The Love Request

The Stranger

"Please tell me you're joking?"

Halos masamid ako sa iniinom kong frappe.

"I am not."

Sagot ng boyfriend ko. Teka, magiging ex na pala. Mali. Ex na pala. Kasi ngayon gusto na nyang makipaghiwalay sakin.

"Bakit? Why now?"

Gulong gulo talaga ang isip ko. He said yes nun tinanong ko sya about this meet up. Hindi ko malaman bakit nakikipag break sya sakin ngayon.

"Is there somebody..."

"No. No. There's no one. There's no one."

I searched his face and look for clues. Wala akong makita. Seems like I don't know him that well.

"We rarely see each other..." Sabi ni Kim.

"Yes! But we managed right? We're two months away from our anniversary!"

From hurting to anger real quick.

"I know. But I'll be more busy. You'll get more busy."

It's true. Magsisimula na ko mag thesis and him being the same age as my kuya will be busy studying for his board exam.

"Don't make this lame excuse Kim! I may not know you that well but we've been together for 10 months now and I know when you're hiding something!"

Not true. I really don't get him and I just don't want to believe na yun lang yung dahilan kaya iiwan nya ko.

"You don't love me Rhian."

My wtf face is on. I mean come on. Bakit ko sya sasagutin kung di ko sya gusto?

"Gusto kita Kim. Why would you say that?"

Umiling sya and he smiled. It's not a happy smile. He looks hurt. But how did I hurt him?

"Rhian, iba ang gusto sa mahal. We get along just fine. But aside from that, you don't feel that strongly towards me."

"I don't get it." Sagot ko sakanya.

Hindi ko talaga maintindihan how can he say I don't love him.
I do.
I know I do.

"We haven't seen each other for almost 2 months. And when I get here, the first thing you said is,'You look handsome! They would be shocked af.'"

Of course I would say that!
He is really handsome! Chris Evans bod with James Reid face, of course I would say that!

"That's a compliment!"

"Nope. I was here only because you want a proof that you have me."

"So? You're my boyfriend. Totoo naman na I have you."

"A trophy one."

And it hurts. Yun ba talaga tingin nya sakin? Na he's only a trophy boyfriend for me?
Yes, it's true na one reason kaya ko sya pinilit pumunta dito ay para ipakita kay Nikki na di ako nagsisinungaling kagaya ng sinasabi nya.
Gusto ko ipakita na may boyfriend talaga ako.
But aside from that I alsi want to spend some time with him.
10 months and we only get to date 4 times. But those were happy times.
He lives at Manila cos he's living at the school dorm there. We're lowkey having long distance relationship but that wasn't a problem before. We Facetime each other a lot. Call each other a lot.
We're happy.
I am happy.

"But I love you."

"And I love you too. But you have to set your feelings straight Rhi. Sorry."

"I still don't get it Kim. Can't we just talk it out?"

I reached out. It's a relief na hinayaan nya ko hawakan ang kamay nya.

"Sorry."

That's all he said before letting my hands go. He stood up and started walking away.
I was frozen in my seat. Why am I not crying? Although it hurts. No tears fell down.
Nalilito parin ako at di ko maintindihan. Yun kaluluwa ko parang nakahiwalay sa katawan ko.
Everything happens so fast.
My boyfriend broke up with me at wala na ko mapapakilala na boyfriend.

Nikki will be so happy. I bet she will have that annoying smirk on her face.

What if I told them he broke up with me?

'Yeah right, kasi diba kapani paniwala yun na kung kelan ipapakilala, saka kayo nag break?'

Shut up conscience!

'Emergency.'

Emergency! Yes!
Sabihin ko nalang na nagka emergency kaya di kami nakapunta.
Then I'll pack my things at magpapaka layo layo muna ko. Baka may spaceship ang NASA na pupuntang space, mag aapply nalang ako. May piggybank ako na halos puno na. Kasya na siguro yun. Or I'll go sa isang fishing village at dun nalang ako titira for the rest of my life.
I don't know what to do next. I should just leave.
Tama. Need ko umalis na lang muna tapos saka na ko magiisip ng next step.
Nice idea!
Tumayo na ko readying myself to leave. I was looking at the parking lot para sigurado na di pa sila nakakarating.

"Ouch!"

"Woah."

I looked up and saw a man in front of me. He looks like my age, maybe a year older. Obviously he's working out kasi para akong bumangga sa pader.

"Sorry. Okay ka lang?"

Tanong nya sakin. Just when I was about to answer, I caught a glimpse of that long hair that is all too familiar.

"Shit!"

Andyan na sila! Di na ko makakapag dahilan na di ako makakapunta.
What to do? What to do?

The man is still in front of me.
Suddenly bigla ako nagka idea.

"Can you give me a minute?"

"Huh?"

Hindi pa sya nakakasagot pero hinila ko na sya sa may back corner ng cafe. May maliit na corridor papunta sa restroom.

"Miss. Miss. Wait wait. Hey hey."

"I'm sorry."

I stopped dragging him nun nasigurado na ko na di kami kita from the entrance.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Somehow he looks genuinely concerned. I feel so guilty but I have no choice.
I searched his face na obviously naguguluhan ko bakit bigla ko sya kinaladkad dito. He's handsome, honestly. Not as ripped as Kim pero he got a lean body. And he's tall. Like really tall. As in kelangan ko pa tumingala para makita mukha nya. He's wearing eyeglasses but that doesn't stop me from looking at those pair of beautiful eyes.

"May I ask you a favour?"

Kumunot noo nya na parang naghihintay ng susunod na sasabihin ko.
Lahat lahat na ng lakas ng loob na meron ako e sinubukan ko ng ipunin for this one risky favour.
I don't know him and he don't know me and we only accidentally bumped at each other yet wala talaga kong choice. This is almost a life and death situation.
So huminga ako ng malalim at hinanda ang sarili sa malaking kahihiyan na mangyayare.

Then I asked him...

"Would you be my boyfriend?"