Betrayal
Until now, it's still a great mystery to me how fast things change. Like the spin of the Earth is thrice to how quick it's supposed to. The universe just doesn't want you to breathe. There are no pauses. Everything changes in a blink of an eye. You just can't expect anything.
Tumatawa ako habang iniikot-ikot ni Sergio sa kanyang isang kamay na nakabitin sa ere, hawak ang akin.
"What... are you doing?" I asked in between laughs.
"Hindi mo ba na-miss sumayaw?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Hindi 'to hiphop or urban, Sergio! This is romantic! Waltz!"
Ngumisi siya. "You think this is romantic? How about this?"
He stopped spinning me around and pulled me close to him, dropping a kiss on my lips. I happily returned it and wrapped my arms around his neck.
Na-miss ko ang pagsasayaw. It reminds me of my life in Manila. Pati na rin sina Viel at Nikki. I wonder how they're doing? Matagal-tagal na rin.
Ngunit hindi ko na 'yon inatupag pa. Let's face it. Hindi makakabuhay ng pamilya ang pagsasali sa mga street competitions tuwing may sayawan dito. It's simply the dreaded reality I have to face. And with our state, I have to be more realistic and wise about my choices.
Muli niya akong inikot-ikot sa itaas ng mga burol ng Naidi. At umalingawngaw ang tawa ko sa buong paligid.
With every spin, with every turn in his hand that I took, with every laughter that went past my lips surreptitiously, I loved him even more. And this world, as well. Even when all it did was hurt me.
Perhaps, love is found in both pain and pleasure of things. Of people. You love despite everything. It's beautiful, actually.
"Ano'ng gagawin mo kung matatapos ang mundo?" biglang tanong niya matapos kaming sumayaw sa dilim.
Nagkibit-balikat ako at ngumisi.
"Ewan. Siguro matutulog ako. Kasama ka. Para kapag tapos na ang mundo, kasama pa rin kita!"
Gumuhit ang isang ngiti sa kanyang mukha.
"You really know how to make me fall even harder, huh? This is unfair," kunwari'y nagtatampo niyang sabi.
"'Wag kang mag-alala, hulog na hulog din naman ako sa 'yo."
He laughed hard.
And as I watch him laughing as if it's the end of the world, I kind of wished it would happen right here, right now. If the world would end, there are no more sufferings. No more tears for me. No more sadness for him.
Kahit na hindi ko alam kung totoo ba ang kabilang-buhay, parang nabigyan ako nito ng kasiguruhang hindi ko nahahanap sa kahit ano'ng bagay sa mundong ginagalawan ko ngayon.
Sergio gave me assurance with his love. But even so, the uncertainty of this life overpowers everything good that I try hard to keep holding on to.
"Simula na naman ng pangangampanya! Hindi na ako makapaghintay sa pera! Paniguradong malaki ang bigay ng kabila ngayon."
"Ha? Lilipat ka? Akala ko ba kay Gov ka?"
Luminga-linga si Aling Tisay sa paligid bago bumalik sa kausap na si Aling Marites. Nangingiti na lang akong sumunod sa kanila.
"Kay Gov pa rin! Pero, sus! Dalawa ang kamay ko! May paa pa. Tatanggapin ko lahat ng ibibigay!" ani Aling Tisay sa mababang boses.
Tinuro ako ni Aling Marites.
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