Love Me Too

Chapter 33

Tumingala siya nang maramdaman ang pamumuo ng mga luha. She took a deep breath and smiled to herself. Until when is she going to be like this?

Her cellphone rang. Pinahiran niya muna ang mamasa-masang mga mata bago sinagot ang telepono. She cleared her throat too.

"H-Hello Pierce..."

"Clarisse, I'm sorry but I don't think I can pick you up tonight."

"Ah okay. What happened? Are you in trouble?" she worries.

"I just finished my meeting to some prospect suppliers and my father asked me to have a drink with him tonight."

She smiled. "Oh I see. Okay I'll just take a taxi then. Enjoy your time with your Dad. Bye."

"Clarisse-"

"Yes?"

"Don't forget to eat your dinner."

Napangiti siya ulit. "Yes, I will. Thanks."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Bumalik siya sa kanyang table at kinuha ang mga gamit. Matamlay na pinatay niya ang mga ilaw at isinarado ang opisina. Tahimik siyang naglakad sa maluwang na pasilyo. Nag-iisip siya kung matatake-out sa isang malapit na fast food o magluluto pagdating sa bahay. Pierce won't be eating at home kaya mas mabuti sigurong dumaan na lang muna siya ng restaurant.

Pagkalabas ng gusali, napasimangot agad siya pagkatanaw sa trapik sa kalsada. Inikot niya ang mga paningin upang tantiyahin kung mahihirapan ba siyang makahanap ng taxi. Natigilan siya nang may mahagip ang mga mata. Her heart started to pound. She wanted to rub her eyes to make sure na tama ang kanyang nakikita but she was frozen for a while.

Natanaw niya sa bandang dulo ng parking lot ang isang pamilyar na pangangatawan. Nakatayo ito at nakasandal sa trunk ng isang nakaparadang kotse. Naaninag niya ang mukha ni Lance.

Kumurap siya ng ilang beses at natutulalang humakbang papalapit sa lalaki. Bawat hakbang niya ay lumilinaw ang mukhang nakikita...si Lance nga! He's looking in her way and he's waiting for her to get closer and closer. Napapanganga siya habang nakatingin sa mukha ng binata. Inusisa niya agad ang hitsura nito. She worries a lot na baka pinababayaan na nito ang sarili. But he still looks the same. Handsome, neat, well-dressed, fresh and...natigilan siya nang mapansing may hawak itong sigarilyo sa kanang kamay at nangangalahati na ito.

"L-Lance?" napapatangang sambit niya.

Binitawan ng lalaki ang sigarilyo at inapakan ito. He looked at her face with gloomy eyes.

"Are you still mad at me?" he uttered in a low voice.

She slowly shook her head habang dahan-dahang nangingilid ang kanyang mga luha. Right there and then she wanted to hug him. Gusto niya itong mahawakan upang masiguradong si Lance nga ang kaharap... But she contained herself. She took one step closer instead.

"W-Why a-are you here?" Her voice is shaking.

"I miss you-" He swallowed hard. "A-And I'm sorry.." His starting to have teary eyes.

Clarisse's tears were about to fall but she managed to control them. Pinilit niyang ngumiti. She took another step closer to make him see that she's okay now.

" T-This is the last time that I'll be seeing you... and I-I want to ask for your forgiveness before I totally disappear in your life-"...

She stopped. A dagger just hit her heart. Napapangangang napatingin siya sa binata.

"I-I'm sorry for everything that I said....Sorry if I caused you pains... Kahit kailan hindi ko intensiyong saktan o pahirapan ka..." His voice started shaking. "And I'm sorry because I fall in love to a woman I'm not supposed to...."

Nanlamig ang buong katawan ni Clarisse. Hindi niya maintindihan ang nararamdaman. She smiles while her eyes is getting blurry. She wants to speak but her mouth can't find even a single word. Gusto niya itong patigilin sa pagsasalita. Natatakot siyang bawat salitang maririnig ay babaon sa kanyang dibdib.

"T-Thank you for everything. The time we spent together are the best days of my life. They'll definitely make me smile everytime I'll think of them in the future. I will be forever grateful that I was given a chance to meet a great woman like you...Thank you."

"L-Lance..." Masyadong masakit. Hindi siya makahinga to a point na nahihirapan siya kahit ibuka ang mga labi. Para siyang magcocollapse sa naninikip na dibdib. Every part of her body is either numb or shaking.

Lance gave a bitter smile habang umaalis sa pagkakasandal sa sasakyan. "Goodbye, Atty. De Silva. Live well and be happy." He opened the car door in order to leave. "Maybe see you someday on court," he managed to joke.

She wanted to stop him. Beg. Say she loves him. Tell him she'll be staying by his side....But, she can't. No. She can... But, she shouldn't.

"I-I'm sorry too..." Ang tanging nasambit niya nang may nanginginig na mga labi.

Lance looked at her for the last time and smiled. "Wala kang kasalanan."

He went inside his car, drove and never looked back, not even in the mirrors.

Clarisse was left voiceless. Habang tinitingnan niya ang papalayong sasakyan ay saka isa-isang kumakawala ang pinipigilang mga luha. Nabitawan niya ang dalang briefcase sa panghihina. Her files were scattered on the ground.

She was standing all alone in the middle of parking lot like a lost child. Weak... dumbfounded...helpless...hurt...and crying.