One Last Lie (SALS 1)

Chapter 16

He is still bothered until now even though it has been three weeks since they talked. Alam niya namang ayaw talaga ni Charity na pinapakialaman ang mga desisyon niya kaya nga hindi niya na lang ito pinilit na magpakasal.

Ano nga ba ang punto ng pagpapakasal nila? It has been months since he really met her to the fullest but he immediately thought of marrying her. Kakaiba na siguro mag-isip ang mga tao ngayon. Imagine the days and the weeks that they have been together and then tadah! Gusto niyang ikasal na sila.

He was adjusting the grip of his guitar strings. Walang ibang laman ang isip niya kundi ang rejected proposal niya. Naninikip ang dibdib niya sa tuwing maaalala na naman si Charity at ang ilang beses na pang-iiwan nito sa kaniya.

"Esaac," said the seductive voice of Keanna. "Kanina ka pa nag-aayos diyan. Wouldn't you mind to give me some of your time?"

"Keanna, please, I am busy here." Umiiwas siya rito. He does not want her to ruin things, lalo na at kakaiba ang estadong pang-emosyonal niya ngayon.

"Busy? Kanina mo pa kaya pinipihit iyang adjust-adjust ng gitara mo."

"Keanna, it's none of your business ok?"

Out of nowhere, he slowly slid her hand inside Esaac's shirt, leaving a seductive caress that made him groan. "Want this?" she asked. "I could give you more than this."

Patuloy na umiiwas si Esaac sa mga ginagawa ni Keanna pero wala siyang sapat na lakas at pakialam para gawin pa ito. Patuloy ang ginagawa niya sa lalaki. She roamed her hand around his body. She give touches to different parts of him yet he is powerless. He is tired and emotionally incapable. She took for granted his weakness.

"Back off or I will shoot you." It was the great, great Eniessia Moriah Oliveria. She stepped in the practice room with her gun pointing towards Keanna.

Nanlaki na lamang ang mga mata niya nang makita ang baril na nakatutok na sa kaniya. She raised her hands up high to say that she surrenders. "Fine. Relax Enie. Aalis na ako oh." She stood up and took steps towards the exit. Nakatutok pa rin sa kaniya ang baril ni Eniessia. "Lahat nalang inagaw mo sa akin. Pasalamat ka, hindi ako armado. If I have my gun with me, you will regret coming here."

Ikinasa niya ang baril at saka muling itinutok kay Keanna. "Oh!" Keanna shouted. Nagmadali siyang lumabas sa silid kahit pa nakatakong. "May araw ka rin, b***h!"

Agad na ibinaba ni Enie ang baril niya at inalis ang magasin. She kept her gun inside her bag. Bakas sa mukha ni Esaac ang pagkagulat sa ginawa nito pero namayani pa rin sa kanya ang pagtatampo sa kaibigan.

She went near him and observed what he is doing. "Ez, Don't get mad at me." She sounded so innocent as if she did nothing wrong. Hindi siya nito pinapansin at nagpatuloy sa pagsikip ng strings. "Look Ez, I am sorry. I did not meant to ruin your love life. I mean, hindi ko naman intensyong gawing dahilan ang AL ng paghihiwalay niyo ni Charity."

"Do not mention her name," he commanded nonchalantly.

"Fine, fine-"

"Do not even use those words with me."

"Okay, sige, I will be careful, Jacob-"

"Don't even call me with that name, for goodness sake!"

Hinarap niya ang kaibigan at napatingin din ito sa kanya. "Esaac, talk to me," she pleaded innocently.

"And please remove those eyeglasses of yours," isa pa niyang utos. "Don't pretend that you have defected eyes because in the first place, malinaw ang mga mata mo."

She immediately removed her eyeglasses and fixed herself. "Ayan, okay na ba?" Sinulyapan lamang siya ng binata at nagpatuloy sa ginagawa. "Esaac naman," she cried. "Talk to me with sense."

He sighed. "Bakit ba kailangan mong pilitin ang mga tao sa gusto mo Eniessia? Bakit ba palaging gusto mo dapat ang masunod? Do not be too spoiled, Enie. Hindi na uubra sa akin yan. Kaya ka iniiwan ng mga taong mahal mo. You always want to get what you want-"

"Don't speak to me as if you know what happened to me." Her pleasing aura changed to gloom. "Maybe you know a part of my misery but damn it, you don't know the whole story so don't you dare compare your situation to my past experiences."

Lumambot ang ekspresyon ng binata at tila ba bumalik sa tunay niyang katauhan. "Enie." He calmly said. "I'm sorry, no offense meant on you. I just thought-"

"Okay na Esaac," pagbawi niya. "Okay na ako, basta kausapin mo na lang ako." Nagbuntong-hininga siya. "Iyong maayos please."

Makailang beses pa silang nagpalitan ng pagbuntong-hininga hanggang sa si Esaac na rin ang nagsalita. "What's that?" tanong niya.

"First thing, anong mayron kayo ni Keanna?" she asked with those eyes staring at his. "Eye to eye please."

"What do you think? Papatol ako kay Keanna? Siya man ang huling babae rito sa mundo, hinding-hindi ko siya papatulan. Mamatay man ako ngayon." It was a long explanation for a short question but yeah, whatever.

"Next, ano ba talagang rason ng paghihiwalay niyo ni Cha-" biglang naalala niya ang sinabi kanina ni Esaac. "Ni ano, ni ate girl?" pagbawi niya.

Hindi niya alam kung sasagot ba siya o hindi. If he doesn't, siguradong itatakwil siya ni Eniessia but if he does, siguradong gagawa na naman ng paraan si Eniessia para magkita sila ni Charity. Syempre gusto niyang makita ulit si Charity kaya sasabihin niya ang rason. "The wedding."

"Oh come on. Was it ever an issue?" Enie said in dismay.

"For us, yes," aniya. "For me, it is a yes. Wedding will always be a crucial but essential part of a relationship between a sure relationship."

Makailang segundo pa ang lumipas at saka muli siyang nagsalita.

"Tama na, Enie. Umuwi ka na. Masakit na," pagtataboy niya sa kaibigan.

"Ez, wait."

Hindi pa rin sumunod si Eniessia kaya siya na lang ang tumayo at naglakad. "Hindi naman kailangang madaliin ang kasal, am I right?"

"Sige na, Enie, umalis ka na please."

He held her arm and started to pull her towards the door.

"Esaac, talk to me now!" pagpilit niya. "I cannot take this anymore, De Sevilla, I hate this feeling!" She was almost dragged outside the door. Halos ihagis siya ni Esaac palabas ng kwartong iyon.

"Eniessia, please! Stop everything now! Napapagod na ako! Yes, kaibigan kita but stop forcing me to do something. I have my own mind. I have my own heart. I know what I am doing for goodness sake!"

"Esaac!" It was a voice from the other side of the hall. "Esaac!"

Dumating si Seth na tumatakbo papalapit sa kanila. Dahan-dahang umayos si Eniessia ng tindig hanggang sa makarating si Seth sa kanila.

"Noel anong meron?" tanong ni Eniessia sa kaibigan.

Sumenyas siya ng tigil. Hindi na niya sinagot ito at agad na bumaling kay Esaac. "Bro, buti na lang nandito ka." Hinihingal pa siya. "Why aren't you answering your phone?"

"Busy ako, Noe Setheil. I don't have time to scan my phone," naiinis pa niyang sabi sa kapatid. Nakakunot nang tuluyan ang noo ni Esaac dahil sa sobrang pagkainis.

"Ok fine. Just listen to me, okay?" hinihingal pa rin niyang sabi. "Whooh, pagod," muling sabi ni Seth.

"Ano!" inis na sigaw ni Ez.

"Y-you... You have to go to the hospital now. Kailangan mong-"

"What? What happened? Anong nangyari?" Muling naghuramentado si Esaac hindi pa man natatapos ang sasabihin ni Seth. Nakatulala lang sa kanila si Enie at tila hindi na naririnig ang mga sinasabi ng isa't isa.

"Just go with-"

Gulat na gulat sila ni Eniessia nang biglang naglakad ito papalayo sa kanila. They went after him until they reached the parking lot. Pare-pareho silang nagmadali paalis ng studio. Eniessia was still clueless. Seth finds Esaac so strange. Esaac is really nervous.

She went to Brewed Beans Café to talk to Eniessia. She really cannot stop herself from thinking about him. Paano ba naman, pagkatapos ng mga nangyari sa kanilang dalawa, ngayon pa siya maiiwan sa ere.

She went there without any vehicle owned. Nag-taxi lang siya para raw hindi saying sa gas. She made the driver stop and paid her fare at saka bumaba mula sa taxi. She was dressed simply. Ganoon na lang siya ngayon. She looks so decent now. Hindi na siya ang dating Charity na may makapal na eyeliner at nakamotor.

"Uhhm, Nic, nandiyan ba si Enie?" tanong niya sa isang waiter doon.

He actually looks so sad unlike what she had seen him at first. "Eniessia is not around. May pinuntahan yata siya-"

"Wala si Enie rito, Charity," sabi ni Jillian na kagagaling lang sa kitchen. "Kaaalis niya lang actually." She glanced at Nicholai who seemed to be getting pissed now. Medyo magulo ang ayos ng buhok niya maging ang damit.

"Ah, busy ka ba?" tanong niya kay Jillian at saka sumulyap kay Nicholai.

Umiling naman siya at saka simpleng nagtanong, "You want to talk about something?" Agad na tumango si Charity at sabay silang naupo sa isang mesang malapit sa bintana. Jill offered a menu to her but she refused. Busog daw siya at hindi naman talaga pumunta roon para kumain kundi may kausapin.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" tanong ni Jillian sa kanya.

Nag-aalangan man, agad niyang sinabi sa kaibigan ang nangyari. "Esaac wants us to get married," Charity pouted. "I mean, wasn't it even that quick?"

Jillian smiled. "Charity, there is no quick thing when you are in love," sabi nito.

Napapapunas ng noo si Charity dahil siguro sa pagtatanong ng nakakakabang tanong. She is even getting pale while talking to Jill about wedding and being quick. Hindi niya alam kung bakit sa kanya siya nag-open up tungkol dito dahil hindi rin naman gaanong maalam si Jill sa mga ganito para magbigay ng payo.

"Base sa obserbasyon ko, Esaac is damn in love with you. It was never quick to get married with someone that you are sure to be with in the rest of your life. I know Esaac and he will not do something that he is not sure of. Mahal ka niya Charity at siguro, may nangyari na sa inyo-"

"Jilly!"

"I mean, alam ko namang kahit wala, pakakasalan ka pa rin ni De Sevilla. He is more than willing to affix his name on yours."

Nagpatuloy ang usapan nilang dalawa ukol sa naging desisyon niya sa ginawa niya Esaac. Nagtanong pa nang nagtanong si Charity kay Jillian tungkol sa mga bagay-bagay. However, she is slowly getting paler as their conversation lengthens. Bahagya na rin siyang nahihilo at nawawalan ng malinaw na paningin.

"Are you okay?" Jill asked. "Pinagpapawisan ka yata." Pinunas-punas niya ang dulo ng longsleeve niya sa noo ni Charity.

"Yeah, I am okay. Nahihilo lang ng kaunti," she confessed. "Siguro kasi tumaas na naman yung grado ng mata ko. Anyways..."

"Charity, you look so pale..." sabi ni Jillian na may pag-aalala. "Have you eaten your lunch? Do you want water?"

Patuloy na tumatanggi si Charity sa lahat ng offer ni Jillian. "No, I-I'm okay," She stood up, almost falling. "Pupunta lang akong rest-"

Jillian panicked as she saw Charity fainted in the arms of Nicholai. Kanina pa nagbabantay ang binata sa kanilang dalawa. He then checked the pulse of Charity and even her temperature. She was cold but sweating. Her temperature dropped than the normal human body temperature.

"Nic, please, let us bring her to the hospital," she panicked. "A-ano, tatawagan ko rin s-si ano, si Seth p-para sabihin kay Ez."

Buhat-buhat na ni Nicholai si Charity at palabas na sila ng café. "Really? Si Seth talaga?" May kung ano sa tono ni Nic. "Pwede namang si Esaac na lang ah."

"Oh come on. Are we going to fight about this? Selos na naman?" she said as she dials Seth's number. "Not now, Nicholai."

"Tssss..."

She was at the backseat of Nic's car while Jill continues to dial Seth's number. Palinga-linga si Nicholai sa kaniya habang nagpapanic ang dalaga.

Napansin ito ni Jill. "What? Go drive, Nicholai... We'll talk later. Ok!"