A string of fate

31

"Do you have time?"

Saglit kong tiningnan si Maxine at saka marahang tumango. She smiled at me. A genuine smile that I can't help but to smile back. I don't know what's with her but I didn't expect myself to be this calm when I saw her. I thought before that seeing her would be the end of me. I don't hate her but she was the reason why Primo didn't give the label I wanted. Hindi nya kasalanan pero malinaw sa akin noon kung paano ako multuhin ng katotohanang 'yon.

Pinagmasdan ko si Maxine mula sa counter ng cafe kung nasaan kami. I don't know her personally and this is the first time seeing her in person but it's all clear why Primo fell in love with her. She's nice. The way she speaks, acts, everything, says that she's an educated and classy woman.

"Here.."

Nag angat ako ng tingin kay Maxine na nilapag ang mga in-order nyang drinks. We don't really know each other personally and I didn't expect her to be like this. She's not acting so friendly but she's not intimidating too. Napansin ko na nahihiya din sya. Maybe this is really her. She looks so soft and sweet. It's like she's the type of person that everyone will like.

"I'm sorry to take your time, Seah. I had a chance so I grab it." Sabi ni Maxine. The way she said my name made me think that she really knows me.

"It's fine. Pauwi nadin naman ako.." Sabi ko at tipid na ngumiti sa akin. "Anong gusto mong pag usapan? How did you know me?" Tanong ko at napansin kong natigilan sya.

For someone who has a soft personality like her, I don't know if my way of talking is kinda mean or rude to her. I don't have any intention to make her feel bad but I'm not her to waste time either. She wants to talk to me and it's a big question for me.

"Why not? Primo's always saying your name. Years passed and it's still you."

"What?" Diretso ko syang tiningnan. "What do you mean?"

"He's wanting you back, right? I was with him for the last three years and I saw how much he waited for you. I saw how his eyes lights up when he found out that you came back." Tuluyan na akong natigilan nang marinig 'yon. "I was stupid, you know. I let him go before and I know he had a hard time handling our break up. Now I'm trying to win him back. Now that he's in love with someone else already."

"He waited for you. He didn't give his all to me because of you.." Kusa nalang 'yong lumabas sa bibig ko. It's like those words stuck inside me for years, waiting for it to come out. "I don't know you but everything about you hurt me years ago. You were always his reasons." Sabi ko at tila ba hindi na nagulat si Maxine nang marinig 'yon.

"He didn't wait for me to come back. He waited for himself to heal. Not just with our break up but also for those shits that happened to him. I was just added to his plate." I remains silent as I tried to absorb the words from Maxine. "He's always dealing with his personal issue. His career, life, and his family. Our relationship is the only thing that saves him. But we're not perfect. I got tired and broke up with him."