SCRIPTOREM

Chapter 12

Inaayos ni Eli ang mga gamit ni Lauren nang marinig nya ang yabag ng nanay nya paakyat.

"I don't wanna disturb your writing,"

"Nope, I already stopped with that. I don't do it anymore." Ani Eli habang naglalagay ng mga damit sa isang karton.

"We didn't saved her,"

"You're much lonely here, Eli." Bulalas ng kanya nanay kaya napatigil naman sya sa ginagawa.

"Ano kaya kung... Bumalik ka nalang sa Manila? Dun sa kaibigan mo na David ang pangalan. Tama ba?"

"No, ma. You know, I ruined our friendship because of my temper and I don't wanna see him again."

"But why?"

Huminto si Eli saglit. "Kung isa lang siguro akong babae sa libro, mas lalong magiging madali para sa akin ang lahat."

"Louis is returning, you know?"

Nagulat naman si Eli sa kanyang narinig. "Talaga?"

"Hmm,"

"Sinabi ni Margarette na uuwi na daw si Louis dahil nga sa may sakit si Aunt Brooke at sya ang aalalay,"

Tumayo si Eli saka nagpagpag ng kamay. "That's good then..."

"What is it?" Tanong ni Mrs. Brooke nang mapansin na parang may hinahanap si Eli.

"I don't know,"

"Perhaps, um... Perhaps I was too quick in turning him down. Louis,"

"Do you love him?"

"If he asked me again, I think I would say yes." Ani Eli saka sya tumango tango. "Do you think he'll ask me again?"

"But do you love him?"

"I care more to be loved. I want to be loved." Naguguluhang sabi ni Eli.

"That is not the same as loving."

"I know,"

"You know... I just... I just feel... I just feel like... Women, they... They have minds, they have souls, as well as just hearts." Naiiyak na saad ni Eli. "And they've got ambition, and they've got talent as well as just beauty. And I'm so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I'm so sick of it." Aniya saka mas lalong humikbi si Eli. "But I'm... I'm so lonely..."

--

Nakatulala si Margarette habang hinihintay ang sasakyan na sasakyan nila pauwi nang biglang dumating si Louis. Agad nyang niyakap si Louis dahil sa sobrang kalungkutan nya nang malaman na namatay na si Lauren at hindi manlang sya nakapunta.

"Are you sure you wanna travel alone? Aunt Brooke is so sick," ani Louis sa pagitan ng kanilang yakap.

"Please don't despise me..."

"No, I don't despise you..." sagot ni Margarette habang umiiyak.

"I'm not marrying Thimothee,"

"I heard about that,"

"And you don't need to do anything or say anything. I just don't love him the way I should. So we don't need to talk about it or say anything-" hindi na natapos pa ni Margarette ang sasabihin nya dahil bigla nalang syang hinalikan ni Louis.