Unwavering Love

Chapter 24

"Rile!"

Pagkatapak na pagkatapak namin sa lobby ng hotel ay agad na sumalubong si Sabeena upang yakapin si Riley.

"I missed you so much,"

she sincerely told Riley.

"I... I missed you, too," Riley uttered before hugging his girl back. "And, I'm sorry..." he added.

Napatungo naman ako ng hindi na mapanood ang kanilang yakapan.

You just did the right thing, Nathen. She how they fit in each other's arms? You clearly know that you won't fit in his arms like how she can. He is not for you. Riley is certainly not for you. He belongs to Sabeena.

Nag-iwas naman ako ng tingin at agad dumapo ang mga mata ko kay Lois na nakatingin sa akin ng diretso. Nagsumikap akong bigyan siya ng kahit matipid na ngiti.

His lips slightly parted when I smiled at him.

Umiwas na rin ako ng tingin sa kanya at tumungo na sa likod ng hotel kung nasaan ang beach, kiosks and stalls, at pati na rin ang mga restaurants.

I can still work for my 6PM to 9PM shift at the Balsa. My job to Riley for this day might be already done, but it doesn't mean that my job for The Seacoast is done, too. I still need to go back and continue doing my normal working schedule and routine.

"Oh! Akala ko late ka o hindi ka papasok," sabi ni Lean nang makita akong pumasok sa loob ng locker room.

Ngumiti naman ako sa kanya at umiling. "May trinabaho lang ako sa labas ng hotel," sabi ko na lang. "Magpapalit na ako."

Dali-dali akong nagpalit mg damit sa loob ng bathroom. Pagkalabas ko ay nandoon pa rin si Lean na hinintay pa akong makapagbihis upang sabay kaming lumabas at nagsimulang magtrabaho.

"Baked lobster and clam chowder," the customer ordered.

Tumango naman ako at sinulat ang kanyang order bago nakangiting ibinalik ang tingin sa kanya.

"How about for your drink, Ma'am?" I formally asked her.

"Blue lemonade. Less ice, please," she answered.

"That'll be for ten minutes, Ma'am. But I'll serve your drink right away," I smiled at her before turning my back to get her drink.

Ibinigay ko sa loob ang papel kung saan ko sinulat ang order ng babae kanina at agad naman nila iyong ginawa. Ang inumin naman ay agad nilang naibigay sa'kin dahil isasalin lang naman sa baso.

Bumalik naman ako sa labas upang i-serve sa kanya ang inumin. "Here's your drink, Ma'am," I pleasingly said.

"Thanks," tipid nitong pasasalamat bago sumipsip sa kanyang inumin.

Muli naman akong ngumiti sa kanya at tumungo bago lumayo ng bahagya bilang respeto.

"Where is Nathen?"

Napatigil ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni Sabeena. Nilingon ko ang b****a ng restaurant at nakitang nandoon siya, kau-kausap si Ma'am Glenie.

Sabeena looks like she's ready to tear me down and declare a war with me. But she would only waste her time fighting because I won't make a move. I will not fight her back. I've already forfeited and raised a white flag the moment I turned Riley down.

"She's working, Ma'am—"

"I don't care if she's working. Tell her to see me outside the restaurant in an instant," she sternly told Ma'am Glenie before she stormed her way out of the Balsa.

Ang mga customer na medyo nabahala at naantala sa pagkain nang dahil sa maikling komosyon na nagawa ng init ng ulo ni Sabeena ay bumalik na sa kanilang pagkain. Ang iba sa kanila ay pinag-uusapan pa ang nangyari.

Kita ko naman ang pagbubuntong hininga ni Ma'am Glenie bago lumingon sa aking gawi. Tipid siyang ngumiti sa akin at mukhang alam ko na ang gusto niyang iparating sa akin.

"I'll assist the table you're aasigned. Puntahan mo muna na ang bruhang 'yon. Baka pumasok pa ulit 'yon dito at manggulo ulit," biglang pagsulpot ni Lean sa aking tabi.

Nilingon ko naman siya at ngumiti. "Salamat, Lean."

Ginawaran niya rin ako ng ngiti bago tinapik ang aking balikat.

I'm still thankful that I have someone like Lean who's always by my side ever since I met her.

Hinubad ko naman ang apron na nakatali sa aking baywang at saka nagpasyang lumabas na ng restaurant, kung saan nandoon si Sabeena at nakatalikod habang naghihintay sa aking pagdating. Ang malamig na hangin ay hinihipan ang kanyang mahaba't nakalugay na buhok.

Napahinto naman ako sa paglapit sa kanya nang bigla siyang humarap sa akin. Agad na tumama sa akin ang kanyang nagdidilim na mga mata. May mga post lamp na nagtatanglaw sa tulay na nagkokonekta sa restaurant na nakatayo sa ibabaw ng tubig patungo sa patag na buhanginan, ngunit kayang takpan ng dilim mula sa kanyang mga mata ang liwanag.

My eyes travelled up and down to her body. I didn't want to put some remarks, but I couldn't stop myself from doing so. Seeing her designer dress, shoes and expensive accesories made me realize more that we were far different from each other as I was only wearing a uniform that made me inferior.

She was lying down on a bed of roses and other riches, while I still couldn't pass walking down, barefoot, in a pathway of thorns.

"Gusto mo raw akong makausap." Ako na ang naglakas loob sa aming dalawa na magsimulang magsalita.

Taas noo siyang naglakad papalapit sa akin. She didn't fail to give a superior feeling while she was ramping her way to me.

I was stunned when a slap welcomed me as soon as she stood in front of me. Bumaling ang aking mukha nang dahil sa lakas ng kanyang sampal. Hindi man lang ako nakaiwas dahil sa bigla.

"You're a dirty slut! B!tch!" she shouted at me and called me offensive names.

Nakakunot ang aking noo nang humarap ako sa kanya. Para siyang bulkang sumabog at sobrang pula ng kanyang mukha nang dahil sa galit. Kitang-kita ang pamumula dahil siya ay meztisa.

"Magkano ang utang mo, ah? Magkano?!" pasigaw niyang tanong sa akin. "One million? Five million? Ten million? That's just as damn penny to me. I can pay for that right now! Just leave and never come back."

Napaawang ang aking bibig sa kanyang sinabi.

"Ano bang sinasabi mo—"

"I want you gone, Nathen. I want you gone as soon as possible," she said without any hesitation. "I can pay for you family's debts. Para hindi mo na kailangang magtrabaho pa rito. I can also give you extra money. Pumunta ka kung saang lugar balak mong pumunta o umalis ka ng bansa. Just work there or do whatever you want. You don't have to pay me back. Just... Just leave Cagayan Valley and that's enough."

Sobrang bilis ng kanyang binatong mga salita sa akin at halos hindi ko na ito masundan.

"I don't need your money, Sabeena," I stated.

I may be free from my debts to the Palermos if I will use her money and pay for it, but I will be indebted to her and I don't want that to happen. Kahit sabihin niyang hindi ko kailangang bayaran ay hindi ako mapapanatag. Bahala nang ipagpatuloy ko ang pagtatrabaho ko rito at magbayad ng utang sa mga Palermo, huwag lang sa kanya magkaroon ng utang na loob.

I will not lose my pride to her. I know when to swallow my pride and it's certainly not going to happen because of her.

"Just take it, Nathen, ano pa ba amg inaarte mo? Iyon lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit ka nandito, 'diba?" she frustratedly asked me. "Or maybe... you have something else in mind that's why you don't want to accept my offer and you're choosing to stay."

"Sabeena, hindi kita maintindihan—"

"I was only gone for almost three days... Three fücking days and then, I'll come back knowing that you're with my man?!" she said in a flinty manner. "You're trying to steal him from me. What a b!tch!"

Mas lalong napakunot ang aking noo sa kanyang pagbibintang na tinatapon at binabato sa akin.

"Wala akong inaagaw sa'yo," mariin kong sabi at pinantayan ang kanyang titig.

"Don't fücking act like you didn't do anything wrong! You're all over him for the past days that I'm gone," she told me. "You think I wouldn't know, huh? Nawala lang ako sandali, kumilos ka na. Nang-ahas at nang-agaw ka na."

"Wala akong inaagaw sa'yo!" Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtaas ng aking boses. "Sorry to burst your bubble. But why don't you fücking ask your boyfriend kung sino ang lumalapit sa aming dalawa? I'm just doing my job, Sabeena."

"That's because you're seducing him! You're flirting with him!" she accused me.

The anger and rage I have against her that I tried to extinguish, suddenly flamed up again. How dare she accuse me of something that I didn't do. Did I throw a fight at her for doing the things she accused me of? For stealing Riley before from me? Hindi naman, 'di ba?

"Stop fücking accusing me things that I didn't do! I'm not flirting nor seducing him," I firmly told her. "I know my limitations. I won't stoop that low. I'm not like you."

She slightly flinched in anger because of the unfiltered words that my mouth fired. "What the fück did you just say?"

"Ang sabi ko, hindi ako katulad mo na mang-aagaw," walang pag-aalinlangan kong sabi. "Sino sa atin ang nang-agaw? Alam mong kami ni Riley noon pero ano'ng ginawa mo? Lumapit at dumikit ka pa rin sa kanya, 'di ba? Now tell me, who is the real snake between the two of us! Because as far as I know he cheated with you!"

Bahagyang napaawang ang kanyang mga labi. Ano'ng akala niya? Na hindi ko alam ang pagtataksil nilang dalawa sa akin ni Riley noon? Na naghiwalay lang kami ni Riley ng walang dahilan?

"You w***e!"

She was about to slap me again when I caught her wrist to stop her from doing so.

She already managed to hurt me once, I won't let her hurt me twice.

"Bitawan mo ako!"

"Sabeena!"

Nalipat ang aking tingin kay Lois na ngayo'y patakbo nang lumapit sa amin ni Sabeena. Agad ko naman binitawan si Sabeena at napaatras ng pumagitna sa aming dalawa si Lois.

"Ano ba kayong dalawa? Hindi na kayo mga bata!" mariing sigaw ni Lois.

"Don't meddle with us, Lois. Just let us deal with our own problem," Sabeena told his cousin.

"No," maagap na sabi ni Lois sa pinsan. "Bumalik ka na kay Riley. He's looking for you. Kung ayaw mong makarating sa kanya 'to, umalis ka na at puntahan mo na siya. Hayaan mo na akong maiwan dito kay Nathen."

"Are you seriously gonna team up with that b!tch, Lois? I'm your cousin!" Sabeena said, slightly irritated.

"Wala akong kinakampihan, Sab. Ang gusto ko lang ay mapigilan at mapaghiwalay kayong dalawa. Now, go!" sabi naman ni Lois sa kanya.

Isang matalim na tingin pa ang pinukol sa akin ni Sabeena bago siya nagdesisyong tumalikod at umalis.

Tiningnan ko naman si Lois na sinundan ng tingin ang pag-alis ng kanyang pinsan.

Bumuntong hininga naman ako na dahilan kung bakit ko nakuha ang kanyang atensyon. "Babalik na ako sa trabaho. Salamat, Lois," sabi ko naman at akmang tatalikod na nang pinigilan niya ako.

Binaba ko ang aking tingin sa kanyang kamay na nakahawak sa aking braso bago muling nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya.

"You're coming with me," he said with finality and dragged me with him.

"Lois, may trabaho pa ako,"

sabi ko naman sa kanya ngunit parang wala siyang narinig at dire-diretso lamang ang kanyang

lakad habang hinihila ako paalis ng Balsa.

And because it seems like he doesn't have plan of letting me go, I just let myself be dragged by him. May tiwala naman ako sa kanya.

Nalarating kami sa liblib na parte ng dalampasigan dito sa The Seacoast bago napagdesisyunan ni Lois na bitawan na ang aking braso. Wala masyadong turista

ang nagagawi dito tuwing gabi dahil isa lamang ang ilaw na nagtatanggalaw rito, pero kapag

tuwing umaga ay ang mga gusto ng katahimikan ay rito pumupunta.

"Lois, bakit—"

"I'm willing to lend you ten million, Nathen."

Halos mapaatras ako nang bigla siyang humarap sa akin at iyan ang kanyang pambungad sa akin.

"I'm willing to pay for your family's debts," he told me. "Come with me to Norte next week. I will go back to my firm. My vacation here in Cagayan Valley is done. You will never have to worry about a single thing anymore."

Hindi ko mahanap ang salitang gusto kong sabihin sa kanya. Punong-puno ng katanungan ang isipan ko kung bakit desidido silang magtapon ng ganoong kalaking pera para sa akin ng walang hinihinging kapalit. Sabeena's willing to throw her money away just to make me leave. Si Lois... siguro'y ginagawa rin niya ito para sa pinsan niya.

"Nathen, please..." he almost begged. "I can see that you're hurting. You'll only hurt more if you decided to continue and stay here. I know you still love Riley. I clearly saw it earlier when you looked at him and Sabeena. I can also feel it. You're not that good at hiding. And you have no idea what my cousin is capable of. If she won't be able to make you leave by communicating, she'll make you leave by force. So... just leave Riley to her."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi man lang ako natakot sa babala niya sa akin patungkol kay Sabeena.

Maybe because I've been through

unimaginable challenges that her threats won't be significant to me anymore.

Pero hindi ko pa rin tanggap na parang ang nasa tingin nila ay inagaw ko si Riley dahil hindi naman iyon totoo.

I won't settle to be a second option. I know now that I deserve better. I am not a martyr who will welcome him back with open arms if he declared that he still wants me. Siguro'y noong una ay pinangarap ko pang mapasakin

siya ulit, pero hindi na katulad noon ang kaso ngayon. I will not settle for a fragile love that can be easily broken. Kanina nga lang ay napatunayan na ni Riley kung gaano karupok ang kanyang sinasabing pagmamahal para sa akin. Tinanggihan ko lang siya ay nagkukumahog na ulit siyang bumalik kay Sabeena.

I don't think I'll be at ease if I decided to be with him again, only to feel that he's capable of leaving me so easily. I don't want that.

"Wala akong inaagaw sa kanya, Lois," sinubukan ko pa ring depensahan ang sarili ko at nararamdaman ko na lang ang pagragasa ng luha sa aking pisngi. "Oo, tama ka. Mahal ko pa rin si Riley pero tinanggihan ko siya kasi alam ko hindi 'yon tama. Pero bakit ganoon? Bakit ako pa rin ang mali? Bakit parang ako pa rin ang may kasalanan?"

"You can't tell that to Sabeena, Nathen... She thinks you're still a threat and that you will steal Riley from her," he explained.

"Ano pa ba ang inaalala niya? Nasa kanya na nga si Riley, 'diba?" I couldn't help but to sound bitter as tears kept on streaming down my face. "Riley even cheated with me because of her before. Kaya nga kami nawala ni Riley dahil siya ang pinili, 'diba?"

Kinagat ko ang aking ibabang labi at saka pinalis ang aking luha.

"This is so unfair..." bulong ko sa sarili ko. "Ako na nga 'yong niloko nila, eh. Ako 'yong nasaktan... Pero bakit ang lumalabas ay ako pa ang nasa mali?"

Patuloy ko pa ring pinapalis ang aking luha.

"I'm sorry, Nathen..." Lois softly whispered.

Umiling naman ako sa kanya upang sabihing wala siyang kasalanan bago tumalikod at hinarap ang dagat. Baka sakaling makalma ang aking sarili sa pamamagitan ng panonood saa tahimik na pag-alon ng dagat.

Kung sana'y pwedeng itapon ko na lang ang lahat ng sakit sa dagat at ipaanod ito sa alon upang tuluyan ng lumayo sa akin. Pero kahit ano'ng gawin kong pagtapon ay alam kong babalik pa rin ito sa'kin, gaya ng alon na kahit lumalayo sa pampang ay babalik pa rin.

"I'm really sorry..." ulit ni Lois sa pagpapahingi ng paumanhin.

Muli naman akong umiling at nanatili pa rin ang mata ko sa dagat. "Wala kang kasalanan," sabi ko.

"He didn't cheat on you."

What Lois said caught my attention and made me turn to him again. He was wearing an apologetic expression like he was really sorry for something.

"Ano'ng sinasabi mo?" Nakakunot ang aking noo at tila naguguluhan sa kanyang sinasabi.

"Riley didn't cheat on you," he said more clearly.

My lips parted. What is he talking about?

"I know everything about

what happened before, Nathen..." he confessed. "I'm sorry fot keeping the truth from you."

And with that, another glass of trust shattered into pieces.