OPERATION: Make Ligaw to him

Sixth Move

"Ako pa talaga ang hindi marunong umintindi?" I sneered. "Tuwing busy ka, tuwing palagi mong kina-cancel ang mga plano natin, ano sa tingin mo ang nararamdaman ko? Magiging masaya? Sinabi mo pa talagang hindi ako marunong umintindi when all these years I'm trying so hard to understand you!"

Nakita kong may tumulong luha sa mata niya. Ayaw kong nakikita siyang nasasaktan pero tama na itong ganitong sitwasyon. Napapagod din ako. Nawawalan din ako ng pasensya.

"Ginagawa ko ang lahat ng ito kasi my parents look up to me. There is no room for me to mess up or get distracted. They are counting to me, can't you see that? And I am fed up..." Pinunasan niya ang luha na naglandas sa pisngi niya. "Hindi ko ginustong masaktan ka, okay? I didn't want any of this to happen."

"A-anong ibig mong sabihin?" Damn! Is she saying what I think she's saying?

"Itigil mo na ang panliligaw mo. You must be tired of this set-up so, please. Lumayo ka na muna sakin," aniya na may hinanakit sa boses.

No! I will not let that happen. She cannot just throw me away like that! I won't let her.

"Are you serious? Tatapusin mo na ang lahat nang ganun-ganun lang?" Hindi ko na kinaya. My voice cracked when I said those words. It was all coming down to me-- everything. "D-did you ever loved me?"

Tiningnan ko siya sa mata. I was hoping to see the tenderness in her eyes like she always shows but now it was gone, her eyes were now different. She now looks at me differently.

I can't help but feel the pain again at mas lalo akong nasaktan nang sinabi niyang, "Im sorry... alam ko rin namang hindi tayo magtatagal. We were bound to get hurt and fall apart. It's just too bad that it was today out of all days. When I'm trying to relieve myself out of stress-- and for you to see me in a situation that doesn't even exist... ang lokohin ka."

"No..."

"It's over, Dale. Goodbye..."

And just like that, it was all over.

Sa ilang taon na pagsasama namin, sa paghihintay ko, bigla na lang niyang binitawan ang lahat. Kumapit ako kasi akala ko may pag-asa na maging kami ngunit hindi pala... I thought it all wrong. I was seeing the different side of the picture. That she no longer holds me. Or at least she never did.

Sinubukan ko siyang kausapin nang pumasok sa school. Hinanap ko siya sa mga sulok at tinanong pa ang mga kaibigan. When I finally did see her...

"Honey..."

Nakita ko siyang kasama yung tarantado. Nagke-kwentuhan pa sila na parang walang nagyaring bangayan. Ni hindi niya ako pinapansin at nakatuon lang ang atensyon sa gagong iyon. It's like she's pretending that I dont exist anymore.

Lumapit ako sa kanila. Alam kong naramdaman niya ang presensya ko dahil sa sandaling pagkatigil niya. "Honey... we need to talk."

"Wala na tayong dapat pag-usapan pa. We ended everything, remember?" she said coldly.

"Hindi ako sang-ayon."

"Hindi ko kailangan ng approval mo. I don't need someone who can't even trust me."

"I'm gonna give you two some space..." Tatayo na sana yung kasama niya nang pigilan naman ni Honey. Naikuyom ko ang aking kamao sa nakitang paghawak niya ng kamay nito.

"You stay here..." She looked at me at the side of her eye. "He leaves."

"Honey, don't be like this."

"Huwag mo akong pinipilit sa mga bagay na ayoko na, Dale. Everything was crystal clear between the both of us. Do me a favor and try not to embarrass yourself in front of many people again.