CHAPTER 32
1528 Words
Parang city of lights ang pinuntahan namin madilim na nang makarating kami dito. Narito kami sa itaas at kitang kita sa ibaba ang mga ilaw galing sa city. I didn't notice na umakyat kami sa isang mataas na bundok using his car.
He gave me a can.
"I can't drink.."matamlay na tanggi ko.
Kinuha nito ang kamay ko at inilagay ang can sa kamay ko.
"I know, it's not alcohol bawal iyon sa iyo."tinignan ko ang binigay niya sa akin.
How thoughtful.
Juice in can.
Binuksan nito ang sasakyan at naupo kami sa damuhan kung saan tanaw namin ang mga ilaw.
"how did you know this place? I thought sa ibang bansa ka nakatira?"tanong ko dito.
He sighed.
"yes, I am.. But before I leave binili ko ang lugar na ito.."I gasped in disbelief on what he said.
He laughed nang makita ang naging reaction ko.
"this is where I spent my lonely nights and when I'm down, those people below this mountain who hurt me hindi nila alam na nacocomfort nila ako by turning the lights on of their houses. I want to think that way so I can move forward, in my school days lagi ako dito, well I'm not always emotional but this place is very comforting and it gives me warmth."hindi ako makapaniwala na naririnig ko ito sa kapatid ni Steve.
Outside he looked like a happy-go-lucky man, maybe this is his true self.
"you seemed different, hindi ikaw ang unang nakilala ko bilang Stephen."he chuckled on what I said.
"pain changed me."maikling sagot nito.
"did someone break your heart?"nagiging nosy na ako but I am curious.
He heave a sigh.
"sometimes the reason of our changes is not a person but the circumstances we put ourselves on."he said.
"what do you mean?"bumaling ito sa akin.
"this is not about me Alissandra, we came here to comfort you not me.."napakurap ako nang nilingon ako nito.
Even his eyes changed.
From a (I don't care anymore what will happen in the world) look to a very empty and lonely man.
"I-I'm curious and I want to comfort you too, tulad ng gusto mong gawin sa akin."nahihiyang saad ko.
He put a smile on his face but I'm sure hindi iyon umabot sa kanyang mga mata.
"you have your chance Alissandra, but I don't."he said.
"I saw you, I saw how you looked at him, it's Reed Alfonso right?"napatango ako dito.
"he's engaged but you two are having a child, why don't you fight for him?"he asked I bit my lower lip to suppress my tears.
"h-his mom doesn't like me and I hurt him to the point na nawalan na siya ng tiwala--"
"atleast try, you have to fight, kahit hindi na para sa iyo kahit para sa baby nalang."umiling ako dito at natatakot na hinawakan ko ang tyan ko.
Nagtatakang tinignan ako nito.
"kapag nalaman niyang kanya ang anak ko kukunin niya ito sa akin, I don't want that to happen."naiiyak na sambit ko.
"hindi mo ba kilala ang lalaking minahal mo?"bigla akong natahimik sa tanong nito.
"maybe it's not him who didn't trust you enough, it is you."he stated.
Ako nga ba?
"wala kang tiwala sa kanya at wala kang tiwala sa sarili mo, tingin mo ba ay mali na minahal mo siya?"umiling ako dito.
"what you're doing now is wrong Alissandra, let's say natatakot ka but this is not only about you but also your baby, don't you want that child to have a family?"nag iwas ako ng tingin dito.
"think about it, try hanggang may pagkakataon ka, don't waste it I don't want to see you end up like me."napaangat ang tingin ko dito.
"I lost her Alissandra, she died."nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa mga sinabi nito.
"and now I lost her forever.."muling lumungkot ang boses nito.
"h-how d-did--"
"cancer, she broke up with me nagalit ako nasaktan not knowing na mas masakit pala sa part niya iyon, she's suffering sa sakit niya at wala ako doon, I left her until nalaman ko na namatay na ito, her mother gave me a f*****g letter.. Sh-She said what she really feels about me and bid her last goodbye."namula ang mukha nito habang nagkukwento sa akin.
Maging ako ay naiiyak sa nangyari dito. He lost someone whose great and loyal to him, someone who loves him and I know he deeply love that girl too.
"that's why I know that she didn't really break me, the situation did."he drink his juice kaya napunta doon ang tingin ko at napansin niya iyon.
"I can't drink alcohol too, I'm driving."kahit paano ay gumaan ang loob ko sa kanya.
No its not the right word.
Gumaan ng tuluyan at napalagay ang loob ko sa kanya. Ngayon ay may nadagdag sa mga kaibigan ko at si Stephen iyon.
Nakalimutan ko ang sarili kong dinadalang problema probably because I was so into his stories and humor. He's deep and that surprises me more. Nagbago siya but he didn't change this side of him and I'm proud of him.
"now Alissandra protect what you have, I can tell that he still loves you, lagi ka niyang tinitignan kapag hindi ka nakatingin as if he's memorising every move you make."sa sinabi nito ay nagulat ako.
Hindi ko alam iyon, pero kahit paano ay gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Deep talks really helped. He understands my eyes and my emotions because he knows how it feels.
"wanna go home? It's late bawal mapuyat si baby.."napangiti ako dito bago tumango. Inalalayan ako nito patayo, papunta na kami sa sasakyan nang may makita akong bulto na nakatayo malapit doon.
Nanlaki ang mata ko ng makilala ang nakatayo doon.
"you came.."nilingon ko si Stephen nang magsalita ito.
"bakit hindi?"balik ni Reed dito.
"I'm curious though why you choose to come here knowing you're with your fiancee."nabasa ko kaagad ang pagkairita sa mukha ni Reed nang sabihin iyon ni Stephen.
"mind your own business."baling ni Reed dito.
"you really is something Reed."Stephen commented.
"don't call me on first basis you're not a friend."
Stephen chuckled and gave me a look.
"then I will take her coz she's my business."sabay hawak sa akin ni Stephen.
Reed's face became dark.
"you don't own her."Reed gritted his teeth in anger.
Then all of a sudden Stephen backs out and put his hand up as if surrendering.
Stephen looked at me with amusement, here he is again, the playful side of that man I saw earlier.
"narito na ang sundo mo."
"b-but--"
"this is it, it's your chance, grab it."he said.
Natahimik ako at wala nang nagawa nang sumakay na ito at naunang umalis kumaway pa ito sa amin bago tuluyang pinaharurot ang sasakyan.
"why are you with him?"nilingon ko si Reed nang magsalita ito.
"he's a friend Reed."sagot ko.
Kumunot ang noo nito at humakbang palapit sa akin. I froze when he's just an inch away from me.
"since when?"he asked.
"today.."sagot ko kahit naiilang.
Silence.
Tahimik lang kami habang nakatanaw sa ibat ibang ilaw sa ibaba.
"bakit pumunta ka dito?"tanong ko sa kanya.
"bakit hindi?"
"answer me you jerk!"inis na sabi ko.
At muli, sa tagal na hindi ko siya nakasama ng ganito ay nakita ko siyang ngumiti, ngumiti para sa akin.
"what's funny? Hindi ba at nakikipaghalikan ka sa fiancee mo kanina--"
"no, I pushed her away."
Nag angat ako ng ulo at sinalubong ang tingin nito.
Seryoso ang tingin nito sa akin, napalunok ako sa kaba lalo at parang mas nakakatakot ito ngayon.
"I will ask you again for the last time leigh, who is the father?"bigla ay nalungkot ako sa tanong nito.
Duda parin siya kung sino ang ama ng dinadala ko, then why is he here?
"Onsoy.."malungkot na bulong ko.
"I'll marry you then."nagulat ako sa sinabi nito kaya napaangat ako ng tingin dito.
"w-what?"bulalas ko.
"I will marry you Leigh, you won't have a happy ending with my brother, nagtaksil kayo sa akin and I will surely torture you two for stabbing me on the back."napaatras ako sa mga narinig ko dito.
If this is the chance that Stephen is saying earlier I don't want this.
I don't want any of this!
"now Leigh, suffer the consequences of your actions, and that baby will be mine, hindi mo sasabihin sa bata kung sino ang totoong ama or I will kill my own brother."napailing ako dito.
He's not the Reed I know.
"Reed.."naiiyak na bulong ko.
"and you don't call me Reed, that's for someone who didn't cheat on me, you will call me Alfonso just like my brother's name so you will remember everytime in your life that you cheated on me over him!"he hissed.
What have I done?
How did he changed so much because of his own pain?
How did I end up hurting him this way?
How did I?
- Writer
