*third person’s POV*
“Sean is our son.”
Hindi alam ni Gab kung ano ang dapat nyang maging reaksyon. He was hoping na yun talaga ang sasabihin ni Ice. Gustong-gusto nya yung marinig, Ngunit iba pa rin talaga ang pakiramdam ngayong narinig na nya ito mismo mula kay Ice.
Pero at the same time, alam nya kung saan ito papunta. Alam nyang imposible pa rin sila ni Ice dahil na nga sa sitwasyon ni Liam ngayon.
Instead, he just said, “I... I assume na alam na to ni Liam...”
She nodded. “Pero wala nang iba pang nakakaalam nito Gab; besides Liam, Yana, you, and I. Pati sina Mom and Dad, walang kaalam-alam.”
“H-how did...?” Parang wala pa rin sa sarili si Gab. Oo, masayang-masaya sya. Pero alam nya kung gano kahirap ang sitwasyon lalo na para kay Ice. Si Ice lang naman ang inaaalala nya eh.
“The night before we went to Ate Selena’s party, remember?”
He’s mind wandered back to that time. They did ‘it’.
[A/N: Please refer to Chapter 22]
“I do remember. How can I forget that?” There was silence.
“What will happen to us now?” He asked though takot syang marinig ang sagot dun.
“Gab... You know how much I wanted to be with you, don’t you?” She said as she touched his cheeks.
He nodded.
“And you do know that I love you so much, do you?”
He nodded again.
“God. I never loved anyone else but you.” Bumitaw si Ice sa pagkakahawak kay Gab.
“I was so ready to tell you the truth.” She smiled bitterly. “Balak ko pa ngang sumama sa’yo kung gugustuhin mo eh. But this happened. Ang saklap noh? Pareho na sana tayong handa pero hindi umaayon sa atin yung tadhana. I guess then, na hindi talaga tayo para sa isa’t isa.”
“What...”
Tumalikod si Ice kay Gab. “Liam and I... We’re getting married.”
“WHAT?”
“Nakiusap sa akin si Tita, yung Mom ni Gab. That’s the only thing that could make Liam happy. Pag naging masaya si Liam, he’ll live longer.”
“W-will this make you happy?” he choked.
“I’ll be happy to see him live.” Even if it will break my heart to see you go. Sa isip ni Ice.
Gab nodded as if Ice could see him. “Then so be it.” He laughed humorlessly. “Alam mo ba kung anong lagi kong pinaghahandaang sabihin pag dumating na tong pagkakataong to? Sasabihin ko sana na ‘Minsan ka nang nawala sa akin kaya hindi ko na hahayaang mangyari yun ulit.’ Yun naman kasi dapat eh. Pero I love you so damn much that I’d be willing to break my own heart just for you to be happy. Handa akong umalis at magpakalayu-layo Ice. Just please promise me na magiging masaya ka sa piling nya. And please, hayaan mo akong maging ama kay Sean.”
Paalis na sana si Gab pero may naalala sya. “Do you remember what I promised you years ago?”
Ice spun around para tingnan sya.
“I promised you that whatever happens, I will still be your friend.”
Tinakpan ni Ice ang bibig nya upang iwasan ang mapahagulgol.
“Can I hug my bestfriend before letting her go?” Gab said very softly.
Hindi na nagpigil pa si Ice. Agad syang tumakbo at niyakap si Gab. She did not want this to happen. Pero lahat ng to ay bilang kabayaran sa lahat ng kabutihang ginawa ni Liam at ng pamilya nito sa kanilang mag-ina.
He badly want to kiss her right here and right now. But he’s here only as her friend. Now, there’s nothing he can do but cry.
He wiped his tears away bago sya kumalas sa pagkakayakap. Ayaw nyang makita ni Ice na umiiyak sya.
He kissed her forehead.
“I love you.” He whispered as he wiped her tears away.
He smiled at her before going away.
And so, Ice was left there alone. Dun nya lang naipalabas lahat ng luha na kanina nya pa sinusubakang pigilan. She shouted so loud hanggang sa namaos na sya. She can’t help but wonder kung tama ba ang naging desisyon nya. Tama bang pakawalan nya ulit ang kaisa-isang lalakeng minahal nya ng ganito? But she can’t undo what is done. She has to face it.
Bago tuluyang umalis, pumunta muna si Gab sa kwarto ni Liam. Walang tao sa loob kaya nagdere-derecho sya.
“Ang swerte-swerte mo.” Gab told the unconscious Liam. “Alam mo, naiinggit ako sa’yo. Mahal nga namin ang isa’t isa pero ikaw pa rin ang pinipili nya. Sana ako nalang ang may sakit.”
Huminga sya ng malalim sabay punas sa luhang hindi nya namalayang pumatak pala. “Mahal ko si Ice – mahal na mahal – kaya ko to ginagawa. Sana lang tol, ingatan mo sya. Kasi pag hindi mo yun ginawa, hinding hindi na ako magdadalawang-isip na kunin sya sa’yo.”
After that, he stood up and left.
[A/N: Yayyy... Malapit na talagang matapos. T^T Pasensya na nga pala kung maraming error ah? Madalas kasi, hindi ko na to ini-edit. Sareh. 😁✌Ngayon ko pa talaga na sabi yan kung kelan patapos na eh noh? Haha. K.]
