Just Because You Are

Chapter 18 - It Takes Two to Tango

As soon as they arrived home, they went straight to the bedroom in order to talk.

Raffie had just told her every little detail about what happened since she received Helena’s twits.

Louie listened attentively as her best friend shared about Vince’s FaceTime call, her mixed emotions about his sudden proposal, their argument, her uncontrolled emotional fits, and the unexpected arrival and consoling embrace she received from Quino.

“Good thing it’s now over. Huwag mo na syang iyakan, Chum.”

“Masakit pa rin, Louie…hindi mo maiaalis sa’kin na makaramdam ng sakit. Pakiramdam ko nasayang lahat nung mga magagandang panahon na pinagsamahan namin. I genuinely loved him, you know that,” Raffie confessed.

“Yes, you genuinely loved him. Loved. Past tense na,” Louie quipped. “So nami-miss mo pa rin sya, ganun ba?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t miss him. I miss who I thought he was,” was Raffie’s immediate reply.

“Well, at least nalaman mo rin na pareho kayong hindi pa prepared na maging seriously committed sa isa’t isa. You obviously want different things. Magkaiba kayo ng priority sa buhay,” Louie commented, squeezing Raffie’s hands. “So cheer up…andito lang ako.”

“Sinabi nya rin yan sa akin kanina,” Raffie said, looking thoughtful.

“Who?” Louie instantly asked with a curious expression. Then as she looked at Raffie’s thoughtful face she eventually figured out who it was. “Mabuti naman at andun sya sa tamang panahon…so ano na bang status ninyo ni Sir Quino, huh?”

“I don’t understand what you mean…matulog na tayo, Chum.”

“Huwag mo nang iwasan yung tanong ko. Nagpupuyat rin lang tayo, eh bakit hindi pa natin lubus-lubusin? Ano ba kase talaga?”

“We’re good friends.”

“Shucks, ang showbiz ng answer mo, huh! Lately palagi syang naka-buntot sa’yo…good friends lang?”

Raffie chose to remain silent as she lay on her back and hugged her pillow.

“Chum, Quino obviously has intentions to pursue you. Alam kong alam mo yan. And you also know very well that Robert has his eyes for you as well. Kanina nga nasa airport pa lang kami sobra na syang excited na makita ka. We actually dropped by the music school to pick you up coz he wanted to surprise you. But after a few minutes he went back to the car with a different mood tapos sinabihan nya si Harvey na punta na lang daw kami sa resto.”

Surprised to learn about it, Raffie sat on her bed and said, “Was it possible he saw me when Quino was there?…” her voice trailed off when she realized that Robert actually saw them.

“Hindi mag-iiba yung mood nya kung wala syang nakita. So tell me the truth, Chum. Kanino ka ba may feelings – kay Sir Quino o kay Prof Robert?”

Raffie shook her head. “Hindi ko masasagot yan, Chum. I’m way too confused. You know what I went through with Vince, and it hurts to have our two-year relationship end this way…maybe we’re not really meant for each other. But it does not mean I want to be involved in a relationship again this soon. Ayoko munang isipin ang mga bagay na yan.”