When You Love Someone

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

  Nagmamadali kami sa paglalakad ni Zoey. Na parang may tinatakbuhan kami dahil meron naman talaga. We almost bumped into him. Pero bago pa man ay napansin ko na agad ang maraming taong nakapaligid sa kanya habang inescort naman sila ng mga guards ng mall. I don't really know who he is with, he's a man in his 40's maybe. Who cares?

"Mommy, can we slow down?" Akay-akay ko pa si Zoey. I'm trying na makalayo sa kanya, yes, it's Noah. Pero dahil nga maliit pa ang mga hakbang ni Zoey ay hindi rin kami makalayo. Hindi naman pwedeng kaladkarin ko siya, I can't also lift her up dahil may mga dala akong pinamili namin kanina.

"Hi, Tricia, pwede magpapicture?" Gosh. I don't want to ignore anyone kaya pinagbigyan ko ito. After that lumingon pa ako kina Noah. I'm not sure pero nakita ko ang pagngiti ng nagpaicture sa akin which I ignored at nagmadali na ulit kami.

Binilisan ko pa ang lakad ko and I almost forgot about my daughter hanggang sa madapa na ito and she cried. At mabilis ang mga sumunod na pangyayari kaya di ko na nagawang umiwas pa.

"Are you okay?" He's not looking at me. Tuon ang pansin niya kay Zoey. At napansin ko ang biglang pagiging blangko ng ekspresyon ng mukha ng lumingon sa kanya ito. At pagbaling nito ng tingin sa akin ay nagtama pa ang mga mata naming dalawa at doon ko na rin naman tinuluyang tumayo ang anak ko at inaya na itong lumayo roon pagtayo na nito.

"Let's go, Zoey." Hinawakan ko na ulit ang kamay nito at nagmadali na kaming umalis roon. I saw people capturing that moment, pero ayaw ko na rin munang problemahin iyon sa ngayon.

Pag-uwi ko pa lang ng bahay ay sumalubong na agad sa akin ang balitang yun. Ang bilis kumalat, people have uploaded that video instantly baka nga di pa ako nakakarating dito. "Grabe, small world. Sadami-dami ng mall dito sa Manila, pareho pa talaga kayo ng napuntahan." Komento ni Bonnie na nagtungo dito dahil sa balitang iyon.

"Uhh, I hate this." Hindi ko na maiwasang maiwasang mainis. I'm a very calm person. Kahit sa mga pagkakataong I know things are getting complicated. Focus kasi ako sa positive side ng lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay ko. But this? I don't think there is a positive side on this. "Sino ba kasing nagpapakalat ng lahat ng to? Wala namang nakakaalam about me and Noah bukod sayo..."

Napahawak sa dibdib si Bonnie. "Ako talaga be?Bestfriend mo ako eh." I don't mean na pagbintangan siya. But indeed he is the only one who knew about all this. My mom don't even know about it, and my sister Frankie. Wait...

"Wait?" Sabay pa kami ni Bonnie. "...si Ingrid!" Ingrid used to be my client nung make up artist pa lang ako. When I started ng my career sa social media, he fired me. Feeling kasi niya ay kinakalaban ko siya and I'm really trying to put her down which is not. We were also friends, we are a team. I jut thought of trying dahil passion ko talaga to. I consider it an art...I don't really talk to her anymore at wala akong balak na kausapin pa ito not even after this. I just think it's awkward

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako pagkabanggit ni Bonnie sa kanya. The damage has been done, wala na rin naman kaming magagawa. As long as I don't peak about it. I don't also think Noah will. Maliban na lang kung kung sasakyan niya ang issue na to for his gains, gaya ng ginagawa ng ibang influencers that we all knew. But I don't think he will do it. Ayaw niya may makaalam na may anak na siya. At hindi niya pinanagutan ang responsibilidad niya dito.

Umiling-iling na lang ako. It'll pass for sure. I just have to ignore it.

But there is a surprise just the day after. Noah appeared on an interview at sinagot niya lahat ng tanong sa kanya. He admitted everything about me and Zoey with a lie...

"I only had to stay for a couple of months and when it was time for me to go, she didn't tell me anything. And I trust her so much, I love her. I know it was me, it's mine."