When I stood to leave, I noticed that there was a guy blocking the road. Hindi ko siya mamukhaan dahil nakatalikod siya sa ilaw at tanging anino lang niya ang nakikita ko.
Napagtanto ko lang kung sino siya ng tawagin niya ako sa pangalan ko.
“I knew it’s you, Paul.”
I grinned when he walked towards me.
“What are you doing here, Aaron?”
“Ikaw? Ano’ng ginagawa mo dito, Paul? Or should I start calling you Justine?” Halata sa boses niya ang sarcasm and I couldn’t blame him for that.
He knew I was seeing Aaliyah. He knew I’ve been finding my way back to Aaliyah’s heart. And he’s anxious about it.
“Paul is better. But it’s up to you, bro. Either way, it’s still me.”
Huminto siya sa harap ko at nginitian ako. Napansin kong nakasabit sa balikat niya ang bagpack ni Aaliyah maging ang camerang ginagamit nito sa Harrison Advocate.
My brows furrowed.
Tss. Sabi ko kay Demi, siya ang mag-uwi ng mga gamit ni Aaliyah, e. Tss!
Hindi naman talaga kami magka-away ni Aaron. Sa totoo lang, maayos naman palagi ang pag-uusap namin dati.
Pero ngayon, iba na. Ibang-iba na dahil alam kong malaki ang naging parte niya sa buhay ni Aaliyah noong mga panahong wala ako.
Malaki na ang lamang niya sa akin, kung sasabihin mong nasa race o kung anumang battle kaming dalawa.
Aaron was there when Aaliyah needed me. He was there when she almost lost herself. He was there when she thought everything in her life was missing.
He had always been there. But never was I.
At iyon ang isang napakalaking bagay na nakuha niya mula sa akin.
“Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ako na natauhan ka na at nilalapit mo na ulit ang sarili mo kay Aaliyah, o magagalit ako dahil nag-sisinungaling ka sa kanya.”
“Kahit anong isip—“ He stopped me by simply shaking his head.
“O baka naman dapat na ulit akong ma-threatened dahil kukuhanin mo na siya mula sa akin?”
His voice was so cold and immense. It terrified me. But I managed to stay still.
“The third one,” mariing anas ko. “The third one is the best.”
“’Yan din ang nasa isip ko,” he said, nodding. “Kaya nga pinaghahandaan ko na ‘yong malaking katanungan na pwedeng sagutin ni Aaliyah ng yes, e.”
What?
“Don’t worry, Paul. Alam mo namang safe sa akin si Aaliyah.” He then started walking again and stopped when he reached my side. He tapped my left shoulder and said, “Ready your heart for the pain, bro.” Then he pressed the doorbell to Aaliyah’s home.
“How sure are you she’s gonna say yes?” tanong ko habang kami ay nakatalikod mula sa isa’t-isa.
“Apparently, I’ve calculated.”
“Calculated what?”
“The statistical probability of her saying yes to me.”
Pagkasabi niya noon ay narinig ko na ang pag-bukas ng gate mula sa likod ko.
“Aaron! Gabi na, ah?” dinig kong pambungad na bati sa kanya ni Aaliyah.
Hindi ko na binalak na makinig pa sa pag-uusapan nila at nag-simula na rin akong mag-lakad. Hindi ko alam kung napansin pa ako ni Aaliyah na nakatayo roon pero sa isip-isip ko ay sana hindi. Sana hindi niya ako nakita para hindi ko maramdaman na nakita niya ako pero pinili niyang i-ignore ang presence ko dahil kay Aaron.
BINABASA MO ANG
Chasing Love (Sequel to Hopeless Love)
Teen Fiction[BOOK 2 of HOPELESS LOVE] Paul had never stopped chasing Aaliyah. After a short while, Aaliyah got chased. But Paul left her. She waited. He came back. But he wanted them to go separate ways. Aaliyah lost her memories. Paul wanted her to forget abou...
