Chasing Mr. Right [Complete]

Fifty-ninth Chase

Fifty-ninth Chase 

Fourth year college. October. 

Tumakbo ako papunta sa playground. I want to chase my happiness, pero kung gagawin ko 'yun, ayokong may matapakang ibang tao. Lalong-lalo na si Zeke, ayokong mas saktan pa siya.

5:42 pm, nakarating ako sa playground. I saw Zeke sitting on a swing. Nakatungo siya.

"Zeke," I called loudly.

Tumingala siya and when our eyes met, he instantly smiled wildely. Kumikirot yung puso ko. I hate that I have to do this to him. Pero hindi ko na kayang lokohin yung sarili ko. Nagkahiwalay man kami ni Jasper, but I never stopped loving him, niloloko ko lang yung sarili ko. I thought that I didn't deserve him so I let him go pero kahit ganon, hindi ko pa rin kayang makita siya na may iba because I still really love him. At siguro nga, tama yung sinabi ni Maggie noon, a part of me feels na may utang na loob ako kay Zeke for taking care of me and my family.

Tumayo siya. He hugged me the moment he saw me.

"Charm." He sighed in relief. "Thank God you came."

I couldn't hug him back. Hindi ko na napigilan, my eyes started welling up. "I'm sorry." Bulong ko kay Zeke.

Sinubukang humiwalay ni Zeke mula sa pagkakayakap niya sa'kin but I didn't let him. Hinawakan ko yung laylayan ng shirt niya. I can't face him yet. I can't look at him in the eyes when I know that this will hurt him.

"I'm so sorry, Zeke. I'm sorry."

Huminga siya ng malalim. "Bakit mo ko pinuntahan ngayon, Charm?" Tahimik niyang tanong.

"You'll find someone better than me someday. Yung taong hindi ka sasaktan tulad ng ilang beses ko nang ginagawa. And you'll love her more than you've ever loved me."

Niyakap ako ulit ni Zeke. Pinatong niya yung ulo niya sa ulo ko.

"I lost you the moment I pushed away because of Tiffany, right? Kasi nung panahong 'yun, pinagtulakan rin kita papunta kay Jasper."

"I'm sorry." Ulit ko ulit.

"Stop saying sorry." Naghiwalay kami ni Zeke. He's staring at me and I stared back. "At wag ka nang umiyak. Okay lang 'to. Siguro nga, may parte ko na alam naman na si Jasper na talaga yung mahal mo simula pa lang. Iniisip ko lang na, pwede akong maging katulad mo for once. Na ako naman yung hahabol sa'yo, ako yung lalaban para sa'tin, tulad ng lagi mong ginagawa noon pa." Ngumiti siya ng malungkot. "Pero di ko pala kaya gawin yung ginagawa mo. Iba ka talaga Charm, at nagawa mo kong mahabol at maabutan noon." Tumawa si Zeke.

I bit my lip. I took Zeke's hand at inilagay ko doon yung singsing at bracelet na binigay niya sa'kin. 

Tumingin siya sa'kin. "Bakit pati yung bracelet na binigay ko sa'yo noon, binabalik mo sa'kin?"