Steal My Heart (Published)

Chapter 19

SIX MONTHS LATER

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Maru was dead tired and all that she wanted to do was just to go home and take a long nap. Her body needed rest, her strained muscles were clamoring for sleep after an exhaustive work in her studio.

Ang dami niyang nakabinbing trabaho ngayon sa studio niya. Bigla kasi ang pagpasok ng interior design projects nitong nakaraang mga buwan pagkabalik niya mula sa Pilipinas kaya ngayon ay aligaga tuloy siya.

She wasn't complaining though. Actually, masaya siya at ang dami niyang projects. They took most of her time. And she needed to immerse herself with lots and lots of work. Pinapagod niya kasi nang pinapagod ang sarili. Dahil sa paraan lamang na iyon siya nakakatulog sa gabi.

Kagaya ngayon. Her body was craving for rest. Inabuso na naman niya ang katawan. Hindi kasi siya umuuwi kung hindi siya pagod na pagod.

Kailangan niya kasing gawin iyon. Dahil iyon lamang ang paraan para makatulog siya. She hadn't had a good sleep eversince she flew back to the States. Sleep was elusive and sometimes she would get help from dose of sleeping pills.

She heaved a sigh. This had been her routine for almost six months now. And she was getting used to it. But what she still wasn't used to after the past few months was the longing and the emptiness in her heart. Sa palagay niya ay hindi na yata siya makaka-adjust mula sa dalawang damdaming iyon. Maybe they would forever be a part of her life.

Her life had never been easy since she left Benjamin. Forgetting him was a mission impossible, something that she wanted to do, but simply couldn't do so. She was haunted by his memories, by his voice, by his touch, more of his kisses, and his declaration of love. They had just been together for roughly more than two months, but the short time was enough for him to be etched in her memory forever.

She could hear him talking in her head, could smell his scent anywhere, everywhere. His image would always pop in her mind. Ilang lalaki na nga ba ang napagkamalan niyang si Benjamin? Kahit hindi Asian basta maitim ang buhok ay napagkakamalan niya.

Her life was crazy, hard and exhaustive for the past months. The physical stress didn't bother her, but the emotional turmoil brought by her short relationship with Benjamin that went kaput before their wedding day was the sole thing that brought misery to her life.

Hindi pala madaling maging runaway bride. Masakit din para sa kanya ang nangyari at nasaktan din siya nang husto. But she had to move on.

Kaya sa pagnanais na kalimutan si Benjamin at ang mga nangyari sa pagitan nila ay isinubsob na lamang niya ang sarili sa trabaho. Pinapagod nang pinapagod niya ang sarili. Kapag kasi hindi pa siya pagod ay kung anu-anong mga walang kabuluhang bagay lamang ang pumapasok sa kanyang isipan. And she would never heal that way.

Nakahinga si Maru nang maluwag nang makarating na siya sa building kung saan naroroon ang kanyang apartment. She rode in the elevator going to the 10th floor. Naroroon kasi ang unit niya. It was a 1-bedroom apartment unit that she had been renting for more than ten years now. Roommate pa niya noon ang bestfriend niya na parang tunay na kapatid na ang turing niya na si Cindy bago ito umuwi ng Pilipinas apat na taon na ang nakalilipas.

Pinaglalaruan niya sa mga kamay niya ang susi ng unit habang hinihintay na tumigil ang elevator sa 10th floor. Maya-maya ay tumigil iyon at bumukas ang mga dahon ng pinto. Kaagad na lumabas siya at naglakad sa hallway patungo sa kanyang unit.

Nasa dulo iyon at medyo tago ang pintuan niyon. Lumiko siya sa isang kurbada habang pahinamad na naglalakad. She really wanted to hit the sack now.

She massaged her straining neck with her hand pero ganoon na lamang ang panggigilalas niya nang nasa harapan na siya ng pintuan ng kanyang unit.

Colors abruptly departed from her face and she gasped in surprise. Her body stiffened. She wasn't able to move any part of her body for a few moments.