Mr. It's Complicated (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirteen (End)

"Where is Kuya Robi?" kanina ko pa naririnig si Rapah na hinahanap si Robi. Pasimpleng tinapunan ko siya ng tingin, napangiti ako. Halatang tensyonado na ang kapatid ko. I sighed. Hinahanap ko rin si Robi. Naisip ko kasi na baka nasa kanya ang isang bagay na ilang araw ko ng hinahanap-hanap. 

I miss her... and it's killing me. 

"Don't worry, he'll come." nakangiting sagot ni Rika. I sighed. Robi is back in the band. Napagdesisyon kasi ng lahat na kung hindi pa babalik si Trey at kung patuloy ang paglalagalag ni Ian, si Robi na ang kukuning drummer ng Neon. We don't want some stranger playing with us on stage. Para kasi sa amin, NEON means family and FAMILY means those people whi is close to your heart, at kahit na may silent war kami ni Robi, he's still apart of our family. 

"Pero, baka hindi siya dumating. Baka magbago ang isip niya..." halos naiiyak na si Rapah.

"Imagine her, kung kasal na talaga niya ito..." narinig kong komento ni Audrina. I smiled at her, poagkatapos ay nilagpasan ko na siya. Importante ang araw na ito para kay Rapah. It's her bridal shower, Audrina and Rika took care of this party and they were all excited for this... 

It's kinda weird being in my sister's bridal shower, pero tulad nga ng sinabi ni Rika, hindi ito tulad ng normal na briodal shower, it's a wholesome party, a party with good food and good music. 

I'm Ali's best man, at tungkulin ko rin na bigyan siya ng stag party, pero dahil natatamad ako sa buhay ko ngayon, I just told him to forget about it, and he seemed okay with that. 

"You're weird again.." hindi ko napansin na sumunod pala sa akin si Audrina. Tumingin ako sa kanya. 

"I'm not..." tumango naman siya. Umupo ako sa baitang ng hagdan. She sat beside me. 

"You're quiet... alam mo ba? You're freaking my husband? He's worried about you..." natigilan naman ako. SI Zach? nag-aalala sa akin? Bakit? Kung sasabihin ni Audrina na si Ali, malamang maniwala pa ako. Ali has been so expressive about his thughts and his feelings, ganoon na talaga siya kahit na noong mga bata pa kami. Samantalang si Zach, mas pipiliin niya pa na asarin ako kaysa ang sabihin na nag-aalala siya sa akin. 

"Okay lang naman ako, so there's no need to be worried." napabuntong hininga ako. Sa tuwing humihinga ako, lalo kong nararamdaman kung gaano na kalaki ang kahugkangang iniwan ni Irish sa aking puso. I can feel it, right in the middle of my chest, I can feel the emptiness in my heart... and only she has the remedy...

"Oh, I'm not worried at all. Actually, i'm happy for you." Audrian gave me her knowing look.... which always freaks me out. It was as if she could see right through me. 

"Drins..." lalo siyang napangiti. She did not say anything, she just tapped my back and winked at me. Pagkatapos noon ay tumayo na siya upang bumalik muli sa loob. Napailing ako, I just had the weirdest conversation... 

Napabuntong hininga ako. Ano na kayang ginagawa ni Irish? Nasaan na kaya siya? Namimiss niya kaya ako? Magkasama kaya sila ni Robi? Kung magkasama sila ni Robi, anong ibig sabihin noon? Nagkabalikan na ba sila? Are they getting married again?

Mababaliw na ako. Hindi ko na kayang tumagal pa ng isang araw na hindi nakikita o nakakausap man lang si Irish... May plano naman ako pero hindi ko alam kung paano ko gagawin iyon lalo na kung hindi ko naman talaga alam kung nasaan siya, I was really hoping that Robi will bring her here today so that I can see her, pagkatapos gagawin ko ang plano ko. 

"James!" Ali shouted. Napatayo ako. "Is it okay if you sing first? Wala pa kasi si Robi." kumunot ang noo ko. 

"Bakit ba wala pa siya? Tinawagan mo na ba?" nahaluan ng pagkainis ang boses ko. Bakit ba late si Robi? Alam naman siguro niya kung gaano kahalaga ito. 

"Yup, papunta na raw, na-stuck lang sa traffic. Naiinip na kasi iyong mga bisita saka iyong ibang press, nagtatanong na... Alam mo naman na ayaw na ayaw ni Rika ng makulit na reporter at ayaw na ayaw rin niyang maging presscon itong party ni Rapah."

"Eh bakit kasi nag-invite pa siya ng media?" tanong ko. Ali shrugged. 

"We're Neon dude. Kailangan mo pa ng ibang reason?" natatawang biro niya. Binatukan ko si Ali. I cannot believe that tomorrow, this guy wiil officially be my brother in law.

I headed to the dressing room, I saw Rika, embracing Rapah as if calming her, napailing ako. I really think Rapah is just over reacting, darating naman si Robi. Si Robi pa, eh mahal noon si Rapah. I took my guitar and I headed out the stage. Tama si Ali, marami na nga ang bisitang naroon, mostly our family and friends, and of course the media. I settled in the middle of the makeshift stage. I settled on the chair... and then suddnely, people stopped what they were all doing. 

"Hi... I'm James, I'm the brother of the bride." I said clearly. I smiled as the cameras flashed. "Uhm, Ali said, I have to sing, but before i do that, may kwento muna ako." napangisi ako sa nasabi ko. 

"A year ago, I told Ali to marry my sister, because he was stupid enough to say that something happened... "I shrugged.. "you know ------- I smashed his face and out of anger I said to him that the next morning, he'll have to marry Rapah. And he agreed. So the next day, we we're all waiting at the city hall, Ali came, so did his EX fiancé... We we're bothred by the sight, Rapah was nowhere to be found... by that time, I realized something, I wasn't forcing Ali to marry Rapah. I was doing the opposite thing. I was actually forcing Rapah to marry Ali. I didn't really understand Calixto that time. Ali told me that he was so desperate, kasi ayaw niyang mawala ang kapatid ko." I can hear low "ohhhs" and "awws" in the audience, I smiled. 

"Yeah, I know, it was romantic. But to tell you the truth, I didn't understand Ali that time... I didn't know why he was so scared of losing Rapah... pero ngayon..." huminga ako ng malalim. Irish beautiful face flashed on my memory, and just like that, I felt the hole in my chest throbbed. Like I was slowly dying... Ngayon ko lang na-realize na ang lungkot-lungkot ko pala.

"Naiintindihan ko na... And If I we're given a chance to do something like that, gagawin ko, makasama ko lang siya..." silence fell on the crowd... I started playing Lifehouse's Whatever It Takes... 

A strangled smile fell from your face...
It kills me that I hurt you this way" 

I closed my eyes, trying to remember Irish. I closed my eyes so that I can see her, even if it was on in my imagination. And there she was, I can see her, in her wedding gown, looking so pretty, the next thing she was running away, I remember, thinking that she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I remeber the first time I made her smile, the first time we really talked and the first time I kissed her.... I remembered almost everything about her... 

"I'll do whatever it takes, to turn this around..
I know what's at stake, I know that I've let you down...
And if you give me a chance, believe that I will change, 
I'll keep us together, whatever it takes..."

I felt an antagonizing pain in my heart, like someone was smashing it. Ang lungkot-lungkot ko. Ang hirap-hirap maging ganito, bigla ko tuloy naitanong kungf ganito ron ba ang naramdaman ni Anton, Ian at ni Robi habang hindi nila kapiling ang mga taong mahal nila?

I wanted to cry that moment, walang katumbas ang kalungkutang nararamdaman ko. Ngayon ko lang naintindihan kung bakit halos isang dekadang naging ganoon si Anton, kung bakit naghintay si Ian nang ganoon katagal at kung bakit hindi nagawang bitiwan ni Robi si Ian... 

I realized that when you have found your one great love, your heart will stop beating for you because it will start beating for that person... 

Just like now, I couldn't feel my heart because Irish is not with me..

I opened my eyes, I saw Ali and the rest of the guys standing at one corner, they look ridiculous. Para silang nakakita ng multo, ganoon ang tingin nila sa akin. Then Audrina waved at me, I nodded at her, then she pointed at her left, as if she was telling me to look there, and I did... unconsiously, and when I did, my heartbeat accelerated. 

I saw her looking at me, her hands wrapped around Robi arms, I felt like a green monster was satnding just beside me.. She was looking intently at me... 

Matutuwa ba ako? 

"I cannot take this anymore..." wait.. did I said that out loud? I saw Rika's mouth fell open. " He made you the rebound girl for years, Irish, he asked you to marry him but he failed! He made you cry, broke your heart and yet your still hanging around him like nothing happened?!!!"

___________

"He made you the rebound girl for years, Irish, he asked you to marry him but he failed! He made you cry, broke your heart and yet your still hanging around him like nothing happened?!!!"

Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa braso ni Robi. What the hell is wrong with James? Hindi ba niya kayang maging sibilisado man lang kahit minsan? He's ruining his sister's party and I cannot believe that the guys are not doing anything about it. My mouth fell open when he cursed in front of the microphone. 

What's wrong with him? 

"He's mad.." Robi said like he was just stating a fact. I looked at him. 

"Do something, he'll embarrass himself..." i whispered at him. To my dismay, Robi shook his head. 

"He's mad, I cannot do anything." natatatawang pahayag niya. Sa inis ko ay hinampas ko ang balikat ni Robi at saka ko siya pinamaywangan. 

"You find this amusing?!" nanlalaki ang mga mata ko. Binalingan ko si James. Ibinalya niya kung saan ang gitara niya at saka tumalon pababa sa makeshift stage, inilang hakbang niya ang pagitan namin. My heart started beating fast... I felt scared, he looked muderous. Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong gawin. I don't even know if I should be standing in front of him, so i did what I thought was right, I took off my shoes and ran away... 

Nakakatawa, ilang beses na nga bang nangyari sa amin ni Jaime ang ganitong eksena. Lagi ko na lang siyang tinatakbuhan, lagi ko na lang siyang tinatalikuran. Maybe he thinks that I'm a coward for always running away from him, but I couldn't careless... 

The truth is, i'm scared of him. Kung pareho sila ni Robi, malaki rin ang posibilidad na mangyari sa aming dalawa ang nangyari sa amin ni Robi noon. 

At dahil ayokong masaktan, paulit-ulit ko lang din itong gagawin, ito kung kinakailangan. 

"People are staring Irish... for the nth time, you look like a run away bride in her yellow cocktail dress!" he's following me. Napapikit ako. I looked back and I saw James chasing me ---- again. It was dramatic. Parang katulad lang ito noong nangyari sa Madrid. 

The only difference now was that I'm not wearing my wedding gown. 

"Why do you keep on chasing me!" hopeless na sigaw ko. I didn't stop... Lumiko ako and I saw a very busy street, just like in Madrid, but I never got to cross the street back then, and I wanted so much to get away from him and so, nakipagpatintero ako sa mga sasakyan. 

"BEEEPPP"

Iyon ang sagot ng bawat sasakyan sa mga attempts kong tumawid. One jeepney driver even said.. 

"May shooting at, si Bea at John Llyod." 

Kung naiba-iba lang ang sitwasyon, malamang natawa pa ako. Pero hindi naman ganoon iyon eh. 

I was trying to get away from something that I want.. 

How hard can that be?

"Crossing the street doesn't mean that I won't follow you anymore!" 

"Hoy! Ano ba iyan!" sigaw ng isang Bus conductor. I looked up and smiled at him. 

"Sorry." muli akong lumingon at nakita ko si James na kaunti na lamang ang distansya sa akin. Pawis na pawis na siya... at tulad ko nanghihingi rin siya ng paumanhin sa bawat sasakyan na madadaanan niya. 

"Irish! can you just not runaway from me! Please!!!" umalingawngaw ang tinig ni James sa buong kalsada. Pero hindi ako nakinig, nagpatuloy ako sa pakikipagpatintero sa mga sasakyan. 

We were causing traffic and we are making a scene, a scene that everyone seemed to be enjoying. And somehow, they find it amusing. Akala talaga nila, shooting ito. 

Ang hindi nila naiintindihan ay ang kagustuhan kong makalayo mula sa taong gusto kong makasama. 

Oo, gusto kong makasama si James, mahal ko siya pero hindi pa ako handa sa ngayon na makipaglaban na naman sa sugal ng pag-ibig. 

Kung hihinto ako ngayon, at haharapin siya maraming tanong sa isipan ko ang malilimutan ko na naman. 

Like, what about Ian? What about his feelings for her. He's still in love with her... 

"Stop, silly. If he's in love with her, then why is he chasing you?" the sarcastic voice in my mind yelled at me... 

"But I don't wanna get hurt..." I keep telling myself that. Then the sarcastic voice in my head said: Paano ka magiging masaya kung hindi mo haharapin ang mga bagay na maaring makasakit sa'yo?

"Irish!" James called out again. I stopped. I turned to him. He was just inches away...

"Five minutes..." hindi ko alam kung bakit ko sinasabi ang mga katagang iyon. Am I actually accepting the fact that he might have a good explanation?

Or I'm ready to face the fact that if I listened to him, If I give him a chance, i might consider this feelings I have for him?

"What? You avoided me for months and all I got was five minutes?" tila naaasar na sagot niya. Namaywang ako. Magsasalita na sana ako nang bigla kong maramdaman ang palad ng kung sino na humawak sa mga braso ko.. 

"What the-----" 

"Kayong dalawa, sumama kayo sa akin sa presinto. Jay walking kayo." boses ng isang babaeng pulis ang nanuot sa aking tainga. I looked at James, may pulis na rin sa likuran niya... 

"But--- this is not my fault!" naeesakandalong pahayag ko. 

"Not your polt... tingnan mo nga miss. Nakita mo ba na halos paralisado na ang traffic dahil sa eksenang ginagawa ninyo? Oo nakakakilig daw, pero nakakairita kayo. Hala sige, sumama na kayo sa amin." ipinosas ng babaeng pulis ang kanang kamay ko, pagkatapos ay isinuot sa kaliwang kamay ni James ang kalahati ng posas ko. 

Jay walking lang tapos pinposas nila ako? Ni wala silang warrant of arrest... 

"First offense ko pa lang ho, bakit posas agad? Saka wala kayong warrant..." 

"Can you just shut up, Irish?! Ginagawa lang nila ang trabaho nila.." James hissed at me. 

"This is your fault!" sigaw ko sa kanya. 

"Tumahimik nga kayong dalawa!" sinuheto kami ng pulis, naitikom ko bigla ang aking bibig. Moments later, nakasakay na kaming dalawa ni James sa police mobile. 

"This is not happening to me..." naiinis na sabi ko. Its all your fault.." 

"My fault? Ikaw iyong tumakbo, ikaw iyong tumawid sa maling tawiran tapos sasabihin mo, it's my fault?" he said, sarcastically. 

"Hindi naman ako tatakbo kung hindi ka habul ng habol.."

"And what? Kung hindi kita hahabulin, hindi mo pa rin ako kakausapin!" sigaw muli niya. 

"Why do you keep on doing that? Can't you see, I don't want you in my life! Sasaktan mo lang ako tulad ng ginawa ni Robi.." James made a face. 

"Sinaktan ka pala niya eh, then why are you with him? What your still in love with him? Are you that desperate!?!" 

"How dare you!" sigaw ko sa kanya. 

"Hoy! Sharap! Naka-nose bleed kayo!" kumento ng babaeng pulis na nanghuli sa amin. 

"Sharap your face!" James yelled back. "Can't you see officer? I'm on the verge of crying! I'm here in front this woman, and I'm trying to tell her that the reason why I keep on chasing her was because Im am actually in love with her! And there you are and you keep on shutting me up. How am I supposed to give her the happy ending she deserves if you keep on doing that!" he sounded desperate. 

What the hell is wrong with Jaime... 

"You should be careful with your words, James." inis na sabi ko. Muli ay binalingan niya ako. 

"Why can't you undrestand?! I'm holding on to the gutter Irish... I'll do anything just to be with you, even if that means kidnapping you again..." nanlaki ang mga mata ko. 

"You will never do that to me again! Look James.. I don't undrestand why...." I paused. "You're just like Robi.. and I don't wanna get hurt,...."

"Shut up okay! I'm here and I'm telling you that I'm in love with you and you compared me to your ex?!" tila pikon na pikon na siya. "I may not be as patient as Anton, I may not be as romantic as Ali, I may not be as dramatic as Robi or Zach, but screw them! All I know is that I wanna be with you. Yes I'm a very impatient asshole but I'm willing to do everything just to be with you! I even bought your wedding gown thinking that you'd be the most beautiful bride on our wedding day! Magpapakulong ako ng paulit-ulit para lang mapatunayan ko sa'yo na mahal kita!"

"You bought back my gown?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko."James put his hands over my shoulders. "AW! My wrist!"

"Can you just focus!?! I said I. LOVE. YOU. Exclamation point." James yelled on my face. Noon lang ako natigilan. 

He loves me? I looked at the officer. 

"Excuse me, did you hear him say those words earlier?" i know, I looked so stupid... 

"Oo, miss," napapangiti ang dalawang pulis. "Sabi niya In love daw siya sa'yo.." 

"Ikaw kasi, dakdak ka ng dakdak.." sabi pa muli ng pulis na nagposas sa amin. I looked at James. 

"One word has a lot of meaning..." mariing sabi ko. James shook his head. 

"I can't believe this, ganyan ba talaga katigas iyang ulo mo? Sabi na nga sayo diba.. Mahal kita. I love you. Te amo. I'll say it again in any language you know... but you have to give me time because I have to learn Spanish... and you cursed in French right, I have to learn that too.." 

"Why do you love me?" mahinang tanong ko. Natigilan si James. 

"I don't know, because like me, you're complicated. You're a psychotic bitch who doesn't really know what she wants. You're neurotic, childish and..." he took a deep breath. "I don't know. It fascinates me, because although your like that I know that I cannot live without you. It fascinates me that I have so much love for you..." 

Napaluha ako. I don't know what to say. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with and yet he was saying those words like it was the most amazing thing. 

"I'm not psychotic..." bulong ko. 

"Yeah? The why did you cross the street? Adik ka, ang daming sasakyan.." natatawang sabi niya. Humikbi ako. "Why are you crying?" nagtatakang tanong niya.

"Because, you said you love me..." mahinang sagot ko... "Totoo ba talaga iyon?" James cupped my face. "Again, my wrist!"

"Sorry... yes, it' true, i love you, and if you'll let me, I want you to be my Mrs. It's Complicated..." 

Mrs. It's Complicated... that sounded so good... 

"In short, I want you to marry me, because there's no way I'm letting you go again.." 

"What if I say no?" I dared him..

"Then I'll take it out on Robi and this time, he's going to be just like barney, all purple and green..." napanganga ako. 

"That's evil!" James laughed. 

"I was just kidding. So what now, my señorita... are you gonna marry me or what?" impatient na tanong niya. I looked at him for a while... 

Ano pa nga ba? Ngayon pa ba ako tatangi? Ngayon na pwede ko naman pala siyang makasama at ngayon kung kailan hindi ko na kailangan na takbuhan siya ng paulit-ulit?

"Sí, mi amor, voy a casarse." saglit na kumunot ang noo ni Jaime.. 

"Alright, I have no idea what you just said, but I know what 's SI means... " nakangiting pahayag niya, and just like that, he pulled me closer, cupped my face and kissed me fully on the mouth... 

It was a good day... I keep thinking... Anton was right, James is Mr. It's Complicated... he always fall for the ones that has a complicated relationship status... 

And I used to be one of those... but now, I am more than happy to be in an It's complicated relationship with my Mr. It's Complicated ------ FOREVER....

THE END