Playing with Fire | On Hold

PROLOGUE

ITS BEEN A WHILE, hindi pa nalelate ever si Jethro sa usapan nila. He was always on time, he always made it on time unlike her na palagi nitong hinihintay. Ngayon niya lang naranasan na maghintay para sa nobyo, mula noong college ay ito na ang palaging nag-aabang sa kanya, nag-aabang na matapos sa klase, matapos mag-aral, matapos magbasa, matapos gumawa ng projects. In short, palagi si Jethro ang last priority. He didn't mind, sabi nga nito ay worth it naman na hintayin siya pero lately parang napapagod na ito. It has been five years since they got together, first boyfriend, first kiss, first everything, as in lahat. She loves him, totoo yun pero madami lang talagang mga bagay na kailangan mauna kaysa sa puso niya.

Louisa is a consistent honor student mula bata siya, she always excelled in almost every single thing that she did. She made sure na hindi siya mahuhuli sa kahit na ano. Palagi naman kasi siyang nakikipagkompitensya sa mga kapatid niya. Siya ang middle child, at siya lang ang hindi sumunod sa yapak ng pamilya patungo sa medisina.

Natatawa nga sila minsan ng kaibigan niyang si Mati na parang dapat palit sila ng pamilya, Mati's family wanted her to be a lawyer and Lou's family wanted her to be a doctor. She fought for this, alam ng lahat yun. She's a scholar para lang walang masabi ang pamilya niya. They're slowly accepting the fact pero syempre madami pa ding kontra. They said that it was tradition, as if naman lahat ng tradition nasusunod diba? They're in modern times already, people should be able to make choices now.

Looking back, Jethro was the first person other than her friends who supported her dream. He will help her in college and study out with her or just give her space kasi mas sanay siyang mag-aral mag-isa. Noong nakapasok siya sa law school it became harder especially since Jethro found work na din. They were always apart at sa minsan nilang pagkikita ay nakadukdok pa din siya sa pag-aaral. She made him her last priority again after promising for a million times na magbibigay siya ng madaming time.

"Hey," umupo si Jethro sa upuan sa harap niya. It's been two weeks since they last saw each other, it's been two weeks since they last talked. "Kanina ka pa? Sorry. Traffic."

"It's okay." Tumango lang si Lou, she has to understand like all those times na iniintindi siya ni Jethro. Hinanap niya lang yung halik nito sa tuwing magkikita sila. He seemed so bland now. Siguro kasalanan niya nga. He's waited too much.

"Jet," she smiled as she tried to touch his hand pero casually ay iniiwas nito ang kamay. He sat upright, looking at her straight in the eyes. Umayos na lang din siya ng upo. He seems too distant now. "Wala na akong classes. You want to go out of town?"

"Ah, is it that time again? May oras ka na uli para sa akin?" He smirked pero hindi na lang pinansin iyon ni Louisa.

She's hurt him a lot of times, may karapatan naman itong magalit sa kanya. Maybe this is why he's looking for love and attention from someone else. Yes, he's been cheating and she's known now for a while pero handa siyang patawarin ito, she's been unfair with her time too. Siya siguro ang may kasalanan kaya nagloko ito.

"Sorry na, Finals kasi kaya hindi ako makareply o makatawag, alam mo naman na ang taas ng kailangan kong i-maintain na grades para sa scholarship." Gusto niyang maglambing pero parang hindi na gagana. Tama siguro ang mga kaibigan niya, kailangan na siguro niyang bumitaw din pero ayaw niya, her Jethro tried so hard for her before kaya tama lang na subukan din niya, diba?

"Bullshit." He said in a low tone na silang dalawa lang ang makakarinig. Nasa labas sila hg paborito nilang restaurant, buti na lang wala pa din masyadong tao. Pwede naman niyang puntahan ito sa pad nito pero ayaw niya kasi mas comforting ang lugar na ito. This was where they had their first kiss. "You never had time, last priority naman ako palagi."

"Kaya ka ba nag-cheat?" Nilingon siya nito. His eyes full of shock. Was he expecting her not to know?

"Alam mo?" He asked. Matagal na niyang alam, nakita sila ng isa niyang kaibigan na papasok sa isang hotel. It broke her heart pero naisip niyang kasalanan naman siguro din niya. She didn't give him enough of her time.