The Third Side of a Love Story

Chapter 7

Why does he have to this honest? He didn't even bother that he's hurting me. He just keep on explaining things I don't want to hear anymore.

"Selena..." He repeated her name again as if it's his new favorite word.

"I..."

Nakikinig lamang ako sa kanya habang siya ay hindi malaman kung itutuloy ba ang sasabihin o hindi. I know he's afraid that I might get hurt. Pero hindi niya alam, nasasaktan na ako habang hindi pa siya nagsasalita.

Patingin tingin siya sa paligid at iniiwasan ang mga mata ko. But in the end, he had no choice but to look at me.

"I...like her..."

I knew it...

I knew it already. I just pretend that I don't.

Noong araw pa lamang na ipinakilala ni Gio sa akin si Selena. Naramdaman ko na may kakaiba kay Justin. Nagbulag bulagan lamang ako sa lahat at umasa na maaaring mali ako.

Na maaaring mali ako na may nagugustuhan na nga siyang iba.

Dahil kilala ko na siya noon pa. At sa mga titig niya pa lang kay Selena nang araw na iyon, alam kong gusto na siya ni Justin.

Alam ko iyon dahil ganoon din ako tumingin sa lalaking ito na nasa harap ko ngayon.

That's the way how I look at him since day one. The look as if you're longing. The look as if you misses that someone even though that person is in front of you. The way you look like you cannot look at somebody else the same way.

That's how I exactly look at Justin. At ganoon niya din tiningnan si Selena nang araw na iyon.

If I can only stop my heart from beating so that it won't hurt anymore. Kahit sandali lang, gusto kong hindi muna masaktan.

I've study hard but no one teaches me on how to deal with a broken heart.

Ramdam ko ang pag-init ng gilid ng mga mata ko. At paunti unti, kahit gusto kong pigilan, tears fall on its own. Ayaw magpapigil ng mga luhang nag uunahan sa pagtulo.

For a second, I forgot how to speak.

Nakatingin lamang ako sa ibaba at iniiwasan na tumingin pa muli sa mga mata ni Justin.

I felt his hand touches my face. He wipe the tears on it. Dahil sa ginawa niya, lalo lang dumami ang luhang tumulo doon. Hanggang sa hindi ko na napigilan.

He pulled me close and hugged me.

"I'm sorry. Hindi ko sinasadya." he said. But I don't think if he's really sorry.

He fell. He have the chance to ignore his growing feelings to her like what he keep on doing to me. But he chose to fell harder. I don't think if that's really worth apologizing for.

Besides, I am not his girlfriend. So technically, he didn't cheat. It's more of a betrayal.

I didn't hug him back but we stayed that way for minutes. And when I get tired of crying, I clear my throat and try to speak anything.

"Justin...Selena's dating Gio..."

"I know...and that's..." I heard him sighed. "that's really fucked up."