Hija, hindi ka pa kakain? Baka lumamig yang niluto mo. Napalingon ako ng magsalita si manang.
I looked around and saw tons of food on the table. Lahat ay paborito niya.
Hindi pa po ba nanakuwi si Briantt? I asked manang kahit alam ko ang isasagot niya. I looked at her and saw her sad face. Sa emosyon na pinapakita niya alam ko na ang sagot. Hes not home again.
I looked at the food and sighed. Masasayang na naman ito.
Hija, sige na. Sasabayan nalang kita kumain. Napakasarap pa naman ng mga niluto mo at baka masayang lamang iyan. Manang comforted me. I forced a smile.
Kahit wala akong ganang kumain ay bawal tanggihan ang biyaya. Bit by bit I tried the food and smiled. It still tastes like before, it still taste lik his favourite.
We were in the middle of our meal nang bumukas ang pinto sa salas. My heart beat went rapid as I saw who was going in. He was wearing a black polo with three buttons opened and black pants. Nasa kamay nito ang lab coat nito.
Kahit hindi pa ako tapos sa pagkain ko ay tumayo na ako at agad itong nilapitan.
Hub, your home! Kumain ka na? Come, lets eat. I cooked your favourite . i told him joyfully. But I felt my heart sank when he looked at me blankly before going upstairs.
hija. I heard manang call pero mas nangingibabaw ang sakit na nararamdaman ko. I felt hot tears pool in the corner of my eyes. Mabilis koi tong pinahid and I excused myself. I heard manang call me again but I went out.
I just saw myself going to the bushes. Ang mansion ay nasa isang pribadong subdivision. It felt like a house in the hill sapagkat pinagisa ang bahay at ang gubat. A lot of people hated how it looked cause some said that it looked like a good place for an American horror movie but for me, no. It was different.
This neighbourhood looked like a setting from Twighlight. This was away from the city. Naririnig ko ang ibat-ibang boses sa gubat. But that didnt matter to, sanay na ako. I ran and ran until I finally reached the river. Hinihingal pa ako ng maupo ako sa gilid. Hinayaan kong malaglag ang paa sa tubig.
Why did we end like this? wala sa sariling saad ko.
I looked at my reflection in the water and i wanted to laugh seeing myself. Akala ko ba isa kang bitch,chia. Then why the heck are you crying?!
Nagmumukha akong tanga na tumatawa habang umiiyak. Hindi naman ganyan si Briantt noon. He was so different. Ni saktan at pagsalitaan ako ay hindi niya kayang gawin. He was kind and warm. Ibang-iba sa briantt na kasama ko ngayon. He were close. He was my bestfriend.
He was my other half not until that, damn marriage.
He was in another relationship when everything happened. Zi was a band singer. Her relationship with Briantt was never smooth dahil hindi ayon si tita ditto. Tita was very against their relationship dahil ika pa niya, Zi was a girl without dreams.
Zi had a lot of vices pero dahil mahal siya ni Briantt , he ignored everything. But tita was the opposite. Because of Zi, Briantt kept on missing his class at lagging mababa ang mga grades niya. He was busy accompanying Zi in her gigs and night outs. Tita new she was bad for him. And I felt it too. And tita ought to find ways to break them apart. Then that was when briantts 21st birthday came, doon nila ginawa ang plano.
Tita planned to get us drunk saka may mangyayari, Zi will see it. I agreed to the plan because, I love him.Sariwa pa sa utak ko ang gabing yun. How I thought it would be the happiest night of my life but it became the worst.
FLASHBACK
Chia, hija. Are you sure about this? I know you love my son, hija. But I am not forcing you to do this. Ill think of another way, hija. I sighed before hinawakan ang kamay ni titan a nasa kamay ko.
I..i think I can do this, tita. Para naman din poi to sa ikabubuti niya.
I looked at tita and she looked guilty. I know she doesnt want me to do this. But we need to.
I was hesitant to accept her but when I saw how briantt loves her, I turned a blind eye. But I cant let her ruin my sons life when shes under..
the influence of drugs. Ako na ang tumapos sa sasabihin ni tita.Yes, Zi is using drugs.
I didnt believe it at first dahil wala naman sa itsura at asta niya. I know she had vices but I never knew that she could go to that extent. Nalaman lang namin iyon from Titas friend which was a police officer.
Nasangkot si Ziara sa isang Buy Bust operation. She was jailed but she was bailed by someone. They didnt disclose anything but they told us that the one that bailed her was some Mayor or Governor from their province. We thought that it would only happen once but now, tita just got another news that Zi got jailed again. Tita doesnt want briantt to get envolved in Zis shenanigans. At ayaw ko rin na madamay siya.
Hey, boo. What you doing? Halos tumalon ako nang may yumakap sa akin galing sa likod. From his scent I could know who it was. Tita looked startled too.
Im fine, birthday boy. Naguusap lang kami ni tita about something. He looked at his mother before looking back at me.
Naku, baka may plano kayo sa akin ha. I stilled with the words he said. Ganoon din si tita. Good thing that I recovered faster at saka pekeng tumawa.
Crazy! Sige na mag enjoy ka na doon. Pagtataboy ko sa kanya. He sighed before he kissed my forehead and his moms. Bago ito lumabas.
I didnt know how everything happened but I just woke up with a headache and voices from people shouting.
HOW COULD YOU, MOM?! I LOVE HER.
SHE WASNT GOOD FOR YOU,ANAK! SHE WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE. CHIARA IS A BETTER CHOICE! Even with my blurry vision I tried to open my eyes and looked around. At parang tila nawala ang epekto ng alak na nainom ko kanina nang mapagtanto ang nangyayari.
Tita was crying in the corner while Briantt was near the veranda. He was half naked, only wearing his house shorts. He was red and he was in tears. I looked at myself and saw that I was naked with only the bedsheets covering me.
Napansin ata nila na gising ako. I was going to smile at him nang sinalubong niya ako ng mukha na puno nang galit at sakit. His eyes were so red.
B-boo,t-tell me. Hindi mo sinasadya ang nangyari diba? This is all moms plan, r-right? B-biktima k-ka rin ditto. My heart felt like it was going to burst dahil sa sakit. Puno nang pagsusumamo ang boses nito. My eyes was starting to create tears. I looked at him with an apologetic look and I felt my heart break a thousand pieces when, I knew he realised what happened.
FYCK,BOO! HOW COULD YOU! HOW COULD YOU! YOU ARE MY BESTFRIEND! SA LAHAT NG MGA TAONG KASAMA KO IKAW ANG PINAKAPINAGKAKATIWALAAN KO! AND YOU FUCKIN DO THIS TO ME? WHY?! He was holding me on both my shoulders while frantically shaking me. I know he was too heartbroken by the way his voice cracked.
My tears could not stop falling. I didnt know kung bakit. Dahil ba sa higpit nang pagkakahawak niya o dahil sa guilt na nararamdaman ko. The guilt that I just ruined my bestfriends trust. His heart.
Im sorry. That was the only thing that came out of my mouth. It was even barely heard.
He slowly walked away from me. Tila ba kada hakbang niya ay binabasag ang puso ko. He was shaking his head frantically while pulling his hair. When he reached the door, he looked at me. And there I felt my heart, die. He gave me a look that I never knew Id be able to see in this lifetime.
I dont wanna ever fucking see you again, Chiara Azhria. Never. He said before closing the door so hard na gumalaw ang buong kwarto.
He looked at me with pain, regret, anger and disgust. Knowing that I have truly lost the man I love, it didnt only kill my heart, it killed me.
END OF FLASHBACK
I looked up the sky before finally looking at the flowing river.
Baka bukas ok na ulit, baka.
