04

Disclaimer:

This chapter contains foul words that might be offensive for some readers.

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December na. Iñigo became busy with his work. He accepted the offer from the Velasco Firm. In my opinion mas maganda ang offer sa kanya ng Gonzales Firm kaso lang yung pinsan niyang si Jake at ibang kaibigan ay nasa Velasco kaya sumunod nalang siya. He wants to work with them kaya hinayaan ko na.

Ako naman, eto busy pa rin sa pag-aaral. Pinagsasabay ko ang intern at paper works, exams almost everyday at walang katapusang syllabus.

"Hon I'm almost there. Pa order nalang ng food please. Ikaw na bahala"

Magkikita kami ni Iñigo ngayon sa cafe. Sunday kaya wala siyang pasok. Ako naman tambak pa rin sa kailangan basahin at I memorize. As much as I want to stay at home and study I can't kasi Iñigo asked if we could meet each other at the cafe.

"Hey hon" he stand up and kissed me on my cheeks. He extended his right arm and pointed the foods on the table. "It this okay?"

"Yes hon. Pero walang water?"

"Ahh yeah nakalimutan ko. Wait kuha lang ako"

"Thank you"

Umupo na ako at sinimulan ang pag re'review when his phone rung. I glanced at it and saw the caller id. It was Lea calling him. I was hesitant to answer it or not.

Last september when Lea accidentally texted me instead of Iñigo, tinanong ko kaagad si Iñigo kinabukasan if nagkapag usap na sila ni Lea. I also mentioned to him na na wrong send si Lea sa akin the night before.

He was a bit confused and said that he'll just call her to ask about what she wants to ask. Siguro hindi na tinext ni Lea si Iñigo after I replied to her.

The phone is still ringing and it makes me irritated because of the sound. So I answered it. Before I could say hello inunahan niya na ako

"Hello? Iñigo please naman kausapin mo naman ako. Wag mo ibaba please. Kailangan kita Iñigo. Kailangan ka namin ng anak mo"

Nanginginig ang boses ni Lea and it was obvious that she's crying. I on the other hand cannot process what she just said

"Hindi ko kayang sabihin kay papa mag-isa to. Tatanongin lang nila kung sino ang ama kaya dapat samahan mo ako. Iñigo please, I need you"

I breathed deeply before I talked.

"L-lea, s-si Isla to. You're pregnant...with Iñigo's... c-child?"

Wala akong nakuhang sagot dahil binaba niya agad ang tawag. I couldn't speak anymore, and I was rooted on my seat.

I-ñigo got a girl pre-gnant? And it was Lea? His friend?

"Here's your water hon. Grabe ang taas ng pila sa may counter. Nag order na din pala ako nitong paburito mong dessert. Per–"

He wasn't able to finish talking when he saw me looking at him, teary eyed. Kumunot ang noo niya at lumapit sa upuan ko

"Hon anong nangyari? Why are you crying? Why do you look so pale?"

I didn't talk. I was just staring at him.

He got a girl pregnant. And it was Lea

He got a girl pregnant. And it was Lea

He got a girl pregnant. And it was Lea

Paulit ulit na tumatakbo yan sa utak ko. He got a girl pregnant?! And it was Lea?! Bakit?! Paano?! Kailan?! I need answers!! Damn it!

"Hon please talk–"

"Lea called"

His eyes widened. Huminga siya ng malalim trying to calm himself.

"Really? What did she said?" He asked casually pero I can sense nervousness. And that made me angry. How could he say those words casually?!

"What do you think?"

"Hon I have no ide–" i cut him off

"No idea? She called saying, no, she's begging para kausapin mo siya."

"Isla–"

"Is it true?" I asked. Tumulo na yung luha ko

"Is it true that you got her pregnant?" I asked him calmly.

"Hon please, listen to me. I can explain"

"So it is true. How could you do this to me?"

He moved towards me and hugged me sideways. Ang higpit higpit ng pagkakayakap niya sa akin. I wanted to breakfree pero wala na akong lakas. Lalong tumulo ang luha ko. Paano niya nagawa sa akin to? Halos araw araw magkasama kami. Paano? Tangina apat na taon kami tapos–

"Hon I'll tell you everything just please, please let me explain" he said with a shakey voice. Tears are starting to fall down his cheeks

I inhaled deeply. Get your act together Isla, you want answers right? Then let him explain himself. I reminded myself. Tumango ako at sinabing

"Okay. Let go of me. Go back to your seat so we could talk...properly"

He nodded and slowly let go of me. Pinunasan niya ang mga luha niya bago siya mubalik sa upuan niya. He reached for my hand and I don't have the heart to turn him down kaya hinayaan ko nalang.

He inhaled deeply and started to explain.

"Remember when Allen visited here last September? Diba nagka-yayaan kami?"

I nodded

"I asked you if I could go right? And even asked you to come with me pero you declined kasi kailangan mong mag aral para sa exams mo.

Nag-inuman kami. I got so drunk and wasted. Ni hindi ko na nga maalala ang mga nagyari. The day after that, I woke up in an unf..amiliar room.

And there I saw... And there I saw Lea beside me...nak..naked."

Pilit kong pinupunasan ang pisngi ko kasi hindi ko na mapigilan ang mga luha ko. Nag-inuman, nalasing, may nangyari sa kanila, tapos ngayon buntis na si Lea? Tangina naman. I glanced at the nearest person, she's eyeing us like she could hear our conversation. I need to get out of here.

"Hon believe me, I never meant that. Nalasing lang talag–"

Hindi niya natapos ang dapat sasabihin niya dahil binawi ko ang kamay ko at tumayo na. Kinuha ko isa isa ang mga gamit ko at lumabas ng cafe. I walked towards his car. Hindi ko na kayang pigilan ang galit ko at hindi maganda na nag-uusap kami habang maraming taong nakapaligid sa cafe. We need privacy.

"Hon wait, please" Iñigo said following me to the parking lot.

I stopped in front of his car and faced him. I stared at him. God he's so handsome and I'm so in love with this guy. Pero putangina naman.

I covered my face and just cried there. He hugged me so tightly. We stayed like that for like five minutes until I pushed him away. Pinunasan ko ang mga luha ko

"You got her pregnant. Nung September pa yung party ni Allen ah. December na ngayon. Tangina Iñigo tatlong buwan mo na itong nililihim sa akin! Kailan mo balak sabihin na nakabuntis ka?! Kapag nanganak na siya?! O baka naman wala ka talagang balak na sabihin?

At ano to?! Bakit nagmamakaawa si Lea na kausapin mo siya?! Ano tatakbuhan mo siya?! Ha?! Matapos mong buntisin di mo na kakausapin?! Putangina mo naman Iñigo!!"

"Isla please! Hindi ko siya tatakbuhan! Hindi lang talaga ako sigurado na akin ang dinadala niya–"

I slapped him with that. Hindi sigurado? Gaguhan ba to?!

"Ano? Hindi ka sigurado? Gagohan to Iñigo? Anong akala mo kay Lea? Pokpok? Ha?

Tangina kaibigan mo yun! Sa lahat ikaw yung mas nakakaalam na hindi siya ganung klaseng babe! Saan mo nilagay yung utak mo?!"

"Okay fine I will talk to her. I will sort things out with her. Just please–"

I made him stop talking by raising my left hand.

"Kakausapin mo si Lea. Sasabihin mo sa mommy mo yung tungkol sa kondisyon niya. Tapos sasamahan mo siya papunta sa kanila at kakausapin mo yung papa niya. Pananagutan mo ang bata kasi anak mo yun."

After I said that tumalikod na ako. Pero bago paman ako maka lakad ay pinigilan niya ako

"Hon what about us?"

I faced him

"Us? There's no us anymore. We're over Iñigo"

"Over? Ganun nalang kadali yun? Isla apat na taon tayo tapos tatapusin mo lang ng ganun kadali?"

Look at how thick faced he is. I chuckled lightly and faced him. Bakit hindi na si Iñigo na minahal ko ang nakikita ko ngayon? All I can see is the bastard playboy from high school.

"Ganun kadaling tapusin? Do you even know how hard this is for me? Do you even know how deep the pain that I'm feeling right now?"

"If that's the case then why broke up with me? I love you hon please don't do this to me. Don't leave me please" he begged.

Umiling ako at nag lakad papalayo sa kanya.

"Hon please! Isla! Hindi mo na ba ako mahal?!"

I stopped walking. Mahal? Sobrang mahal pa kita Iñigo pero hindi ko alam kung kaya ko pa bang patawarin ang kataksilan mo sa akin. I faced him again, this would be the last time.

"Mahal? Wag na wag mong kwestionin ang pagmamahal ko sa'yo Iñigo dahil simula pa lang pinaramdam ko na sa'yo kung gaano kita kamahal.

Bakit hindi mo itanong yan sa sarili mo? Mahal mo ba ako? Mahal mo pa ba ako? Kasi tangina apat na taon tayo eh

Pero yung apat na taon natin nagawa mong ipagpalit sa isang gabing kalibugan mo!

Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit ang malaman na nakabuntis ka? Hindi diba? Kaya wag na wag mo akong pigilan sa mga desisyon ko"

I love this man. I so love him to the point na kaya kong kalimutan lahat ng kasalan niya. Kaso lang may bata na eh

"Forgive me please, hon sobrang mahal na mahal kita at hindi ko kayang mawala ka sa akin. Please I regretted everything!

Isla please! Don't leave me. I'll be good. Just please hon"

"Bullshit! Sana naisip mo yan bago mo ako pagtaksilan! Galing din ng timing mo ano? Alam mo bang exam ko bukas? Alam mo bang exam week ko simula bukas?" Natawa nalang ako sa kagagahan ko.

"Tama na Iñigo, umuwi ka nalang at sabihin mo sa mommy mo lahat. Wag mo muna akong kausapin, please lang wag mo muna akong bulabugin. Hayaan mo muna akong mag-aral para bukas.

Sinira mo na nga ang relasyon natin, wag mo naman idamay yung pag-aaral ko"

With that, umalis na ako. Pumara nalang ako ng taxi at magpahatid sa condo ko.

Pagkarating ko sa condo nilabas ko lahat ng syllabus ko. Makakapal na libro, notes, photo copies, highlighters. Pinilit kong unawain lahat ng binabasa ko kahit ang sakit sakit na ng nararamdaman ko.

"Shit" sabay punas sa mga luha ko. Nababasa na yung mga syllabus ko.

"Isla ano ba! Ipagpaliban mo muna ang pag-iyak maawa ka naman sa sarili mo. Exams mo na bukas! Wag ka muna umiyak please!"

Paki-usap ko sa sairili ko. I inhaled deeply. Counted from 1 to 10. Drunk two glasses of water. And then went back to studying.

After a couple of hours I checked my phone na pinatay ko kanina. I received a lot of texts and calls from Iñigo.

Hon:

Hon please, don't do this to me. Mahal na mahal kita. Hindi ko kaya na wala ka.

I admit my mistakes. Forgive me please.

Please hon, talk to me.

Was the latest texts I received from him. Sent about ten minutes ago.

Ako:

Rest Iñigo. Mag-uusap tayo pagkatapos ng exams ko.

He replied right away. It's as if he's really waiting for my reply.

Hon:

Okay. I'll only do that because you said it. I'm really really sorry hon. I'll be waiting for you. I love you, always. I never loved anyone like how I loved you. Please say it back, please.

***

:)