Perfect Couple 2: Mr. Broken Meets Ms. Broke

Chapter 15

-VINCE-

"I love you, Vince. I sincerely, wholeheartedly love you."

My heart was racing in my chest. I have longed to hear those words again. I have waited for years to hear them again.

Hawak ko pa rin ang mukha ni Myca. And I can't help but stare at her innocent, sincere eyes. Patunay na totoo yung sinabi niya at walang halong kasinungalingan.

Her stare was earnest and I just wanted to go with the flow and accept what she offered me.

But I knew better.

My heart was still thumping painfully because I can still see Sugar's face in her - the sweet, timid, Shoo. And I felt like a real jerk for using Myca like this. 

They were the same yet different. Shoo was timid, Myca was bold. Shoo was soft-spoken while Myca was not. Shoo was Shoo and Myca was Myca.

I knew Myca has become special to me so I can't take advantage of her like this. 

She deserves way better. 

She does not deserve a half-assed love. She deserves someone who can love her wholly and only her.

It was my fault for being carried away, but I can't lead her on any further. I just can't. 

"Myca, I'm sorry," I said, a lump forming in my throat and my chest tightened as I saw how her eyes lose their shine. "I c-can't love you. I still love someone else and I don't-"

"As a friend," she suddenly said, cutting me off. And then she removed my hands from her face and took a step back.

"I love you as a friend, Vince!" she said again, now laughing.

"Alam ko namang patay na patay ka dun sa ex mo! Ha-ha! Anyway, pasensiya na ulit at pinakialaman ko yung gitara mo. Napalitan ko na yung mga bedsheets mo saka nalinis ko na itong kwarto mo. Kung wala ka nang iuutos, eh mauna na ko, ha," aniya at pagkatapos ay kinuha yung mga maruming bedsheets at lumabas na ng kwarto.

Napahawak ako sa noo ko at mariing pumikit.

Hindi ako tanga para maniwala sa alibi niya.

I sat on the chair and rested my head and just stared at the ceiling.

Myca's face came into view - I just hope that I made the right choice. I damn hope so.

-VANN-

Ahh, ang sakit ng ulo ko. Grabe naman yung prof ko na yun. Sobrang hirap magpa-exam! Pang-Boards na yung mga tanong eh.

Pagpasok sa condo, agad na tinanggal ko yung sapatos ko at kukunin na sana yung tsinelas ko nang biglang gumalaw yung shoe rack.

I jumped out of fear when Myca showed up, her hair covering her face. 

"Jesus Christ, Myca! Ano na naman bang ginagawa mo diyan?!" She almost gave me a heart attack!

She murmured something but I couldn't hear her properly so I asked her again.

"I can't hear you. May nangyari ba?" 

"Huhuhuhu! Vann! Ang sakit palang mabasted!" she suddenly exclaimed and cried.

Agad na nilapitan ko siya at inalis sa mukha niya ang buhok niyang sobrang gulo.

She looked like she'd been crying for hours.

Namamaga at pulang-pula yung mga mata niya at may tumutulo na ring sipon at uhog sa ilong niya. 

I wiped her face using my shirt. What the heck happened this time?

"May nangyari ba sainyo ni Kuya?" tanong ko at umupo sa tabi niya.

"Oo," sagot niya at suminghot. "Nag-kiss kami."

"Damn, seryoso?!" gulat na sabi ko. That was an improvement, right?! Eh bakit siya umiiyak?

"Oo. Ang sarap pa nga eh," nakangiting sabi niya tapos biglang umiyak na naman siya.

"Then, why the heck are you crying?!"  

"K-kasi sinabi ko sakanyang love ko na siya."

What the?!

"You did what?!"

"Ang bingi mo naman. Bakit kailangan ulit-ulit, Vann? Sabi ko sakanya "I love you, Vince. I sincerely, wholeheartedly love you." Ayan ha. Verbatim pa yan."

"Bakit ka nagtapat???" I know Kuya feels something for Myca, but it is not yet the right time!

"Eh ang romantic kasi ng atmosphere kanina saming dalawa eh. Naggigitara ako tapos siya kumakanta. Tapos nung matapos yung kanta, kiniss niya ako. Tapos di ko na napigilan, nasabi ko yung feelings ko. Vann, ang hirap kayang magpigil ng kilig!" Tapos biglang lumungkot yung mukha niya.

"Kaso b-basted ako. He said he was sorry and that he was still inlove with someone kaya naman pinalitan ko yung sinabi ko. Sabi ko love ko siya as a friend lang!"

Napahawak ako sa ulo ko. Sumakit bigla yon dahil dito sa mga pinaggagawa ni Myca.

"Vann... dapat ba hindi ko binawi? Baka isipin ni Vince playgirl ako o kaya pakawalang babae ako o kaya-"

"Myca, stop. Please. Don't overthink. Kuya is not dumb. He definitely won't buy your lame excuse."

Napabuntong-hininga ako.

"But honestly, I'm glad na ni-reject ka ni Kuya."

"Bakit naman? Sadista ka ba? O hindi ka na boto sakin para sa Kuya mo?"

"Crazy. It's not that. It only means that Kuya takes you as someone very special kaya hindi niya hahayaan na bigyan ka ng pagmamahal na di mo deserve. Alam ko kung ga'no kalalim yung pagmamahal niya kay Sugar and I'm sure that if he accepted your confession and started a relationship with you, he will just see you and love you as Sugar's replacement - a rebound."

Tiningnan ko siya.

"And he does not want that for you because that is not the kind of love that you deserve. So cheer up, Myca. Kuya Vince cares for you more than you can ever think."

Akala ko magiging masaya na siya sa narinig niya pero nagsimula lang siya ulit umiyak. What the heck?!

"Bakit umiiyak ka na naman???"

"Eh k-kasi binawi ko naman yung sinabi ko sakanya. Dapat pala hindi ko binawi! Para tuloy hindi na sincere yung confession ko!" 

"Hindi 'yan. And I think somehow okay din yung confession mo. Kuya will become more aware of you and who knows? He might become aware of his feelings as well."

"T-talaga?" 

"Yes. So stop crying and resume to making him fall for you, okay?" 

This time, nakangiting tumayo na siya ulit.

"Ile-level up ko na ulit ang panlalandi ko kay Vince! Fighting!" she uttered to herself.

Naiiling na natawa na lang ako. I need to start doing some actions, too. 

Kasi baka pag di pa ako kumilos, baka kung anong gawin na naman nitong si Myca at tuluyan nang masira yung plano namin.

Oh well, at least may progress. This just got even more exciting.