A friendship can either be too strong or too fragile, especially when one is so close to crossing the line.
Shine Alvarez had always been Lei Hidalgo's best friend. Ever since meeting her, Lei never had a day without her by his side or within his si...
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CHAPTER 11
LEI
Shine ended up crying after all of that. Ang dapat na masayang araw na ito ay sinira ng magaling niyang ex... but at the same time, she was able to stand up against him for the second time. And I have to say that I feel proud of her.
Ito lang ang hindi ko maintindihan kay Axel: my best friend was shedding these tears for him and even outrightly telling him that she doesn't have any feelings for me IN FRONT of me, and yet he still doesn't believe her?
Would he only stop accusing her if I turned gay or if I'm married?
Alam naman namin ni Shine na hindi malabong magkadevelop-an kami, because that's reality. No matter how much we wanted to remain friends, there will always be that possibility—no matter how little—of us developing feelings for one another. And that possibility will only be erased when we both find love with other people.
"Lei, I'm sorry I got you into this mess," Shine said after blowing her nose into her handkerchief. Sa ngayon ay nasa parking lot kami, katabi ang sasakyan ko na ginamit papunta rito. Wala naman kaming hinihintay dahil obviously, hindi sasabay si Axel sa 'min pauwi. Tumatambay lang kami at nagpapahangin—nilalanghap ang preskong alikabok ng Maynila.
"Sus, wala 'yun. Ako pa? Sanay na ako na madamay sa problema n'yo ng mga lalaki mo."
"Nakakainis. Why do I feel bad about what I did? Baka naman masyado akong harsh? Should I go back and apologize?" sunod-sunod na tanong niya.
Umiling ako at hinatak ang wheelchair niya nang subukan niyang bumalik sa loob.
"Oops! Hindi pwede. Paano matututo ang lalaking 'yun kung lagi mong ibe-baby? Pambihira, tandaan mong hindi man nga natin ka-edaran 'yun. He's 33 years old, he can take care of himself."
Mukha namang natauhan si Shine sa sinabi ko. Her shoulders slumped.
"I guess you're right..."
Napabuntonghininga ako.
"Tara," aya ko.
"Saan?" tanong niya.
I just smiled and helped her get inside the car. Nang maayos na siyang nakaupo sa passenger seat habang ang wheelchair niya ay nasa likod, umikot naman ako para sumakay sa driver's seat.
"Saan tayo pupunta?" tanong niya ulit. "And you look creepy wearing that smile, by the way."
Hindi ko pinansin ang insulto niya. Tumawa lang ako at sinimulan ang kotse.
"Babyahe tayo sa memory lane."
"Memory lane?" nagtatakang tanong nito.
Tumango ako. I kept my eyes on the road. "I won't ask if you remember, because we both know that you don't, so iku-kwento ko na lang..."
