Escaping Strings

Chapter 37: Cheat

“No, Martina. Jac is in love with you. Hindi puwedeng mangyari 'to!” She cried.

Sandali, parang kanina lang, sinabi niya sa akin na mahal niya si Jac. Why is she pushing him away now?

“Wait, wait, wait! Happen what?” naguguluhang tanong ko.

Hindi niya ako sinagot. Tinakpan niya ang mukha niya at nagpatuloy lang sa pag-iyak. Umupo ako sa tabi niya saka bumuwelo. I need to know everything para naman malaman ko ang mga dapat at hindi dapat na sasabihin ko. I want to help.

“Are you pregnant, Diane?” I asked and she looks at me for almost a minute, like reading me before wiping off her tears.

We went out of the wash room and we heard them talking.

“How?”

“Who? Kailan pa? Are you—”

“It's my boyfriend,” singit ni Diane sa usapan nila.

Napahawak ako sa noo ko. I don't know what to do to you, Diane.

Tiningnan niya si Jac nang masama bago harapin ang tatlong babae, “Dad must not know hangga't hindi kami ikinakasal ng boyfriend ko.”

“Diane, please!” I begged, holding onto her arm but she just pulled away.

She have decided. Hindi ko na siya puwedeng pigilan or pakialaman. Kung ito ang alam niyang makabubuti, let it be.

“Let me do this, Martina. I am telling you, Jac don't love me. It's just a one night stand, for fucking's sake!” Bulong niya sa akin.

“Fine! But I am also telling you, he loves you at baka pagsisihan mo 'to.”

She just smiled.

“I need to call my boyfriend. I will accept his proposal and we will get married as soon as possible.”

Hindi ko kinaya ang nangyari sa loob. Sa harap pa talaga namin nagkaroon ng ganoong hindi ko inaasahang eksena sina Diane at Jacob. Alam kong may nangyari sa kanila, alam ko na ang lahat-lahat, pero ang hindi ko maintindihan ay kung bakit pinagpipilitan pa rin ni Diane na ako ang mahal ni Jacob. Mahal niya 'to at alam kong mahal din siya ni Jac. Pati tuloy ako, nai-stress. Ayokong makita silang nagkakasakitan or even a simple clash of words. Muntik ko nang mabatukan si Jacob kanina. Mabuti na lang at tinawagan ni Iris si Matt at pinagmadaling umakyat dito. Kung hindi, baka makunan ako nang wala sa oras sa kasasaway ko sa kanila.

“So, it's Diane,” Matt chuckled it out a bit.

Napatingin naman ako sa kaniya at mukhang napansin niya, “Oh, remember what I've told you when we talked about Jac being different from his old self? He told me that this woman make him feel heaven since the very first day that he had never experience to anyone before, pero hindi man lang niya pinansin noong una. He is really in love with Diane, babe. I see why he's getting nuts knowing from her na hindi siya ang ama ng dinadala niya.”

Natahimik ako sa sinabi ni Matt. Ano bang ikinababahala ni Diane, eh mukhang mahal na mahal naman talaga siya ni Jac. Alam kong mahal ni Jac si Diane, ngayon lang talaga niya naamin nang todo sa sarili niya na ito talaga ang gusto niya, not me, not anybody but Diane. I made him realize that years ago. Sadyang tatanga-tanga lang siya pagdating sa pag-ibig.