Since You First Believed

Chapter 28

A/N: Nasa multimedia section yung sinasabi kong 'pagkakatali ng buhok ni Dave'. Haha! Wala lang. Ewan ko ba, for some reason natuwa ako sa man bun style na yan. :)) 

Wag kalimutan mag-vote and comment! Thank you readers! :D

Chapter 28: Let Go

- Issa's POV - 

Tiningnan ko ang repleksyon ko sa salamin pagkatapos kong isuot ang simpleng light pastel blue dress na may designs na ka-match ng flat shoes ko. Sinuklay ko ang buhok ko at hinayaan lang itong nakalugay. Naglagay lang din ako ng kaunting baby powder at lipgloss. And lastly, isinuot ko na ang glasses ko.

Huminga ako ng malalim para kalmahin ang sarili. Isang linggo na ang nakakalipas magsimula noong unang araw ng second semester. At ngayong gabi, gaganapin ang gathering na napag-usapan namin ni Dan. Tonight is the night we are going to tell everyone about our relationship. Kahit na alam kong formality lang ito at alam kong open naman ang families namin pagdating sa amin, medyo kinakabahan pa rin ako. Maybe because I didn’t want to be the center of attention? Or because I didn’t want it to become too much of a big deal? But they’re our family, they really deserve to know.

Family. Pupunta kaya siya? Wait Issa, what are you thinking about?! Or rather, who?!! Bakit mo siya naisip? Pero… paano kung pumunta nga siya? Umiling ako. Hindi naman siguro siya darating. Para kasing balik na ang lahat sa dati. Pagkatapos nung Monday na simula ng pasukan, absent na siya buong week. Hindi ko siya nakita sa school kahit saan ako magpunta. Hindi ko rin siya naaabutan bago pumasok at pagkauwi galing sa school. No signs of him. But I really felt better about that. Because the truth is? Hindi ko na siya kayang makita pa ulit. Ayoko, please wag. I can’t.

“Issa, are you ready?” My thoughts were broken when I heard that familiar voice call me from below.

Daniel. He’s the only one I should be thinking about right now. Our relationship. How happy we were for the past week and how we are right now. How he never got tired showing me how much I am loved. And best, how he understood that there were moments when I couldn’t help but feel sad about breaking Dave’s heart. But the question is, did I really break his heart when all he showed me was a complete act?

I shook my head and stopped. I looked at myself one last time. Huminga ulit ako ng malalim at nagsimulang bumaba ng hagdan. As expected, sinalubong ako ni Dan.

He flashed that signature smile of his, yung ngiti niyang ilang taon ko na rin kinakikiligan. To be honest, natutuwa ako sa tuwing ngumingiti siya. He always looks so happy because he smiles so widely.

“You look so beautiful.” Halos pabulong niyang sabi sa akin. And as expected, namula na naman ang pisngi ko. Hindi talaga ako sanay na binibigyan ng compliment!

“T-Thank you. You look handsome as well.” Nahihiya kong sagot sa kanya. Because that’s the truth! It can’t be helped, ang gwapo kasi niya! He was wearing a blue-striped polo shirt, jeans and sneakers. He always looks forever fresh, paano ba niya nagagawa yun?

“Shall we?” Tanong niya. Nginitian ko siya at sumukbit sa braso niya. Sabay kaming naglakad papunta sa open space sa likod ng bahay nila Ate Mel, kung saan namin ginagawa yung mga gathering katulad ng dati.