Plane ticket? Magkasalubon na kilay akong napaangat sa mukha niya.
"Uuwi ka lang naman, ba't kailangan ng plane ticket?" taas kilay kong tanong. Nagyayabang na naman ba siyang mayaman siya?
His smile fainted. Dahan-dahan siyang napahawak sa mga balikat ko habang nakatayo siya at nakaupo pa rin ako at nakaangat ng tingin sa mukha niya. He then heaved a sigh.
"I'm going back home, Charlotte. My job here in the Philippines is done. I'm going home to where I'm supposed to be, and I'm not coming back."
It was as if my heart stopped for a moment after hearing what he said.
"That's why I told you that what you said didn't really matter. There'll be no chance for us to meet again once I go back. So you needn't worry about crossing paths with me again. You can now be at ease." he further explained.
I knew that he'd leave sooner or later. I knew, but he never gave me time to prepare for it.
Ang gusto ko lang ay ang hindi kami magpansinan kung sakali madaanan namin ang isa't-isa, hindi magpansinan but still makikita ko pa rin siya. It has crossed my mind na aalis din siya, but my mind refused to accept na sa oras umalis na siya I'll never see him again.
"So, why don't you walk me to my car since it'll be our last time seeing each other? We did quarrel a lot, but we got along well. Treat it as a goodbye to our short-term friendship?"
Napayuko ako ulit. I feel so heavy right now. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya sasagutin.
It was a moment of silence hanggang sa maramdaman ko ang unti-unting pagbitaw niya sa aking mga balikat.
See Alsosa'yo ako ay nagayuma - theclowcardsCHAPTER SIX [ Part 2 ] - Fool, Frail Heart [ Tagalog ]My Ruthless Cold Mafia Husband - Part 43Ang Bastos Sa Kanto I (Part 22) - M2M SERIESHe placed his right hand on the top of my head.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. 3 o'clock. I wish you well, Charlotte." huli niyang sinabi. I felt him leaving ngunit wala akong lakas ng loob na iangat ang tingin ko at sundan siya ng tingin.
Mahigpit akong nakahawak sa aking mga tuhod. I can't look at him leaving, because I'm afraid na 'pag nakita ko ang likuran niyang paalis ay tuluyang masisira ang natatanging pintuan na pumipigil sa aking aminin ang nararamdaman ko at tuluyang masira ang pagsasama namin ni Zach.
I can't leave Zach. I can't fall for someone else. I'd rather suffer. I am not trading Zach for anyone else. Kung may mamahalin man ako si Zach 'yon. Kung may kasama man akong tumanda, it's still Zach. Bumuo ng pamilya, it's Zach. Kasi si Zach naman talaga dapat, walang iba.
I can't let this fleeting feeling destroy what Zach and I have.
Kakayanin ko 'to. Kaya ko.
Napatakip ako sa sariling mukha at doon tumulo ang aking mga luha. I asked him to treat each other as if we never existed in each other's lives. Pero pakiramdam ko para akong na-reject after confessing.
Dave's POV:
"Oh. How are you feeling?" tanong ko sabay abot ng bottled water kay Charlotte.
Tinawagan ko siya kanina kasi gusto ko lang sana sabihin na baka magkasala ako. Hindi kasi kaya ng konsensya ko na may tinatago kay Althea. Gusto ko sabihin sa asawa ko ang tungkol sa issue ni Charlotte at Zach ngayon kaya lang ayoko rin naman traydorin si Charlotte since I promised her na I'll keep it a secret muna.
I called her at 'yon nga she was crying on the phone. Hindi ko talaga alam kung anong nangyayari sa kanila ni Zach, kung bakit naging ganito ang kalabasan. They were so in love. I've never really imagined for it to fall apart.
"Thank you, Dave." kuna niya ng bottled water na binuksan ko in advance. Ininom niya ito.
Hinila ko siya ng kaunti papalapit sa akin kasi nakatayo siya sa parte kung saan natatamaan siya ng sinag ng araw. Iyak siya ng iyak kanina, hindi niya na mabuksan ng maayos mga mata niya tapos isama mo pa 'yong init ng panahon.
"You look even paler under the sun. Mukha kang white lady sa tanghali." side comment ko.
Tinignan ko siya habang umiinom ng tubig. I suddenly remembered the first time I saw her. Noong hinahanap ko si Althea and accidentally met her in front of a fortune teller shop.
She had pale, light skin. She stared at me from my toe to head while I stared at her face. She was so beautiful that I wasn't able to react immediately. At that time, I thought she was the prettiest woman I'd ever met, and I thought she was familiar, unaware that she used to be a celebrity and I'd watched some of her works before. I was mesmerized to precise.
After that encounter, she never actually left my mind. I kept thinking about her, and how beautiful she was. Eventually, nakalimutan ko siya dahil kay Althea. My attention shifted hanggang sa nawala na siya sa isipan ko kasi Althea occupied all my thoughts. I thought she was special, and indeed I'm right. Sa lahat ng mga babaeng nagtangka kay Zach, siya 'yong nagwagi hahaha. Kaya medyo nagulat ako to see her again as someone Zach cherishes the most.
"I told Althea, you're with me. I can't help you make an excuse kung bakit namamaga mga mata mo because I suck at it. She's about to arrive kaya mag isip ka na ng excuse kasi matalim radar no'n. You'll get caught lying." advise ko kay Charlotte.
Naubos niya 'yong buong laman ng bottled water. She must have been thirsty, with all that crying.
Narinig ko ang pagbuntong hininga niya.
Napatingin siya sa akin. "Ano bang gagawin ko?" problemado niyang tanong sa akin.
"What do you mean? Just follow what your heart thinks is the right thing to do, pero syempre dapat kasama rin ang utak mo. You need both."
Mas lumalim lang buntong hininga niya sa sinagot ko. I guess that didn't helped.
Napalingon ako at nakita agad si Althea na naglalakad papalapit sa amin. Napangiti ako.
"Ang init-init ng panahon tapos naka red." I blurted.
Tinanggal nito ang suot na sunglasses at tinignan ng maiigi ang mukha ni Charlotte kahit medyo kalayuan pa siya.
"Mi Amore! What happened to your face?" patakbo nitong lapit kay Charlotte.
"Babe!" salubong ko sa kanya kasi baka madapa, tumakbo ba namang naka-heels na sobrang haba? Talent niya talagang tumakbo ng naka heels. Never ko pa naman siyang nakitang nadapa pero nag-aalala talaga ako lagi sa tuwing ginagawa niya.
Paglapit ko sa kanya ay malakas niya akong tinulak paalis sa dinadaanan niya at dumeretso kay Charlotte.
L*nghiya. Asawa ko ba talaga 'to?
Nilingon ko silang dalawa.
"What happened to you? Who made you cry?" nakahawak nito sa magkabilaang pisngi ni Charlotte na tanong. Alalang-alala siya eh, tinulak pa ako.
Tinignan ako ni Charlotte na parang nanghihingi ng tulong. Umiwas naman ako ng tingin.
Naku, pass. Walang lusot sa asawa ko kaya goodluck Charlotte hahaha.
---------------------- END OF CHAPTER 12
