Jirah
"Miguel," I nodded at him, my face expressionless.
Kung walang anumang emosyon ang mukha ko ay kabaligtaran naman ng nasa loob ko.
This man. This man was the man who owns Jia's heart now. Jia's fiancé, the one who will be with Jia forever.
Parang gumuho na naman ang mundo ko. I almost forgot. I Almost forgot that Jia announced to the whole world that she's getting married. I wanted a chance to explain, I wanted to say my piece that I almost forgot that it probably be for naught, para ano pa nga ba ang sasabihin ko kung huli na rin naman ako. Heto't nakatayo sa harapan ko ngayon ang pinaka-maswerteng tao sa mundo.
"Jirah. Nakabalik ka na pala?"
"Yeah, for a few weeks now," I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms.
"Jia didn't tell me. I'm here to pick her up for lunch," Miguel said.
Ouch. Tinatanong ko ba? Dapat ipamukha sa'kin? "Might not want to give you a reason to worry," sagot ko na lang.
Napakunot nang bahagya ang noo ni Miguel but he nodded after a while.
"Why did you come back?" He asked. Hindi naman nag-aakusa ang tanong niya, just a simple question but it still made me defensive.
"I'm only here for work, Miguel, aalis din ako pagkatapos ng dalawang buwan," medyo naiinis na sagot ko. Worried much? Hindi ba siya secured sa pagmamahal ni Jia sa kanya?
"Are you sure?" Tila naghahamon na tanong pa nito.
Tuluyan na akong nainis. Madali talaga akong mainis pagdating sa lalaking 'to eh. Lumapit ako at tumayo sa harapan niya. I looked at him straight in the eye. "Do we have a problem?"
Miguel did not break my gaze. "What do you think? Kung ako lang, ayokong lumapit ka kay Jia after what you've done."
"And what did I do? Hm?"
He shrugged. "You left her."
I didn't answer him.
Miguel smirked.
"Natahimik ka? Didn't you promise her that you'd come back, after what, three months? But you did not. Iniwan mo siya sa ere, what does that say about you?" He crossed his arms and gave me a smug smile.
A smug smile that I will remove from his face. Hinawakan ko ang collar niya, I know my eyes are blazing and I didn't care that I was about to pummel him here in Jia's building.
"What's this?" A cold voice asked from behind me.
Tumingin si Miguel sa likuran ko, "Jia."
Lumapit si Jia sa amin, hindi ko pa rin binibitawan ang collar niya. Pa isa lang, please.
"Unhand him, Jirah," utos ni Jia. "What happened here?"
"We were just chatting, Jia, pero mukhang I hit a nerve. Kinukumusta ko lang naman ang buhay niya the last five years." Ngumiti pa talaga ito kay Jia.
Lalo ko naman hinigpitan ang hawak ko sa collar niya. Finally, the smile fell from his face. "Are we friends? No. Then what on god's green earth gave you the impression that you could ask me any questions whatsoever?"
Hinawakan ni Jia ang kamay ko, "please, release him. Wala naman akong nakikitang mali sa ginawa ni Miguel."
Tumigin ako kay Jia pero nakatingin lang ito kay Miguel na may pag-aalala sa mukha.
I sighed dejectedly. I released him from my grip, agad naman itong dinaluhan ni Jia.
"Are you alright?" She held his cheek. Miguel gave him a smile.
