Chasing Love (Sequel to Hopeless Love)

CHAPTER 25

Paul’s POV

Maaga pa lang ay nasa Harrison na ako dahil gusto ko sanang hintayin si Aaliyah. Gusto kong humingi ng tawad sa kanya sa biglaang pag-alis ko sa butterfly garden noong huli kaming magka-usap.

Masyado akong na-tensed noon nab aka maalala na niya ang lahat. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng takot sa possibility na maka-alala siya. Ang daming sumagi sa isipan ko.

Paano na lang kung ang maalala lang niya ay ang mga panahong nasaktan ko siya? Paano kung ang maalala niya ay ang mga sakit na pinagdaanan niya? Paano kung kasabay ng pagbalik ng alaala niya ay ang pagbalik rin ng takot sa puso niyang bigyan akong muli ng isa pang pag-asa? Paano kung…

I dismissed all my thoughts immediately when I saw her walking to the Memorial Square. I walked just behind her, thinking of how will I approach her.

Huminto ako sa pag-sunod sa kanya nang maupo siya sa favorite spot niya. I sat at the bench just behind her so I could have a moment to think of the rights word to say to her. Nang magbubuklat na siya ng libro ay bigla siyang napatigil nang biglang may tatlong lalaking umagaw ng atensyon ng lahat ng estudyanteng nasa MS noong mga panahong iyon.

She urgently took her camera from her bag and joined the other students in forming a circle around those guys. A shocked expression registered on Aaliyah’s face when someone grabbed her arms.

And that was it. This was the day Aaron chose to prove to me f his calculations were accurate.

Parang biglang binuhusan ng napaka-lamig na tubig ang buong katawan ko. Everything inside me chilled. Kusang naglakad ang mga paa ko palapit sa gitna ng MS upang masaksihan ang mga magaganap.

Then there was him, kneeling in front of Aaliyah. Hindi ko mai-describe kung ano’ng expression ang namumuo sa mukha ni Aaliyah noong mga oras na iyon. Hindi ko maintindihan kung masaya ba siya o hindi sa nagaganap. But one thing I knew was for sure: malapit na siyang mawala sa akin.

Pero nagkaroon ako ng kaunting pag-asa nang mapansin ko ang pag-linga-linga niya sa mga tao sa paligid. Animo’y may hinahanap siya. Then she caught me staring at her. She returned my gaze and I couldn’t anymore think of what should I do to let her know how badly I was sorry for everything I’ve done wrong to her.

And the moment she saw me, I started to pray. I prayed that she would be able to read my eyes—my thoughts. I prayed that she would be able to hear my heartbeat. I prayed that she would be able to know how hard I was wishing for her to say ‘no’.

Please don’t. Please say no.

But it didn’t happen.

Kitang-kita ko kung gaano ka-higpit ang yakap niya kay Aaron. And that hug was what everyone was waiting for.

The whole surroundings were occupied by the claps, whistles, and giggling shouts of the students who just witnessed a very romantic scene. But it wasn’t like that for everyone. It was one of those scenes where the beginning of something for other people was the ending of everything for me.

Hindi ko na hinintay pang ipag-sigawan ng mga taong naroon ang sagot ni Aaliyah. Hindi ko na hinintay pang lalong mabasag ang puso ko. Aaron’s calculations were accurate. He had just proven it to me and to everyone in Harrison. And this was the exact reason why I should stop trying to get Aaliyah back. Dahil ang ending pala ng lahat ng ito ay kay Aaron rin siya mapupunta at hindi sa akin.

No matter how strong my love for her is, no matter how long I wait for her to be in my arms again, it all doesn’t matter anymore.

So I got to stop.