A Promise

Chapter 37

I'm not wrong. Siya nga. He parked his car malapit sakin. Bumaba sa kotse niya at sumandal din dito.

Looking at him right now ng malapitan, he seems really had a good change. In his physical appearance? Mas lumakas lalo yung appeal niya. He gained so much muscles that is making him more fit and hot. His face also got matured. Matured in a way na mas lalo siyang gumwapo.

Pero teka? Bakit siya nandito? How did he know na dito ako nakatira? Parang so coincidence naman ata.

"Hi." He said while looking at the kids playing. Is he referring to me? Ayoko naman mag assumed no! Syempre, it's been 3 years. I'm sure he is wasn't the same anymore.

"H-hello?" I ask him. Hindi ako sure. And isa pa, super awkward ngayon. Well, you just got to meet your ex ng malapitan. Hindi naman ganito yung nararamdaman ko nung pinupuntahan ko siya.

"How have you been?" He asked me. Ako nga ang kausap niya. Should I tell him the truth or a lie?

"I-I'm doing good. I'm okay. How about you?" I asked him. Totoo 'yon. Matagal ko na siyang tanungin kung kamusta na siya. Is he doing good? Is he feeling okay? Wala bang masakit sa kanya or anything? Pero hindi ko magawang tanungin sa kanya, kasi wala akong lakas ng loob.

"I am really great. Great than before." He said while emphasizing the word great. Kahit na alam kong pinipilit niya lang sabihin sakin 'yun. Alam ko na agad na hindi ito totoo. I know him. Siguro, noon.

"Sinungaling." I whispered. Alam ko naman na nag sisinungaling lang siya. He is covering the sadness inside him. He doesn't want to show any emotions to me. I know na pinipigilan niya.

"You're getting better." He said out of nowhere. Kumunot ang noo ko at tinignan siya. Huh? Pinag sasabi nito? Yan ba na adapt niya sa US?

"What do you say? Getting better at what?" I asked him. Angulo niya. Sa totoo lang us.

"Reading people's actions. A really great observant." He said while showing a little smile. I smiled at him disappointedly.

"Well. I am going to master it more." I said to him and laugh. He laughed too.

I miss this. I miss the old us. How we laugh, and enjoying every moment before.

Pero hindi na pwedeng balikan eh.

"U-uhm, I'm sorry." He said while clearing his throat. I looked at him.

"I'm sorry for what I've before. I'm sorry for making you cry instead of making you happy. I'm sorry for making you suffer and think that you are not enough. That you are not worth staying for." He apologised to me. Tumingin at ngumiti ako sa kanya. Hindi ko naisip pa na darating kami sa panahong 'to.

"Sorry din," I said to him. Tumingin siya sakin na parang wala nang balak alisin ang mga titig na 'yon.

"I'm sorry if I didn't believed at you. Inisip ko agad yung mga posibilities na dapat mangyari sa mga sitwasyon na 'yun without minding na hindi ka pala ganon. I was to carried away by my emotion and insecurities. Oo eh, na insecure ako. To the point where hindi ko na napaniwalaan yung pag mamahal mo." I said to him.

Nakatingin lang siya sa malayo. Pinipigilan na tumigil ang mga luha na tumulo sa kanyang mga mata.

"Siguro tama nga sila na kapag nag mahal kana, kakayanin mo lahat-lahat," ani ko.

"Mga sakit, selos, sama ng loob and the truth na kahit masakit na. Mahal mo parin siya,"

"Na mahal parin kita." Ani ko sa kanya. Tiningnan niya ako nang hindi makapaniwala. Ayoko na mag karoon ng regrets. Ayoko na balang araw, pag sisihan ko na sana sinabi ko 'to. Sana ipinaramdam ko 'to sa kanya.

"Because true love never surrender. It always finds a way to understand the pain." Ani ko sa kanya.

Nakita ko na unti unti siyang lumalapit sakin. Oh, no. Don't do that.

"Nung umalis ka, inisip ko lahat ng mga dahilan kung bakit tayo humantong sa ganong sitwasyon. Pilit kong ipinaintindi sa sarili ko na kailangan na maramdaman natin 'to kasi parehas tayong nag kulang. Nag kulang tayo na to the point na panahon na lang yung kayang mag puna ng mga pag kukulang na 'yon." I said to him. Pinipilit ko paring hindi umiyak. Kasi gusto ko muna masabi sa kanya lahat before I cry.

"You made a promise to me before. At kahit alam kong imposibleng mangyari 'yon. Pinang hawakan ko yung mga salitang galing sa bibig mo. 'Yon ang pinag kunan ko ng lakas sa mga oras na nawawalan na ako ng pag asa," pag liliwanag ko sa kanya.

"That promise literally changed my life, our lives. That promise made us realise na kailangan hindi puro puso lang. Kailangan may utak din." I said to him na palapit na ng palapit sakin.

"But I didn't know that promise will turn into a sorry,"

"And that sorry turns into goodbyes,"

"Then goodbyes leads you to became strangers,"

"And eventually, we became strangers with memories." Sabi ko.

Mahirap na panindigan ang isang pangako. Madaling mangako, ngunit mahirap tuparin.

"Don't say that. Wala kang karapatan." He said. Oh, wow ha. Grabe ka! Panira ng moment.

"Ako ang nangako, so ako lang ang may karapatan na mag decide kung kaya ko bang panindigan o hindi." Ani niya. Napatingin ako sa kanya. Galit ba 'to? Maamo to kanina ah? Anyare?

"I maybe stop. Kailangan ko rin kasing i-gain yung sarili ko to face you. Many happens before. Kailangan ko ng lakas ng loob. And you know, living and playing there makes me earn more. Kailangan ko ng ipon para  tuluyan ko nang mapanindigan yung pangako ko." He said.

Ano daw? Sus maryosep! Nangingilabot ang mga balahibo ko sa mga sinasabi niya ngayon.

Ano na ba talaga nangyayari?

"The reason I came back here is to fullfil that promise. A promise na binitawan ko sa isang babaeng nag patibok at nag pahinto ng puso ko," he said.

Syete, syete. Ano na ghorl?

"A promise I made before. Ngayon, alam ko na handa na ako. Handa na akong panindigan ka, future Mrs. Hailey Tan Rivero."

Syet namaaan!