When The Heart Beats (Completed)

Ch. 01

Ch. 01
Hit

Most of the time I'm smiling because I'm happy, but right now I'm smiling because I'm strong.

"Paige naman, baka pwede niyo pang ayusin? Aalis ka nalang ba?" Tanong Dyann sa akin.

"Hindi ako yung tipong hahabulin ang isang lalakeng nang-iwan sakin. Alam mo 'yan. And if he's happy with her, then I should be happy too!" I reasoned out.

Si Dyann na pinsan ko lang ang tanging karamay ko dahil wala akong kapatid. Yung iba kong mga pinsan ay puro lalake and even though close kami, natatakot akong baka upakan nila si Ringo kapag nalaman nila ang nangyari.

So I only talk to Dyann. Almost everyday niya akong kinukumbinsing kausapin si Ringo. But no, I won't. He broke up with me. I wasn't fine with it but I wasn't dumb enough to beg him to stay.

He loved me. Alam ko iyon. Hindi naman ako tanga o manhid para hindi iyon maramdaman.

But I'm not blind either. Nakita ko kung paano at gaano niya kamahal si April. Kasi si April na talaga simula pa nung mga bata pa sila. When she left Buena Vista, nakita ko kung gaano ka wrecked and devastated si Ringo. Hindi ko pa siya nakitang ganon sa akin. Only April can break him, and only April can mend him, too.

"So ano, tatanggapin mo nalang yung offer sa Aklan?" She asked.

I nodded. "I want to go somewhere far. Pwede na yong Aklan."

"Far na 'yon? Ang far, Paige, something like Alaska or Antarctica!" She squealed. "Or Mars, even."

"You want me to freeze to death? Hilig mo sa mga nagyeyelong lugar, ah!" I protested. Aklan is the best option I have so far. May trabahong naghihintay sakin don. Free board and lodging pa. "Saka Mars? Mauna ka sige. Susunod ako."

She sighed."Kausapin mo nalang si Ringo bago ka umalis. Atleast say goodbye. Para may closure." Untag niya.

I breathed in and out.

Closure? Ayoko na siyang kausapin. Pero kung makakatulong 'yun for me to start over, then might as well give it a try.

"Try ko."

•••

Tournament nila Ringo ngayon at ngayon din ang alis ko pa-Aklan. Gaya ng sinabi ni Dyann ay magpapaalam lang ako kay Ringo. Yun daw bang once and for all ay magkaroon kami ng closure.

Hindi pa nagsisimula ang game pero nasa court na ang lahat para sa warm up.

Maliban kay Ringo.

Siguro ay nasa locker room pa siya kaya doon ako pumunta.

I was right. He was there and he was staring at his phone as if waiting for a call.

"Ringo." I uttered. He met my gaze and hid his phone in his locker.

"Paige..."

"Can we talk?" I asked him. Ilang araw na ba simula nung huli kaming magkita? Hindi ko na maaalala. All I know is that it still hurts a lot when I look at him.

"Alright. Doon nalang sa may fire exit para walang istorbo." Aniya.

Hindi na ako nagpaligoy-ligoy pa pagdating namin sa fire exit. Una, ayokong may makakita sa amin. Pangalawa, masyadong masakit.

"I'm going to Aklan." Sabi ko. "I'm not telling you this para sundan mo 'ko. In fact sinabi ko 'to para wag kang pumunta ng Aklan. Wag kang mag Boracay. Go somewhere else. You're rich. Go out of the country just... wag sa Aklan. I know it's too selfish to ask but—" Shit. Why am I asking him not to go to Aklan? How lame could I get?

"Okay. Hindi ako pupunta ng Aklan. Makakaasa ka. Good luck on your work, Paige. You're a very adorable woman and you have all the chances to find someone better." Aniya.

Holy cheese. He agreed?

Tumulo ang mga luha na pinipigilan ko. I don't think I can even find someone else, Ringo.

"Wag ka ng umiyak. Please. Kasi ayokong nasasaktan ka. I've hurt you too much already." Ani Ringo at saka ako niyakap ng saglit. "Good bye, Paige. Good luck."

•••

Second day ko sa Aklan. Paulit ulit kong iniisip yung pamamaalam ko kay Ringo. His warm embrace... dammit! Just dammit, Paige! Try to move on for once!

Hinampas ko ang manibela at nagmura dahil sa mabigat na daloy ng trapiko. Madaming turista kaya ganito. Parang wala ring silbi na may kotse ako as part of my signing bonus sa kompanyang pinasukan ko. Dapat ay motor nalang ang binigay nila, kaya ko pang lusutan ang traffic na 'yan.

Sa wakas ay lumuwag ang daloy kung kaya naman binilisan ko ang pagpapatakbo.

I wasn't expecting someone to cross the street and I obviously wasn't expecting my car to hit him.

But still it did.