Denied (Revising)

Chapter 21

"Ano ba! Abot hanggang kabilang building iyang boses mo!" He just laughed with my remarks and then greeted me with a big hug. Agad ko namang sinuklian iyon dahil namimiss ko siya. We haven't seen each other ever since he went to college dahil naging busy siya and now that I'm in college too in the same university with him, I'm happy.

And France, he went to States. Doon siya nag-aral. Iyon nalang ang alam ko sa kanya. I don't even know if sila pa rin ba ng Ashley na iyon until now dahil hindi na ako kailan man bumalik pa sa villa sa mga nagdaang taon.

"May birthday's coming up. May gift ka na ba for me?" Tanong niya habang nakaakbay sa akin while we made our way to our department. Ihahatid niya daw ako sa unang klase ko.

"Hmm, what do you want?" Umakto naman siyang nag-iisip sa naging tanong ko sa kanya.

"A trip to Slovenia." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. He laughed with my reaction.

"Ang mahal naman!" I exclaimed. He ruffled my hair saka nangingiti pa rin.

"Eh wala ako maisip, ikaw na bahala." Agad naman akong tumango sa kanya.

**

"You're pouting again." Sinamaan ko ng tingin si London. He is wearing a black tuxedo at kahit na siya ang star of the night dahil birthday niya, ito siya, kinukulit ako. Well, it's not that i'm against it. Siya lang kasi ang tanging close ko dito.

"You did not tell he'll be here tapos kasama niya pa pala si Ashley. Imagine my shock!" Sigaw ko saka ko siya sinuntok sa braso. He acted like he was really hurt pero inirapan ko lang siya.

"Well, I never thought you'd still be affected. I thought you already moved on." I huffed saka mas itinuon nalang ang pansin sa pagkain ko.

There he was, looking so handsome in his tuxedo, nakakapit naman si Ashley sa braso niya looking so elegant with her black evening gown. She looked more mature and sophisticated. Bagay na bagay sila. Napatingin tuloy ako sa sarili ko. I'm wearing a gown, too but unlike hers medyo pang-teen yung akin and the color, it's purple! Gandang-ganda pa ako sa gown na ito kanina tapos ngayon parang naging pangit bigla sa paningin ko!

I never thought I'll see him again after all these years. He stayed sa States kasi at doon nagpatuloy sa pag-aaral so I don't know why he is home now. Hindi naman siya umuwi nang nakaraang birthday ni London, ah.

"He'll be studying here, again." Parang nabasa naman ni London ang tanong sa utak ko nang magsalita siya. He looked so uninterested and bored while he roamed his eyes around.

"That's unexpected. Why? And school already started, behind na siya." Komento ko. He just shrugged and then remained not looking at me.

"He never told us but I think I know his reason. Dito rin kasi ulit mag-aaral si Ashley so,"

"Oh." Ang tanging reaksyon ko nalang sa sinabi ni London.

Ashley na naman! Palagi nalang si Ashley! Doesn't he have a mind on his own?!

**

"Will you marry me?" Gasps filled the crowd.

France just asked Ashley the question in front of everyone. I was watching them. Birthday ngayon ni France, his 21st birthday. And I was not expecting that. Mukhang ako nga lang yata ang hindi nag-expect nito eh, and also Ashley.

They were just dancing a while ago. They were talking so seriously and they looked so sweet while they hugged each other as they danced in the middle of the dancing crowd.

I clenched my chest when it started hurting. Lumakas rin ang tibok ng puso ko. I am getting nervous but hurt at the same time. My knees are getting weak na parang anytime now ay magco-collapse ako sa kinatatayuan ko.