Art of Serendipity

49

A woman suddenly showed up and hugged Levi tight when we got to the entrance of his Condo. I couldn't move because of shock, lalo pa nang makita ko si Alastrid sa hamba ng pintuan ni Levi. Hindi rin makagalaw si Levi nang tinignan ko siya, gulat ang mukha habang pinagmamasdan si Alastrid.

Alas is looking so manly and stunning. Mas naging malaki ang katawan niya at sa tingin ko mas tumangkad pa siya, kung posible man iyon. Kung hindi lang ako pagod ngayon o 'di kaya'y kung wala lang nakayakap kay Levi ngayon ay baka tumakbo na rin ako niyakap si Alas.

"Oh my, God. Finally, we saw each other. I missed you a lot, Levi! Hindi ko alam kung bakit ngayon lang sinabi sa akin ni Kuya Alas na gusto mo rin pala ako. He even gave you a condition for you to get me, right? Kuya Alas told me," masayang ani nung babae.

My brows narrowed. Napalunok ako. What condition this woman is talking about? At siya? Gusto ni Levi? Ano na naman ba 'to?

"Krisha..." tawag ni Alas sa babae, may pagbabanta.

Tumingin si Alas kay Levi na may galit sa mata tsaka inilipat ang tingin sa akin, nabahiran naman ito ngayon ng lungkot. Hindi ba't dapat ay masayang kami dahil nag-reunite kami?

Yung Krisha lang ata ang masaya. Kinalas niya ang yakap kay Levi at nanatili pa rin akong nasa bandang gilid, medyo malayo na sa kanila dahil umatras ako kanina.

"Levi, why are you so silent? Surprised?" masayang ani nung Krisha.

Medyo hawig si Krisha at Alastrid, both tall and fair. Is this Alastrid's sister? May nabanggit ba si Alas sa akin na may kapatid siya? I barely remember.

"Krisha..." mababa ang boses na tinawag ni Levi si Krisha. "Of course, I'm surprised you're here, kayo ni Alas."

Lalong tumingkayad yung babae at halos mahalikan na si Levi nang biglaan nitong halikan ang pisngi ni Levi. Sinubukan ni Levi na umiwas ngunit nahalikan pa rin siya. Napaiwas ako ng tingin dail sa kirto na naramdaman ko ngunit natagpuan ng mga mata ko si Alas na nakatitig sa akin. I don't know but I can't smile. There's something here that I don't understand, that I should know. What the hell is that? What is happening?

"Did you miss me? I'm sure you are," the girl said sweetly. Hanga ako sa confidence niya.

Umiling-iling si Levi at dahan-dahang kinalas ang kamay ni Krisha na nakapulupot sa kaniya. Levi looked at me with anticipation in his eyes while I looked at him curiously and coldly. Akma siyang lalapit sa akin pero naunahan siya no'ng babae.

"Hi! You are Aya, am I right? Mukhang nagawa nga ni Levi ang trabaho niya ng maayos, ah? Thumbs up!" Krisha glanced at Levi and winked.

Gulong-gulo kong ibinaling ang atensyon ko sa kaniya. "What work are you talking about?"

Levi and Alas both advanced. "Krisha..." Magkasabay nilang ani at sa huli ay nagkatinginan. May tensyon sa pagitan.

"Why?" Taas-kilay niya sa magkaibigan. "Don't tell me you haven't told her your feelings Kuya?"

Lalo akong naguluhan. What the f*ck is happening?

"What feelings? What is happening? Can you all enlighten me, please?"

Gulat na napatingin sa akin si Krisha. "What? Hindi mo alam? Well, to tell you things. Kuya Alastrid likes you at pinakiusapan niya si Levi-"

"Krisha!" Magkasabay muli nilang pigil kay Krisha.

But I glared at them. "Let her talk," I said coldly with suspicion crepting me.

"Aya..." Nagsusumamo ang mata ni Levi nang tinawag niya ako.

Hindi ko siya pinansin. Nanatili ang mata ko kay Krisha. She looks clueless but I want to know what she will tell me. I want to f*cking know dahil masama ang kutob ko sa nangyayari. Kahit nasa labas pa kami ng Unit ni Levi ay hindi ako magpapa-awat.

"Krisha, what is it again?" I asked.

She looked at me innocently and then she glanced at Alas, Alas shook his head. Halatang pinipigilan si Krisha sa sasabihin niya.

"Uhm..." tinikom ni Krisha ang bibig niya, I think she can also feel the tension between us.

"If you don't want Krisha to talk, kayo ang magsabi sa akin." Tinignan ko si Levi at Alas. "What... is it?"

Iniwas ni Alas ang tingin niya samantalang si Levi naman ay lumapit sa akin at hinawakan ang kamay ko. Hinila niya ako papasok sa Unit niya at sa sobrang pagod ko ay nagpahila na lang din ako.

"Levi, tell me. Anong sinasabi ni Krisha? Hindi ko maintindihan!" tanong ko sa kaniya. Hindi na sumunod pa sa amin sila Alas, I wonder why.

"Let's talk about it by tomorrow. I know you're-"

"Bakit bukas pa kung pwede namang ngayon, Levi? I want to know right now. What the hell..." I sighed. "What the hell is happening?"

Napapikit si Levi ng mariin. "Love..."

"Is it true? Alastrid likes me?" tanong ko, iyon lang ang pumasok sa utak ko kanina.

He sighed and looked at me straight in eyes, he nodded.

"Anong ipinakiusap sa 'yo ni Alas?"

Ginulo niya ang buhok niya at sinubukang hawakan ang kamay ko pero iniiwas ko ito sa kaniya. His eyes were bloodshot while mine were lost and tired. Pagod na sa kakahanap ng sagot sa mga tanong ko, paikiusap, ibigay na niya!

"What is it, Lev? Bakit hindi ka makasagot?" dahan-dahan ko pa ring ani.

Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga tsaka pagod na tumingin sa akin. Hindi ko alam pero nakakagalit itong nagyayari ngayon, even if I don't know what is going on.

"Alastrid likes you, siya ang unang nagkagusto sa 'yo sa 'ming dalawa. He wanted to court you but he didn't know how so he asked for my help... to get your attention. We didn't expect that he was going to be busy so he asked for my help again, gusto niyang bantayan kita at alagaan habang wala siya..." Nakayuko lang siya habang ikinukwento niya iyon.

A tear fell down my cheek. "At anong kapalit... kapag nagawa mo ang pakiusap niya?"

He tried to held my cheeks to wipe my tears but I avoided his touch. "Aya, you don't have to know this. It's already done-"

"But I want to know! It involves me!" sigaw ko. "Si Alas pala ang may gusto sa akin, bakit hindi mo sinabi? Why didn't you tell me that you're just with me because it was your job? You let me fall for you! Hindi lang 'yon, e. Sinasaktan mo 'yung kaibigan mo ngayon! You're so selfish!"

"Aya, let me... explain first, please?" He begged, looking so vulnerable.

"Anong kondisyon ang binigay sa 'yo ni Alas kapalit ng trabaho mo?" I looked at him merciless. Galit ako. My heart rate increased but it's not the same now, this is because of madness.

He clenched his jaw. "I used to like Krisha, his cousin. Sinabi niyang ilalakad niya ako kay Krisha kapalit ng gagawin ko. That was his condition."

Nagtuloy-tuloy na sa pagbaha ang luha ko. Hindi na ma-absorb ng utak ko ang mga nalalaman ko. I'm so tired. Kailan ba matatapos 'yong mga problema ko?

"You like her so much, huh. Gustong-gusto mo siya kaya pumayag ka sa kondisyon ni Alas kahit pa makasakit ka? You're so fr*aking selfish. Napaka-sama ng ugali mo."

"But I don't like her anymore. Ikaw ang gusto ko. I love you more than anything or anyone else. Aya, please listen to me." He advanced but I slapped him.

Ang lagapak ng sampal ko ang nagpatahimik sa kaniya. Hindi siya nakagalaw.

"Mahal mo 'ko? E, pinaglaruan mo nga ako. Are'nt you guilty of what you did? Can't you understand where my anger is coming from? Come to think of it again! Alastrid liked me! Nakiusap 'yong tao sa 'yo ng maayos but your dumb self let me fall d*mn for you! Sana noong una pa lang hindi mo na ako hinayaang mahulog sa 'yo! Sana ginawa mo na lang 'yong trabaho mo!" I sobbed hysterically. "Lev, ano 'yong mga sinabi mo sa'kin noon? Are those just lies?!"

"No..." he said calmly but his eyes were bloodshot. "Those were not lies. My love for you is not a big lie. Aya, mahal kita. I let myself fall for you too. If losing a friendship is the only way to love you, then I want to sacrifice it, willingly."

"That's not the point here! May nasaktan ka, e. You lied. Also, si Krisha? Paano kapag nalaman niyang naging girlfriend mo ako? Anong mararamdaman niya? Si Alas? Does he know our relationship? What? Nagpaubaya siya? Hindi ka nahihiya? He chose your friendship over his feelings but what did you do? Handa mong ibasura 'yong friendship niyo para sa 'kin? That's full of b*llshits!"

"But this is the only way I know. This is how I love. I love you and I'm willing to sacrifice everything just to win you," his voice cracked a bit. "Is it bad to love you? Is it bad if I'm happy with you? Masama ba?"

My heart hurts, seeing him in pain. I can't turn my emotions down when it comes to him.

Hindi masamang magmahal. Ang masama lang, you are happy even if it means hurting someone. Masaya ka nga, may nasasaktan ka naman. Parang baliwala lang.

"Hindi ko kayang maging masaya sa'yo kung alam kong may sinaktan kang tao." Iling ko sa kaniya.

He looked up at me. Hindi siya umiiyak pero bakas ang sakit sa mga mata niya. Iniiwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya. Napapikit ako pero may luha na namang lumandas sa pisngi ko. I can't take this anymore. He lied to me. He hurt me. He played with me. He is so selfish. Ano pa, Levi? Ano pa ba?

"I'm sorry..." he almost whispered. "I'm sorry, Love. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I gulped and looked at him. Just how I looked at him when I didn't have feeling for him yet. Walang paghanga... pero hindi naitatago ang sakit.

"Lev, let's..." I turned my gaze away. " Let's break up."

I didn't see this coming, huh? Bakit hindi ko ito inasahan?

Ganoon naman talaga dapat 'di ba? Hindi naman talaga ako naniniwala na may magmamahal sa akin ng totoo 'di ba? Pero wala, sumugal pa rin ako kasi tanga ako, e.

Akala ko kasi iba siya, but I was wrong.

~~~