And Then It Happened (Completed)

Epilogue

I went out of the CR with the determination to keep my life going. I realized nothing will happen if I keep on thinking about him and the past that we have. I need to move to finally move on.

I was on my way back to our place when I saw someone familiar. He was talking to someone. Tinitigan ko pa siya nang ilang minuto before I got the courage to approach him. But he began walking away.

"Gelo!" I called. It's so noisy he probably didn't hear me.

"Gelo!" Tawag ko ulit but still, he didn't hear me. Marami pang taong humaharang sa dinadaanan ko and he's walking so fast. Nahihirapan akong maabutan siya.

Sa sobrang pagmamadali ay nakabangga pa ako. I had to help her get up. Medyo lasing kasi siya. I forgot I was following Gelo. When I looked ahead ay hindi ko na siya natatanaw. But I still tried to look for him.

Isa pa 'tong si Gelo. Di na nga nagpapakita sa akin, pinapahirapan pa ako.

Lumiko ako sa isang hallway because I thought dumaan siya roon but to my surprise, I saw a couple making out. Halos mapasigaw pa ako but I tried not to. Mukhang hindi naman nila napansin ang presensya ko.

"Pakshet!" I whimpered. Nagtago ako sa likod ng isang malaking halaman just a few meters away from the couple making out. "Sa dinami-dami ng pwede kong makita, ito pa," reklamo ko. Aalis na sana ako to mind my own business pero biglang lumakas ang ungol ni Ateng kaya na-curious ako.

Kaya sumilip ako.

"Oh my god!" I mouthed when I saw what's happening. Ipinasok na! Ipinasok na! Pakshet!

"Kristy?"

"Ay pusanggala!" Agad akong napatakip ng bibig. I don't want to interrupt them from what they're doing pero mukhang napalakas ata ang sigaw ko.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Gelo?" It's him! "Shocks! Ba't ka bigla-bigla na lang sumusulpot! Naistorbo tuloy natin sila!" Pangaral ko. Hinila ko na siya palayo sa lugar na 'yon para maipagpatuloy na nila Ateng ang ginagawa nila. Hindi madali kapag hindi natuloy. I know the feeling.

I was busy dragging Gelo out of the bar that I didn't realize I was holding his hand. Saka ko lang napansin 'nong nasa labas na kami.

"Sorry," agad na sabi ko saka binitawan ang kamay niya. Naupo kami sa isang bench. We were about a foot away from each other.

Suddenly, it became awkward.

"I heard what happened," he said in a soft voice. "I'm sorry."

"Ganun talaga. Things just happen," I mumbled. I can't look at him in the eyes the same way before. Siguro dahil 'yon sa pag-amin niya sa akin bago nangyari ang lahat.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Wala kang kasalanan, Gelo. You don't have to say sorry for not being there. Kasi alam ko naman kung bakit. It's me who should say sorry," I said. Sinubukan kong tumingin sa kanya. That's when I saw him already staring at me.

"Wala kang dapat ika-sorry, Kristy. Hindi mo rin kasalanan. Alam ko kung sino talaga ang mahal mo at tanggap ko 'yon. Hindi ko ipipilit ang sarili ko sa 'yo. I'm fine being just your friend. Basta alam ko lang na okay ka."

"Alam mo, sana ikaw na lang minahal ko," I suddenly mumbled. He then chuckled saka nailing na iniwas ang tingin sa akin.

"Sana nga, ano?" He mumbled. "Pero 'wag nating ipilit. Kung mamahalin mo man ako, I want it to happen naturally. I don't want to force things to happen," he said. Nginitian niya ako, and I did the same. "For now, let's focus on making you happy again."