Deal Breaker (Published under Pop Fiction, Summit Publishing)

Chapter 45: Dealing With It

"Do you think his heart is still whole this time?"

Napaisip ako. Tama nga naman siya. How can a mother be right all the time?

Umiling ako.

"He deserves some closure. You just can't leave him hanging there."

Sunod sunod na yung patak ng luha ko. Ganito ba talaga dapat kahirap? Ganito ba talaga dapat yung pagdaanan ko? Tumango ako. She's right. He doesn't deserve any of this. Pinunasan ko yung luha ko tapos tumayo ako at lumabas ng kwarto.

Hindi ko pa alam ang sasabihin ko. Ano nga bang sasabihin mo kapag makikipaghiwalay ka sa taong mahal na mahal mo? Malay ko. Kayo tinatanong ko eh. Tss.

Nakita ako ni Jacob. "You think you can do it?" he asks.

Tumango lang ako.

"Princess you don't have to do it now. If it'll hurt you so much then do it some other time."

He's wrong. It'll hurt just the same kahit kailan ko pa gawin. Naglakad na ko palabas at nung nakita ako ni Dominic, biglang nag-enlighten yung mukha niya.

Nung nasa tapat na niya ako he hugged me tight. He burried his face on my neck and whispered. "I missed you."

I didn't hugged him back. No matter how much I wanted to. I can't. And what hurts the most is he's still willing to hug me kahit na ganito ang ginagawa ko sa kanya. Yumuko lang ako. I can't look at him in the eyes.

"What's going on princess?"

Yung boses niya...

DAMN! I never thought it would be this hard.

"Charles. What's going on?"

Napatingin ako sa likod at nandun nga si Ed.

"Nicole, I think you should go inside. I'll try to explain it to him." At that moment, I know he's helping me, pero...

"No. Ako ang kakausap sa kanya."

Tumingin ako pabalik kay Dominic. This time inipon ko lahat ng lakas ko para matignan siya ng direkta sa mata. "I think you should marry Cass." I said coldly.

It takes him a few seconds to process what I just said. "What?" namula bigla yung mukha niya sa galit.

"You marry Cassandra and I'll marry Charles."

Tumawa siya ng konti pero walang humor sa pagtawa niya.

"You want me to marry Cass? Naririnig mo ba sarili mo Princess?"

"Ofcourse." I'm still looking into his eyes. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's acting or faking it.

"You know I don't love her."

"I know, but you have to."

"Huh! You're unbelievable. Why are you saying all these things to me?"

"Because you should hear these things. Papakasalan ko si Charles and you to Cass. That's how it works."

"No. It doesn't have to be that way."

"This is how it should be. We're not meant to be Dominic." I tried to force a small smile after.

"What made you say that we're not? We both love each other."

"Do you think it's enough?" Tinaas ko yung kilay ko.

"It is more than enough."

I wanted to believe in him pero umiling ako. "It's not enough Dominic. You see, everything's against us. Your family. My family. And other people's family. Reality bites isn't it? But the sad truth is, you can never bite back."