32

"Why are you here, John? At bakit ka nakapasok? Mahigpit ang seguridad dito. What exactly do you want?" Naguguluhang tanong ko. Maayos na sana ang buhay ko dito kung hindi lang s'ya pumasok ulit sa buhay ko.

He made me confuse again.

Hindi ko na hinayaan ang sarili ko na maging malapit sa kan'ya. Nandito parin kami sa balcony. Magkaharap kami sa isa't isa habang nakapwesto sa magkabilang gilid ng balkonahe.

"I have my ways to let myself in. And what exactly do I want? You." Diriktang sambit n'ya sa paraang seryoso.

"You have a fiancé. She's probably waiting for you now."

"You mean, Kim?" He asked with confusion.

"Yes." I sighed. Trying to get the pain away from my chest.

"We're not together anymore." He said directly.

My forehead furrowed. "H-how come? You love each other."

Ikakasal na sila at ngayon pa talaga sila naghiwalay? Hindi ko sila maintindihan. Ang akala ko ay mahal nila ang isa't isa?

"Matagal na panahon na 'yon. Hindi na ngayon." Pinagkrus n'ya ang mga braso sa kan'yang dibdib habang hindi maipinta ang kan'yang mukha.

"Kailan pa?"

"The day when you leave me." Nagulat ako sa sinabi nya at muling dumagundong ang loob ng dibdib ko. I can't believe him!

"Mas mahal mo sya, John. You shouldn't have let her go that easily. W-we all know how much you treasured her." I hissed.

"Not this time."

"Why? Diba sinabi mo na mas mahal mo s'ya? Hindi mo dapat yun ginawa. I know, Kim still can't get over for what you'd been through. Masakit 'yon para sa kan'ya." Kahit masakit sabihin ang mga katagang 'yon, kahit ilang beses nang sinabi ng isipan ko na huwag pero ginawa ko parin. Para mailabas ko na 'to ng tuluyan.

"Hindi s'ya ang nasaktan, Emy."

"W-what do you m-mean?" Utal na sambit ko.

"She left me behind. She left me without telling me what was exactly the reason. She didn't even fight for us. I just found out that she was engaged by another man. Can't you see? She's getting married."

My eyes widened. What the hell? I thought they were so happy when I left this country. Akala ko, pagkatapos kong iwan si John ay magiging masaya na s'ya.

"With whom?" I asked him curiously.

"With Gerald."

Unti-unting nilalamon ng kaba ang dibdib ko at nabalisa. Pamilyar sa'kin ang pangalan. Ang dami kong naririnig na Gerald pero iba ang nararamdaman ko sa pangalan na 'to ngayon.

"Gerald?"

"Gerald Fortaliza."