Never Been Taken

Chapter 33: Overwhelmed

I stopped at the entrance and look to our company name. Today is the day. I inhale and exhale. And look at my reflection from the glass door. I wore a white turtle neck dress and a 6-inch heels. I put make up too. Okay na kaya to? Maganda ba? May malalait ba sila?

Pakshet.

My hand is sweating. I'm excited, nervous and happy. Lahat na. This is the day I need to break my silence from all the issues people throw at me.

"You look perfect." John whispered and kissed my sweaty hands.

I looked at him and managed to smile while he's looking at me na para bang perpekto talaga ako. Sweet naman neto.

He squeeze my hand, reminding me that he's just beside me. I nod at him and started walking again. Buti na lang andyan siya. Ngayon, palagi... andyan siya.

Magkahawak kamay kaming lumabas papunta ng stage. Agad namin nakita ang barkada dahil na rin sa hawak ni Erwin na board na may nakalagay na "Saiorse" kinawayan namin sila.

"What do you want to say to

Habang patagal ng patagal ay palalim ng palalim ang mga tanong. They ask about me, what really happened, they even ask Gale, dahil isa siya sa mga kaibigan at nakikilala sakin na kilala ng mga tao. She's an international model at kilala siya ng mga tao. She's not an actress but her modeling career is so good na nakikilala ang pangalan niya. Hanggang sa maipaliwanag ko na ang side ko at ang totoong nangyari. Nakita ko ang mga reaksyon ng mga tao, may mga tumango at naniwala at meron din namang nagbulungan at hindi naniwala.

But I don't really care, may maniwala man sakin o wala ang mahalaga yung mga taong malapit sakin naniwala sakin at hindi ako iniwan. The only thing I care right now is I already spill my side. And somehow I know I cleared my name.

"Are you guys really dating?" The host asked.

"Yes." We immediately answered.

"This time, Aga, are you sure with the love you have?"

I looked at John, and smile, "I'm so sure of you."

"Wow. You didn't even think twice." The host reacted pero hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko kay John.

Pinagsigawan niya na sa buong mundo kung ano ako sa kanya. Pagkakataon ko na na sabihin sa buong mundo kung ano siya sa akin.

"I thought things will continue send me flashback and leaves a permanent scars that can give me fear and doubted minds and feelings to fall in love again, to find someone who will take charge of me, not just being who I am in this present situation, but to carry myself with love and acceptance together my past hurts and everything. Lagi kang andyan. You are the reason why I'm not hurting anymore. You didn't heal me. But you made me heal myself. Because of the love you me." He looked at me like he didn't expect me to say that. I just smiled at him and look at him with all the love I have for him. "You take me to the places I want to go when I was sad and broken, you make me smile and laugh, you give me everything, do sacrifices, and proves that your love is not just a word but an action who will take charge whatever it takes."

He squeeze my hand, "Everything for you."

"I always get my heart shattered, people always leave and get tired of me. I only knew true love existed in fictions and movies. Pero dahil hopeless romantic ako, hinanap ko yung pagmamahal na sinasabi nila. Pero niloko lang ako, pinaglaruan, ginamit. Hindi ko naranasan yung sinasabi nilang totoong pagmamahal. I've always thought that it's too good to be true. But then, you came into my life. You made me realize that true love do exist. Na hindi yun hinahahanap. Dahil yung true love mismo ang makakahanap sayo, na dadating yung true love na yun, sa tamang oras at panahon. You gave me the feeling that I never felt towards someone else before. Ever since you came, I ended up believing in faith, destinies and fantasies about love, you made every love story written in this world all worth believing and you changed my point of view, it's all because of you." We just look at each other's eyes for a good minute.

"Kilig much!" The barkada reacted. May kasama pang pagtayo ni Erwin at pagwagayway ng hawak niyang board.

"Saiorse?" The host read what's written on the board.

And that's our que, Bago matapos ang interview namin ay inimbitahan namin ng mga tao para sa 'Grand Opening: Saiorse" ng Bar & Club.

Habang pauwi kami ng apartment ay ngiting ngiti ang boypren ko. Kaya pati ako ngiti ng ngiti. Para kaming mga baliw tapos pagmagkakatinginan bigla na lang kaming matatawa. Ang baliw di ba?

He kissed my hand, "I will give my every best to hold on and love you for the rest of our story."

"I will love you and only you. No more past. Because your my present and future now."

"I love you." He kissed my hand again and again and murmured 'I love you' while kissing my hand.

"I love you so... much." My voice cracked.

"Hey, why are you" agad niyang napansin na umiiyak ako, agad niyang tinabi ang sasakyan, at hinawakan ang mukha ko, at pinunasan ang luha ko, "why are you crying?"

Pakshet. Napaka iyakin ko lang.

"I just love you so much." Sabi ko at tumawa na parang baliw.

Nababaliw na nga ata ako. Nababaliw na ko sa pagmamahal ko sa kanya at kung paano niya ko mahalin. Nakakabaliw. Nakakaadik.

"I love you so much more." Sabi niya at niyakap ako ng mahigpit. "I love you."

Hanggang sa umiyak na ko ng tuluyan habang yakap yakap niya. Umiiyak ako hindi dahil na sasaktan ako. Umiiyak ako dahil iyakin ako. Umiiyak ako dahil sobrang saya ko. Umiiyak ako dahil ang tagal kong hinintay na mahanap niya ko. Umiiyak ako dahil alam kong siya na yun para sakin.

Tinignan niya ko at pinanasan ang mga luha ko. Tinignan niya ko sa mata. Hanggang sa sabay kaming mapapikit ng maglapat ang mga labi namin.