Napatingin si Daniel kay Kath na noon ay nasa sala kasama niya. HIndi pa dumadating ang mga magulang niya mula sa business trip ng mga ito sa Macau kaya naman sila lang dalawa doon noong araw na iyon.
Ilang beses na din niyang pinagpaliban ang haka-haka niya pero laging bumabalik sa kanya ang pakiramdam niyang may tinatago si Kath sa kanya. Mula pa kasi pagkabata kilala na niya ito, kilalang-kilala niya lahat ng kilos at galaw nito. Hindi sana sasagi sa isip niya ang mga ganoong bagay kung hindi niya nahalata ito kanina.
Hindi sinasadyang nagkadikit ang mga kamay nila habang nililigpit ang pinagkainan pagkatapos nilang kumain. Muntik na itong napatalon.
Ganito lagi ang kilos nito sa tuwing mag-isa lang sila sa pamamahay na iyon. Na parang hindi ito sanay na nahahawakan niya, nakakatabi sa upuan, at kung ano-ano pa na dapat sana ay malaya nilang ginagawa na walang malisya.
Somethiing didn't fit.
Naalala tuloy niya ang sinabi ni Julia sa kanya noong bago sila ikasal ni Kath.
"Bakit kailangan mo siyang panagutan? Sigurado ka ba na may nangyari sa inyo?"
Hindi siya agad nakasagot dito.
"Kath would'nt lie to me..."
"Pero natanong mo na ba sa sarili mo kung kaya mong gawin iyon sa kanya? Daniel ikaw na ata ang pinakamagalang at pinakadisciplinadong taong nakilala ko... Hindi mo hahayaang may mangyari sa inyo. Alam ko na kahit dulo ng buhok niya hinding hindi mo tatangkaing hawakan na may bahid ng malisya..." she said desperately while smiling bitterly.
"Ano bang natatandaan mo?" hamon nito. "Wala naman hindi ba? I'm sorry to tell you this but I have this gut feeling that your little bride is lying straight to your face."
Hindi naalis sa utak ni Daniel ang pag-uusap nilang iyon ni Julia. She hit a sensitive spot and from then on he coulld'nt shake the feeling of uneasiness.
Kath wouldn't lie to him.
Kunot-noong tinignan siya ni Kath ng makita nito na nakatingin siya. This was the time to ask about it.
"Noong araw na may nangyari sa atin, was i gentle to you? he asked without a pause.
Dumagsa ang kulay sa muhka nito dahil hindi nito inaasahan ang tanong niya. Nag-iwas agad ito ng tingin sa kanya at nagmadaling tumayo sa kinauupuan.
"Ano ba namang klaseng tanong yan Daniel..." nahihiyang sabi nito.
Sinundan ni Daniel si Kath sa paglalakad.
"Come on Kath. I want to know." he insisted while tailing her. "I know we agreed not to talk about it but just this once and then I'll stop."
Dumiretso ito sa kusina at tila may hinahanap.
"Oo naman." she said short. Nahanap din nito sa wakas ang baso.
"Paano mo naman nasabi na gentle ako?" he looked at her while she poured some water for herself. She became anxious by every minute right under his nose like a cornered cat.
"Masyado kasing mabilis, hindi ko na maalala." then she smiled. She left her glass without drinking any water. She started to move again away from him.
That was illogical, he said in his mind. Gentle yet it happened so fast. And the smile wasn't just right.
She was acting happy and he just wanted to just push further.
He was growing suspicious. Dahil alam niyang nagsisinungaling ito. And everything was clear for him for the first time.
"Did we remove our clothes before or after?"
"We had our clothes on!" hindi nito napigilang sabihin. "I mean... we... removed it before. NO! after!"
WRONG ANSWER
Nanlaki ang mata nito, nakagat nito ang labi. Then he saw the brief flash of fear that lingered for a second before she started to run for the stairs.
Napapikit siya at nang ibukas niya iyon parang lumiit ang mundo niya. He felt the need to hit something. Hinabol niya ito sa kwarto nito bago pa nito naisara iyon. He was blinded by rage.
He felt a stabbing pain, he briefly closed his eyes while she looked at her teary eyed.
"I would never lie to you." she pleaded.
"Newsflash Kathryn, you just did." he hissed.
Then he grabbed her arm and slammed her small frame at the back of the door.
For the last time he looked for her face for a sign that he was just mistaking it all. She couldn't possibly doing it to him... not in a million years. But everything was never this clear. She looked down at her feet and her tears started streaming down her face.
"Nakakalungkot na isipin na masyado kitang pinagkatiwalaan."
Every single word he said pained him like hell. And he felt some sense of satisfaction when pain flashed through her face also. She grabbed his sleeves as if to hang into something before all crumbled down.
He placed his forehead next to hers.
"Humarap ako sa altar na ikaw ang iniisip ko, pero ikaw sarili mo lang inisip mo." bawat salita diniinan niya. "To think that I was willing to give up everything for you."
He relaxed her grip on her, stepped back, unaffected by her tears.
"Siguro naman hindi nakakahiya sayo kung balikan ko si Julia?"
He continued to stare blankly at her before he gave her the final blow.
"YOU OWE IT TO ME."
BINABASA MO ANG
Stay by my Side - (Under Revision 2017)
FanfictionHe was standing few meters in front of her and he was the perfect epitome of heartache. She can't let herself be lulled to happiness by words uttered by the same man who broke her heart years ago. He pranced his way towards her with a devious...
