at sumakay nang hindi lumilingon.
Habang bumibiyahe ang traysikel sa kalsada, ramdam ko ang bigat sa dibdib ko. Every word he didn’t say, every look he didn’t give, it all pressed down on me. I tried to focus on the passing scenery, pero hindi ko maiwasang maalala ang mga huling sandali namin sa loob ng hall.
“Why does it hurt so much even when I know I should just let go?” I whispered to myself, gripping the edge of the seat.
The traysikel slowed down as we approached my house. I handed the fare to the driver without looking back, hoping that somehow, distance would make the ache in my chest easier to bear.
Pero sa likod ng isipan ko, I know Nero wouldn’t just let this go. And deep down, I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to.
Pagpasok ko sa compound, kumunot ang noo ko nang mapansin ko ang mga nakahilerang sasakyan sa harap ng bahay.
May bisita si Mama? Nandito rin ang sasakyan ni Papa. And that car, the red one—teka, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, sa tatay 'yon ni Nero.
Anong meron? Bakit sila nandito?
- Writer
