Chapter 72
"G, do you really plan to ruin your life just like that?" Mitch asked, gritting her teeth. Bakas sa mukha niya ang sama ng loob. She was filled with so much contempt. Hawak niya ang kaniyang dibdib sa takot na baka biglang bumigay ang puso niya.
Nakayuko lamang si Guian sa isang sulok habang nakatingin sa malayo at pinakikinggan ang sinasabi ng aming kaibigan.
"I'm sorry, Mitch," aniya.
"Sorry? Sorry lang 'yun?!" Hinampas ni Mitch ang throw pillow sa sofa nina Japheth. Hinawakan ni James ang kamay niya sapagkat labis na ang kaniyang panginginig. Sa aming lahat, siya ang pinaka-apektado. Sobra ang muhing nararamdaman niya kay Jasmine nang marinig niya ang balita.
"Guian, I understand that you love her that much. But you've crossed the line already. Gusto mong ipanalo ang isang laban na hindi naman iyo." She frustratedly ruffled her hair. Tumayo si G para abutin ang kamay niya, pero hinawi ito ni Mitch. "Ewan ko sa'yo!"
She walked out of the door—crying. James stood and looked at G. Tumango siya bilang simbolo na ayos lamang sa kaniya na sundan ni James ang kaniyang kasintahan.
Tulala kaming lahat paglabas nilang dalawa. Si Mitch lang kasi ang kanina pang nagsasalita tungkol sa issue. The guys remained quiet the whole time. Nick was watching over us. Renz wasn't here because he's with Jasmine. Hindi naman namin siya pwedeng pigilan kung mas gusto niya na makasama si Min. Unang una sa lahat, mas matagal silang magkaibigan. Parang nakakabatang kapatid na ang turing ni Renz sa kaniya. Pangalawa, wala siyang kasama dahil nga wala na ang totoo niyang pamilya at hindi mahagilap si Frank.
Kababalik ko lang mula sa isang nakakapagod na biyahe at ito na agad ang inaatupag ko. Ni hindi pa ako nakakauwi ng bahay at karga ko pa ang mga bagahe ko mula Malaysia. Hindi ko na kasi kaya pang ipagpabukas pa ito. During my whole stay, I was bombarded with a lot of work-related stuff and I was also thinking about Jasmine's pregnancy issue. It's as though life catapulted me end over end, and I was caught off guard.
I sat beside him and sighed. "Gusto kitang intindihin, pero paano? Gusto kong pumanig sa'yo, pero kahit saang anggulo ko tignan, talo," mahinahong paliwanag ko sa kaniya. Binuhos ko na lahat ng iyak ko sa Taman Negara kasama si Alec. I holloed with pain right there and wet his shoulders. He flew from Singapore to Malaysia just to comfort me. It should have been the other way around, but I was scared. What if I see him there? What am I going to do when that happens? How will I explain the situation between Guian and Jasmine to him? I considered a lot of things, that's why.
"Wala siyang kasama, Jill. We know that she's been alone since she was a kid, right? Sino ang mag-aalaga sa kaniya? Who will take care of her baby?" he asked.
"Why do you have to father someone else's child?" tanong ko sa kaniya. "Let's look for Frank elsewhere. Let's tell him he got her pregnant." Bumuntong hininga ako. "Let's do everything, but not this, G."
"Do you think he doesn't know? Of course, he does. Kaya nga umalis siya, 'di ba? Because he doesn't want responsibilities. He went somewhere to run away from all the obligations. Trust me, I already looked for him everywhere. I went to their house but he wasn't there anymore. Even his parents don't know where he is. Paano naman si Jasmine noon? She can't live miserably just like that. No, I can't let that happen," he defended. Too heroic, my friend. What a display of love. But . . . it's a waste of affection. He's slowly throwing his life away.
"Kasalanan naman nila, eh. Bakit kailangang ikaw ang magdusa? Why do you have to carry their burden?" sabat ni Japheth.
"Because . . ." Matagal siyang hindi sumagot. Lumunok siya at nagsalitang muli. "I love her." Mahina pero nakakabingi. After everything she did to him, he could still declare that he loves her. "And it's not the kind of love that I want her for myself. It's never about me anymore. Matagal ko ng tinanggap na hindi niya ako kayang mahalin. Wala ng kaso sa akin 'yun. In fact, it never runs because of that. Oo, alam kong nagkamali siya. But, guys, do we have to continuously torture her because of her mistake? She's regretful already. And she's suffering from that. Kailangan pa ba nating gatungan? Should we condemn her for that, or just speak out of love? As for me, I choose not to dwell on what she did. I thought we go down together or none of us will, what happened? You see, bago ko siya minahal ng espesyal, naging kaibigan ko din siya. May paki ako, at kahit kailan hindi mawawala 'yun." He looked me in the eye and continued, "Oo. Hindi tama ang ginawa niya. Nandoon na ako. She was very stupid for that, yes. She's been broken beyond measure and the torture haunts her down. I've seen her cry, and it breaks my heart. Walang kamalay-malay 'yung bata, hindi niya kailangang maargabyado dahil sa kamalian ng mga magulang niya. That's why I want to help her out. Believe me, my intentions are pure."
