Seven
965 Words
"Meeeeeeeg..." Paolito groans and plops down on her bed dramatically. "Tama na utang na loob. Nahihilo na ako sa'yo. Kanina ka pa palakad-lakad diyan sa may pinto."
Megan looks at him as she continues pacing nervously. "Eh kasi... What is he doing? Why is he doing this?"
Her best friend sits up and looks at her thoughtfully.
"Bakit ba galit na galit ka diyan? Bakit ba hindi mapakali? Has it ever occurred to you na kaya nandito siya at kaya ka nagkakaganyan kasi, mahal ka niya talaga at mahal mo pa din siya?"
She stops pacing. "What? No! Nakalimutan mo na ba? He left me with no explanation. No clue but a name and an address of a woman that I found on our bedside table." She blinks back her tears. "He left me for her. You know that story. You're the only one I told."
"Alam ko na yun. He left you. Memorized ko na yang kwento sa kakapakinig ko and I'm with you. Kakampi mo ako. Pero, Meg, eto na yung explanation na hinahanap mo. Ayaw mo lang pakinggan. Dahil ayaw mo man lang lapitan ka niya o tumagal nang kasama siya."
He sighs. "Just give him a chance. Sit down and talk. Buksan mo yang puso at isip mo sa kung anong kailangan niyang sabihin sa'yo. I can see how much he cares for you at kitang-kita how desperate he is to talk to the point na hinarap niya ang mga tatay mo kahit alam niyang magagalit."
"Nakita mo ba yung Daddy mo kanina? Parang gusto nang ipulupot yung bigote niya sa leeg ni Tisoy at sakalin eh. Pero tapang ng ex mo ah. Sige pa din kasi gusto ka ngang kausapin, gustong makipag-ayos. Bigyan mo ng chance."
"I can't." She says adamantly.
Paolito lets out an exasperated sigh. "Ayan ka na naman sa katigasan ng ulo mo eh! Bakit ba? Bakit di mo mabigyan ng chance? Halata naman na mahal ka niya at mahal mo siya."
She turns her back on him and shakes her head. "No."
"No? Hindi mo mahal? Eh three years, Meg. Three years mong sinubukan mag-move on pero hindi ka maka-move on. Three years mong pinanga-nga lang lahat ng manliligaw sa'yo coz you can't even entertain the thought of another man in your life. Kasi siya pa rin di ba?"
Paolito stands up, carried away by his speech, raising his voice and waving his arms as he approaches Megan who still has her back to him.
"Si Russell pa rin. Siya pa rin ang laman ng isip mo. Siya pa rin ang sinisigaw ng puso mo. Siya lang ang hinahanap ng kepyas mo! Aminin mo! Aminin mo!"
"Yes!" Megan turns around furiously with tears streaming down her face. "Yes, okay?! I still love him! So much! Siya lang! Siya pa rin! Kaya galit na galit ako. Inis na inis ako sa sarili ko kasi ang tanga tanga ko na." She sobs.
"Uy! Hala! Sorry na, bestie." Paolito apologizes and opens his arms for Meg.
She buries her face on his chest, sobbing uncontrollably, as he hugs her tight.
"Tahan na. Sorry kung medyo harsh pero it's time you admit the truth to yourself. Tagal mong nag-deny sa sarili."
"I'm scared." She whispers, still sobbing as she speaks. "Paano kung hayaan ko na maging marupok na naman sa kaniya? Paano kung umasa na naman ako tapos iwan niya ako ulit? Paano kung di ko na kayanin this time?" She looks up to his eyes. "I barely made it then. I... I almost did it... You know that. I almost jumped off that building. I almost..." She shivers and he holds her tighter, remembering that day when they almost lost her.
"But you didn't." He tells her. "You pulled through. You're stronger now. Braver. Wiser."
"You have so much more to live for than him. Your dads... me... mga fans mo."
She giggles and sniffles as she wipes her tears. "Fans? Ano? Artista?" They laugh.
"Totoo naman. Simula nang maging face of the company ka, tumaas ang booking rate ng mga flights natin. Kahit ata Trip to Timbuktu at Bermuda Triangle mapupuno pag nilagay ang mukha mo sa poster eh." He grins. "You don't know how much you make people happy, Meg. You're very special. Kaya kung iwan ka ulit ng siraulong yun, tandaan mo na siya ang nawalan, hindi ikaw."
He cups her cheeks and looks into her eyes. "He's not worth dying for, Megsie. Hindi siya 'The Filipino'. Half lang. Kaya hanggang himatay lang pwede." He chuckles and she giggles as she wipes the last of her tears.
"Thank you." She smiles. "Pero alam mo naman na hindi lang siya ang dahilan why I spiralled di ba?" She says.
"I know pero yung nangyari sa inyo pa rin ang trigger." He sighs. "I know there's a million reasons to hate him but I can also see one good reason not to."
"What's that?"
"You. Because you love him, because he is worth your love, that means he can't be that bad."
"What do I do now?"
He shrugs. "Ikaw. You can listen to his explanation or..."
"Or?"
"Ipaubaya mo na siya sa akin."
"Mahal mo pa ba buhay mo?" She threatens.
"Biro lang. Ito naman." Paolito chuckles. "Kung may bro code, may sisters code din. Number one dun ang wag pagnasaan ang jowa at ex-jowa ng bestie mo." He grins.
She laughs.
"Lalo na kung mahal pa ni ex-jowa si bestie."
She stops laughing.
"You really think so?" She asks. "You think he still loves me?"
"Bakla ba ako?" He asks back and they both laugh.
She sighs. "I guess it really is time to talk to him."
"It is."
"Bestie..." She looks at him and he already knows what she wants to say.
"Andito lang ako."
- Writer
