Be Officially Mine

I'm Sorry

Weeks passed, Unti-unting nawawala ang kirot na dala ng betrayal ni Drake. Nawala na rin ang echo ng scandal na sinimulan ng kanyang pinsan. Trisha and Drake were both putting their relationship behind. Kapag nagkikita sila sa Office, hindi pa rin sila nagpapansinan. Mas mabuti na rin sa isip ni Trisha upang hindi na sila pag-usapan pa ng mga kasamahan sa trabaho.

Sa tingin ni Trisha nakakatulong din ang friendship ni Marsden para siya makalimot. Palagi itong nangungumusta at siya rin dito. Once in a while nagpapadala ito ng chocolates from Pixies which her friends really love to eat. Ngayon nga may delivery nanaman siya from Pixies, one dozen of mini chocolate cupcakes na may chocolate frosting on top.

"Oh my God Trisha, huwag mo munang sagutin si Marsden para may rasyon pa rin tayo from Pixies," saad ni Abby na sarap na sarap ang kain. Nakaupo ito sa kanyang cubicle habang busy siya sa pagphotocopy ng kanyang reports for the meeting.

Natawa siya dito. "Ano bang pinagsasabi mo, ilang beses ko bang sasabihin na hindi ko siya manliligaw. We're friends and he's just helping me moved on. Chini-cheer niya lang ako that's why nagpapadala siya ng chocolates."

"Hmmm, sana more than friends." Tinapos na nito ang pagkain at bumalik na sa cubicle nito na katabi lang ni Trisha.

Marsden and I? No no no no. Ngunit hindi niya maiwasang isipin na napakaswerte ng magiging girlfriend nito.

★★★

Nasa office si Marsden at busy sa pagbabasa ng reports ng kanilang branch in Davao nang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. Number lang ang nakalagay, pero dahil sa private phone niya tumatawag inakala niyang kaibigan niya ito.

"Hello?"

Matagal ding walang sumasagot sa kabilang linya. Ibababa na sana niya nang marinig ang boses na hindi niya inakalang maririnig muli.

"Hey!" saad nito.

"Enrique?" he said after a while.

"Pwede ba tayong magkita?" nahinuha niya ang hesitasyon sa boses nito.

Ilang beses rin niyang inisip kung paano ang magiging pagkikita nila ng dating kaibigan. Hindi niya inakalang tatawagan siya nito. He wiped his hand over his face and sighed. He thought it would be easy but as this day came he didn't think he had already forgotten the betrayal.

"I'm free tomorrow night."

"Meet you at The Patio," saad ni Enrique.

"Ok," and he ended the call.

The Patios

Marsden entered the sophisticated bar and looked for his ex-bestfriend. Enrique was in the counter, drinking already. He watched him for a while before he went to him. Without any expression in his face, he sat beside him and ordered a glass of brandy.

"You came?" he said without looking at him.

"Yup! It's late, so why don't you tell me what it is about," sabay inom ng kanyang brandy. Hindi rin niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin sa dating kaibigan.

Enrique chuckled. "Just like a business deal huh." He now looked at him.

Marsden saw his glassy eyes. It seemed he needed too much boast of courage just to face him. "If its about the past, you should forget it...Let's forget about it." He was sincere. He might have not forgiven him entirely but he wanted to. God knows how he wanted to but the pain is still there.

"I'm sorry, I realized I haven't told you those words five years ago." Enrique sounded sincere and looked at him with repenting eyes.

Iniiwas ni Marsden ang mga mata, itinuon niya ang atensyon sa pag-inom. He was a little bit shocked when he heard it. Those words he longed to hear from this man. Not hearing it before gave him doubts about the friendship they had for 12 years. Pilit niyang pinipigilan ang galit na alam niyang hindi pa rin nawawala hanggang ngayon. How he hated the fact that Enrique haven't said sorry for what he did.