Mr Bitter meets Ms Proper

FOURTY-FIVE

"Hoy Kevin James! Saan mo ba ako dadalhin?!" hinila hila ako ni Kevin sa loob nang mall. Katatapos lang namin magsimba. Eto ba ang sinasabi niyang masayang gagawin namin?! Eh hindi nga ako nakakaramdam ng kahit kunting kasayahan man lang.

"Pwede ba dahan dahan lang sa paglakad Kevs? Maawa ka naman sa legs ko! Lintek ka!"

"You know why you are having a hard time catching up?"

"Oo! Kasi ang bilis mong maglakad ang laki pa ng steps mo!"

"Nope!"

"Oh eh di ano?" huminto kami sa tapat ng isang botique.

"It is because your jeans limits you to move your legs. Courts naman, simula noon hanggang ngayon. Jeans pa rin ba? Jogging pants? At shirts? At isa pa, rubber shoes?! Sabihin mo nga, mamamatay ka ba pag magsusuot ka ng ibang damit bukod sa mga baduy mong outfits?!"

"Hoy Mr. Stewart! Masyado ka naman atang mapanghusga! At FYI, kung ang pagsuot ko ng jeans ay ang reason behind not catching up sa pacing mo sa paglalakad, eh di sana nahihirapan ka rin. Kasi, you are also wearing the same brand of jeans I am wearing! Kaya pwede, hindi ako baduy. Conservative nga! Nakakainis naman kayo eh!" nagpipigil lang ng tawa ang mokong. Naku nga naman. Ang sarap hampasin! Leche!

"Oo na sige na. I was just messing with you. Pero I am serious. If you wanna win back yung sira mong boyfrie---."

"Anong sira? Kung sapakin kaya kita!"

"Sorry na ho. Okay eto na, kung gusto mong makuha muli ang pinakamamahal mong boyfriend, first is, we need to make you look like he'd lost something as good and as beautiful as you."

"He didn't lose me Kevs, nakalimutan lang niya ako for a valid reason."

"And he will forever forget you if you'll stick to the old you Courts."

"Excuse me, Nathan loved me for me!"

"The OLD Nathan loved you for you! Pero the Nathan now loves sexy ladies like Scarlet. Kaya lumaban ka naman Courts."

"Alam mo Kevs. I don't want to be someone I'm not. Kasi, what if I get tired of the fake me ano nalang ang mangyayari, di ba?" Kevin kept quiet for a while na para bang nag iisip. Naku lang.

"Courtney, when that time comes na you'd get tired of being what and who you are not. Then just let yourself free. Kasi, if someone really loves you he'll love you no matter what. I just want to help you look better. Kasi I want to make Nathan notice you. Kasi he'll never notice you kung ganyan ka." then I remembered how he forced me to wear those dresses nung nag vacation kami. I guess, kahit na sinabi niya na he loves me for being the simple me, he still wishes na kahit konti man lang maging kagaya ako ng mga flings niya noon.

"Okay fine Kevs. Panalo ka this time. Ngayon lang talaga." and now I agree that change is the only constant thing in this world.

Ngumiti lang si Kevin and brought me inside the first botique we saw.

This is really is it is it ng bonggang bongga.

We went into more than 10 shops sa mall. From shoes and sandals to dresses, shorts to blouses and from clips to hair ties. Grabeh lang ang shopping galore namin ni Kevs ngayon.

"Courts, you better pay me. Naubos savings ko sayo."

"This is your idea after all." tumawa lang kami ng sabay at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Nag usap lang kami nang a familiar voice interrupted us.

"Oh look. My girlfriend and his bestfriend." Kevin and I both looked straight sa person na nagsabi nun.

He is with Scarlet. Ang sweet nila tingnan. Magkahawak pa ng kamay. This is just too much. Ni wala pa ngang 1 week simula nung operation, ito agad?! Sila na?!

Natulala lang kaming dalawa ni Kevin. Kasi, we did not expect this.

At ako, gustong gusto ko na siyang lapitan at yakapin kasi miss na miss ko na siya. I should have been in Scarlet's place. Ako sana yan eh.

"So, what are the both of you doing here?" tanong niya sa amin ni Kevin.

"I just took her shopping. Gusto ko lang siyang tulungan maging masaya at masigla ulit. Kasi, you've hurt her so much."

"Excuse me, hinding hindi sinaktan ni John ang babaeng haliparot na yan! In fact, he doesn't even know that friend of yours!" nakayuko lang ako. Kasi masyadong masakit na he is not reacting kahit na ang panget na ng pinagsasabi ni Scarlet. Kahit konting respeto man lang, hindi niya maibigay. Nahihirapan akong tingnan siya kasi, I can't bear to see them together. I can't take it, to see and feel na I don't belong to him anymore. Kasi we've made promises. He promised me that he'd marry me.

I tried to look at Nathan. I needed to see some hope na baka there is something I can show him na bukod lang sa contract. Pero when I looked at him, he's not wearing the necklace we bought so photo shop. He's wearing a different ring. Then I turned to examine Scarlet's hand and then there it is. They are wearing the same pair of ring. So I guess, sila na nga.

"Kevs, uwi na tayo." nasasaktan na ako ng sobra.

"Oh, why go home? Nahihiya ka na ba sa eskandalong ginawa mo?" diretsong tanong sa akin ni Nathan. So this is the real him. Yung taong palaging napapahamak, yung taong panggugulo lang alam. Yung taong nabago ko na sana.

Nagalit ako sa kanya. And this time it's not because nagseselos ako, kasi I know it's not his fault na nakalimutan niya ako. Nagalit ako sa kanya kasi hindi siya marunong rumespeto. He just talks and talks without thinking what other people might feel. Akala ko he just forgets memories. Pati rin pala manners nakalimutan rin niya. Mahal ko siya pero sumusobra naman ata.

"No Nathan, hindi ako nahihiya sa ginawa kong eskandalo. Kasi unang una sa lahat, wala akong dapat ikahiya kasi nagsasabi ako ng totoo. Wala akong dapat ikahiya kasi ikaw ang nawalan ng ala ala at ako ang nakakaalam sa lahat. Uuwi ako not because I feel guilty of what I've done, uuwi ako to stay away from people like the two of you. Kasi mga makasarili kayo. You both don't care of what others feel. Itatak mo lang sa isip at puso mo, pag dumating ang panahon na maalala mo ang lahat, maalala mo how you used to love me that you almost let yourself die just to be with me, you are gonna beg for my love again. Kasi this time, I am not going to let myself drool over a person like you again!" I grabbed Kevin's hand and walked passed them. Galit na galit ako.

Wala akong pakialam kung anong mga sinabi ko sa kanya.

Pero isa lang ang alam ko, whatever I said back there, I meant it and I am going to stand with it.