It Takes One Woman [Rodrigo Duterte x Leni Robredo]

17 - He Stroked His Hair

He stroked his hair on his birthday and stood in front of her house's gate with a bouquet of peach roses on his hand. He walked a bit far from her place as the parking slots nearby were all occupied and the available space beside her house had an open construction pit. He reached out for the door bell and waited for her to come out.

She peeked into the window, a prickle on her chest was felt again as soon as he saw him outside. She went out and coldly opened the gate.

He smiled brightly, he still gets the butterflies every time he sees her like it's still his first time to lay eyes on her. "Hi, Leni." He greeted her.

She glowered at the bouquet he was holding before she looked at his face. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?" She asked aloofly.

He kept his smile on and tried to hand her the bouquet. "Para sa'yo."

A sullen look manifested in her eyes, "hindi naman ako humihingi ng bulaklak," she shuts him down. "Tsaka sino bang nagsabing pumunta ka dito at bigyan mo ako niyan?" She followed.

He began to feel the humiliation, his bright smile started to fade out. "Birthday ko kase, gusto ko sana makapagpasaya ng tao." He brought up discreetly reminding her of the special occasion.

She sneered, "Gusto mong magpasaya ng tao? Sa ginagawa mo hindi ako natutuwa eh." His heart broke. "Digong, wala akong obligasyon sa'yo. Kung pumunta ka dito para manggulo dahil akala mo papalagpasin ko 'to dahil alng birthday mo, pwes, nagkakamali ka." She scolded him.

He was partly guilty of it, he thought she wouldn't diss him and reject his efforts because it was his birthday but just like she said, he was wrong about it.

"Sorry, gusto lang naman sana kita makausap." He apologized and bowed his head feeling so bad for annoying her with his sudden presence. "Eh kung ayoko? Ano? Obligasyon ko pag-aksayahan ka ng oras para makipag-usap dahil birthday mo? Digong naman." She exhaled sharply sounding so disappointed in him.

He exhaled feeling so much like a failure, "pasensya ka na. Namimiss ko lang kase na kausap ka. Akala ko lang mapagbibigyan mo ako ngayong birthday ko." He hated to bring it up again.

"Digong, nanahimik ako dito kaya pwede bang tigilan mo na yung pangugulo sa akin? Wala akong obligasyon sa'yo kahit birthday mo, kung pasko man o kung ano mang okasyon meron kaya sana naman tumigil ka na dahil hindi ako natutuwa sa mga pinagagawa mo." She chided.

"Namimiss na kase kita." He hated to confess but it was what he has been feeling all along and he just couldn't keep it to himself anymore. "Bakit? Hindi naman tayo 'di ba? So bakit may pagkamiss miss?" She refuted. "Gusto lang sana kita makausap para humingi ng isa pang pagkakataon." He explained but she hated to listen.

"Pagkakataon—" she snorted, "Digong, wala ng pagkakataon!" She yelled. "Huli na ang lahat. Kahit araw araw kang pumunta dito hindi mababalik yung tiwala ko sa'yo at hindi na mababalik yung kung ano mang naging meron saatin." She continued.

"Mahal parin kase kita—"

"Digong, hindi na kita mahal!" She interjects silencing him. His heart broke upon hearing it from her. "At hindi na kita mamahalin ulit dahil tapos na ako maging tanga sa'yo!" She added breaking him more.

Silence crept in between them, his chest ached in misery. "Dahil ba may iba ka ng mahal?" He asked with a broken voice, he kept his head bowed down wishing she would say no.

She knew to herself that it was still him all along but anger swallowed her that moment. "Oo," she confirmed shattering his heart into pieces.

His eyes felt teary but he didn't want her to see him cry as he thought she might think he's faking it all out. "I needed to hear that." His voice cracked as he faked a smile.