A Love So Wild

Chapter Eight

"Ella.. Can we talk?"

Napalingon siya. Randall is walking towards her. He is in his long stride as if he is scared that she will walk away like what she always do everytime he tried to talked to her.

She sigh, she was not in the mood. But if talking to Randall will make her delay the time in going to the parking lot, he will be a great help. Ayaw niya pang pumunta doon. Knowing that Simon is there waiting for her.

Agad siya nitong hinawakan sa siko ng makalapit. Siniguro na hindi na siya makakaiwas pa. Alam niyang alam nito ang rules niya sa pakikipag-boyfriend. She make it clear even from the start. Pag nakipagbreak na siya.. wala ng pakialamanan, wala ng habulan. Thats why right now he is looking at her with his pleaded eyes. Ilang beses din siya nitong tinangkang kausapin mula ng makipag break siya dito. But she never give him any chance to talked to her.

Hindi siya nagsinungaling sa rason kung bakit siya nakipaghiwalay dito. She just end up not loving him anymore, gaya ng mga nauna niyang naging boyfriend. O minahal niya nga ba talaga ang mga ito? Ano nga ba talaga ang pakiramdam ng isang tunay na pag ibig? Wala talaga siyang idea.

All she know that in her past relationship the first caught her attention is their physical appearance, she was attracted to them. She was attracted to Randall the first time she saw him. Kaya nga ng ligawan siya nito ay agad niyang sinagot. But just after a month of being with him, those attraction fade. She got bored. It was the time she realized na katulad lang din pala ito sa mga naging ex niya. She was not in love with him. That what she feel was just a simple crush.

At the end the same question flood her mind. What is the real feeling of being inlove?

Kung iisipin wala naman siyang maipintas kay Randall. He has the look that can make every woman turn their heads on. He has the fame and the money. While she is graduating in her senior high. Randall is in his second year in college. Matanda lang ito sa kanya ng dalawang taon which age she prefers to be her boyfriend. Pero wala talaga siyang makapa sa kanyang damdamin.

"Thank you babe, thank you for giving me this chance to talk to you." He whisper. Nasa isang bench sila sa likod ng building ng senior department.

"What is it that you want to talk to me? Tapos na tayo Rand. I thought I made it clear to y--"

"Is it Bench?" He asked painfully.

Napakunot noo siya.

"Is he the reason of why you broke up with me?"

"Hell.. No Rand. Walang kinalaman si Bench o kung sino man sa pakikipaghiwalay ko sayo. I already told you my reason that day."

"I'm still inlove with you." He cut her off. "So madly inlove babe." sa mapupungay na mata sabi nito. "I'm so out of myself when you broke up with me. Can you please give me another chance?" He said. Inabot nito ang kanyang kamay.

Napapitlag siya. Pero hindi naman niya iniwasan ang kamay nito. Pinakiramdaman niya ang kanyang sarili. She doesn't feel anything.

She sigh, and after a while she smile weakly.

"Let's try it again please? I promise, I will be the boyfriend you want me to be."

"Rand.."

"Please?"

Mariin siyang napapikit. Kung papayag siya sa gusto nito baka sakaling mabaling ang atensyon niya rito at makalimutan niya na ang hibang niyang damdamin kay Simon. Ang damdamin na walang ibang dulot sa kanya kundi sakit ng loob. It may sound stupid, it may sound that she is just using Randall to escape from reality, to escape from that feeling she has for Simon, she may sound unfair, but if there's one man she could trust now. It was only him.

Si Randall na iyon. Although she don't feel anything for him, at least alam niyang mahal siya nito. Who knows.. Maybe she will learn to love him in the process.

She smile again. Kung paano siya tumango hindi na niya maalala. Nagulat nalang siya ng tuwang-tuwa siya nitong niyakap.

"God.. You made me so happy babe." He gladly whisper. "You will never regret giving Us a chance. I promise."

She smile again. Hoping that this time it already reach her lonely eyes.

HINDI nito binitiwan ang kamay niya ng ihatid siya nito sa parking lot. Hindi nga siya nagkamali naroon na si Simon. Nakasandig ito sa kotse at nasa magkabilang bulsa ang mga kamay. He was looking at them with his usual unreadable face. Bumaba pa ang mga mata nito sa magkahawak nilang kamay ni Randall. But then his expression didn't change. He turn his back and open her side door for her.

"I'll call you later okey." Masayang sabi ni Randall.

She nodded.

Lumapit ito sa bandang gilid niya. "I love you." he then whisper.

She smiled. Wala siyang isinagot, but she tiptoe and give him a peck on his lips. "Bye Rand."

Nang tumalikod ito ay humakbang naman siya papunta sa SUV. Walang salitang pumasok siya sa loob. And when she's inside, she choose to close her eyes. Hanggang sa makarating sila ng mansyon ay nakakabinging katahimikan ang namayani sa pagitan nilang dalawa.

MALALIM siyang napabuntong hininga saka inihakbang ang mga paa papunta sa veranda. It was already nine in the evening. At katatapos lang ng tawag ni Randall sa kanya. She smile as she remember the still excitement in his voice. Tulad pa rin ito ng dati. Wala itong pangingiming ipahayag sa kanya ang pagmamahal nito. When they see each other, he always express his feelings for her. Told her how much he loves her.

Noong una excited at masaya rin siyang marinig iyon dito. She also exchange him her I love you' too. Pero nagbago ang lahat ng dumating si Simon.

Her feelings immediately blown by the winds at lumipat sa lalake.

Sana lang kung gaano siya kabilis nawalan ng interest sa mga naging boyfriends niya. Sana ganoon din kay Simon. She really hope that it was just a simple attraction. Dahil kung higit pa doon hindi na niya alam kung anong gagawin niya.

Inikot niya ang paningin. At tumigil sa swimming pool. At dahil hindi naman siya makatulog ay nagpasya siyang bumaba at mag swimming nalang.

She change and wear her swimsuit. Tinabunan niya iyon ng roba. Hindi na niya inabala na talian pa ang sash, hinayaan nalang niya iyon at walang ingay na pumunta sa swimming pool.

Hindi pa man siya tuluyang nakakalapit may narinig siyang tila nag-uusap.

"Ang sabi mo sa akin dalawang taon lang Laine. Bakit pipirma ka pa ng isang taon?"

Napasinghap siya. It was Simon near the pool. May kausap ito sa cellphone. Hindi niya gustong makinig pero bumangon ang kuryosidad sa sistema niya kaya nagtago siya sa malagong halaman na iyon sa gilid.

"Pinagbigyan kita dahil sabi mo dalawang taon lang. And then now--"

He paused tila may sinabi sa kabilang linya.

"If you really love me, hindi ka na pipirma ng bagong kontrata. You will come back here at itutuloy natin yung plano nating pagpapakasal!"

Napatutop siya ng kanyang bibig. That sudden shock make her tremble. Kailan man hindi niya naisip na may girlfriend pala ito.

She was so busy of her own feelings that she never has the chance to think about that.

Ngayon alam na niya kung bakit ganoon ito sa kanya. Why he is so cold and distant. May girlfriend pala ito na siguro ay minamahal nito ng labis, kaya hindi nito pinapansin ang mga advances niya o mas tamang sabihing fiancee na hinihintay nalang nito na bumalik para pakasalan.

Mariin siyang napapikit. It was like acid flow directly into her heart. She can feel the burning pain inside of it. At ang sakit na iyon ang dahilan kung bakit hindi niya nagawang pigilan ang pamumuo ng kanyang mga luha.

Kung pag-ibig itong nararamdaman niya kaya siya nasasaktan ng ganito. If this the kind of love she's been wondering of.. Then being inlove is just so painful.

Dapat hindi niya ini-intertain ang pakiramdam na iyon. Dapat binabalewa niya. Kakasagot niya lang kay Randall kaya dapat dito

niya ituon ang atensyon niya, but she really can't stop acting as if she don't care. Realizing that he have a fiancee really hurts her like hell!

She chuckled bitterly saka pinilit niyang tumayo sa kabila ng nanghihinang mga tuhod. Kung paano siyang nakarating doon ng walang nakakapansin ay ganoon din ng umalis siya.

Masakit man, but she thank the heaven. At least ngayon hindi na siya magtataka kung bakit ganoon ito sa kanya. It was all answered by what she have heard.

MATULIN na lumipas ang mga araw. Dalawang linggo na mula noong sagutin niya muli si Randall. He really do his best to make her happy and fulfill the promised he made. Kaya pinilit niya ring maging masaya. Pinilit niyang ituon dito ang kanyang atensyon.

"Sabi ko na nga ba, magkakabalikan rin kayo ni Randall." Maggie was so delighted when she told her that she and randall are back together. Ito ang una niyang sinabihan ng balitang iyon. And she was more than happy.

"He was so inlove with you Elle. I can see it in his eyes." Naalala niya pang sabi nito.

"Saan tayo mamaya?"

Napa-angat ang tingin niya sa mga kaibigan. They are talking about their usual weekends escapades.

"Basta ako.. Pass muna ako sa bar, I'm not in the mood for an alcohol at disco lights.. ikaw Jess?" Si Joselle.

"Kung saan ang barkada doon ako.."

"Bakit hindi nalang tayo doon sa inyo Elle? Night swimming nalang tayo. At least hindi na ako mahihirapang magpaalam kay Dad. Alam mo naman basta doon sa inyo welcome na welcome ako kay Daddy." Si Maggie.

"Boring doon.." Kibit balikat niyang sabi. Pinalis niya ang isang ala-ala na pumasok sa isip niya noong huling punta niya doon para sana mag swimming.

Ngumisi si Joselle.

"I know a way to light the fireworks friend!"

Tumaas ang kilay niya.

"Bring Randall and were bringing ours too." Kindat pa nito.

Humalakhak si Jessa. "Like the old days. Sana lang hindi tayo maabutan ni Tito Armand gaya noon."

"Anong tayo? Ikaw lang kaya ang naabutan ni Tito na may ginagawang malaswa."

"Malaswa? There's no wrong in kissing--"

"You and Troy were French kissing under the pool." Si Joselle. "With his hands touching you.. there" tumingin ito sa bandang dib-dib ni Jessa saka unti-unting ibinaba. "and there!"

Namula si Jessa, nag iwas ng tingin. "You guys have your fair share then. Ako lang talaga ang minalas na mahuli."

"Mabuti nalang talaga at hindi conservative si Tito. Kung hindi sinabuyan niya na tayo ng asin doon."

They both laugh at that memory. It happened before her eighteenth birthday. Nag night swimming sila sa kanila. At siyempre kanya-kanyang dala ng boyfriend, and with their naughty escapade they end up being caught by her father. That time si Andrew pa ang boyfriend niya.

"Wala naman si Tito ngayon sa inyo, di ba Elle?"

Umiling siya. "He's in Hong Kong." Maikli niyang sabi.

"Wala naman pala eh." Si Jessa "But of course... We will behave tonight." Kindat pa nito.

Pilya rin siyang ngumisi. May biglang pumasok sa kanyang isip.

Wala nga ang kanyang Papa.

Pero naroroon si Simon.

The rude and cold Simon Clark Dela Fuente!

Tingnan niya lang kung anong gagawin nito mamaya kapag ginawa niya na ang nasasaisip niya.

"Okey guys.. Sa mansion tayo mamaya!" She said as naughty smile crept in her lips.