CHAPTER 12
FREIYA'S POV
Nanatili akong nakaupo at nakahalukipkip lang sa gilid. Medyo natatakot ang beauty ko na tumayo at baka hindi ko mapigilang humarot. Jusko! Keraming gwapo! At may naaamoy pa akong mga paminta rito. Naku! Kung wala lang kaming kontrata ni Corazon ay baka kanina pa ako nakapamingwit dito.
"Hi."
Nilingon ko naman agad si Kuya na may bitbit pang baso ng wine at saka ito tumabi sa akin. Grabe, ang pogi niya sa maroon niyang tuxedo! Ang kinis at ang linis pa ng mukha niya. Shuta des! Mukang masarap siya.
Ehhhh!!! Sabi ng bawal, eh! Kay Corazon nga lang ako dapat humarot.
"Hi, Dude. Anong atin?" tanong ko. Shuta, hirap maging lalaki kung ganito ka-gwapo ang katabi!
"I heard you're Cora's new boyfriend," nakangiting aniya. Tsismoso rin pala ito. Charot!
Hmm, pero mukhang bet niya rin si Corazon. Kerami-rami naman palang may gusto sa pechay na iyon, bakit nauwi pa siya sa lalaking walang bayag?
Jusko! Naasar talaga ako sa kanya kanina, kung ano-ano nang mga kawalanghiyaan ang pinagsasabi ng girfriend niya na parang nginudngod sa harina ang mukha ay wala pa rin siyang say! Hinayaan niya lang na bastusin siya nito!
'Madali ka lang palang kalimutan, 'no?'
Shuta! Naisip kaya ni Dahlia kung anong mararamdaman ng boyfriend niya sa tanong niyang iyan? Tsk! Bagay nga talaga sila, pareho silang nasa paa ang utak.
"Hey!"
Ay, may kausap pa pala ako. Ang ganda ko naman dahil pinaghintay ko si Kuya. Hihi.
"Ahh, oo, bakit nga pala?" tanong ko kahit alam ko na kung anong sadya niya. Pag-uusapan namin si Corazon. Oo na, lumamang na sa ganda ang pechay na iyon sa akin.
Pero, nahanap niya na kaya si Silver? Nag-uusap na kaya sila ngayon? Sana naman, para mamatay na rin sa wakas ang pagmamahal niya sa lalaking iyon!
Alam ko namang galit siya, pero kanina, shuta, nangibabaw pa rin ang pagmamahal niya! Naku naman, hindi deserve ni Silver ang pagmamahal ni Missy kaya itigil niya na. Ako ang nasasayangan, eh.
"I am one of her exes," muling usal niya at saka niya inubos ang dala-dalang wine.
Haaay! Ang gwapo ng mga naging ex ni Corazon. Sabagay ang ganda-ganda niya rin naman. Kung ako siya ay malamang pipili rin ako ng ganito ka-gwapong nilalang.
"Isa ako sa naghintay kay Cora after knowing that she's not taken anymore," dagdag pa niya at dahil diyan ay mas naintriga tuloy ako.
"Bakit? Ex ka na niya, 'di ba? She doesn't give second chances, wala 'yan sa vocabulary niya, kaya bakit naghintay ka?" Medyo ipinakita ko pang naaasar ako, syempre nasa isip nito boyfriend ako ni Corazon kaya dapat panindigan ko.
"Because I thought she already had changed that principle, I was expecting that she can give me a second chance, but after knowing that she has a new boyfriend, naisip ko na Cora really didn't change and her principles as well," malungkot pang sambit niya.
Haaay, pati tuloy ako ay nakasimangot na, pero binura ko agad. Ayokong ma-good game kay Corazon.
"Jared, right?" Tumango naman ako. Eh, kilala niya ako! "Jared, please take care of Cora and don't do the same sh*t Silver has done to her. Cora may be strong enough just like we all can see, but she also has a fragile heart," puno ng sinsiredad pang aniya. "Nakikita ko naman na mabait kang tao compared to Silver and I can see the happiness in Cora's eyes earlier when she was with you. I am now at ease knowing that she found a better guy than her ex-boyfriend." Tumayo na siya at bahagyang tinapik ang balikat ko. "Mind you, you are one of the luckiest men on earth because you have her." Tuluyan na rin siyang umalis matapos sabihin iyon.
Hindi pa yata siya nakaka-move on kay Corazon. Kung sakali kayang wala ako sa eksena, mababago kaya ang rule ni Missy na 'A break up is a breakup, the relationship has come to an end, and a second chance doesn't exist?' anak ka ng tinapa, memorize na memorize ko talaga, ha. Pero, seryoso, sayang din kasi si Kuya, mukhang mabait at mahal na mahal niya si Missy. Siguro after nitong revenge niya, ipupush ko silang dalawa.
Naku! Ang ganda naman ng cupid nila.
Natigil ang imahenasyon ko nang tumunog ang cell phone ko. Kinuha ko iyon agad sa bulsa ko at sinagot ang tawag ni Corazon. "Mis-" Napahinto ako nang marinig ko ang hikbi niya. Shuta! Hikbi pa lang iyon, pero kumirot na iyong puso ko. Kawawa naman kasi.
"Puntahan mo 'ko sa parking area," aniya at saka niya pinutol ang linya.
Dali-dali naman akong tumayo at agad siyang hinanap. At, shuta, ang laki-laki ng parking garage, nasaan ba siya?!
Pero, pakiramdam ko tuloy ngayon ay kasalan ko kung bakit siya umiiyak. Dapat hindi ko na pinilit na humingi siya ng closure, eh. Haaay! Mukhang nasasaktan na naman ang Bu ko ngayon. Bad ka, Bakla! Tsk!
CORA'S POV
After asking almost ten persons, I finally knew where did Silver go. He's in his car, alone. I took a deep breath and plucked up my courage to knock at the car's window, it's tinted, so I couldn't see his reaction.
He put down the window and asks with various shades of confusion splashed on his face, "Cora, what brought you here?" So, I guess he was surprised to see me.
"Can we talk?" I replied in my best normal tone. He nodded and opened the door for me. "Why are you here? Everyone's enjoying the night," I said with a smile, making myself comfortable as possible.
Without a glance at me, he said, "Nawala na ako sa mood, hinihintay ko na lang si Dahlia, so we could go home together."
"Are you living on the same roof?" I know it's a private matter, but I don't even know why did I raise such a question.
"Yes." I shifted my gaze away from him so he won't notice that his answer made me feel so vexed!
When we were together, there were times that I was really so busy in the morning and couldn't even talk with him for a minute, so I'd been telling him that since we want to spend the whole night together, then we should just live in one place, but he always refused! Ayaw niya raw na matsismis kami na nakatira kami sa iisang bubong kahit hindi kami mag-asawa. Well, I get his point, kaya nanalo siya, pero ngayon, ibang-iba siya kay Dahlia.
We stare at each other for a moment and then I break the silence, "Do you have any plans of marrying her?" I asked and he gave me a sudden smile.
"N-Not yet, we're fine with our current setup."
As expected, he'll say not yet, but I know he wanted to say no. He never dreamt of getting married because obviously, Silver's a man with no dreams! Sapat na sa kanya ang kung anong meron siya ngayon at kung anong nangyayari ngayon. He never did think about the future, specifically, his future.
Imagine, his parents stopped supporting him because he was just taking advantage of their money, but despite what happened, he never looked for a job. Kaya ayaw ng mga magulang ko sa kanya, eh, gagawin niya lang daw akong nanay niya na tagapakain at tagabihis sa kanya, pero tinaggap ko pa rin siya because of this stupid love!
"I see," tatango-tango ko pang sabi. "But, let me be straightforward, I came here to ask for closure." He looked at me with those pair of inexplicable eyes. I can't read if he's surprised or not. "I just wanted to hear your explanation of why you had to cheat instead of breaking up with me before you enter into a relationship with Dahlia. Kasi alam mo, Silver, mas naging masakit tuloy sa'kin ang nangyari."
I ran my hands through my hair, then I pull my head up to prevent my tears from falling! Ipinangako ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako iiyak kaya tutuparin ko iyon.
He looked away for a moment, clearing his throat, then looked back at me. "I'm sorry, pinangunahan ako agad ng takot. Natakot ako na masaktan kita, but I've never thought na mas masasaktan ka kapag nahuli mo 'kong niloloko kita."
I meet his gaze blankly with my teeth gritted, but I hesitantly glanced down. Ayokong makita niya ang galit at sakit sa mga mata ko. "N-Now, you got your lesson, please don't ever do it again, don't cheat on Dahlia, don't hurt her, don't let her experience what kind of doom I've had through, Silver."
Well, I don't mean my words. Taliwas kaya iyan sa plano ko. I've just said it to sound like I'm kind and concern about them and their damn relationship!
"D-Doom?" hindi makapaniwalang aniya.
Did he think I really am so strong and I didn't undergo depression after our breakup? Sh*t! Am I a robot so I won't feel any pain? Damn!!!
"K-Kung alam mo lang how many sleepless nights I had because of our breakup and tears that I had shed, Silver... kung alam mo lang." I tried to keep my voice steady, but I was on the edge of losing my control. Gusto kong umiyak na lang, pero ayoko talaga.
"I'm sorry, Cora, I really am so sorry," he apologized. Sincerity may be visible in his eyes, but the hell I care? It won't change my plan!
"I know that it ain't easy to forget about it, Silver, but I am fine now, all thanks to my Bu. So, yes, I accept your apology, you're now forgiven." I'm good at lying, it's one of my special skills.
"Thank you, Cora, I hope we can still be friends."
Sh*t! Friends, my foot!
"Of course, why not?"
We both smiled at each other. His smile was sincere, while my smile was filled with self-satisfaction. Finally, he won't even notice that I am planning to crush his heart to death!!!
"Cora, may ibibigay nga pala ako sa'yo." He then gets something from behind. "Here." he handed me a big black box.
"Ano 'to?" I asked as I get it from him.
"These are all the things you've given when we're still together."
"What? Bakit mo ibinabalik sa'kin?"
"Dahil ayokong isipin nila na pera lang ang habol ko sa'yo. I really loved you, Cora, I did."
Damn that past tense!!!
"At, pinag-aawayan din kasi namin ni Dahlia 'yan, kaya kaysa itapon ko, ibabalik ko na lang sa'yo."
Damn you!!!
"O-Okay, I get it. So, I'll go now? Baka kasi hinahanap na ako ni Jared." I jump out of the car as quickly as I can, "Be happy with her and I hope you will spend the rest of your life together." I finally turned my back at him when I saw him smiled. I walked away and went straight somewhere. Iyong hindi niya ako makikita at maririnig.
Naupo ako sa likuran ng isang poste at pabagsak kong ibinaba ang box. Grabe, ang sakit! Ang sakit marinig mula sa kaniya ang salitang 'loved', ang sakit!!! Tapos, binalik niya pa ang mga bwesit na ito! Damn! He should have kept it as a sign of respect for me! My God, how can he be so insensitive?
When I felt the tears roll down my cheeks slowly at first, and then in torrents, without being hesitant, I dialed Freiya's number. I need him. He is the only person I know who can understand my situation, and I'll always be thankful for that.