When she met Mr. Gangster(COMPLETED)

Chapter 27

Naglakad ako papunta sa loob ng katabing mall habang maya't maya'y natatapilok dahil sa heels. Dumaan ako sa shortcut para mas mabilis akong makapasok. 

"Hi miss, bakit ka umiiyak?", sabi nung isang tambay. Inirapan ko lang siya at naglakad. "Miss, delikado, samahan na kita." Hinawakan niya ako sa baywang pero tinulak ko siya. 

"'Wag mo akong hawakan."

"Ang sungit mo naman miss, hahawakan niya na sana ko ulit nang may sumipa sakanya hanggang sa mapaupo siya sa sahig. Si Josh.

"Gago ka ba?!", galit na tanong ni Josh doon sa tambay. Susugod na sana ulit siya pero pinigilan ko.

"Takbo na kuya dali!", sabi ko at tumakbo siya. Baka kung ano pang magawa nitong si Josh. 

"Okay ka lang?", tanong niya sa akin nang seryoso. Okay lang ba talaga ako? Naramdam kong unti-unting nanggigilid ang mga luha ko hanggang sa hindi ko na napigilang humagulgol. "Iiyak mo lang." Umiyak ako ng mga limang minuto habang nakayakap ako sakanya. 

Hinarap ko siya. Tumawa siya at iniabot nag panyo niya sa akin. Naglakad kami papuntang mall at nagkape sa veranda. Sinalubong kami ng hangin sa gabi, mainit pa rin pero mas malamig kaysa umaga. 

"Alam mo ba?", tanong ko. Tinginan ako ni Joshua."Alam mo ba 'yung tungkol sakanila?"

"Hindi."

"Eh bakit mo ako binabalaan noon pa?"

"It's because I know he's up to no good. That's Job you know."

"Ganoon din ba sila naghiwalay ni Kaye?", humigop ng kape si Josh at tumango."Can you tell me?"

"Job cheated on Kaye first but Kaye never told Job that she knows. I guess she just wants to move on  kaya hindi niya na pinalaki. We were immature back then, we loved easily, we hated easily. But Kaye was different, she loved easily but she's forgiving. She was my rest whenever me and my Dad fought. "

Naalala ko bigla ang kwento ni Maam Lea tungkol kay Kaye. Hindi ito ang pagkakakilala niya sakanya? Sino ba ang nagsasabi ng totoo?

"Huy, bakit ka natulala?", tanong ni Josh.

"Wala. "

"You know that my Dad hated Kaye because of her mother. My Dad judged her because she defended her mother from insults. Don't you think that's unfair?" Tumango ako. "Even now that she's dead, she's still being insulted by my family. I felt so sorry for her that I always give her a time during her birthday and death anniversary. And you know that I feel guilty because I am the reason why she was there when she got hit."

"Stop blaming yourself Josh."

"But you know what's funny Cass, I know that her being hit by a car was just an accident. She was chased but I know for a fact that the worst thing that those thugs would do was to bribe her with money for her silence. But I insisted that they killed her because I want to blame someone for it. I want to live with the guilt for all of her pain because that's the only thing I could do for her.", sabi niya. Naiiyak na si Josh. Bakit niya ako inaagawan ng spotlight?

"It's time to let her go Josh. If I were the forgiving Kaye you were telling me about, I would have forgiven you by now and I want you to move on with your life.", sabi ko. 

"I don't know where to start." Kinuha ko ang cellphone niya. Sikreto kong inalam ang password ng phone niya for emergency purposes. Nagulat siya nang nabuksan ko.

"How did-"

"Shh." Pinalitan ko ang wallpaper niya. "You claim that you like me but your phone wallpaper screams of Kaye. Ikaw ang worst na manliligaw."

"Manliligaw?"

"Bakit? Hindi ka ba manliligaw?", ngumisi siya. "Why are you telling these to me Josh?" Tanong ko.

"Because I want to be honest, I want to finally clear things up especially with you. The feud between me and my brother and my Dad affected me and my decisions, but I don't want it to happen anymore. I want to live my own life now Cassie."

"Yeah, do that."

"I want you to see me with a clean slate. That's all the things you have to know about me." Tumango ako. Hindi kami nagsalita at inenjoy ang kape. 

"What are your plans for the sem break?"

" Get a job."

"Job? You're not yet a graduate, may isang sem ka pa.", sabi ko.

"Nope, I'm done."

"Hey wag mong sabihing magd-drop out ka ha, eto ba 'yung sinasabi mong you want to live your own life?!"

"Stupid, no. I'm already finished with all of my units. I was able to finish it within 3 years and 1 sem. I was lucky to get the maximum units during summer classes."

"What?! Is that even possible?", tumawa siya. "Hindi ko inexpect."

"Gago lang ako minsan pero seryoso ako sa pag-aaral ko.",sabi niya. 

"Saan ka maghahanap ng trabaho?" 

"Of course I'm going to work for my father." Tumango ako. "Pero sa Ilocos." Natigilan ako. 

"Ilocos?"

"Yes, magsisimula ako sa isa sa mga planta doon bago ako magpunta sa head office para makita ko ang flow ng operations."

"So, doon ka na?"

"Most of the time." 

"Ah, okay.", sabi ko. Gago ba siya? Aalis siya pagkatapos niyang mag confess sa akin?! "Tara na? Gusto ko nang umuwi.", sabi ko. Hinatid niya ako sa bahay. 

"Oh? Bakit hindi kayo magkasama ni El?" Oh, I almost forgot about that. 

"Nauna akong umuwi Dad, masama po kasi pakiramdam ko."

"Sige, magpahinga ka na." Aakyat na sana ako nang pumasok si El. "Oh nandiyan ka na pala?" Tinignan ko si El na namumugto ang mata. "Are you okay? Did you cry?"

"Ah oo Dad, we watched a movie po kasi, drama. I cried a lot.", sabi niya. Liar.

Umakyat ako. "Cassie! Sabay na tayo!", sigaw niya nang masaya na parang walang nangyari. Hinabol niya ako sa hagdan at inangkla ang braso niya sa braso ko. 

"Let go.",sabi ko ng mahina. Pumasok ako sa kwarto ko at sinundan niya ako. 

"Cassie, please listen to me." 

"What?"

"If you want me to break up with him, gagawin ko, 'wag ka lang magalit."

"Do whatever you want."

"I will.", kinuha niya ang phone niya at tinawagan si Job. 

"Hello?", tanong ni Job. "Nag-usap na ba kayo?" 

"Job, we have to-", Kinuha ko ang phone sa kamay ni El at tinapos ang call. 

"Do you think this will work? If you really want to break up with him, you should have done it long time ago. Bakit ngayon mo lang 'to gagawin na nakikita ko? Did you plan this as well?"

"No. I just want to show you how I care for our relationship." Huminga ako. 

"I will forgive you El, but not today. You have to understand how betrayed I felt. Okay, let's say that you're right, maybe I really like Josh. But that doesn't give the both of you the right to lie to me. Okay na 'yung, hey Cass, sorry di na kita gusto o kaya naman, hey Cass gusto ko yung crush mo. Don't you think?"

"I'm sorry."

"Please get out.", sabi ko. Lumabas siya ng tahimik sa kwarto ko. I'm okay, I think I am.